Chapter 63 (Revised) "That Zhou Qiaozhen,..."

The performance at the regiment headquarters was scheduled for the afternoon before New Year's Day, and the venue was the regiment headquarters auditorium.

The day before departure, the livestock company felt like it was New Year's. The women and children participating in the performance were both excited and nervous, checking their props and the lines they already knew by heart over and over again. Shu Ran gathered everyone in the classroom for a final pep talk and check.

"Did you all bring the red ribbons? And bring two spare candle stubs from the lantern!"

"Don't drop the wooden guns, Shuanzhu, practice your knife-sharpening shouts again so I can hear them."

"Once you're on stage, look straight ahead and imagine that everyone in the audience is one of our own. Make sure your voice is loud and clear!"

"Remember, we're not here to compete on who sings better; we're here to tell revolutionary stories and spread the spirit of Tie Mei's family!"

She carefully gave each person instructions, but she was actually quite anxious inside.

This was her first time leading a team to participate in such an activity, especially in the form of a textbook drama. If the performance went wrong, it wouldn't just be her own face that was lost, but the face of the entire livestock company.

Company Commander Ma and Secretary Liu also came to offer their encouragement. Looking at the actors in their costumes, Company Commander Ma grinned, "Good! Spirited! Keep it up! Make our livestock company commander proud!"

Secretary Liu, on the other hand, was more pragmatic. He instructed Shu Ran, who was leading the team, "Keep an eye on the people and the belongings. Come back directly after you're done. Don't wander around the regimental headquarters aimlessly."

Chen Yuanjiang appeared at the classroom door at some point. He didn't come in, his gaze sweeping over the noisy scene inside before finally settling on Shu Ran, who was sweating profusely from her busy work. He watched her for a while, said nothing, and then turned and left.

After a while, Xu Junjun jogged over and handed Shu Ran a small paper packet: "In case anyone gets dizzy from nervousness or has low blood sugar, suck on one." Shu Ran opened it and saw that it contained several pieces of rock sugar.

Before dawn the next day, the only old truck in the company used for transportation was temporarily requisitioned, its hood covered in a layer of frost.

Company Commander Ma was worried, so he sent Xu Junjun along as a logistics support officer.

It was less the location of the carriage and more the rear bed of a larger tractor, covered in mud and animal hair.

"Quick! Hurry up and get on the bus, it'll be warmer if you squeeze together!" Shu Ran was wearing a cotton-padded jacket and trousers, with a thick scarf wrapped around her head, only her eyes were showing.

The actors were all bundled up like cotton balls, wearing their thickest clothes from home, old hats with cotton wadding peeking out, and work gloves of various colors.

Adil, on the other hand, wore a sheepskin and cashmere inner garment and a thick cotton-padded coat, which made him look even more sturdy.

"Old Ma!" Company Commander Ma, wearing a military overcoat and a fur hat, shouted into the driver's cab, "Slow down on the road! Safety first! In this awful weather, we can't afford to let anyone freeze!"

"Don't worry, Company Commander!" Old Sun leaned out of the car window, his face red from the cold. "I'll try to find a sheltered path!"

Secretary Liu walked to the vehicle and shouted to Shu Ran, "When we get to the regimental headquarters, go straight to Officer Zhang! Hurry up and go inside to warm up! This weather is no joke!" He then glanced worriedly at the shivering people in the carriage, "Hang in there!"

Everyone breathed out white puffs of air, pushed aside the thick cotton curtains nailed to the carriage, and helped each other climb up the high and icy carriage floor.

The props were carefully passed up—the red lamp made from a glass medicine bottle was wrapped in old cotton wool to prevent it from cracking from the cold.

Shu Ran was the last to get into the car. Just as she stepped onto the wheel hub, she heard a series of hurried footsteps.

Everyone turned around and saw Chen Yuanjiang striding towards them from the direction of the company headquarters, his shoulders covered in frost, as if he had just returned from an inspection. He walked straight to the vehicle, carrying a dark green military cotton overcoat in his hand.

He didn't say much, but simply raised his arm and handed the thick military overcoat directly to Shu Ran.

"Put them on." His words were devoid of emotion, but carried a commanding tone.

Shu Ran hesitated for a moment, looking at the military overcoat that was clearly his own and still carried a hint of the outdoor chill. He didn't reach out to take it. "Officer Chen, this...you yourself..."

"I'm not going with the car." Chen Yuanjiang interrupted her, his brows furrowing slightly, as if annoyed by her nagging. He then extended his arm forward again, "Take it. You'll catch a cold and cause delays."

