Chapter 56 Kid, you've been tricked!

As dawn broke, the sounds of people getting up and talking could be heard outside.

When Cheng Cheng woke up groggily, Zhou Yue had already sat up, dressed, and was getting out of bed.

Have we assembled yet?

Hearing the noise, Zhou Yue turned around and said gently, "It's 5:10 now, not even 6 o'clock yet. You can sleep a little longer, I'll go out and take a look."

Cheng Cheng hummed in agreement and didn't get up. A little while later, Zhou Yue returned.

He explained, "They want to get there early to work, so they get up early."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Cheng struggled to open her eyes, her voice soft and muffled, as if she were still half asleep, "Zhou Yue, have you seen Sister Tuoya and Sister Jiaohua's families get up?"

The man nodded. "The two houses next door have also started up."

Little Lingxiao was also woken up by the noise. He curled up in bed, turned over so his back was to the ceiling, and the chubby little thing crawled out of bed.

"Mom and Dad, are we getting up to plant a tree?"

"Good morning, Xiaoxiao, my darling~"

"It's time to get up!"

Cheng Cheng yawned incessantly, then sprang up from the bed with a somersault, suddenly clenching her fist in encouragement: "Another beautiful day has begun! Today is a day for hard work!"

"Comrade Da Zhou, Comrade Xiao Zhou, are you ready?"

The little girl was rubbing her sleepy eyes when she heard this. She immediately lowered her little fist and said firmly, "I'm done!"

"Very good! Comrade Xiao Zhou is always ready!" Cheng Cheng praised, glancing at Comrade Da Zhou and giving the man a meaningful look.

Zhou Yue stood by the bed, taking in the expressions on his wife's and daughter's faces. It was as if his wife would burst into flames in the blink of an eye.

He tried to understand what ignited his wife's passion: the upcoming group activity—planting trees. It would be the first time his wife and daughter had participated in a group activity at the base, and novelty was inevitable.

However, there will likely be more group activities like this in the future, and he hoped his wife would be as excited and happy as she was today. He smiled and said, "Yes, sir."

"Comrade Da Zhou is ready."

"very good!"

"The organization is now dispatching Comrade Da Zhou to fill our kettle with water. Execute immediately!"

"Yes, sir."

"Mommy, Mommy, what about me?"

"Get up, brush your teeth, and wash your face. Do it immediately!"

The family of three each did their part, and in less than ten minutes they were all ready and looking refreshed. Carrying shovels and buckets, they joined the two families next door and became part of the large-scale tree-planting team.

As dawn broke, before the night had completely faded, a faint, pale white light gradually appeared in the east, with a few stars scattered near a crescent moon in the sky.

The morning air in the Gobi Desert carries a slight chill, and an occasional gust of wind carries the chill of the entire night.

Red flags fluttered in the wind as technicians stretched out lines ahead, marking points to ensure the tree pits were level and plumb, shouting, "Dig the pits deep! Until you see moist soil!"

The men were all assigned to dig holes. The surface of the soil had a hard crust, and underneath was sand and gravel. To dig a suitable tree pit, they had to first use a pickaxe to break through the hard crust, and then dig a large pit with a diameter and depth of about one meter.

Zhou Yue was also sent to dig holes, while Cheng Cheng, along with Xiao Xiao, followed Sister Tuoya and the others to carry saplings. They worked enthusiastically and soon forgot about the cold.

Before long, while the western sky still retained the bluish-gray hue of night, a golden-red slit suddenly opened in the eastern horizon, and in the blink of an eye, the sky burst into ablaze with rosy clouds. Orange-red, bright yellow, and scarlet rosy clouds vied to show off their beauty to the people.

The red sun, bathed in golden light, slowly appeared in people's view, quickly illuminating the Gobi Desert, making every inch seem to be coated with a warm, golden glow.

No matter how many times Cheng Cheng has seen the sunrise in Northwest China, she never gets tired of it and is still amazed by the unique beauty of each sunrise.

"Bury deep and expose little! Let the roots spread firmly!"

Technicians from the Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences shouted instructions to everyone to dig the pit deeper, to bury the saplings deeper to reduce the exposed parts, and to spread the roots out in the pit, instead of burying them clump together.

Cheng Cheng brought a sapling from elsewhere, its roots weighed down by thick, fertile soil. She stood the sapling upright and planted it in the pit.

Then Zhou Yue used a shovel to fill the soil around the tree pit back in, and finally Xiao Lingxiao stomped on the filled soil to compact the loose soil.

The family of three worked together, each fulfilling their responsibilities and cooperating seamlessly.

"Mom, let me help you!"

