Go back to the past to plant trees

"Sigh, Yan Xiangli looks so sullen, I thought he was an honest man, but I didn't expect him to be so irresponsible."

That night, another round of discussion broke out in the girls' dormitory.

“I thought this guy was no good from the start. He can’t even do laundry. When he introduced himself, he just asked a girl to help him. He doesn’t act like a man.”

Meng Yue truly looked down on Yan Xiangli. She disliked him from the first time they met, and his work attitude after they arrived at the dam made her dislike him even more. He was the kind of person who could hurt his back just by wielding a hoe, and he had no manly qualities whatsoever.

Qin Xuemei interrupted her, "Alright, that's enough, everyone's gone."

“When the section chief came back just now, I told him about this. The section chief actually knew that Yan Xiangli was going to leave a long time ago.”

Qin Xuemei was stunned. "He knew Yan Xiangli was leaving? Then why didn't he tell Xiurong?"

"The section chief said he was just guessing, and there's no point in talking about it. Are we going to force them to stay? They'll leave sooner or later anyway, so what's the difference?"

Meng Yue nodded and said, "I think the section chief is right. If someone as irresponsible as him stays for another year or two and marries Xiu Rong, and then tries to leave, Xiu Rong will be truly miserable."

"Xiurong, don't overthink it. Really, I don't think Yan Xiangli is good enough for you. Apart from being a college student, he doesn't have anything else to offer."

Ji Xiurong lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, her eyes lifeless.

Seeing Ji Xiurong like this, Meng Yue, Shen Mengyin, and Qin Xuemei exchanged glances and could only shake their heads helplessly. This was something she had to get through on her own; they couldn't persuade her otherwise.

For the next few days, Ji Xiurong was absent-minded and would often space out. Sometimes, while watering the nursery, she would suddenly stop moving. She was the same during breaks. When people chatted with her, she was also absent-minded and would not answer a single question even after being asked several times.

"Something's not right with Ji Xiurong!"

This was the first time Zhao Tianshan had encountered such a situation, and he was somewhat at a loss.

Feng Cheng said, "Don't worry, everything will be fine. She was just suddenly traumatized and can't figure things out for a while. Give her a few days, and she'll be fine once she understands."

Love in youth is often intense and passionate, but time can heal all wounds and fade all scars.

Yan Xiangli's departure was quiet, but it caused some disruption to everyone's lives, and his mood affected the atmosphere of the camp.

“Ji Xiurong…”

"Oh, section chief, is there something you need?"

Ji Xiurong, who was in a daze, was stunned for a moment before she reacted to Feng Cheng's question.

Feng Cheng nodded. "That's right. Autumn afforestation is about to begin, but when it will start depends on the temperature in Bashang. A few days ago, I specifically instructed Yan Xiangli to pay attention to the temperature changes and to notify me immediately if the temperature drops. But he has suddenly passed away, so I thought I would hand this job over to you."

Ji Xiurong replied, "Ah, okay, I'll go to the weather station tomorrow to keep an eye on it."

"Pay more attention to your work, stop spacing out all day like this. If you miss the tree planting season, it will be a real problem."

Ji Xiurong lowered her head somewhat shyly, "I will take it seriously."

"Alright, we're all adults, I won't say any more, figure it out yourself!"

Feng Cheng didn't say anything to comfort her. Everyone had been trying to persuade her gently these past few days. Feng Cheng didn't think she would get over it after a few words. Besides, Ji Xiurong was emotionally hurt right now. If he went forward, what if she suddenly developed feelings for him?

Given Ji Xiurong's passionate and impulsive nature, if she truly developed feelings for Feng Cheng, she would genuinely pursue him. Yan Xiangli did the same, as did Wei Fugui, and Feng Cheng certainly didn't want to experience something like that.

So even though Feng Cheng knew that Ji Xiurong was in a bad mood, he still deliberately kept a certain distance from her.

Over the next few days, everyone continued with their work. Perhaps because of the work, Ji Xiurong's mood improved significantly, and she no longer spaced out so often as before.

At the construction site, materials have been continuously being brought in. Sand, gravel, bricks, and tiles have already piled up in large quantities. According to Xu Peng, these materials are enough to build the planned dormitory building.

The construction site was bustling with activity. After Feng Cheng and his team finished preparing the land, he also came over to help with the work, mixing cement, carrying bricks, hauling sand and gravel, and doing some simple tasks.

With Feng Cheng and the others joining, the construction team's speed immediately increased.

"We're almost out of cement. I asked our supervisor, and the cement plant has stopped issuing cement. It will be a while before we get any more."

That day, Xu Peng approached Feng Cheng and told him some not-so-good news.

Before construction even started, Qu He said that they could only try their best to ensure the availability of materials, and Feng Cheng was prepared for that.

Previously, the construction site was rushing to meet deadlines, and there had been no shortage of materials. Feng Cheng thought that Qu He had already resolved the issue, but now it seems that problems have still arisen in the end.

"So, when the cement here runs out, the construction site will have to stop, right?"

Xu Peng nodded, "Yes, the cement plant said that the next batch of cement will not be available for another month."

"A month later?"

Feng Cheng shook his head. A month later, it will snow on the dam. What use will cement be then? We won't be able to do any work.

Feng Cheng looked at Xu Peng and said, "So you're going down there, right?"

“Yes, if the work here stops, we have to go down. We still have work to do elsewhere, and we can’t just stay here and wait.”

"understand."

"Thank you for your hard work these past few days. Come to our camp after we finish work, and I'll treat you to a few drinks."

Feng Cheng extended an invitation to Xu Peng, saying, "I can only invite you and your nephew. Our camp isn't well-off, so we can't treat everyone to a good meal."

Xu Peng laughed: "What's the big deal? Even if you wanted to invite them, I wouldn't agree. With the appetites of all of us, no matter how much you prepare, it won't be enough for them. It's all pork and beef stomach."

"Is the work hard? You won't have any energy if you don't eat more."

"You'll be staying in Bashang again this winter, otherwise I would have treated you to a meal. Hot pot with mutton, just thinking about it makes my mouth water. It's a pity you're not lucky enough to have it!"

Xu Peng said with considerable regret.

Feng Cheng laughed and said, "There will be opportunities. Next year, when the Saihanba Forest Farm is established, there will be a road connecting here to the county town. At that time, we can go to the county town even when it snows. I'm just afraid that when I come to you, you won't receive me."

"I'm telling you, if you come, I'll definitely treat you to the best wine and food."

"Next time you go to the county town, go to the construction company to find me, and I will definitely treat you well."

Feng Cheng replied politely, "Okay, I'll definitely come to see you next time I go down."