Old Sun, who was in the driver's seat, poked his head out to chime in: "Teacher Shu, you're dressed so lightly! Take it! Officer Chen is just trying to be kind! It's freezing cold on this road! He's tough enough to withstand the cold, so don't be polite with him!"

Sister Wang, who was in the carriage, quickly lifted the curtain and said, "Teacher Shu, put it on quickly! It's a really good thing that Comrade Chen gave us!"

Shu Ran no longer refused and accepted the heavy military overcoat.

"Thank you, Officer Chen," she said softly.

Chen Yuanjiang didn't respond, but glanced at the carriage again and said to Old Sun, "Drive carefully." Then he turned and walked away, his figure disappearing into the cold morning mist.

Shu Ran climbed into the car carrying the military overcoat, wrapping Chen Yuanjiang's overcoat around her. The overcoat was very long, almost reaching her calves.

"Teacher Shu, are you warm now?" Li Xiulan said enviously from the side.

"Hmm..." Shu Ran buried her face in her high collar and responded softly.

The truck engine roared and finally started. The wheels crunched and creaked as they rolled over the frozen dirt road.

As soon as the train started moving, a blast of cold wind rushed into the carriage through the gaps in the cotton curtains. Just moments before, everyone could stomp their feet and move around, but now they could only huddle together.

"Hiss... It's freezing!" Zhang Guifen's teeth chattered as she wrapped the scarf around her head even tighter, almost covering her entire face.

"Everyone squeeze to the middle! With your backs to the wind! Surround the children inside!" Xu Junjun directed with great experience, her voice breaking in the wind.

Everyone squeezed desperately into the middle of the carriage, facing away from the direction the train was traveling, trying to shield each other from the cold wind with their bodies. The children were held tightly in the arms of the adults, their little faces red from the cold.

Shu Ran felt her toes losing sensation. She turned around with difficulty and shouted, "Everyone... move your toes and fingers! Don't... don't let them freeze!"

The truck bounced along the bumpy, frozen road, each bump causing the people huddled together to stagger and shudder, eliciting gasps and exclamations.

They dared not drive fast. Old Wang was clearly freezing in the driver's seat, trying to find a relatively flat road surface, but the long journey and the pervasive cold were unavoidable.

About an hour later, the cold and the jolting began to bring another kind of suffering.

“Uh…I…I feel a little nauseous…” a woman said weakly, her face turning ashen in the cold wind.

"Me too... I feel so dizzy..." another voice said, sounding like it was about to cry.

Motion sickness started. But because of the cold, vomiting became unusually difficult and painful.

The first to be unable to hold back was Shuanzhu. He suddenly pulled open the truck bed and vomited with a "whoosh." The vomit was almost instantly blown away and frozen by the cold wind as it left his mouth, forming a disgusting icicle hanging on the side of the truck.

This triggered a chain reaction. Several women and children couldn't hold it in any longer and struggled to crawl to the side of the car to vomit.

Vomiting in sub-zero temperatures is pure torture. Tears freeze on your eyelashes as soon as they come out, and the cold wind chokes your throat, causing even more violent coughing and gagging.

"Stop...stop the car...I can't take it anymore..." Someone pounded on the rear window of the driver's cab with all their might, but the sound was weak, and their palms hurt as they slapped the cold metal.

Perhaps it was based on experience that it was time to rest, or perhaps he saw unusual activity behind him in the rearview mirror, but Lao Wang finally stopped the car behind a sheltered earthen slope.

As soon as the train stopped, everyone practically tumbled and scrambled off the train, their legs already numb from the cold, and they fell directly onto the frozen ground.

As soon as they got off the bus, more people squatted on the ground and started vomiting.

Old Wang ran over and, seeing the group of disheveled people, stomped his feet repeatedly: "Ouch! What a miserable sight! Move around! Stomp your feet! Run a few steps! Don't sit down!" He himself was also freezing and his nose was running.

They managed to stand up, stomping their feet, rubbing their hands, and running back and forth in a sheltered spot, trying to regain some feeling in their frozen bodies. Shu Ran took out her water bottle, wanting to take a sip, but found that the water inside had already frozen into a thin layer of ice.

After resting for less than ten minutes, they dared not linger any longer and had to continue their journey. Everyone climbed back into the carriage. The faint warmth that had gathered from their bodies had long since dissipated, and it was even colder than before they got off the train.

For the rest of the journey, everyone huddled together, struggling to stay afloat by relying on each other's body heat. No one spoke, nor could they open their mouths; they simply endured in silence.

After what felt like an eternity of bumpy travel, the truck finally arrived at the regimental headquarters. Low, mud-brick houses were covered in snow, and the smoke rising from their chimneys was quickly dispersed by the biting wind. The streets were sparsely populated; those who were there were bundled up tightly and hurried along.

