Chapter 83 Southwest - Xiong Guan Town
"Okay, what are your conditions?"
When they finally saw her relent, Qin Tuan and You Lizhu subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
They really didn't want to do this; it was just bullying someone else's child.
Military orders cannot be disobeyed. Even if they sometimes find it hard to carry them out, soldiers have no choice but to obey orders as it is their duty.
"Once I get back to the ship, I want to know everything about my assessment."
"Impossible, it's confidential, I can't tell you."
She pretended to be weak and limp, leaning back so that Huo Sen was startled and reached out to support her, only to find himself leaning against her.
"Then forget it. I'm feeling dizzy and lightheaded, and my nose is stuffy. I'd better go back."
Qin Tuan and his men knew she was in danger and were seeking blatant revenge.
Knowing her temperament, Sister You nodded. Qin Tuan sighed and agreed, "Alright, but only within my authority. I don't know anything else."
"make a deal!"
She smiled and said, “Sister You, actually your acting is not convincing at all.”
The crowd that happened to be there immediately turned to look at the protagonist, You Lizhu, upon hearing her words.
"You weren't tested, so you already knew?"
Luo Yin waved her hand, "No, it's just that your weakness was exposed."
"You kidnapped me and made me find clams for you, but there was nothing underwater in that sea. And now, with the appearance of Commander Qin and your men, I'm even more certain." You really did have a backup plan.
"Good, good, Comrade Luo Yin, you are indeed smarter than we imagined. Congratulations on passing the test again!"
"Alright, let's get to work. I really miss my other colleagues."
Luo Yin was only thinking about completing the task as soon as possible and going back to settle accounts with Old Man Chen.
What exactly did that old guy do behind the scenes? How much did he sell her for, by weight and all?
From that day on, Luo Yin led a dozen skilled workers, with You Lizhu at the helm, to establish themselves and excavate in this sea area.
I got several shades darker in just four days.
Spending over ten hours a day in the water, Loin drifted on the small boat until the evening of the fifth day before finally setting off to leave.
After working tirelessly for several days and nights, they reaped great rewards.
The people on the small boat were excited and thrilled. Looking at the small box of pearls in Qin Tuan's hand, he smiled and his face was full of wrinkles.
"Hehehe, with this we'll have so much more equipment!"
"That's right, haha, we won't have to worry anymore."
"Yes, yes, and all those equipment and weapons can be replaced."
They were happy and expectant, looking at Luo Yin in the corner with admiration and envy.
This little girl is really amazing. I don't know how her nose is so naturally pointed, but it seems to hit exactly where it's pointing. If she used that on the battlefield, she could easily break through enemy traps and minefields.
"Attention everyone, we are about to enter a danger zone. Stay hidden."
Luo Yin sniffed the familiar aroma of food in the air, her lips twitching.
These people are really something. They call the area near the Maria and other warships a danger zone, and they're so careful on their own ships that they act like thieves.
Loin was brought onto the ship and only came to her senses when she stepped onto the deck.
Looking at the tall ship in the distance, "Are we going back?"
"Yes, you'll stay with me for the rest of the time; we'll live on the warship."
Luo Yin accepted it calmly, nodded, and followed her to tidy up.
When she finally ate a hot meal in the evening, even though it was just a large pot of stew, it brought tears to her eyes.
Besides her and You Lizhu, the third beautiful woman on the warship was the head chef in the kitchen.
Loin was restricted from appearing on the deck during the day, but the return journey was smooth.
She figured out the reason after thinking about it, so she simply wandered around below, surveying the area and quickly getting a general idea of what was going on on the warship.
She didn't go into the few guard posts, but she became familiar with all the chefs in the canteen.
He kept calling him "Master Chef" and even gave him milk tablets and dried meat from his bundle.
The head chef is in her fifties. It is said that this position used to belong to her husband, but he died in the line of duty. Because her family was poor, she took over the position.
She's been doing this for seven or eight years now, and everyone calls her Master Chef whenever she shows her face. Master Chef's name is Zheng Lan, and this is the first time she's received food from a junior.
"No, no, you take it and eat it." Zheng Lan had neat short hair and a chubby face. Her smile was very kind.
"Master Chef, please eat. This is something I eat often. You take such good care of me, and I want to repay you in kind." She enthusiastically pushed the food away.
The head chef took a little of each and tasted them.
"Thank you so much, Xiao Luo, you're so kind."
"It's really good. The milk flavor is as rich as drinking milk. As expected, dairy products and meats from the grasslands are the best."
Luo Yin smiled and echoed her words. "Indeed, the conditions there are very suitable for livestock farming."
