"Okay!" Wang Tieniu ran off happily.

As evening fell, the setting sun painted the Gobi Desert with a golden-red hue.

Ayiguli, Old Zhang, Accountant Liu, and two other educated youths who usually had a good relationship with Du Jianshan were led by Wang Tieniu and curiously entered Du Jianshan's dugout.

"Wow! Du kid, you've really done a great job building this dugout!"

As soon as Old Zhang came in, he clicked his tongue in amazement. Touching the smooth edge of the earthen bed, his eyes lit up: "It's even smoother than my old, broken-down bed!"

Aygul also curiously looked around at this "little world" belonging to Du Jianshan. Her eyes sparkled when she saw the small lantern hanging on the wall and the few pretty stones on the windowsill.

She was still wearing that light-colored "sun protection clothing" today, and her small face was made especially soft by the sunset under the wide brim of her hat.

"Come, come, make yourself at home!" Du Jianshan greeted them warmly, pointing to the earthen stove in the outer room: "Today we're having stewed goose in an iron pot!"

"Stewed goose?" Accountant Liu pushed up his glasses. "Young Du, where did you get this goose?"

"Hey, I bought these from the Kazakh folks next door, they're really plump!" Du Jianshan lifted the wooden lid of the big iron pot on the stove, and a rich aroma burst out, instantly filling the entire dugout.

In the pot, the dark red broth was bubbling away, with large chunks of goose meat floating in the oily broth.

There were also several golden cornbread pancakes stuck to the side, soaked in the soup, looking very appetizing.

The rich aroma of meat, soy sauce, and spices forcefully fills everyone's nostrils.

"My God! This smells...it's so delicious!" One of the educated youths couldn't help but swallow.

"Comrade Du, is this... Northeastern cuisine?" Aygul asked curiously, as she had never seen this kind of stewing method before.

"I guess so! Who cares where it's from, as long as it tastes good!" Du Jianshan laughed, picked up a large spoon and stirred it: "Come on, everyone, don't be shy, help yourselves with your bowls and chopsticks, let's dig in!"

Everyone sat around the low table, no longer caring about their image, and started to get to work.

The goose meat, stewed until tender and falling off the bone, melts in your mouth, its rich, savory sauce and unique goose flavor exploding on your tongue.

"Mmm! Delicious! It smells so good!"

"This meat is amazing! There's not a trace of fishiness!"

"Brother Du, with skills like yours, you could open a restaurant!"

"And these flatbreads! They're soaked in the broth, even more fragrant than the meat!"

Praises rose and fell, and the dugout was filled with laughter and the sounds of satisfied chewing.

Wang Tieniu ate with his mouth full of oil, while Ayiguli also ate in small bites, her eyes curving into crescents.

The rich aroma of meat, as if it had grown wings, wafted far and wide through the doorway and ventilation opening of the dugout.

It drifted all the way to Ma Jinbao's nose next door.

Ma Jinbao was squatting in the corner, trying to process the hard cornbread.

He'd been planting eight hundred trees all day, and his back was aching from the exhaustion. He was both thirsty and hungry. The aroma of meat wafted over, and his nose twitched, his stomach rumbled, and he felt even hungrier!

"Damn it! Whose stew smells so good? Is this some kind of place?!" he cursed irritably, and followed the smell.

The smell grew stronger as they walked, until they reached the edge of the company's hillside.

From afar, he could see figures moving about and laughter echoing around the entrance of Du Jianshan's newly dug dug-out dwelling.

By the light of the fire shining through the doorway, he could clearly see Du Jianshan, Wang Tieniu, Ayiguli, and several other people sitting together, eating with great enthusiasm!

The dark brown goose meat simmering in the pot glistened in the firelight, making his eyes widen in amazement!

Thinking about the cold cornbread in his hand, a surge of anger suddenly rose to Ma Jinbao's forehead!

"Du Jianshan! You bastard!"