Chapter 109 Winter Solstice Interlude
As the winter solstice approaches, temperatures plummet on the Gobi Desert, turning breath into frost. According to northern custom, dumplings are eaten on the winter solstice.
However, in the livestock corps where resources were extremely scarce, wheat flour was a precious commodity, and meat was even rarer.
The company leaders also considered this problem and managed to allocate a limited amount of white flour, which was distributed to each household according to the number of people. Although it wasn't much, it was enough for each family to make dumplings and taste meat. Since there was no meat, everyone had to use their own ingenuity, using wild vegetables, dried vegetables, or tofu dregs as filling.
At school, the children's faces were all red from the cold, and during breaks, the most discussed topic was what kind of dumplings their families were going to make.
"My mother said to use dried shallots from autumn and tofu dregs!"
"My family has some eggs that we've saved up. My mom says we can make egg custard!"
"My mother said to use chopped mutton fat and wild vegetables..."
The children chattered excitedly, filled with anticipation for the rare and delicious meal.
As Shu Ran listened, she felt both happy for the children and a little bittersweet. In this era, a simple meal of dumplings was the most grand festive feast in the children's eyes.
She also received a small amount of flour, enough to make about twenty or thirty dumplings. Looking at that precious amount of flour, she decided to do something.
After school, she found Sister Wang and Li Xiulan.
"Sister Wang, Xiulan, the winter solstice is just around the corner. We sisters in the literacy class study together all the time, which is quite a lot. I was thinking, could we get everyone together to make dumplings? We're sure not everyone has enough flour, so let's chip in. Each family can contribute some filling too. It doesn't have to be fancy, just something fun to do and celebrate the festival."
Sister Wang immediately agreed: "That's a great idea! We women can have some fun on our own! I still have some dried wild vegetables that I saved up in the fall, I'll contribute!"
Li Xiulan nodded, "The tofu shop still has some soybean dregs, I'll bring some more over. Teacher Shu, whatever you say, we'll do it."
Shu Ran went to see Xu Junjun again, and Xu Junjun contributed the few eggs she had saved.
And so, with Shu Ran taking the lead, the women in the literacy class responded enthusiastically. One family contributed some dried vegetables, another some bean curd residue, yet another some salt... The contributions were small and varied, but they brought together everyone's goodwill.
On the afternoon before the winter solstice, the literacy class was canceled. The women gathered in the dugout where Shuran used to live. After Shuran moved out, the place became much more spacious.
They started kneading dough, preparing fillings, and making dumplings, filling the dugout to the brim.
Shu Ran rolled up her sleeves and joined in the work. She wasn't very skilled at making dumplings, and the dumplings she made were crooked and uneven, which made everyone laugh.
"Teacher Shu, you'll definitely end up boiling these dumplings into a soupy mess!" Sister Wang joked with a smile, as she guided her hand through how to pleat the dumplings.
Shu Ran studied diligently, her face covered in flour, and her eyes crinkled with laughter.
Chen Yuanjiang was riding back from the company headquarters when he passed through this dugout area. He heard bursts of laughter coming from inside and couldn't help but slow down.
He saw the dugout's half-open doorway revealing a bustling crowd, and he also spotted the radiant Shu Ran among them.
He reined in his horse and watched quietly from a distance for a moment, until a woman came out to get water and noticed him, exclaiming in surprise, "Special Commissioner Chen!" He seemed to wake up from his reverie, turned his horse around, and quickly left.
The dumplings were ready. Although the filling was simple, even a little bland, everyone ate them with relish and satisfaction. The women took turns picking out the first dumplings that were cooked and giving them to Shuran.
"Teacher Shu, please eat more! You've been working so hard!"
"Yes, if it weren't for you organizing things, we wouldn't have had such a lively time!"
As Shu Ran ate the steaming dumplings in her bowl, looking at the sincere smiling faces around her, her heart felt warm. She knew that her small efforts were gradually winning people's hearts. This warmth was more important than any assignment of tasks on paper.