The master chef reminisced about the past, saying, "Back then, I once had the chance to eat local mutton, and the taste still makes my mouth water just thinking about it."
"It's true! My family raises cattle and sheep, especially the purebred sheep. The meat is tender, delicious, and not gamey. Every year during the Spring Festival, we slaughter one to eat. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water."
"If you have the chance to come to my house, I'll treat you to a feast."
"Hahaha, girl, don't go around saying that, I'm afraid you'll get beaten up." The head chef laughed even harder and handed her a lunchbox.
"This was made with the leftover ingredients, you can eat it!"
"Rice ball?" Seeing the head chef stuffing food into her mouth again, Luo Yin picked up the oil paper package.
"Here, this is for you, Master Chef. Please don't refuse. You've been giving me extra food every time these past few days, and I'm already feeling quite embarrassed."
The head chef was very satisfied; the child was sensible.
"We'll be at the dock tomorrow. Who knows when we'll see each other again? It's fate that we're here. This is my home address. Let's keep in touch from now on."
Luo Yin nodded in agreement, having heard quite a bit of information from her.
Most of them are about Commander Qin.
But she was also very sensible, and didn't pry into anything that crossed the line.
On the last night the ship arrived at the dock, she went to bed early. When she woke up and smelled the familiar sea breeze, she couldn't help but sigh.
I'm finally home!
Once she gets off the ship, she'll definitely make a few phone calls home and mail out all the letters.
She missed home, and missed all her family members.
I wonder if Dad and my second brother have returned yet? How is Dad's leg?
And then there's Old Man Chen. He promised to tell her the truth, but Qin Tuan kept delaying until she was busy. In the end, Qin Tuan blocked her at the door and said that Old Man Chen had to be there.
Luo Yin agreed; she didn't believe they could still run away now.
"Beep beep beep~"
"Waaaaah~"
Ship horns sounded everywhere, carrying with them the familiar sounds of daily life.
The ship successfully ran aground and docked at the pier.
The passersby around were like ants, and Luo Yin couldn't get enough of looking at them from the deck.
"Alright, grab your luggage, we're the last to go down."
Luo Yin nodded and followed Yu Lizhu as they watched the people from the Maria ship disembark before they got busy.
Upon hearing Old Man Chen's voice from afar, Luo Yin's eyes seemed glued to him.
Noticing a gaze from afar, Old Chen grinned.
hehe!
She didn't care much about the fate of the other people on the ship, but she kept a close eye on Qin Tuan.
Seeing this, Yulizhu, who was standing beside her, couldn't say anything, since they had indeed acted dishonestly.
However, while waiting, Sister You still offered an explanation.
She said this with a very serious expression, "Xiao Luo, just listen when everyone is here. There are some things that you won't do any good by asking too many questions."
Luo Yin didn't say yes or no, but she sensed that Luo Yin didn't seem to be lying.
But she had her own plans for what would happen next.
After much anticipation, Mr. Chen finally arrived.
Looking at the group of people who were walking towards her, including Old Man Xia, Old Man Chen, Captain Huo, and several familiar military comrades, Luo Yin had a good idea of what was going on.
Xia Ming eagerly went up to her and took her hand, "Xiao Luo, it's been so long, I'm so glad to see you safe and sound."
"You look much thinner! You've worked hard!"
"It's alright, I'm fine!" Feeling her senior's concern, Luo Yin shook her head to indicate that she was alright.
When he turned to look at the old man behind him, his eyes were indeed filled with steel needles.
"Oh, old man, don't you recognize me?"
Chen Dong, with an indifferent expression, asked, "What, weren't you looking for me?"
He looked around as he spoke, "If you hadn't come looking for me, would I have gone back already?"
"Wait, let's explain things clearly before you leave."
She immediately stood in front of him, determined not to let him escape.
"Alright, Commander Qin found an empty room. Let that girl come in with me."
The Qin regiment, who was being ordered around, remained calm and quickly arranged the seats for everyone to go in, while the rest of the group shared the information they had received.
Xia Ming, in particular, had mixed feelings about Xiao You in the team, but he understood her situation.
"Xiao You, what you did almost scared us to death."
Xiao You politely apologized, "I'm sorry, Elder Xia. The entire operation was kept secret, and I didn't inform you. It was my fault!"
"Sigh, it's not your fault, never mind!"
"Bang!"
Luo Yin slammed the door shut and angrily sat down opposite him.
"Speak!"
"This girl still has such a fiery temper. Hasn't she learned her lesson?"
"Hey, you have the nerve to say that? I only acted so impulsively because I learned my lesson. Stop this nonsense and tell me what really happened."
"Fine, fine, you won't leave until you get to the bottom of it, huh!"
