Chapter 66 (Bug Fixing) The first, second, and third days of the Lunar New Year...
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, just as dawn was breaking, the snow stopped, and even a faint ray of sunlight peeked through.
Shu Ran got up early, changed into a new cotton-padded coat, and carefully combed her hair. As soon as she pushed open the door of the dugout, she was startled by the cold air and shivered, but she also felt refreshed.
On the snow at the doorway, there was a string of fresh footprints leading to the entrance of her dugout. Beside the footprints lay a small package neatly wrapped in old newspapers.
Shu Ran picked it up with a puzzled look, opened it, and found five pears inside, frozen solid. In this icy, snowy winter in the border region, fresh fruit was truly a rare treat!
Shu Ran held the two cold pears and subconsciously thought of Chen Yuanjiang.
"Teacher Shu! Happy New Year!" The children's cheerful shouts interrupted her thoughts. Shi Tou, Shuan Zhu, and Xiao Ya, wearing new cotton shoes and with rosy cheeks, ran over to wish her a Happy New Year.
Shu Ran quickly regained her composure, smiled, and went to greet him. She took out a few coins wrapped in red paper from her pocket as New Year's money: "Happy New Year! Happy New Year! You're all a year older now, so be more obedient and work harder!"
The children cheered and ran off, clutching their New Year's money like precious treasures.
Then, Sister Wang and Li Xiulan also got up and greeted each other with "Happy New Year". Xu Junjun, carrying her medicine box, also came over to join in the fun. When she saw the pear in Shu Ran's hand, she widened her eyes in surprise, but after looking at Shu Ran's expression, she wisely didn't ask any questions and just smiled meaningfully.
In the morning, the company organized a simple New Year's greeting. Company Commander Ma and Secretary Liu gave speeches, encouraging everyone and looking forward to production after the start of spring.
In the afternoon, Shu Ran and Xu Junjun made an appointment to visit several employees and herdsmen with whom they had a good relationship to extend New Year's greetings.
Because heavy snow closes the mountains in winter, the herders moved from the high-altitude pastures to a winter pasture on the northern edge of the production team, not far from the production team.
While the sun was still shining, Shu Ran and Xu Junjun wrapped their cotton-padded coats tightly and headed towards the herders' migration point.
The snow was thick, making the journey somewhat difficult, but the air was crisp and the snow-capped mountains were picturesque, offering a magnificent view. As they approached Turdi's yurt, their familiar sheepdogs barked and wagged their tails, recognizing them.
Turdi came out upon hearing the noise and, smiling, ushered them into the yurt.
As soon as the heavy felt curtain was lifted, a rich and unique warmth rushed out, instantly dispelling the chill outside. Inside the yurt, a stove was burning, and milk tea was bubbling away in a copper kettle.
"Teacher Shu! Aunt Xu!" Adil and Ayman exclaimed in surprise, running over to hug them, overjoyed.
Old Akhen also greeted him warmly: "I heard today is the New Year for you Han Chinese. Happy New Year!"
Shu Ran placed the small gifts she had bought at the supply and marketing cooperative on the low table and replied with a smile, "Yes, although you don't celebrate the Spring Festival, I still wish you a wonderful and fulfilling life ahead!"
Xu Junjun put down the ointment she had brought and joked, "I hope that in the new year, Old Aken will be healthy even without needing my ointment!"
Old Akhen laughed heartily.
"Teacher Shu, Dr. Xu, come and warm yourselves by the fire!" Turdi's wife hurriedly invited them to sit down on the carpet in front of the low table, pushed the container with milk curds and other snacks forward, and brought over two bowls of piping hot salty milk tea.
The salty aroma of milk tea warmed her stomach. Shu Ran noticed a large pot on the stove, bubbling with meat broth. The rich aroma of meat mixed with the sweet scent of onions and the fragrance of some unknown spice filled the entire yurt, whetting her appetite.
"We cooked Naren today, you're lucky to have made it." Old Akhen pointed to the big pot, a hint of ethnic pride in his expression.
Shu Ran had heard that Naren was a traditional delicacy used by herders to entertain distinguished guests.
Turdi's wife brought over a large copper basin filled with steaming, tender horse meat. She skillfully scooped large chunks of meat onto a clean wooden board, where old Akhen himself sliced the meat into thin, even pieces.
Horse meat has coarse fibers, a deep red color, and a fragrant aroma.