Little Lingxiao ran over to help Cheng Cheng move the saplings, his little hands cradling the clods of soil beneath them. "Mommy, why is there a clod of soil on every single sapling?"

"This is because the soil here is not fertile, but the soil around the roots of the saplings is more fertile and suitable for their growth. They won't suffer from acclimatization problems after being planted."

"Do you remember when we were planting vegetables, your Aunt Toya brought us sheep manure?"

"Yes, I remember!"

"Sheep dung is a gold nugget in the Gobi Desert. It can improve our sandy land, making it fertile so that vegetables can grow. It's the same principle."

"I understand!"

Little Lingxiao smiled brightly, helping his father tamp the soil as he said, "It's because the soil has no nutrients that the seedlings can't grow big. We need to add nutrients to the soil so that the seedlings can grow up healthily!"

Just like how they eat eggs and drink goat milk every morning, it's also to supplement their nutrition. Although goat milk has a strong, unpleasant taste, her parents insist that she drink it!

"Xiaoxiao is right!"

Cheng Cheng patted the dirt off her hands, took off the army green water bottle she was carrying, unscrewed the cap, and called Xiao Xiao over to drink some water.

"Zhou Yue." Cheng Cheng walked to the man's side and handed him the water bottle.

Zhou Yue planted the shovel in the ground, took the water bottle from his wife, tilted his head back to fill it with water, and suddenly heard his wife say, "Have you ever seen pigs being raised in the countryside?"

Zhou Yue was taken aback by the abrupt question and subconsciously replied, "Yes, I have. Why?"

"The pig's nose is incredibly powerful; it can even push out grass roots from cracks in the rocks."

Cheng Cheng squatted down and pointed to the un-dug sand next to her. "I suddenly realized that the sand here has a hard surface, and pigs love to root around. Do you think if we raised pigs in the sand and used their snouts as pickaxes, we could dig the ground open?"

"Moreover, pigs will find their own food in the sandy soil. They root around to loosen the soil and defecate to fertilize it at the same time, killing two birds with one stone. They may be able to improve the soil and fertilize it effortlessly."

At this moment, Xie Jiaohua, with Little Sweetie strapped to her back, chimed in, "That's a great idea! I think it'll work! That pig's snout is really good at rooting around in the ground!"

"Pig manure is a treasure in our rural area. As long as the soil is fertilized with pig manure, the vegetables will definitely grow well!"

Toya chimed in, "We raise pigs on our farm. If you want to know if this method will work, just try it out. Let the pigs out and graze them like sheep."

Someone else said, "If pig manure works, then I think duck manure and chicken manure will work too!"

“Then we can graze pigs on the Gobi Desert. Whether we graze a flock of sheep or two flocks, it’s all the same. I think our base can raise more pigs, chickens, and ducks, and let them roam freely in the sand to find their own food. This will loosen the soil and fertilize it.”

Most importantly, as long as they expand farming, they can improve the quality of their meals. It's not just killing two birds with one stone, but killing multiple birds with one stone!

Everyone offered suggestions and started discussing.

Lin Qing came over to guide the family members on planting trees. After listening for a while, he seemed to be deep in thought. He looked at Comrade Zhou's family and then walked out.

"Engineer Zhou, what's your opinion on this matter?"

The scene fell silent, and everyone looked at Zhou Yue.

He didn't answer immediately, but instead squatted down, grabbed a handful of sand, and rubbed it between his fingers, seemingly assessing the feasibility of changing the soil structure.

He looked up, glanced at Technician Lin, then turned to look at his wife, his eyes filled with an unprecedented seriousness.

“Ah Cheng, your idea is theoretically sound. Pigs rooting in the soil activates it, allowing vegetation to grow. The plants provide food and shade for the pigs, and the pig manure in turn enriches the soil, increasing soil organic matter and improving the microbial environment.”

"This is a low-cost, sustainable ecological cycle approach."

He stood up, his tone becoming decisive: "This is not wishful thinking; it is a biological desertification control project that is well worth trying. Technician Lin, I suggest you go back and tell Old Li about this in detail."

Old Li was the dean of their Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences and also Lin Qing's teacher. Lin Qing knew the importance and urgency of the matter, and immediately straightened his expression.

"Okay, I'll write the report when I get back."

If this works out, Comrade Xiao Cheng will be a great help to them!

The teacher's words came true at this moment: true wisdom lies among the people. This is the wisdom of the masses. Their research must come from the masses and go back to the masses.

Never detach yourself from reality, and never underestimate the creativity of the people; truly good solutions often lie hidden in the most ordinary aspects of life.