Blind Chen spread his hands, "Where's that bead you had on you?"
"How did you know?" She suddenly clutched her pocket. "Whoever told you, you couldn't possibly have figured that out, could you?"
She looked up in astonishment. "Impossible!" she thought. "This bead was a gift they secretly gave her as a reward for the operation, because she helped them successfully intercept a giant clam weighing over 30 kilograms on the last day."
According to those foreigners, this would definitely be worth a lot if it were auctioned off.
It starts at least in the tens of millions of dollars.
Because of this, Qin Zhao immediately gave the dozen or so people in the operation a strict order not to leak anything. In order to shut her up, he picked out a 22mm South Sea pearl for her.
"Hmph, what do you think? There's nothing in this world that can be hidden from me!"
"Alright, continue!" She handed him the beads.
"The pearl is round and smooth, and its color must be beautiful too." Blind Chen nodded. This girl's luck was indeed extraordinary.
"Do you know that Xia Ming is planning to recommend you to be his student?"
Unexpectedly, Luo Yin was somewhat stunned. "Ah, when did this happen? I didn't know."
"It was on the ship that perhaps your talent caught his eye, but Xia Ming's identity is very special. The projects and teams he leads are all classified as state secrets, while you are just a little kid. Of course, it's not so easy for you to get in."
Luo Yin was speechless. "It's not that I don't know about this either. You mean I was taken away for investigation because of Elder Xia?"
"That's only one aspect. Another aspect is that since you're involved in this plan, you have to cooperate with the investigation. Girl, you're not the only one who needs to be investigated. Don't worry, everyone involved will be implicated, but you're a bit special."
Hearing him say that, Luo Yin understood.
Sure enough, she said she had something to do.
"After that, will there still be cases of people being taken away in their sleep?"
"Ahem, this was an accident. You know how rich the resources are in that sea area. It would be a shame if we didn't make a profit when we stumbled upon it."
"And this is good for you too. Okay, that's enough said. Let's go, I don't want to stay on the ship any longer."
Luo Yin was confused, but she roughly understood. Seeing the man walking away, she quickly called out to him, "Wait, I want my bead back!"
That's a real treasure!
"Hold out your hand, here you go." Old Chen said with a disdainful look.
Luo Yin ignored it, opened her hand and waited for the beads to fall, only to find that there was more than one in her palm.
After the old man moved his hand away, Luo Yin was instantly dazzled by the natural luster of the beads.
Wow~
One, two, three, four, seven in total.
Although the beads were not as big as hers, each one was beautiful in color, including a golden and light purple pearl that was so beautiful that she dared not blink.
"This looks good, but the color is too bright."
"You're so promising. Here, take it and play with it."
She was incredibly curious, thinking that this person wasn't so bad after all. "How can you be so generous? These are all borrowed, you couldn't have gotten them from the water, could you?"
"I don't know, don't ask me."
The people waiting outside saw them come out one after the other, and the atmosphere was much better than when they went in.
Xiao Luo, in particular, always came out with a smile on her face.
"Alright, let's go back to the guesthouse first, rest for a few days, and then make the next preparations."
Back on familiar ground, the appearance of Luo Yin and You Lizhu caught the team off guard.
Xia Mingjiang rushed over excitedly and hugged her. "Xiao Luo, it's so good that you're alright. I was so worried about you."
"Yes, yes, Xiao Luo, are you and Xiao You alright? There must have been a misunderstanding before."
"I guessed so, you must have other plans."
"We'll be in trouble here from now on. It scared us so much that we couldn't sleep for several days."
The two thanked everyone for their kindness without any distinction, and when they returned to their standard room, Yun Shilan was waiting for them.
"Sister Yun, I'm back!"
"It's good that you're safe." The two hugged and exchanged a few words.
Luo Yin put down her things, took the money, and was about to make a phone call. After the person left, the two people in the room looked at each other for a few moments and then suddenly burst out laughing.
"Judging from the results, everything should go smoothly!"
"Haha, of course I have to thank Sister Yun for helping to cover for me, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to take this girl away."
"Alright, go wash up quickly and get some rest for a few days. Look at you all, you look like little monkeys."
Yun Shilan has the demeanor of an older sister to her two younger sisters, and being married and having children, she exudes a natural maternal instinct in her interactions with them.
But this does not prevent her from being serious and professional in her work, making her a great help to the team leader.
"Beep beep~ Hello, big brother, it's me, Luo Yin."
"Little sister, is it really you, little sister?"
"Waaah, it's me, big brother, it's me, Luo Yin. I just had some free time recently, so I called you. Is everything alright at home? How are Dad and second brother? Have they come back yet? How is Grandpa? Where's Mom?"