Next, Turdi's wife brought over a large plate of chewy, handmade noodles that had been pre-cooked and cooked, and a large bowl of piping hot broth with golden oil floating on top.
Slices of horse meat are laid on the noodles, hot broth is poured over them, and a handful of chopped fresh onions are sprinkled on top.
"Eat, eat it while it's hot." Old Akhen gestured for them to start eating, and thoughtfully provided them with chopsticks.
Shu Ran and Xu Junjun were both stunned as they looked at the large basin of fragrant Na Ren in front of them.
This way of eating, this combination, was a completely new experience for them.
Shu Ran first scooped up a spoonful of the meat broth from the bowl next to her, blew on it, and took a sip. The broth was delicious and mellow, with the unique aroma of horse meat and the sweetness of the onions after they had dissolved. It was just the right amount of salty and savory, and it warmed her whole body after drinking it.
She imitated the Turdi family, picking up a piece of horse meat with her hand. The horse meat was more tender than she had imagined, chewy yet flavorful, and had no gamey taste whatsoever.
Paired with handmade noodles that have soaked up the broth and are smooth and chewy, and the crisp and spicy texture of raw onion, the flavors and textures blend together in the mouth, creating a delicious taste that Shu Ran has never experienced before.
"Delicious!" Shu Ran couldn't help but exclaim.
Xu Junjun was initially hesitant, as horse meat was unfamiliar to them, but after taking a bite, her eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly: "It's so delicious! So much meat mixed with noodles, this is really satisfying!"
The Turdi family smiled happily as they watched their children enjoy the food. Adil and Ayman ate with gusto, their little mouths greasy.
Old Akhen ate his Naren from his bowl while looking at them. "Horses are our wings and our food. The best meat is for our friends and guests."
This hot and comforting meal made Shu Ran feel especially happy and warm.
Before leaving, old Akhen asked Turdi to pack a small bag of dried meat for them to eat on the way.
On the way back, despite the still-cold wind, Shu Ran and Xu Junjun were very satisfied.
“Now I feel,” Xu Junjun said, breathing out white puffs of air, “that being here seems pretty good.”
Shu Ran nodded in agreement and joked, "I paid New Year's visits and had a delicious meal. It was worth it!"
Upon reaching the company headquarters, Xu Junjun nudged Shu Ran's arm and gestured towards the back of the headquarters with her chin. Shu Ran looked over and saw Chen Yuanjiang brushing a horse's mane by himself.
“Hey,” Xu Junjun said softly, “I think Chen Yuanjiang treats you really differently.”
Shu Ran looked in that direction without saying anything.
On this arduous yet vast land, besides career and friendship, something else seems to be quietly growing.
At the beginning of the new year, everything seems to hold new hope.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, the sky remained clear and bright. The company was still filled with the lazy atmosphere of the holiday, with less of the usual work noise and more of the sounds of visiting relatives and friends to exchange New Year greetings.
Shu Ran got up early and tidied up the dugout inside and out. She, Xu Junjun, Sister Wang, and Li Xiulan each ate one of the five precious pears last night. She carefully wrapped the remaining one in old cotton wool, thinking that it might be able to stay for a few more days.
Just as she finished tidying up, Zhang Guifen's voice came from the doorway: "Teacher Shu! Are you home? Come on over, let's have lunch at my house! Sister Wang made some pancakes for me, and Xiulan stewed cabbage, tofu, and glass noodles! Come along!"
Shu Ran smiled and went out. She saw Zhang Guifen wrapped up tightly, her face flushed, looking happy for the New Year.
"I can't accept this, elder sister," Shu Ran declined.
"What's there to be embarrassed about! If it weren't for you, how could we have made such a big splash at the regimental headquarters? It's the New Year, we should celebrate!" Without waiting for a reply, Sister Wang pulled Shu Ran away.
Zhang Guifen's dugout was slightly larger than Shu Ran's, and it was just as warm. A small table was placed on the earthen bed, and on it was indeed a large plate of golden-brown flatbread, a steaming pot of cabbage stew with vermicelli, and even a few slices of cured pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, clearly a treasure saved up at the end of the year.
Shu Ran looked around and asked, "Where's Brother Li?"
"She's taken the kids to catch rabbits! Come on, sit down! There's nothing fancy, just have something hot to eat!" Zhang Guifen said enthusiastically.
