Go back to the past to plant trees

Xiao Liu's doghouse was the simplest one, just a frame, without any need for wind or rain protection. Since it was placed inside a dugout, Zhao Jinquan finished it in two days.

Feng Cheng took a look and thought it was not bad. Although it looked a bit flimsy, that was because it wasn't nailed up. He would buy some nails next time he went down to the dam and reinforce it, and it would be quite sturdy.

"Not bad, your hands-on skills are pretty good," Feng Cheng couldn't help but praise Zhao Jinquan after seeing his work.

Zhao Jinquan chuckled somewhat sheepishly, "It's alright. I originally wanted to make it look nicer, but I didn't have some of the tools, so I could only make do with what I have."

"It's alright, it's just for Xiao Liu to stay in, no need to be too particular."

"By the way, Brother Feng, you mentioned putting a toilet in the room. I've been looking at some options these past few days, and I think it would be good to put it near the door. It would be convenient to carry the chamber pot out during the day, and it's also a bit far from the kang (heated brick bed), so the smell wouldn't be too strong. Also, when there's a breeze, you can open the door to the dugout, and the wind coming in from outside can also carry away some of the toilet smell."

Feng Cheng looked at Zhao Jinquan's gestures and nodded in satisfaction.

“You’ve thought of everything. However, there’s not much space around the entrance. If we’re going to put the toilet here, we’ll have to dig a little deeper into the mud wall.”

Zhao Jinquan said, "It's alright. I checked, it only needs to be dug in about two feet wide, it will only take half a day."

"Let's take some time in the next couple of days and get it done for him!"

Although Feng Cheng was used to the smell of toilets, he also wanted his nose to feel better. He had thought about getting a toilet when he first transmigrated, but he was always busy and didn't have time. Sometimes he would remember it, but he was too lazy to do it, so he kept putting it off until now.

Now that this task has been assigned to Zhao Jinquan, Feng Cheng took the opportunity to do it himself.

Over the next two days, Feng Cheng and Zhao Jinquan spent their spare time digging in the dugout. Fortunately, when they built the thatched roof, they extended it outward by one meter; otherwise, Feng Cheng would have had to buy another thatched roof to expand the dugout.

After the space was expanded, the rest was Zhao Jinquan's job: to build a frame out of wood, then thatch the outside and put up a door.

This job can't be done in less than a few days, and since there isn't much suitable timber in the camp, Zhao Jinquan will have to spend more time gathering timber, which will take even longer.

At this time, Feng Cheng also took some time to go down to the county town, borrowed two books from the bureau's archives, and then told Old Qin, who was in charge of the archives, that he would ask Zhao Jinquan to help him bring a few books up next time he came.

The books were returned by the same driver who delivered the supplies.

Old Qin agreed to Feng Cheng's request. Feng Cheng had returned the books on time both times, and since he had been staying in Bashang, Old Qin admired him and gave him some conveniences.

Feng Cheng's main purpose in coming down here was to get some wheat. It was almost time for the sweet potato harvest, and Feng Cheng needed to figure out how to make sweet potato maltose before the sweet potato harvest so that he could make sweet potato maltose after the sweet potato harvest.

It gets cold at the end of September, making it difficult for wheat to germinate. So Feng Cheng had to prepare in advance, otherwise he wouldn't be able to make it later.

When Old Liu heard that Feng Cheng wanted to get a few kilograms of wheat, he also showed a troubled expression. In this day and age, it is really not easy to get wheat, such a fine grain.

Fortunately, Feng Cheng wasn't short of money, and Old Liu was also in charge of the canteen and had some connections with the people at the grain bureau, so getting a few kilograms of wheat wasn't a big problem.

With a few kilograms of wheat, Feng Cheng's maltose business would be secured.

Old Liu didn't ask Feng Cheng why he wanted to work with wheat, and Feng Cheng didn't explain either. Feng Cheng planned to deliver a few kilograms to Uncle Liu's family after he finished working with it.

After settling the wheat matter, Feng Cheng went to Yu Zheng's office to report on the seedling cultivation situation at the nursery.