"Okay, okay, how are you feeling? They're all fine. I went back home not long ago. My family was just worried that you weren't doing well out there." Hada's eyes reddened, and hearing the tearful voice on the other end of the line, she couldn't help but feel sad too.
“My father and Muren called and said that my father’s leg needs to be rested for a while and he won’t be able to come back until around June.”
"Okay, I understand. I'll write to you later. I also have some things I bought locally. Please take them to Ani and Ama." "By the way, brother, please don't give some dried seafood and dried fruit to my nephew yet. Some children might have allergic reactions to them the first time they come into contact with them. Please be careful."
Hada said he understood and urged her to write more letters when she had time, as her family missed her very much.
The brother and sister chatted for a while, and then it was almost time.
Knowing that her older brother was at the factory, Luo Yin didn't dare to say much. She finally told them to take care of themselves and then hung up the phone.
After hearing a series of busy tones on the receiver, Hada finally put down the phone.
The director, who was passing by, overheard a few words and, seeing how emotionally affected he was, couldn't help but tease, "Oh, so your sister is studying in another city?"
"Hello, Director. It's not my sister who works here now."
"Hey, I remember i-girl isn't even 18 yet, right? What kind of job is she doing that requires her to go on business trips out of town?"
Director Yang looked on with curiosity. He hadn't heard that this kid had powerful connections. Could it be that he had misjudged him?
"No, it's a long story. My sister was selected on her own and transferred directly to the capital. I don't know the specifics, I only know it's some kind of cultural relics museum." Actually, she's eighteen now, just a little younger than her birthday.
"Wow, that's really impressive. You have excellent personal qualities. To be transferred at such a young age, your professional skills must be outstanding." Director Yang was surprised by how capable you were. What does the cultural relics museum deal with? Cultural relics and antiques?
"From what you just said, this is in the south, right?"
Hada nodded, not understanding why he was being so enthusiastic.
"They say it's in Guangdong province."
"Great, great. Don't worry about paying for the phone call. We can get it reimbursed by logistics later. We workers get preferential policies, after all."
Noticing his care, Hada was even happier, and her good mood lasted until she got home from get off work.
When the eldest sister-in-law mentioned that her younger sister had called home today, she became happy as well.
"Finally, news has arrived. If we hadn't replied soon, Mom would have made another trip." The young couple exchanged a glance and smiled.
During the Spring Festival, Urina kept talking about her younger sister and the second brother. They finally managed to get in touch with the second brother, but she couldn't reach the girl no matter what she tried.
Urina was constantly anxious, looking in the direction she left many times each day.
In the end, it was Ani who spoke up, telling her to come to the boss's place once a month and ask them.
She just left last month, and March is almost over. I'm sure my mother will come back.
“It’s alright. My younger sister wrote a letter this time too. She said she’s not busy these days. I’ll call her when Mom arrives. Look, I’ve even written down the address and phone number.”
The eldest sister-in-law held the note and read it softly, "Yujia'ao Guesthouse, Huiyang County, Guangdong Province!"
"Hada, do you know where this place is?"
Hada thought for a moment, "Judging from the name, it should be in the south, maybe even by the sea. Little sister is really amazing to have traveled so far."
The eldest sister-in-law laughed upon hearing this, "Yes, my little sister was already seconded to work before she even graduated, that's really impressive!"
The young couple felt much relieved after receiving this phone call.
Meanwhile, Luo Yin, who was being thought of, was happily strolling around with her colleagues.
Old Xia promised to give them a holiday, and not only did he give them plenty of time, but he also gave them a month's salary in advance.
Everyone was overjoyed when they received the money.
Happiness, joy, and delight were evident on everyone's faces.
"Let's go, let's go. We've been adrift at sea for many days. I need to go and see what local specialties we can find nearby."
"I'm going too, why don't we go together?"
As they talked, the group of more than a dozen people walked together toward the main road, with several women behind them holding hands and chatting.
"Xiao Luo, you're finally back. I've missed you so much."
Yuan Fang welcomed them from the moment she met them, and she hasn't stopped gossiping with them about recent events. She's been busy working with them lately, and there's always someone around to talk to.
"Sister Xiaofang, I miss you too!"
"Waaah, you guys are so kind. Sister Yun and Sister You, you both look so haggard."
"Xiao Fang, you look like you've lost a lot of weight," You Lizhu teased, pinching her cheek.
"That's right. Come on, I heard from the locals that there's a really useful skincare product here. I've wanted to buy it for a while, but I haven't been able to save up enough money. Let's go check it out today."
"OK!"
The county they landed in looked very different from the ones they had seen before.
The county not only has complete infrastructure, but the basic living conditions of the people there are also much better.