The truck drove directly to the entrance of the regimental headquarters guesthouse—a row of mud-brick bungalows that looked more solid than ordinary houses.

As soon as the car came to a stop, a middle-aged man wearing a cotton military cap and a bulky cotton coat jogged out from the gatehouse, which was covered by a thick cotton curtain. He greeted them, his breath steaming in the air, "Are you comrades from the livestock company? Oh, we've finally arrived! This awful weather, come in quickly!"

It was Officer Zhang, who was there to greet us. His face was red from the cold, but he was warm and organized. "You must have been freezing on the way here, right? Hurry up and bring your luggage in! The men will stay in the large room on the east side, and the women with children will stay in the large room on the west side. We've already lit the stoves for you!" He directed the conversation while helping to carry the luggage.

Shivering, everyone jumped off the car and rushed into the guesthouse, their footsteps crunching through the snow.

Shu Ran folded the military overcoat neatly and held it in her arms. The coat was frozen stiff and even had a few specks of mud that had splashed on it on the road. She followed the crowd into the house, thinking to herself: I need to find a chance to wash the coat clean and return it to him.

As soon as you lift the heavy cotton curtain, a wave of warmth rushes out, and although the smell is unpleasant, it instantly makes you feel alive again.

The so-called guesthouse was just a row of simple mud-brick bungalows, with a large communal room that could sleep more than a dozen people. Men and women were separated. The conditions were harsh, but at least it provided shelter from the cold and had a communal dining hall.

There was a glowing red-hot iron stove in the room. Although the smoke was a bit choking, the immense warmth instantly enveloped everyone. The communal sleeping area was covered with rough reed mats and thin blankets, but for the time being, it was a very good environment.

Officer Zhang was busy registering everyone and distributing keys—actually just the lock keys for the door bolts—while constantly saying, "Did you all bring your letters of introduction? Okay, all right! Meals are in the canteen next door. Get your meals on time these next two days! Hot water is supplied twice a day, morning and evening. The boiler room is over there, so bring your own thermos to get some. Use it sparingly!"

As the teacher in charge, Shu Ran quickly stepped forward to hand over the letter of introduction: "Officer Zhang, thank you for your trouble. You've been waiting for us in this cold weather."

"Oh, of course!" Officer Zhang laughed heartily, carefully looked at the letter of introduction, and lowered his voice to say, "Teacher Shu, right? I heard you're here to perform? This weather is tough! Make sure you dress warmly for the stage..."

After putting down their luggage, everyone quickly wiped their faces.

Shu Ran ran into Officer Zhang again at the entrance of the guesthouse, who was sweeping snow with a broom.

"Going out?" Officer Zhang straightened up. "The supply and marketing cooperative is at the end of this road, then turn right. But it's cold, so things can't be transported here, and there aren't many new things. Take a look and then go back, don't catch a cold."

He kindly reminded them, then, as if remembering something, added, "Oh, by the way, the Eighth Company people just moved in too, in the row of houses next to yours. Their Company Commander Hao called well in advance to let them know..."

Officer Zhang shook his head and continued shoveling snow, but everyone understood the meaning behind his unfinished words.

We ate lunch at the guesthouse canteen. The cornbread was very hard, but the cabbage and potato soup was steaming hot. Everyone huddled around the small table, desperately drinking the hot soup to warm themselves up.

The afternoon is free time; the official performance draw will take place on the second day.

Shu Ran reminded everyone not to go too far and to travel in groups.

"Teacher Shu, I heard that the regimental headquarters has a supply and marketing cooperative, which is bigger than the one in our company. Can we go and take a look? I want to buy some clam oil; my face is almost cracked from the cold." Li Xiulan's cheeks were indeed red from the cold, and her eyes were full of longing. The other women also looked at Shu Ran expectantly.

Shu Ran thought for a moment and agreed: "Okay, let's go take a look together, but don't spend money recklessly, and keep an eye on your belongings. Go quickly and come back quickly, it's too cold outside."

The supply and marketing cooperative at the regimental headquarters was indeed much larger, and had a slightly wider selection of goods. In addition to daily labor protection supplies, grains, oils, and non-staple foods, there was indeed clam oil for preventing freezing, petroleum jelly, and even thicker cotton gloves. Surprisingly, there were also enamel basins, thermos flasks, and even a dark-colored "Dacron" fabric.

Women crowded in front of the counter, carefully calculating their purchases of these small items.

Shu Ran bought some pencils and erasers for each child, and the children were as happy as if it were New Year's Day.