On the winter solstice, the sky was overcast, the north wind howled, and snowflakes drifted down. It seemed that a heavy snowfall was inevitable.
The company was given a day off, and every household was enjoying a rare moment of leisure at home.
Shu Ran cooked the dumplings she had made herself in her mud-brick house. There was a small stove in the house, which was much warmer than the classroom.
She had just finished eating dumplings and was about to clear the table when she heard the rapid sound of horses' hooves outside, along with a tearful cry: "Teacher Shu! Teacher Shu! Help!"
Shu Ran's heart tightened, and she immediately put down her bowl and rushed out the door.
At the doorway, Adil tumbled off his horse, his face filled with terror, his words incoherent: "Teacher Shu! Ayiman! Ayiman has a high fever! She's not moving! Dad told me to look for you! Dr. Xu... I can't find him!"
Shu Ran understood instantly. Ayiman had a high fever, and it might be serious; she had experienced convulsions or even fell into a coma. Medical care and medicine were scarce in the pastoral area, and Tuerdi was desperate and had come to her. Xu Junjun was probably at the regimental clinic picking up medicine today and wasn't with the company.
"Don't rush! Adil, tell me slowly, when did Ayman start burning? Besides burning, is there anything else?" Shu Ran asked.
"It was a little hot last night, and it got even hotter this morning! Then I couldn't wake it up!" Adil was so anxious that tears streamed down his face.
It would take more than an hour to get from here to the pastoral area on horseback, and by the time we found Xu Junjun or took her to the regimental clinic, there wouldn't be enough time.
High fever and seizures can be very dangerous if not handled properly. Shu Ran's mind raced. She wasn't a doctor, but she had basic knowledge of modern medicine and some first aid skills that Xu Junjun had taught her.
"You wait!" Shu Ran shouted to Adil, then turned and rushed back into the house, quickly rummaging through a small first-aid kit that Xu Junjun had left for her. Inside were alcohol, gauze, and some commonly used basic medicines.
She then grabbed her fairly thick wool scarf and the half-worn cotton quilt on the kang (a heated brick bed).
"Come on! Take me there!" she shouted as she rushed out of the house.
Adil was taken aback, seemingly not expecting Shu Ran to go in person.
"Hurry up!" Shu Ran urged, already deftly grabbing the saddle and attempting to mount. The horse, wary of strangers, paced uneasily.
Just then, a deep, cold voice rang out: "What's going on?"
Shu Ran turned around and saw Chen Yuanjiang standing not far away, watching them.
He probably came over after hearing the commotion.
"Special Envoy Chen! Ayman has a high fever and is unconscious. She's in danger! Dr. Xu isn't here. I have to go see her right away!" Shu Ran explained quickly.
Chen Yuanjiang looked at Adil, who was on the verge of tears, then at the quilt and medicine box that Shu Ran was holding. He knew the current road conditions in the pastoral area and how dangerous the upcoming heavy snow would be.
"Go back," he commanded Shu Ran, his tone firm and unyielding. "I'll go. Give me the medicine."
"No! You don't know how to handle this! High fever and seizures could..." Shu Ran panicked.
“I said, go back!” Chen Yuanjiang interrupted her. He stepped forward, took the medicine box directly from Shu Ran’s hands, and quickly said a few words to Adil in the local language.
Adil looked at Chen Yuanjiang, then at Shu Ran, clearly trusting Chen Yuanjiang more.
"Chen Yuanjiang!" Shu Ran was also furious, grabbing his arm. "That's my student! I have to go! You can't stop me!"
The two remained locked in a stalemate in the cold wind.
Finally, Chen Yuanjiang closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were filled with a calm aftermath of a decision.
"Mount up." He uttered two words, no longer looking at her, and nimbly mounted his chestnut horse, then reached out his hand to Shu Ran.
