Qianchuan Forest Farm previously had three work teams, but now it will be reorganized into six, so the personnel changes will naturally be significant.

The original four tractor drivers and assistants were already fixed and could not be separated, but the two new tractors came with their own drivers and required two assistants.

After discussing it, Zheng Xianyong and Zhao Limin decided to arrange for Sheng Xiping and Chen Weiguo to be assistants to the two new tractor drivers.

Although Sheng Xiping had already obtained his tractor license, he had no experience driving tractors because he worked in the security department, so he could only be assigned as an assistant.

In fact, the relationship between the timber harvesting drivers, who are also tractor drivers, and their assistants in the timber production team is quite delicate.

Generally speaking, drivers are like emperors, earning 20 percent more money than their assistants, and they also have terrible tempers.

The driver is called "Big Handle," and the assistant is called "Little Handle." This old wooden handle is divided into big and small kings.

Most of the drivers, despite driving tractors, kept their clothes clean all day long.

The assistant's clothes were covered in oil stains. Tightening screws, screwing in boards, and jacking up the bottom of the car were all the assistant's jobs. The driver usually only had to talk and tell him what was wrong and how to fix it.

Most of the time, the relationship between a tractor driver and his assistant is equivalent to that of a master and his apprentice.

The assistant endured the humiliation in order to learn the driver's skills.

Tractor drivers often guard against their assistants stealing their skills, as teaching an apprentice can lead to the master starving out of the master; such things happen frequently.

The tractor driver in Sheng Xiping's group was named Wang Yuanjun. He was transferred from another forestry bureau and was said to be related to Feng Baosheng.

This man wasn't very old, only two or three years older than Sheng Xiping. He was quite arrogant, relying on his transfer from another region and his relationship with the Party Secretary, and looked down on people.

Sheng Xiping didn't bother arguing with him; he just needed to do his job well.

Every morning after starting work, Sheng Xiping goes from his post to the tractor depot on the mountain.

To ensure that drivers can start their tractors as soon as they get up the mountain and immediately begin transporting timber, the work team builds tractor depots on the mountain.

Inside, a large tin oil drum was used as a stove, and a special person was assigned to watch over it and keep the fire burning all night long, so the tractor shed was warm.

People who go up the mountain to work like to gather in the tractor shed, either chatting around the stove or eating something, while waiting for the foreman to assign tasks.

The tractor assistant wasn't so relaxed. Once they arrived at the tractor warehouse and put down their bags, the first thing they had to do was clean the tractor.

After the previous day's work, there were many tree branches hanging on the tractor's bottom plate, chassis, and other parts, which had to be removed.

If you're not going to clean up, start by tightening the screws.

First, the universal joint bolts of the transmission system, and second, the track tension adjustment bolts—these two bolts must be carefully checked.

After finishing these tasks, you need to add water to the tractor and then start it.

The tractor has a diesel engine, so you need to use a gasoline engine to start it.

When the weather is warm, it's fine; you can hit it without much effort.

Because of the cold weather and the cold vehicle body, it was difficult to start for a while. The gasoline engine roared and strained for a while before it finally got the diesel engine of the tractor going.

At this moment, the entire tractor depot was filled with the smoke of unburned diesel fuel. The smoke in the depot was like an order, and everyone grabbed their tools and went to work.

"Xiping, you're leaving now." Some people even greeted Sheng Xiping.

The tractor started up, and the neatly dressed tractor driver Wang Yuanjun got on the vehicle, followed by Sheng Xiping. The tractor drove out of the hangar and went up the mountain to haul timber.

After aligning the tractor with the timber to be towed, the driver stops the vehicle, locks the steering, and then releases the oil rope from the drum.

Sheng Xiping jumped off the vehicle, pulled the "locking straps" off the mounting plate, opened the "locking strap rings," and threw each locking strap next to the timber that needed to be dragged.

Then, pulling on the large rope inside the drum, they waded through the snow to pull the rope to the timber being transported.

After lowering the main rope, tie each carabiner to the log. Once the carabiners are secured, thread the main rope through the carabiner loops.

After the last piece of wood is threaded through, the "bull's nose" that is fastened to the locking ring is inserted into the large rope buckle, and then the person quickly moves to a safe distance of more than 20 meters and sends a winch signal to the driver.

The tractor driver first lowers the mounting plate using hydraulics, then holds the "handling direction" and begins winch operation.

Once all the timber has been hoisted onto the loading platform, the tractor driver will honk the horn to tell his assistant, "I'm leaving now. You can stay here and see which pieces of timber are suitable for the next trip."

Normally, the assistant has two sets of locking straps. After the driver leaves, the assistant can take the opportunity to tie up the timber for the second trip in advance, then find a place to rest and wait for the tractor to come up again.

As the logging area expands, the distance for collecting timber also increases. Initially, we could make seven or eight trips a day, but towards the end of logging operations, we could only make four or five trips a day.

So the assistant had nothing to do on the mountain, and it was cold, so he found some easy-to-light dry firewood or kindling to build a fire and warm himself.

Wang Yuanjun, who partnered with Sheng Xiping, had only been employed for a few years and had just transitioned from a tractor assistant to a tractor driver.

In Sheng Xiping's opinion, this person's skills were mediocre and he lacked experience.

However, Wang Yuanjun, relying on the fact that he was transferred from outside the area and that outsiders are more likely to be successful, looked down on the original forestry workers.

He always ignored Sheng Xiping and sometimes even spoke to him with a sharp tongue.

That evening, during the last round of timber collection, after Sheng Xiping had secured all the locking straps to the timber, he specifically chose one strap and tied it to a "tree fence".

After threading the locking ring, Sheng Xiping gave the signal to engage, and Wang Yuanjun began the sequential engagement.

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