At the entrance of the dugout, Du Jianshan stood with his arms crossed, watching Ma Jinbao being chased by dogs and running away with his head in his hands. He spat and said, "You idiot, do you really think I have a good temper?"

He turned around and grinned at the still-shaken group inside: "Alright, the flies are gone, keep eating! The flatbread's almost soaked!"

This way.

Ma Jinbao was chased so badly by the big yellow dog that he stumbled and crawled into the company headquarters compound, howling as he ran.

The commotion startled Company Commander Chen Jianshan, who was just about to take a few bites of dinner, so much that he almost dropped his bowl.

"Company...Company Commander! Help! Du Jianshan...Du Jianshan has set his dogs on people! He's going to kill someone!" Ma Jinbao rushed to Chen Jianshan's feet, tears streaming down his face, having lost one of his shoes in the process.

Chen Jianshan frowned, thoroughly annoyed by this troublemaker who caused trouble every few days: "What is it now? Speak properly! Why did Du Jianshan set the dog on you?"

"Waaaaah, Company Commander, that kid Du Jianshan is guilty and wants to get back at me now that I've caught him red-handed!" Ma Jinbao cried out incoherently.

"Company Commander! You have to stand up for me! He's breaking discipline! He's indulging in bourgeois hedonism!"

Chen Jianshan's temples throbbed with pain.

Du Jianshan?

That guy who's a great worker, and quite capable at fixing machines and saving piglets?

With a stern face, he waved to the militiamen beside him: "Let's go! Let's see! I want to see if it's as you say!"

The group followed Ma Jinbao toward the dugouts on the slope.

Upon reaching the entrance of the dugout, the warm and lively scene inside contrasted sharply with Ma Jinbao's miserable state at the entrance.

Du Jianshan was holding a bowl of meat soup, and there was also tempting goose meat simmering in the pot.

The laughter and chatter in the room abruptly stopped when the company commander entered with a dark expression.

"Du Jianshan!" Chen Jianshan shouted angrily, "What's going on? Ma Jinbao said you dug a secret base, held private parties, and even set dogs on people? Is that true?!"

Du Jianshan put down his bowl, his face showing no fear, but rather a helpless smile: "Company Commander, please let me explain."

He pointed to the dugout: "This dugout is a place I dug myself according to the company's regulations. 'Secret base'? That's quite a label."

He pulled a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over: "This is a note personally approved by you, allowing me to solve my housing problem on my own. Look, it's written in black and white with a red stamp."

Chen Jianshan took it and saw that it was indeed his approval slip, which read, "Agreed that Comrade Du Jianshan may dig a dugout on the designated slope to solve his housing problem."

Du Jianshan pointed to the pot again: "This goose, I traded it with the Kazakh villagers next door using my work points. I earned those work points by working in the fields myself. 'Special treatment'?"

"Is it a violation of discipline to treat a few friends to a meal using the fruits of my labor?"

He paused, then raised his voice slightly: "As for private gatherings and forming cliques?"

"Uncle Zhang is a veteran employee of the company, and Accountant Liu is in charge of the books. These two comrades were also educated youth who responded to the call to go to the countryside for construction."

"Comrade Ayiguli is an outstanding Uyghur member of our company, representing the local people. Company commander, this is just a normal exchange between comrades to enhance unity, how did it become corruption?"

He finally looked at Ma Jinbao, whose face was pale and whose eyes were darting around, and spoke with undisguised sarcasm.

"But this kid, he came to our doorstep and started causing trouble!"

"I asked him to leave, but he wouldn't listen and even tried to rush in and cause trouble. I told Da Huang to see him out, to get him to leave, but who knew he was such a coward, falling down and then blaming the dog for biting him?"

"You...you're talking nonsense!" Ma Jinbao exclaimed, pointing at Ayiguli, "You two are just flirting! Educated youth are not allowed to date during their first three years in the countryside! That's an ironclad rule!"

"Company commander, you can't protect him!"

"Enough!" Chen Jianshan shouted suddenly, interrupting Ma Jinbao.

He gripped the approval slip, his face ashen, his eyes sharp as knives, piercing straight at Ma Jinbao.

"Ma Jinbao! I think you've brought your old ways of using red armbands, looting, rioting, and fostering laziness from the inland areas to our Production and Construction Corps!"

"This is the frontier! This is the Production and Construction Corps! Here, we believe in self-reliance and hard work! We believe in the principle of 'the more you work, the more you earn'! We earn our living based on our abilities!"

"Comrade Du Jianshan works diligently and has exceeded his targets. He's earning some food through his own labor to improve his life. What's wrong with that? What business is it of yours?"

"Who he invites to dinner is his prerogative! As long as it doesn't interfere with production or violate principles, it's none of my business, Chen Jianshan! And it's none of yours to interfere!"

Chen Jianshan grew angrier as he spoke, taking a step forward. His tall figure exuded a strong sense of oppression, almost enveloping the trembling Ma Jinbao.

"You keep whistleblowing? Fine! I approved this dugout! The policy of rewarding hard work and allowing educated youth to improve their lives after completing collective tasks was personally approved by the regimental leader!"

"You're not convinced? You think I, Chen Jianshan, am covering for you? You think there's something wrong with the policy?"

"Fine! Go to the regimental headquarters right now! Go and complain! Go directly to the commander and complain! Bring me down with your complaints! It would be best if you could also have me executed!"

Chen Jianshan's voice boomed like thunder, echoing through the dugout:

"But! Ma Jinbao, listen to me! When I was a soldier fighting in the war, you were probably still peeing and playing in the mud somewhere!"

"You better pray you can sue me! If you can't..."

Chen Jianshan sneered, pointed to the two militiamen behind him, and then glanced at the educated youth and workers who had rushed to see what was going on inside and outside the house. His eyes were icy.

"If each of my hundred-plus brothers punched you, it would be enough to keep you bedridden for half a year! You don't believe me? Just try it!"