Shu Ran was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and immediately grabbed his hand.
Chen Yuanjiang pulled her forcefully, bringing her to him and sitting her on the saddle, using his back to shield her from most of the cold wind.
"Lead the way!" he shouted at Adil.
Adil immediately climbed onto his horse, spurred it, and charged ahead.
Chen Yuanjiang lowered his head and said in a deep voice to Shu Ran in his arms, "Hold on tight."
Immediately, the chestnut horse followed Adil's horse and charged into the snowstorm.
The wind and snow were getting heavier.
Shu Ran leaned against his chest, the wind and snow hitting her face. As far as the eye could see, everything was white, and it seemed that only the howling wind and the sound of horses' hooves could be heard in the world.
Chen Yuanjiang wrapped Shu Ran up in his arms, covering her as much as possible with the front of his military coat. His chin rested on the top of her head, and the white breath he exhaled was instantly swept away by the wind.
Adil led the way, occasionally turning back to call out anxiously in the local language, his voice scattering in the wind.
"What did he say?" Shu Ran asked loudly, her voice muffled against Chen Yuanjiang's chest.
"We're almost there," Chen Yuanjiang replied briefly, his voice muffled by the wind, but he tightened his grip on her arm.
After struggling through the wind and snow for an unknown amount of time, the outline of a yurt finally appeared faintly in the distance. Turdi and Old Akhen were already anxiously waiting at the door, and upon seeing them, they immediately came to greet them.
Chen Yuanjiang dismounted first, then almost half-carried Shu Ran, who was stiff from the cold, off the horse. Shu Ran stumbled as soon as her feet touched the ground, but he caught her.
"Where's the child?" Shu Ran asked immediately, disregarding her own needs.
Turdi quickly led them into the yurt. Although it was warmer inside than outside, the temperature was still quite low.
Ayman lay on the carpet, her face flushed red, her lips cracked, and she had fallen into a coma.
Shu Ran's heart sank, and she immediately knelt down next to Ayman and opened the medicine box.
"Warm water, a clean cloth!" she instructed, while taking out the alcohol. Physical cooling is crucial for emergency treatment of high fever.
Turdi's wife quickly brought over some warm water. Shuran dipped a gauze pad in the warm water and carefully wiped Ayman's forehead, neck, armpits, and palms and soles. Then, she poured out some alcohol and quickly wiped the child's palms, soles, and back.
Chen Yuanjiang helped her from the side. Physical cooling lasted for nearly half an hour, and Ayman's burning body temperature seemed to have dropped slightly, but she remained unconscious.
“This won’t do; we need medication.” Shu Ran looked up, her brows furrowed, at Chen Yuanjiang. “The medication Dr. Xu prescribed only contains regular fever reducers, which probably won’t be enough. We need penicillin or some other stronger antibiotics.”
Chen Yuanjiang's expression was grave. Penicillin was a strictly controlled and scarce drug in those days; even the military clinics might not have it often, let alone in pastoral areas.
"I'll go to the regimental medical station," Chen Yuanjiang decided immediately. It was closer to the regimental headquarters than to the company, but riding a horse in the snow was extremely risky.
"It's too dangerous!" Shu Ran blurted out. The wind and snow outside showed no signs of letting up.
"I have to go." Chen Yuanjiang's tone left no room for negotiation. He glanced at the unconscious Ayman, then turned and walked out.
"Wait!" Shu Ran called out to him, rummaged through her medicine box and pulled out a small paper packet, stuffing it into his hand. "These are ginseng slices that Dr. Xu gave me. Take one, and it will boost your energy." She then took off her wool scarf and, without saying a word, stood on tiptoe, wanting to wrap it around him.
Chen Yuanjiang stopped her hand. "Keep it." His gaze lingered for a moment on her lips, which were frozen purple, before he resolutely turned and strode into the snowstorm.
Soon, the sound of horses' hooves could be heard outside, quickly fading into the distance.
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