During this time when Feng Cheng was idle in Bashang, his mind was often wandering. He was grateful for the information explosion of the future, which allowed someone like Feng Cheng to understand some of the rules of the workplace.

For example, you should always report on what you do, regardless of whether there are any results or not. Reporting is always a good thing. It lets your boss know that you are working, and it also helps you make your presence felt so that your boss doesn't forget about you.

In his previous life, Feng Cheng's level didn't require these techniques, so he didn't really understand them. However, he had some understanding from the numerous explanations available online, and now he was able to put them to good use.

Although Yu Zhenglai has been very good to me, I still have to abide by these workplace rules. Sometimes it's not just for the boss to see, but also for outsiders to see. Let outsiders know that your relationship with the boss is still good, so that some minor difficulties can be avoided.

Feng Cheng reported on the matter of the Bashang Nursery, and then told Yu Zheng that he would be taking leave to go back to Beijing in October.

“My mom bought an apartment in Beijing, which was originally intended for me to get married. But now that I’m here and will be staying here in the future, there’s no point in leaving the apartment in Beijing there. So I was thinking of going back to deal with it.”

“And my mother, I want to bring her ashes back and bury them with my father.”

Upon hearing Feng Cheng's words, Yu Zhenglai's expression immediately turned serious.

"You'll have to go back. Give me a specific time, and I'll prepare food coupons for you and have someone take you to the region to catch the bus."

"Thank you, Director."

"No need to thank me. The fact that you came back and are willing to stay is already remarkable. I should be the one thanking you."

"Oh, by the way, in view of your hard work in the past two years in Bashang, I discussed it with the leaders in the bureau and decided to approve your application to join the Party. Go back and write your application and submit it when you have time."

"Joining the Party?"

Upon hearing this, Feng Cheng looked at Yu Zhenglai with surprise, "Director, why so suddenly..."

"What, you don't want to?" Yu Zhenglai glared at Feng Cheng, very dissatisfied with his reaction.

Feng Cheng quickly waved his hand, "I'd love to, but...you know about my girlfriend, I'm worried it might have a bad influence..."

"What's the big deal? You already said she was your girlfriend. She's just your girlfriend, not your wife. You two broke up, so her affairs shouldn't affect you anymore. Besides, she's dead. Are you going to keep pursuing this?"

"Alright, don't feel pressured. Go back and finish writing your application to join the Party and hand it in," Yu Zhenglai interrupted Feng Cheng with a wave of his hand.

"Okay, I'll write it when I get back and hand it in tomorrow."

Seeing that Feng Cheng had agreed, Yu Zhenglai's expression softened. "Actually, it was Engineer Chen who got you a spot in the Party. He originally wanted to promote you to a higher level and make you a technician in the bureau, but you were in Bashang and couldn't provide technical guidance, so everyone disagreed. In the end, Engineer Chen got you a spot in the Party."

"It was very difficult to secure this spot, for reasons you know. However, Engineer Chen strongly recommended it, even slamming his fist on the table at the meeting. In the end, everyone had no choice but to agree."

Feng Cheng fell silent upon hearing this. He hadn't expected Chen Guangji to be so kind to him. Don't underestimate the importance of Party members in this era. Joining the Party leads to promotion, joining the Party leads to promotion, only by joining the Party can one be promoted. That's the rule. The Forestry Bureau only has two or three Party membership slots a year. Feng Cheng was able to get one by stepping over many others, and that was all under the premise that he hadn't made any significant contributions.

Feng Cheng felt he had to thank Chen Guangji in person, and he remembered that Chen Guangji was ill with cancer and didn't seem to have much time left.

When Feng Cheng first arrived, he also wanted to talk to Chen Guangji about this matter, but after considering it, he decided not to.

Cancer, especially in its late stages, is an incurable disease since the new century, let alone in this era of low medical standards. Telling him in advance will only cause him worry and will not serve any purpose.

Rather than letting him and his family live with worry and fear, it's better for them to know nothing at all. At least in the final moments of his life, he was happy.

It's cruel, but that's reality.