Chapter 96 Stargazing
As autumn deepens, night falls earlier in the Gobi Desert, but the sky appears exceptionally high and clear.
Life in the company proceeded in an orderly fashion, yet subtle changes were constantly taking place. Families had already moved into the newly built adobe houses, and saplings of white poplar trees stood tall in the autumn wind along the repaired roads.
That evening, Shu Ran finished grading the last stack of homework in the classroom and rubbed her slightly sore eyes. The last rays of sunset were fading outside the window.
"Teacher Shu, haven't you gone back yet?" Lin Xuezhou's voice came from the doorway. He was holding a few books and a roll of blueprints, and looked like he had just finished working.
"Just about to leave." Shu Ran stood up and stretched her stiff neck. "Teacher Lin, are you also busy this late?"
"I've compiled some astronomical star chart data," Lin Xuezhou said, taking off his glasses and wiping the lenses as he gazed thoughtfully out the window.
“Professor Shu,” he suddenly said, “look at the starry sky tonight, how clear it is. I remember reading that our corps’ latitude gives us a great advantage in observing the autumn night sky.”
Shu Ran looked up and followed his gaze to the window. The sky was filled with stars, indeed much more magnificent than what she had seen in the city in the 21st century.
"Yes, it's beautiful," she exclaimed sincerely.
Lin Xuezhou put on his glasses. "I was thinking, could we organize a stargazing activity for the children? To popularize some basic astronomical knowledge. For example, to introduce the Big Dipper and Polaris, and to explain their significance for finding directions. This is both scientific common sense and very practical."
He thought for a moment and added, "Of course, the premise is to ensure safety, choose a clear and windless night, and organize the personnel properly."
Shu Ran's eyes lit up. This suggestion was excellent; it would not only broaden the children's horizons and extend their learning from textbooks to natural sciences, but it also had real practical value.
"That's a great idea, Teacher Lin!" Shu Ran said enthusiastically. "Let's plan it out properly. We need to choose a suitable time and report to the company to ensure safety. We can also ask Sister Wang to help organize the families; anyone interested can come and listen."
“Hmm,” Lin Xuezhou smiled upon receiving confirmation, “I can prepare some simple star charts, draw them on the blackboard, or have them engraved.”
The two then discussed some details, such as how to organize the children to ensure their safety, and which related myths or scientific knowledge would be more attractive to them when stargazing.
Just then, the classroom door was pushed open again, and Chen Yuanjiang walked in. He seemed to be on his routine night patrol, his gaze lingering on Shu Ran's face for a moment before falling on the star map and Lin Xuezhou spread out on the table.
"Special Envoy Chen," Lin Xuezhou greeted him.
Chen Yuanjiang nodded, walked to the table, and glanced at the drawings: "What's this?"
"Teacher Lin is planning to organize a stargazing activity for the children to learn about astronomy," Shu Ran explained. "It's a very meaningful activity."
Chen Yuanjiang's gaze lingered on the map for a moment, then he looked at Lin Xuezhou, his eyes less scrutinizing than approving: "The day after tomorrow night? We need to arrange for people to maintain order and ensure safety."
He said this to Lin Xuezhou in a businesslike manner.
Lin Xuezhou was somewhat flattered and quickly said, "Thank you, Special Envoy Chen! With the security team here, things are even more secure."
Chen Yuanjiang hummed in agreement and said nothing more, turning his gaze to Shu Ran: "It's getting dark, let's go back."
Shu Ran said to Lin Xuezhou, "Then, Teacher Lin, let's prepare according to the plan. I'll take these materials back and take a look first."
"Okay." Lin Xuezhou rolled up the blueprints and handed them to Shu Ran.
Shu Ran and Chen Yuanjiang walked out of the classroom together. The chill of the night instantly enveloped them, and Shu Ran subconsciously pulled her collar tighter.
Chen Yuanjiang walked naturally to her side, and the two walked in silence for a while.
“Stargazing is a good idea,” Chen Yuanjiang suddenly said.
“Yes,” Shu Ran turned to look at him, “Teacher Lin is very professional in this area.”
Chen Yuanjiang didn't respond to Lin Xuezhou's question, but instead asked, "How much do you... know about the stars?"
Shu Ran smiled: "Not many. What about you? When you're in the wild, do you use the stars to find your way?"
"Hmm," Chen Yuanjiang replied, looking up at the night sky that was beginning to deepen. "The Big Dipper, Polaris, and that," he pointed in a direction, "that looks like a W, that's Cassiopeia."
Shu Ran looked in the direction he pointed, trying hard to make out the lights. The night sky was clear, and those distant lights were indeed much clearer than they could be seen in the city.
"Where? I can't see very clearly..." Shu Ran squinted and tilted her head slightly.
Chen Yuanjiang stopped and stood beside her, closer still, his arm almost touching her shoulder. He pointed in that direction again, "Over there, those brighter ones, look at them together..."
He was very close; Shu Ran could not only smell the faint scent of soap on him, but also hear her own heartbeat. Following the direction he pointed, she finally vaguely saw the blurry "W" shape.
"I think... I saw it."
Chen Yuanjiang lowered his head and could see her profile as she gazed at the starry sky. He withdrew his hand and slightly increased the distance between them.
“From now on, when you go out at night, just look for the North Star, and you won’t get lost.” His tone regained its usual composure.
"I'll remember, Teacher Chen." Shu Ran turned her head and joked with him.