The four sat around a small table, eating and chatting. Sister Wang's eyes reddened as she spoke of her husband's sacrifice, but she quickly rallied: "It's all in the past. I'm doing well in the company now; I can help out with some chores and teach people to read. There's hope for the future!"
Li Xiulan whispered, "My mother wrote a letter saying that everything is fine at home and that I can stay here without worry. I feel at ease with Teacher Shu and Sister Wang."
Shu Ran felt a warmth in her heart as she listened. This feeling of being needed and trusted was something that no material comfort could replace.
After finishing her meal, Shu Ran helped clean up the dishes and thought she would go back to the classroom. Just as she approached the classroom, she saw smoke billowing from the chimney.
She was a little confused, so she quickened her pace and walked over, pushing open the classroom door.
A wave of warmth washed over us. The stove in the classroom was burning brightly, and an old iron kettle sat on it, wisps of white steam rising from its spout.
A figure in a military overcoat, with his back to the door, was carefully adjusting the coal in the furnace with tongs.
It is Chen Yuanjiang.
He seemed to hear a noise, paused for a moment, and then turned around. His face remained expressionless, except that the tip of his nose was a little red from the cold.
"Officer Chen?" Shu Ran exclaimed in surprise, "How come you..."
"I was on patrol and saw there was no smoke from the chimney, so I came in to take a look," Chen Yuanjiang said calmly. "The stove was almost out, so I added some coal as I was doing my job."
In those days, heating in dugouts and classrooms relied on burning coal or firewood. If people were away for a long time, in order to save fuel and prevent fires, they would usually cover the unburned embers in the stove with coal ash, allowing them to burn slowly and maintain a small ember.
When people return, they only need to clear away the ashes and add new coal or firewood to quickly reignite the fire, saving them the trouble of starting a new fire.
If the fire goes out completely and cools down, it takes a lot of effort to relight it. First, you need to use flammable wood shavings and firewood to start the fire, and then slowly add coal. This is not only time-consuming, but also produces thick smoke that is choking.
Shu Ran looked at the furnace, which was filled to the brim with coal and burning brightly. She knew in her heart that he must have come here on purpose.
"Thank you so much, you've gone to so much trouble again," Shu Ran said quickly.
Chen Yuanjiang didn't reply. His gaze swept around the classroom, landing on the half-cut paper-cut window decorations and the children's crookedly written "Happy New Year" calligraphy. His eyes seemed to soften for a moment.
He took a small paper packet out of his coat pocket and placed it on the podium next to him.
“For the children,” he said succinctly, then picked up the patrol gear leaning against the wall. “I’m off.” With that, he walked straight toward the door.
Only after his footsteps faded into the distance did Shu Ran walk over and pick up the small paper package. Inside were dozens of brightly colored fruit hard candies.
Looking at the bag of candy, and then at the blazing fire in the stove, Shu Ran felt a gentle tap on her heart. This man always did the most meticulous things in the most silent way.
In the afternoon, the children ran to the classroom to play. Seeing the candy and the warm room, they cheered. Shu Ran distributed the candy to everyone, and watching them hold it in their mouths like a treasure, their eyes narrowed into slits with laughter.
As evening fell, Shu Ran was grading a small amount of homework left before the holiday in the classroom when Xu Junjun came over and mysteriously pulled her out of the classroom.
"Hey, guess what I heard when I went to the company headquarters to get medicine this afternoon?" Xu Junjun lowered her voice, her face filled with excitement.
"What?"
"I've only heard about it," Xu Junjun emphasized, "The division headquarters might be holding some kind of 'Outstanding Grassroots Education Worker' competition, and it seems there are some material rewards! Officer Yang Zhenhua seems to be compiling the materials, maybe... our company has a spot?"
Shu Ran's heart suddenly skipped a beat. A divisional competition? Perhaps there were material rewards.
For her, this is not just an honor, but more likely means a real opportunity to improve teaching resources.
"Is the information accurate?" she asked, suppressing her excitement.
"It's almost certainly true! It seems to happen after the start of spring. Shu Ran, you'd better pay attention. We really shone in this performance, so our chances are very high!" Xu Junjun encouraged her.
Shu Ran felt a renewed sense of motivation; perhaps she could make a bright future in this era.
The third day of the Lunar New Year is traditionally a day for organizing collective activities, symbolizing unity in the new year. Although resources are scarce, the rituals must not be neglected.
In the morning, Company Commander Ma used the loudspeaker to announce: "Attention, entire company! Attention, entire company! Everyone who can still breathe, assemble in the auditorium! We're going to have a New Year's celebration, let's have some fun!"