Those researchers sometimes tend to overcomplicate things and get stuck on minor details, while ordinary people can see the essence of a problem at a glance.

At this moment, Cheng Cheng spoke up at the opportune moment: "Technician Lin, do we have any black pigs here? In my hometown, black pigs are the best at rooting around in the ground with their snouts. If you want to do an experiment, I suggest you compare different types of pigs to see which type of snout is best suited for sandy soil."

Cheng Cheng wasn't sure what kind of pigs their base farm was raising, but the conclusion drawn from practice was undoubtedly that black pigs were the most suitable for desertification control.

"Black pig?"

Chasuna murmured, "Tana's family raises a few black pigs."

Naren also remembered, "Yes, Sister Tana also complained to us that the black pigs' noses are too powerful. Every time we let them out, they dig out grass roots to eat and they don't listen to us!"

"real?"

Lin Qing's expression brightened. What the two children said was further evidence proving the feasibility of this matter, and she couldn't wait any longer.

"I'll go investigate right now!"

Lin Qingfeng left in a hurry, as if he were riding on wheels of fire, his back view revealing a sense of urgency.

Cheng Cheng's idea was like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating ripples in people's hearts. While everyone was vigorously swinging their pickaxes, digging soil and planting trees, they were excitedly discussing the possibility of using pigs to control the desert. Laughter and shouts echoed across the vast Gobi Desert.

As the sun rises, golden rays shine upon everyone, illuminating the newly planted saxaul saplings.

The family of three continued to work together to plant trees. Zhou Yue was responsible for digging out the hardest surface layer, Cheng Cheng carefully planted the saplings into the holes, and then Zhou Yue held the shovel to fill in the soil, while Xiao Lingxiao was responsible for tamping it down.

The main team worked until after 8 o'clock, watering the planted saplings. It was already late, and the workers who had jobs had to go back to work after planting the trees, so production couldn't stop.

The family of three lagged behind the crowd. Cheng Cheng's eyes lit up as she looked at the sand dunes beside her, which shimmered like scattered gold in the sunlight.

"Zhou Yue, let's dig a bucket of sand and take it back."

Zhou Yue didn't ask why, and simply said okay.

The family of three strayed from the main group. Little Lingxiao, holding his mother's hand, looked up and asked, "Mom, what are we doing digging in the sand?"

Cheng Cheng didn't say anything, but directly demonstrated to the little guy, using her finger as a pen to draw on the sand dunes, sketching out a scene of a family of three planting trees with just a few strokes.

"Wow!"

Little Lingxiao squatted down beside him and pointed to the little figures on the screen, saying, "This is Daddy, this is Mommy, and this is Xiaoxiao."

Xiao Lingxiao stopped asking his mother why they were digging sand and instead urged his father, "Dad, let's dig a few more buckets of sand to take back."

Cheng Cheng finished drawing a simple sand painting, wrote her name next to it, and looked up at the father and daughter: "Quickly write down your names."

The father and daughter exchanged a glance, and each wrote their names next to "Cheng Cheng" on the left and right.

Cheng Cheng left the date at the bottom. Although a gust of wind might blow the painting away along with the footprints of their family of three, this beautiful memory will remain forever in their minds.

Looking up, there were endless sand dunes, rising and falling. Cheng Cheng said softly, "Zhou Yue, when you have a day off, let's bring Xiaoxiao sandboarding."

She pointed to the top of the highest sand dune over there, "Let's climb up there and then slide down from the top, that'll be so much fun!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Lingxiao immediately jumped up and down, "Yes, yes! I want to play!"

Looking at his wife's profile, glowing in the sunlight, and then at his daughter's excited, rosy cheeks, Zhou Yue felt a tender touch in his heart. His wife always had so many wonderful ideas.

A gentle smile spread across his face. "Okay, I'll make you a sandboard."

His gaze swept across the smooth sand dunes, his mind racing as he quickly devised a plan for designing a sandboard; his brain was already automatically planning ahead.

The material can be scrap sheet metal, which has a smooth surface to reduce friction. It would be best to put a wooden board on top, with rounded edges. You could also add grip ropes on both sides so they can hold on firmly.

"Alright, then we'll leave this to our Engineer Zhou."

Cheng Cheng picked up the shovel from the ground and started shoveling sand into the bucket. She estimated that one bucket would definitely not be enough, but they had only brought one bucket with them. It seemed that they would have to bring an extra bucket tomorrow morning.

Yes, today is just the beginning. We have to plant trees again tomorrow morning. Cheng Cheng heard from Sister Tuoya and the others that they used to plant trees for half a month or even a month at a time. The task is arduous and the road ahead is long!