Especially when they saw the grand and bustling four-story county center in front of them, yes, the supply and marketing cooperative in a certain county in the south had four floors, and they could tell from the outside that it was extraordinary.
"Wow, this place looks really big. I bet there are a lot of good stuff here."
"That's right, it's lucky we had some money in our wallets, otherwise we wouldn't have dared to go in."
"Ha ha ha ha!"
The group chatted and laughed as they went inside, and everyone's attention was immediately drawn to them.
Apart from a few people who had been to the foreign exchange store in the capital and had seen it for themselves, no one else had imagined that the supply and marketing cooperatives in the south were already like this.
Looking from one end of the first floor to the other, besides the densely packed shipping containers, there is a dazzling array of goods, all of which are exotic imported items.
Many of these were things they had only heard about, yet they were now neatly arranged here.
"My goodness, is this the latest model radio? It's so small and I heard it can pick up more than a dozen stations."
"No way, isn't this that famous Walkman from overseas? I want to buy it here too."
"Hey, hey, look here! We have a complete set of Hero fountain pens! I have several classic models at home, how come the prices here are so cheap!"
"No, didn't you see this big item? It's a women's bicycle, and it's only 135 yuan without a ticket. I want to buy one for my granddaughter. Can you ship it by express delivery?"
Everyone chimed in, sharing the interesting things they had seen.
Luo Yin watched as everyone went crazy as if they were possessed, letting Sister Xiao Fang drag Sister Yun to the next counter to look at face cream.
She then followed the appliance display case and saw neatly arranged small items.
"camera!"
Luo Yin's eyes lit up instantly. This is good, this is good.
She examined it closely and found it to be a classic from an old foreign brand, with a classic price as well. Luo Yin didn't look at it much.
Then I glanced at the domestic brands: the Seagull faction, the Dongfeng faction, and the Hongqi faction.
"Hey, comrade, why is this Red Flag brand so expensive? It's more expensive than an imported camera!" Luo Yin was extremely surprised, looking at the gleaming $3,000. That's several thousand RMB.
"Ah, this is an export product specially manufactured in Shanghai Province. It has top-notch performance in all aspects and comes with a ten-year warranty. It's not that expensive now either. Look, there's a 50% discount here. Would you like to take a look, comrade?"
The sales clerk enthusiastically introduced the product to her, saying that despite the small number of people at her counter, the manager guaranteed her a commission if she could sell it.
"Even at half price, it's still expensive. It doesn't look any different from the others, though."
"Young comrade, this is truly extraordinary. Let me tell you..."
Yu Lizhu suddenly appeared out of nowhere and took the person away. "Excuse me, comrade, my sister is young and very curious. We still need to go next door to buy something, so we'll be leaving now."
"Hey, Sister You, I haven't found out yet."
"Alright, that thing is so expensive, do you have the money?"
She wasn't ashamed at all. "I don't have any money. I'll find out first, and I'll buy it when I have the money!"
"Your sister Yun saw a lot of nice things over there and asked if you wanted to send some home?"
"What? If it's good, I'll definitely want it."
Xiao Luo, who was pulled into the gathering, successfully put aside the matter of buying a camera, because two-thirds of her salary was already spent on other things, and even then she was very restrained.
After all, she still needs to save some money to eat good food.
The matter was only considered closed after the group had carried their bags to the post office and finished mailing the packages, and written down the delivery addresses.
"Wow, Xiao Luo, your address is really long."
"Yes, we've got everything ready, now it's just your turn to work."
Xiao Luo laughed loudly, "Hahaha, that's right, not only is our place long, but it's also very spacious."
"Alright, it's already noon, let's go get some food."
"Agreed, let's go!"
The four women sat around a table and ordered several signature dishes: garlic oysters, sea urchin fried rice, blanched seafood platter, and beef and vermicelli casserole.
As they waited for the food to be served, the aroma of each dish as it came out of the pot overwhelmed them.
When the sea urchin fried rice and beef vermicelli casserole were served, the four of them looked at each other and agreed that they had made the right choice in ordering these dishes.
"Try it, I've been craving this for ages!" Yuan Fang urged everyone to eat quickly and start using their chopsticks!
Yun Shilan, like a patriarch, urged everyone to eat, and then each person picked up a spoon to add rice. Luo Yin held her bowl and tasted the fried rice, which was indeed incredibly delicious. "Delicious!"
The stewed beef is tender and flavorful, bursting with juicy goodness with every bite.
The four of them were all satisfied with the meal.
After strolling around the county several times and taking in the surrounding environment, they prepared to go back.
Everyone returned to the guesthouse chatting and laughing. After a quick wash, they went about their own business.