The so-called get-together was really just everyone bringing some melon seeds, peanuts, roasted soybeans, or dried wild dates from home, gathering together, chatting, and the children running around like crazy. The canteen would brew several large barrels of red date and ginger tea, a rare treat of sweet water.
When Shu Ran arrived, the auditorium was already quite crowded. The stove was lit, so although it wasn't very warm, it wasn't freezing either. Children were running around playing, their laughter ringing out. Adults gathered in twos and threes, exchanging New Year's greetings, auspicious words, and the meager snacks they had.
Zhao Weidong actually came too, strolling around the auditorium with his hands behind his back. Although he still didn't have a smile on his face, he didn't urge the birth as usual, which was a way of giving New Year's face.
Shu Ran, Xu Junjun, Sister Wang, and Li Xiulan huddled together and found a corner to sit. Sister Wang contributed a small handful of roasted soybeans, Li Xiulan took out a few red dates she had been reluctant to eat, and Shu Ran took out some more of the fruit candies Chen Yuanjiang had given her and shared them with everyone. Xu Junjun magically produced a small paper packet containing several slices of golden-brown toasted bread, sprinkled with a little salt—it smelled delicious.
"Oh, Dr. Xu, this is good stuff!" Sister Wang's eyes lit up.
"Chef Liu from the cafeteria secretly grilled them, and I snagged a few slices," Xu Junjun said with a smug wink.
As they were chatting and laughing, Shu Ran caught a glimpse of Chen Yuanjiang out of the corner of her eye. He didn't rush into the crowd, but stood a little further away by the tractor, talking to Company Commander Ma and Secretary Liu, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the noisy crowd.
Soon, Accountant Shi and several young men arrived carrying two large buckets of steaming hot jujube and ginger tea. Everyone immediately lined up, taking all sorts of teacups and rice bowls to receive it.
After drinking the sweet and spicy ginger tea, everyone's faces turned rosy.
"Teacher Shu! Teacher Shu!" Shuanzhu ran over excitedly, carrying a broken enamel bowl. "They're going to have a tug-of-war outside soon! Let's go cheer them on!"
Sure enough, in the center of the field outside the auditorium, several rows of strong laborers were already rubbing their hands together, ready for the traditional tug-of-war competition. Shouts, laughter, and cheers filled the air, instantly creating a lively atmosphere.
Shu Ran was also pulled by the children to watch the excitement. She stood on the outskirts of the crowd, watching those employees who usually worked silently, now working hard for the collective honor, and perhaps for a small reward provided by the canteen, their faces red and necks bulging, and she couldn't help but laugh along with them.
Amidst the noise, she felt someone gently touch her arm. She instinctively turned around and saw Chen Yuanjiang standing a little behind her, keeping a slight distance, his gaze seemingly fixed on the tug-of-war. But that touch was definitely not unintentional.
As she was wondering, she felt something cold and small being placed into her hand.
Shu Ran instinctively gripped it tighter. The thing had a metallic coolness to it.
She dared not look down or turn her head to look at Chen Yuanjiang. She could only maintain her posture of looking forward, her fingers tightening slightly as she felt the outline of the object—it seemed to be a... fountain pen.
The tug-of-war was at its most intense, with deafening cheers. No one noticed the handover between them.
Chen Yuanjiang remained expressionless, staring ahead as if nothing had happened. After a few seconds, as if he had completed his mission, he turned and left the edge of the crowd, heading towards the company headquarters.
Shu Ran didn't dare to slightly open her palm until his figure disappeared. Sure enough, it was a brand new black fountain pen.
"Ranran! What's wrong? Your face is so red. Are you cold?" Xu Junjun came over and asked curiously.
Shu Ran snapped back to reality, quickly stuffed the pen into her cotton-padded jacket pocket, and shook her head, trying to appear calm: "It's nothing, I just drank some ginger tea."
Xu Junjun looked at her suspiciously, then glanced in the direction Chen Yuanjiang had left. She seemed to understand something, smiled, and didn't ask any further questions.
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Author's Note: Horse Meat Naren: A traditional delicacy of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, it is mostly made with smoked horse meat as the main ingredient. Large chunks of meat are laid on handmade belt noodles, drizzled with meat broth and mixed with shredded onions. Eating the noodles with the meat is very delicious.
Writing this late at night makes me hungry [laughing and crying emoji]
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