Chen Yuanjiang was visibly taken aback, then turned his face away somewhat awkwardly, grunted an "Mm," and quickened his pace: "Let's hurry, it's getting windy."
Shu Ran watched his hurried departure, her smile deepening, and she followed after him.
The next day, Shu Ran told Secretary Liu and Sister Wang about her idea for the stargazing activity.
Secretary Liu was pleased with this kind of thing that could increase knowledge without disrupting production too much, and waved his hand: "Great! Let the children and adults see the stars and broaden their horizons! As for safety, let Special Commissioner Chen take good care of it."
Sister Wang clapped her hands in approval: "That's a great idea! There's nothing much to do at night, so it's better for everyone to get together, look at the stars, and listen to some knowledge than to stay at home! I'll go and talk to each household about it, and I guarantee a lot of people will come!" Since becoming a women's representative, she has been particularly enthusiastic about organizing these kinds of activities.
The news quickly spread throughout the company. The children were extremely excited, surrounding Shu Ran and Lin Xuezhou with questions.
"Teacher, are there people on the stars?"
Does the Big Dipper really look like a spoon?
"Will looking at the stars prevent you from getting lost?"
The adults were also intrigued. Xu Junjun ran to the school, grabbed Shu Ran's hand, and said, "Ranran, count our clinic in this activity! I'll provide logistical support, prepare some mosquito-repelling herbs, and boil a few pots of hot water for everyone to warm up."
Li Xiulan also spoke up, "Teacher Shu, I... I don't have anything to do tonight, could I help look after the younger children? I can also bring some tofu dregs pancakes for everyone to snack on." Her eyes were full of longing, as if she really wanted to join in this group activity.
Looking at the people around her who had become so lively because of a simple suggestion, Shu Ran felt a warmth in her heart. Even in difficult circumstances, these people still held a passion for knowledge and beautiful things.
The day for stargazing has arrived.
As evening approached, before the sun had completely set, Sister Wang, along with several quick-handed women, swept a stretch of Gobi Desert that Chen Yuanjiang and his men had cleared in advance, until it was spotless. They even brought over a few flat, large stones to use as seats.
Xu Junjun, along with her roommates Xiaoling and Hongmei, set up a makeshift stall with boiled water, several military water bottles, and a small pile of dry grass that she had specially found to repel mosquitoes, which they planned to light later.
Li Xiulan arrived carrying a basket containing pancakes she had made by mixing tofu dregs with a small amount of cornmeal. The pancakes were full of the aroma of soybeans, and she placed them somewhat shyly next to the sanitation worker Xu's stall.
The children were the most excited. After eating early, they were led to the venue by adults or ran and jumped on their own.
Stone had become the leader of the children, helping to maintain order and prevent the younger ones from running around. Adil also brought his sister Ayman, and the two siblings looked at the increasing number of people and the gradually darkening sky with curiosity in their eyes.
Lin Xuezhou stood before a large wooden board that served as a makeshift blackboard, giving a final check of the simple star map he had drawn with chalk, marking the positions of the Big Dipper, Polaris, and several other major constellations. He seemed a little nervous, occasionally adjusting his glasses.
The sky finally darkened completely. One by one, the stars lit up the deep blue sky, growing denser and brighter. Adults and children alike spontaneously quieted down, gazing up at the vast Milky Way.
Standing at the edge of the crowd, Shu Ran couldn't help but sigh at the magnificence of the starry sky. This unpolluted, light-pollution-free starry sky was a sight she had never seen before in the 21st century.
Just then, a footstep stopped beside her.
Shu Ran didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
Chen Yuanjiang arrived. He was dressed in a neat military uniform, without a hat, and his posture remained upright. He didn't look at Shu Ran, but first scanned the surrounding environment to make sure that the militiamen he had arranged were all on guard in their designated positions before raising his head and looking up at the starry sky.
"Everyone's here," he said to Shu Ran in a low voice, as if to give her an explanation.
"Mmm," Shu Ran responded.
At this moment, Lin Xuezhou walked to the center of the venue, cleared his throat, and began his explanation. He pointed to the star map and then to the sky, trying his best to explain the Big Dipper and Polaris in simple language.
"...Look everyone, those seven bright stars that look like a dipper are the Big Dipper. Extending outwards from the two stars at the rim of the dipper, about five times the distance, the brighter, almost stationary star is Polaris, the North Star. It points almost directly towards the Earth's North Pole, so in the wild, finding Polaris can give you a rough idea of where you are..."
The children, their little faces tilted upwards, strained to find the "spoon" and the "North Star" among the dense array of stars, exclaiming "Found it!" and "There it is!" from time to time. The adults listened with great interest, pointing things out to each other.
While listening, Sister Wang kept an eye on the little ones who were running around. Xu Junjun lit the dried herbs at the right time, and Li Xiulan quietly distributed the tofu dregs cakes to the children around her.
Shu Ran stood next to Chen Yuanjiang and secretly glanced at him, only to find that he was also gazing intently at the starry sky, his eyes distant.
Lin Xuezhou continued his explanation, introducing the legend of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, which sparked a burst of imagination in the children.
The atmosphere was wonderful under the starry sky.
Chen Yuanjiang turned his head slightly and said to Shu Ran in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "The view here isn't the best. I know a place where you can see the stars much better."
Shu Ran's heart stirred, and she looked at him.
His gaze remained fixed ahead, as if it were just a casual remark.
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