Sister Yun and Sister Xiao Fang went out to submit their work reports, while Luo Yin packed her clothes. She had washed her dirty clothes the day she disembarked, and now she could fold them neatly again.
The snack bag was empty, so she wrapped the newly bought candies and dried fruit in parchment paper.
Thinking about where to go next, I suddenly felt a little tired.
She lay down on the small bed, staring drowsily at the ceiling, and fell asleep without realizing it.
By the time You Lizhu, who had been reading for a while, looked over, Xiao Luo had already drifted off to sleep.
"This girl is really young, she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow!"
Day after day, the group, who had been adrift on the ship for a long time, gradually adjusted their routines and recovered their energy.
If you were to bring up everyone's darker skin tone right now, they'd probably all look incredibly energetic.
Compared to their leisurely pace, the key personnel are much busier.
Yu Jingtong, who was in charge of the work on the No. 1 sunken ship, was already extremely busy, especially with the shortage of funds and personnel. When he heard that they had not only returned safely but also earned a large sum of money for the country, Old Yu was both happy and ashamed.
They were overjoyed that Xia Ming and his team had returned safely and had not perished at sea, but they were ashamed that they were not capable enough and had to rely on Lao Xia and others.
That evening, Lao Yu, Lao Zhuang met with Lao Xia, Lao Hu, and Lao Shi.
The five of them talked for half the night, sharing their own progress and discussing the changes at sea.
When they heard that they wouldn't help salvage the sunken treasure, the two people opposite them were stunned.
What's going on?
Didn't they say that James and his team were very satisfied, and that they even replaced all the dollars they had on hand with new ones?
They said they bought a lot of nice pearl designs.
And on the day they left, they left them a big thing.
"That's right, but the process was so bizarre and outrageous that we really didn't expect it to grow like this!"
"Yes, yes, we don't know how things turned out this way, but at least things are moving in the right direction."
These words left Old Yu and the others completely bewildered.
Soon someone explained the whole story, and then they all looked enlightened.
"So that means this was really dangerous. Luckily we had a backup plan. But we really have to thank Comrade Luo. He's so young yet so capable. He remained calm in the face of danger and dared to think and act. He's a good comrade."
“That’s right, I’ve decided to take her as my apprentice.” Xia Ming suddenly spoke up.
"Hey, Lao Xia, you're not joking, are you?"
Old Hu and Old Shi exchanged bewildered glances, looking at him in disbelief. "Yes, I heard that young comrade hasn't even graduated from junior high school yet, and you jumped so high..."
He thought that anyone in this situation would be unable to stay calm, and it might ruin their future.
Xia Ming waved his hand, "Hey, that girl has talent, she was born to do this. At worst, I'll find someone to give her some extra help, and once I'm done with this, I'll let her take the college entrance exam directly."
No one expected him to say such a thing, and everyone fell silent.
After all, it's clear that preparations were made.
"Did you also conduct a private investigation?"
Old Xia nodded, "That's for sure, but who hasn't been thoroughly investigated before getting into our project? Anyway, let's leave that aside for now and talk about the next step of the plan."
The cheerful atmosphere immediately turned serious upon hearing this.
"We expected to arrive in early April, but now we're a few days late."
"There's no other way. We still need to purchase supplies and equipment, especially since this time we need to cross the Ten Thousand Mountains. The snakes, insects, and rodents in there are no joke."
Old Yu looked regretful; he had to stay here and ensure the sinking of Ship No. 1 was handled flawlessly. "Alas, I can't go. Old Xia, you'll have to take the lead now."
“What are you saying? The organization entrusted me with this task, which means they trust me. I will definitely live up to their trust.”
"Speaking of which, it'll be more than five months now, how long will that take?" Old Shi was somewhat resigned to his fate. Sometimes when he was sitting, he felt like he was on a boat, with his surroundings swaying.
"The original plan was to leave six months for March to August, but now we obviously have to speed things up."
Upon hearing this, Lao Hu, Lao Shi, and Lao Zhuang all looked at Lao Yu with a hint of envy.
That old guy is really lucky!
"Alright, let's set off once we've finished things up here."
"become."
No matter how much they complain, they will do what they are supposed to do, and they will pave the way for others!
On April 3, 1977, it was raining heavily and not advisable to go out.
A train traveling from southeast to southwest is passing through the rain.
Faces peered out through the car windows.
The heavy rain washed away the dust, giving the air a fresh cleansing.
The journey took a day and two nights, much faster than heading south, but except for the trains passing through Guangdong province, the trains kept going through tunnels.
The train tracks vibrated every now and then, startling everyone who was riding for the first time.
"Don't panic. This is the largest mountain range in the country, the Shiwan Mountains. It's normal for the altitude to vary."