While they were shopping, they ran into Yang Zhenhua, an official who was also there to make purchases.

"Comrade Shuran? You've arrived?" Yang Zhenhua greeted her with a smile, then looked at the women and children behind her who were curiously looking around. "How are you? Are you settling in?"

"It's alright, Officer Yang," Shu Ran quickly replied.

Yang Zhenhua lowered his voice slightly: "This performance is quite large-scale, and all the companies are taking it very seriously. I heard that, in addition to the judging, the programs that win the excellence award may be recommended to the division headquarters to participate in an even larger performance. That would be much more significant, and the rewards would be much more substantial." He gave Shu Ran a meaningful look. "Give it your best!"

The division headquarters? A bigger stage? This was undoubtedly a huge temptation for Shu Ran, but it also meant greater pressure.

After Yang Zhenhua left, everyone carefully selected items at the supply and marketing cooperative for a while.

A moment later, a familiar voice came from the side: "Oh, who do we have here? Isn't this the great educator from the Livestock Company? What, you've brought your students here to broaden their horizons?"

Shu Ran turned around and saw Zhou Qiaozhen wearing a brand-new military green coat, a red woolen scarf, and her hair was slicked back. She was standing not far away, arms crossed, with a mocking smile on her face.

"Oh, the comrades from the Livestock Company are here too?" Zhou Qiaozhen's voice carried a sense of superiority. "It must have been hard to make this trip in this freezing weather, right? How's it going? Is the stove at the guesthouse still warm? Our Eighth Company made arrangements in advance; our rooms are close to the auditorium, so they're very warm." She was accompanied by several men and women dressed similarly well, who appeared to be members of the performance troupe.

When Sister Wang saw it was her, her face darkened: "Zhou Qiaozhen? What are you doing here?"

Zhou Qiaozhen proudly raised her chin: "Why can't I be here? I'm a key member of the Eighth Company's propaganda team now! I'm representing our company in the performance! Unlike some people who just pretend to be something they're not and try to get on stage with some inappropriate stuff."

Li Xiulan's face turned red with anger, and she wanted to retort, but Shu Ran stopped her.

"Comrade Zhou Qiaozhen, the performance is judged by the quality of the programs, not by words. Where we are and what we perform are all arranged by the organization." Shu Ran didn't want to engage in pointless arguments in the cold supply and marketing cooperative.

"Hmph, just you wait!" Zhou Qiaozhen snorted coldly, turned around and left with her people.

A man from the Eighth Company whispered to Zhou Qiaozhen, "Sister Qiaozhen, don't take it to heart. I heard they're putting on some kind of 'textbook play,' it's hilarious, they don't even have a decent costume..."

A female companion next to her whispered, "Sister Qiaozhen, don't pay attention to them. Company Commander Hao has taken care of everything. We're sure to get first place..."

The voice wasn't loud, but it was loud enough for Shu Ran and the others to hear. The women's faces all looked grim.

Back at the guesthouse that evening, the fire crackled in the stove, but the atmosphere was somewhat somber. The daytime chill, Zhou Qiaozhen's provocation, and the faint whispers of "making arrangements" further eroded everyone's already dwindling confidence.

"Teacher Shu, the division's performance... are we up to it?" Li Xiulan asked softly as she made the bed.

"That Zhou Qiaozhen, she still has such a foul mouth!" Zhang Guifen said indignantly.

Sister Wang sighed: "The conditions in the Eighth Company are good. I heard that their company commander specially approved money to make clothes."

Shu Ran encouraged everyone: "Don't overthink it. No matter how beautiful the clothes are or how bright the lights are, if the story doesn't touch people's hearts, it's all for nothing. Let's put our hearts into it."

"Teacher Shu, the headquarters... I heard it's bigger and more lively, and the buildings are warmer. Is that true?" a child asked softly, seemingly trying to gain some strength from his anticipation.

Shu Ran tucked him in. "Really. But no matter how cold it is, we have to tell the story well. Remember, if we keep a fire in our hearts, we won't be afraid of the wind and snow outside. Go to sleep!"

The sound of snoring gradually filled the dormitory, but Shu Ran blew out the lamp and couldn't sleep all night.

The next morning, the lottery results came out, and the livestock company was placed in the middle to late part of the draw. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief; at least they had more time to prepare.

After noon, the various companies began to enter the backstage area of ​​the auditorium one after another.

The regimental headquarters auditorium was larger than Shu Ran had imagined; it was an adobe structure filled with long benches.

When they arrived, the place was already bustling with activity. People from all the companies had come, dressed in all sorts of clothes, greeting each other, and the air was filled with a festive excitement.