"Hopefully, Pigsy's army can really come in handy and turn this desert into an oasis."

Looking at his wife's flushed cheeks and bright eyes from her labor, Zhou Yue felt not only love, but also a deep sense of pride and tenderness.

He recalled his wife's file—a high school graduate. If she hadn't been born at the wrong time, with her intelligence and ability, she should have entered the halls of university and soared in a broader world of knowledge.

Zhou Yue's lips moved, but he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Thinking back to these days, after finishing her work on the picture book, his wife would often quietly flip through the "Self-Study Series on Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry" sent by her cousin under the lamp, her expression focused. Zhou Yue had come to understand his wife's heart.

He could not shake the tide of the times, but he believed that the country's thirst for talent would never cease and that one day things would be set right.

Thinking of this, Zhou Yue walked to his wife's side, shielding her from the sun with his body, his voice gentle and steady:

"Ah Cheng, there's something that wasn't completely settled before, but I can tell you now."

Cheng Cheng looked up and asked with her eyes.

"Regarding your job assignment," Zhou Yue looked at her and said, word by word, "the organization has considered your situation and work experience and has decided to assign you to work in the base's library as an administrator. You can report for duty next Monday."

Cheng Cheng was stunned; the sound of the wind around her seemed to stop at that moment.

She seemed to be struck by a huge surprise, her eyes suddenly brightening as she looked at Zhou Yue in disbelief, "Really...really?"

She thought all hope was lost, but unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better, and a new lease on life appeared.

Looking at his wife's extremely bright and radiant smile, Zhou Yue also smiled. His tone was steady, yet carried a sense of certainty.

"Of course it's true."

Zhou Yue never considered himself a person so aloof as to be untouched by worldly affairs. While all his struggles stemmed from his sincere patriotism, deep down, he strived for both the greater good and his own family.

Within the rules, doing his best to provide a better life for his wife and daughter is his responsibility as a man, a husband, and a father.

After hearing this, Cheng Cheng was overjoyed, but then a trace of worry appeared in her eyes. She pulled Zhou Yue aside and whispered, "Won't this have a bad influence on you?"

Zhong Yanjie arrived at the base six months earlier than her and was also waiting for arrangements from above. She was worried that this would have a negative impact on Zhou Yue.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yue gently took his wife's hand. His palm was warm and dry. "Acheng, you're overthinking it."

“The base has a rule that family members should be given priority in terms of education and ability when applying for jobs. You are a proper high school graduate, and you worked in the library before coming to the base. Your education and ability fully meet the requirements.”

"Stop overthinking. Everything is in accordance with the law and is beneficial to the base and fair to you, Cheng. You need to have more confidence in yourself."

Zhou Yue took a step closer, looking down at her with a burning gaze and a hint of sharpness in his eyes. "If I can't even fight for a fair chance for my own family, how can I talk about building a new world?"

Cheng Cheng looked up at him, and the worry in her eyes seemed to be blown away by a gentle breeze, instantly turning into a clear, trusting gaze.

Her shoulders, which had been slightly tense, completely relaxed. Without even realizing it, she let out a soft sigh, and the corners of her lips couldn't help but curve upwards as she whispered, "Okay, Chief Engineer Zhou, you're the best, alright?"

"With you here, I'm not afraid of anything."

She took the initiative to hold the man's fingers, her little finger scratching his palm a few times, conveying a deep sense of intimacy and trust.

They looked at each other, and Zhou Yue's smile gradually widened. He grabbed his wife's mischievous hand and held it tightly in his palm.

His Adam's apple bobbed a few times as he was about to step forward, when he heard his daughter's joyful cheers from behind.

"Yay!"

Xiao Lingxiao was overjoyed when she heard her parents' conversation; she could go to work with her mother again!

Cheng Cheng chuckled and gave the man a teasing look. He coughed lightly, released her hand, and turned to pick up his daughter.

"Xiaoxiao, how do you want to decorate your room? Mom and Dad will completely respect your ideas and let you decide how it should look."

"You can put your paintings on the wall, and you can decide how to arrange your desk, your books, and your paintings."

Little Lingxiao was immediately captivated by the scene his father described, and hugged his father's neck, his bright black eyes filled with curiosity and excitement!

"Dad, I want a big desk, like yours, so I can put lots of things on it!"

"I also need a bookshelf. I want to put up a picture of Sun Wukong that Mom drew on the wall..."

Cheng Cheng smiled without saying a word, thinking to herself, "Kid, you've fallen for your dad's trick!"

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Author's note: The sun will finally come out tomorrow! It's been raining and windy every day lately, and it's been chilly. I really want autumn!

Good night, see you tomorrow.