"Indeed, ever since I got on the bus, all I've seen outside are dense trees. I really don't know what the place we're going back to will be like."
"Didn't you hear what the soldier said? We need to be careful of mosquitoes, insects, and rodents. We need to make sure to tie our trouser legs and sleeves securely, otherwise we might get bitten by something."
"Hey, our experience is pretty amazing. I really want to write it as an adventure diary. I'll look back on it and think how incredible it is."
"Sure, Brother Xu, your writing is excellent. I'll definitely support you writing."
“That’s right, that’s right. Xiao Xu, why don’t you write it down? I’ll find someone to polish it for you later.”
Time flies on the train, and soon everyone arrived at their stop.
Having traveled from the bustling southeast to the southwestern border, I arrived at a town nestled deep in the heart of the country.
Looking at the surrounding mountains shrouded in mist, everyone's legs began to tremble and feel weak.
Needless to say, their ultimate goal was to travel over mountains and rivers.
As Captain Jiang shouted, "Everyone, move aside and clear the way. Let's gather here."
The crowd quickly gathered around and soon became very familiar with the team.
Apart from the necessary personnel who remained, a number of people were borrowed from various places, bringing the total to 45, including 20 military personnel.
The rest were all researchers and necessary logistical support brought by Elder Xia.
For example, the doctor and Old Man Chen were key to their trip.
Everyone had prepared the equipment in Guangdong Province in advance, but Dr. Yu and Ganda discussed going to a nearby hospital to check, as some medicines were not available due to geographical restrictions.
Old Xia immediately agreed and arranged for them to stay in a house on the east side of Xiong Guan Town.
They were hosted by local guides, Dalai guides.
The Dalai family's house was very large, with two exquisite and magnificent stilted bamboo houses, enough to accommodate all of them.
When Dalai saw that so many people had booked his family's meals and lodging for several days, he was overjoyed and quickly told his wife and daughter to get busy and take good care of them.
After inquiring about their preferences, a large bowl of authentic rice noodles was quickly served on the table.
Dalai, who delivered the food, was quite embarrassed. "Besides these two bowls, the rest of the rice noodles are all packed in bowls. If you're not satisfied, just come find me."
Everyone thanked them, saying that this was enough.
It must have been incredibly hard work for this family to prepare meals for dozens of people.
But the people were very happy, so Old Xia arranged for the group to eat in batches, which made it less of a worry when it came to cooking later.
After a short rest and a meal, everyone went about their own business.
Following Xia Lao's advice, they didn't dare go too far, only looking down along the winding road.
The guide's house in Dalai is located on the edge of the village, at a high elevation. Looking down from there, the smoke rising from the chimneys looks like a fairyland.
As the last rays of the setting sun faded, they perfectly complemented the rows of Yao bamboo houses.
A closer look reveals the differences between the bamboo houses: some are fresh and elegant, some are gorgeous and colorful, and some are simple and rustic. In short, anyone who steps into the village can immediately feel the warmth and vitality emanating from the host's home.
People rarely see such a fine building, but Professor Zhuang next to him nodded in admiration.
"Indeed, architectural art is found among the people. Look how beautiful these Yao bamboo houses are. The craftsmanship is comparable to that of wooden mortise and tenon joints, but they use pure natural bamboo. Isn't there a large residential area nearby? I'll find a chance to go and see it."
"Old Zhuang, what do you mean by that large residential building?" someone asked curiously.
"This Xiong Guan Town is a very magical place. Not only is it located at the junction of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces, but it also has a diverse water system and geographical environment. As you can see, it is very suitable for the life of ethnic minorities."
From the moment they entered the town, they were amazed by the extensive waterways that stretched out around them.
The surging river, the ancient and tranquil stone bridges and piers, the colorful and diverse flocks of protected birds in the park's wetlands, the private estates built along the terrain, and the distinctive buildings with carved beams and painted rafters that reflect the local style—every frame is a scenic view at first glance.
"Really? I want to go see it too."
"I can be a recorder, as I'll definitely encounter no fewer than a dozen ethnic minorities along the way."
Old Zhuang's confident expression made everyone's eyes light up.
"How so?"
Luo Yin also pricked up her ears to listen; these were things that couldn't be heard from outside.
“Look, as I mentioned before, Xiong Guan Town has a special terrain with abundant water systems and rainfall, so most locals build bamboo houses to live in in order to prevent water damage. The bamboo houses I see are not only characterized by Yao ethnic style, but many of them seem to be a mix of styles, incorporating other styles.”
"Judging from the structure and age, it's probably not from recent years, so there must be a multi-ethnic area nearby."