Although the auditorium was warmer than outside, it was drafty from all sides.

The people from different companies huddled together, their bodies a mixture of the smells of cosmetics, sweat, and coal stoves. Wearing only thin performance costumes, they shivered from the cold, constantly stamping their feet and rubbing their hands. The sounds of various instruments being tuned, the strains of vocal exercises, and the shouts of the team leaders filled the air.

The livestock company members huddled together in a sheltered corner, seeking warmth from each other.

Once seated, the children's eyes were glued to the screen, darting around at the actors from other companies, some carrying erhu, others gongs and drums, and still others dressed in professional costumes. Their initial excitement was quickly overshadowed, and they began to show signs of timidity.

Li Xiulan nervously clutched Shu Ran's clothes: "Teacher Shu, look at them... can we manage?"

Zhang Guifen swallowed hard: "My goodness, so many people..."

Even the stone's little face tensed up.

Shu Ran was also nervous, but she couldn't show it. She lowered her voice, but her tone was firm: "What are you afraid of? They can act their part, we'll act ours. Our story is based on real talent, not just fancy tricks. Remember, we're here to tell a story!"

Just then, Zhou Qiaozhen led the Eighth Company past them. They were wearing brand-new imitation military performance costumes, their faces painted with red rouge, and they looked arrogant.

"Oh, you're even carrying a wooden gun? It looks quite convincing." Zhou Qiaozhen covered her mouth and chuckled.

An actress next to her chimed in, "Sister Qiaozhen, that's called being hardworking and frugal!"

"You're huddled together for warmth, it's so pitiful." Zhou Qiaozhen rubbed her hands, which were covered with new cotton gloves. "How about I talk to the stove manager and ask him to add more coal to your side?"

The people around her chuckled.

Sister Wang was so angry that she wanted to rush up and argue with them, but Shu Ran stopped her: "Sister Wang, don't pay attention to them! Let's see who's the real deal on stage!"

Shu Ran looked her up and down, whispered something to the person next to her, and looked at Zhou Qiaozhen with a grin until Zhou Qiaozhen felt uncomfortable and wondered if her makeup had smudged.

Shu Ran then casually remarked, "Comrade Zhou Qiaozhen, instead of worrying about us, you should take a good look in the mirror and see what's on your sharp tongue."

Zhou Qiaozhen's face flushed red and then turned pale. She immediately covered her mouth and ran away.

Adil scratched his head: "Teacher, she doesn't have any teeth."

Shu Ran winked at Adil: "I lied to her."

Xu Junjun, who had been secretly sent by Shu Ran to gather information, returned looking rather grim. She quietly pulled Shu Ran aside and said, "Ranran, I just overheard some people from the next company saying that one of the judges is an old comrade of Company Commander Hao from the Eighth Company... and they seem to have heard that our program's format is strange and not formal enough..."

Shu Ran's heart sank. It turned out that Zhou Qiaozhen's arrogance was not only due to the show, but there might also be factors of manipulation.

Just then, Yang Zhenhua hurried through the crowd, found Shu Ran, frowned slightly, and whispered, "Comrade Shu Ran, the situation has changed a bit. There are a few older members of the judging panel who are rather conservative and may have some... opinions about your innovative format. When you go on stage later, no matter what, you must stay calm and fully unleash your unique characteristics, especially that genuine emotion! That's what will truly move people!"

He paused, then added, "Chen Yuanjiang just sent someone to deliver a message. He said," Yang Zhenhua mimicked Chen Yuanjiang's cold, hard tone, "'Tell them that even stones in the Gobi Desert can make a sound when smashed.'"

Shu Ran paused for a moment, then understood what he meant. She nodded emphatically: "Officer Yang, we understand! Thank you, and... thank you, Officer Chen."

Back in the corner, Shu Ran gathered everyone together, without mentioning the judges, and simply relayed Chen Yuanjiang's words verbatim.

“Even stones in the Gobi Desert can make a sound when smashed…” Sister Wang repeated, her eyes brightening: “That’s right! We are stones! We have to make a sound for them to hear!”

"Yes! Let's smash it loudly!" The women and children's emotions were ignited by this sentence, and the previous tension and frustration were replaced by a do-or-die determination.

The applause and musical instruments coming from the front desk resonated in everyone's hearts.

Their turn is coming soon.

Shu Ran gave everyone a final check of their makeup—basically, just washing their faces and smoothing their hair. Looking at their tense yet determined faces, she took a deep breath and said firmly, "Remember, we're not acting; we're telling a story, a story for our parents' generation, our siblings' generation!"