"Of course, the most important point is that I have more experience than you, having been to similar remote southern border regions before."
"Hahaha, the last sentence is the key point."
"Old Zhuang, we know everything!"
"Alright, enough chit-chat, let's go back and rest!"
The group chatted and laughed as they walked on the bluestone path, stepping on the damp moss.
Inhaling the fragrant and enchanting floral scent!
Some houses had fruit growing in front of their doors, and people would take a closer look under the moonlight. Sometimes this would startle the yellow dog in front of the house, causing the visitors to retreat after finishing their tasks.
Hahaha~
"Run! Run!"
The villagers were not confused by their arrival.
I only glanced at it a few times on my way to work in the early morning, and soon stopped paying attention to it.
Compared to their ease, this group of people were much more timid and hesitant.
As the cool, damp morning breeze swept across the mountain, everyone, still dressed in short sleeves and light clothing, sneezed in succession.
I looked at the locals carrying loads on shoulder poles and baskets with strange eyes.
Everyone looked at each other, realizing that no one had put on an extra layer, except for Old Shi, who had pulled his coat tighter.
"Cough cough, this old man isn't feeling well, I can't stand this morning breeze. Let's go see what people sell at the morning market." Shi Xinrong was in high spirits and took the lead in following the flow of people.
Those left behind, seeing that everyone else had left, calmly puffed out their chests, touched their arms, and straightened their hair; in short, they weren't cold when they got busy.
"Let's go, let's go!"
"Let's split up and meet back here in two hours."
"Sure, no problem."
People and their friends dispersed one after another, joining the crowd with their companions.
Luo Yin followed Xiao Fang, with You Jie following behind at a leisurely pace. It was a pity that Yun Jie didn't come; she had worked overtime until the early hours of the morning yesterday and was resting.
As the three walked along, they discovered that many fruits and vegetables were now available for sale.
Putting aside whether they had eaten it before, many of them were seeing it for the first time.
"What is this? It's multicolored!"
"Let's have some wild fruit," Luo Yin said, pulling her away to avoid any unexpected incidents.
"Hey, look over there, there's a huge pile of wild mushrooms! I recognize these, they're edible."
Luo Yin, fearing something might happen, pulled her away!
"This, this, I know this is bamboo shoots, they're crisp and tender, perfect for stewing with meat."
Luo Yin considered the current situation and realized there were no other options. "Sister Xiao Fang, let's go!"
They walked from east to west, from north to south, and found that it was practically a small market.
From the bustling southeast filled with imported goods, one suddenly appears in the southwest, full of ancient charm.
Intricate and colorful cotton and linen fabrics, jingling and ornate silver ornaments, exquisitely embroidered old-fashioned cloth shoes, woven handicrafts, and authentic yet simple local cuisine.
The three of them spent a long time choosing before finally finding something they were satisfied with. Luo Yin even asked her boss for an advance on her salary before coming.
This time, she was confident enough to prepare small gifts for her family. She, her mother, and her sister-in-law each received a small and exquisite silver ornament, which she had chosen according to their individual preferences.
The men each wore a hand-sewn waistband.
Luo Yin made special distinctions, with each belt having a slightly different style. Of course, her favorite was the one she bought for her little nephew.
The waistband above is decorated with five poisonous insects drawn in colorful threads. The little animals are small, cute, and finely stitched, making them look not only fearless but also adorable.
Yuan Fang couldn't quite accept her aesthetic sense and whispered to Sister You.
Luo Yin patted the small bag with satisfaction, preparing to send it out by courier when she had the chance.
There were many stalls at the morning market, but only a few on the street corner sold food. When the group arrived, they ran into their colleagues who had already finished eating.
They shared what was delicious to eat, and soon the three of them had each ordered what they wanted to eat.
Luo Yin chose "cuo yu mian," a type of noodle soup shaped like a small fish, with pointed ends and a bulging middle.
What caught her eye was the sour soup base. A bite of this soup in the early morning was both appetizing and warming. She slurped it down quickly and finished it.
The rice noodle bowls of the two people next to them were also empty.
"Hiccup~"
Sister Xiaofang hurriedly covered her mouth, embarrassed, "I'm too full!"
"Hahaha!"
-----------------------
Author's Note: I really want to write a fast-paced, action-packed novel about power struggles, infrastructure development, and adventure in a chaotic ancient world! I want to so much!!!
Waaaaah, I don't know if there'll be an audience, but I really want to read it myself — I've been working on the synopsis these past few days (I'll start reading at the end of the month if I get over 100 pre-orders) jpg fist pump
Fortunately, I have some drafts saved up. I'll try to finish the short transmigration novel by July.
Please add this to your favorites~~~
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
