"What happened?" Chen Jianshan jumped out of the car, lifted the hood, and frowned so deeply he could trap a fly: "Damn it, the fuel line is cracked!"
"Company commander, what do we do?" The driver was wringing his hands anxiously. "There's not even a place to repair the car in this desolate wilderness!"
Southern Xinjiang is a large region with many deserts.
If the car breaks down, it can be a real problem.
Chen Jianshan cursed and shouted back into the truck bed, "Comrades, the truck is broken and needs fixing! Get out and stretch your legs, don't go too far!"
The educated youth jumped off the bus with long faces, and one of them muttered to himself, "There's no village or shop in sight, are we going to have to walk back?"
"I heard it's freezing here at night, we don't want to be trapped here..."
"It was terribly hot just now, but as the sun is about to set, I feel chilly."
Du Jianshan jumped out of the car, strolled to the hood, and peeked out.
The oil line has cracked, and engine oil is leaking out "drip drip drip," so it's impossible to drive.
"Company Commander, I can fix it," Du Jianshan said.
Chen Jianshan was taken aback and looked him up and down: "You? You can fix cars?"
Several other educated youths nearby also started chattering:
"Really? This isn't a bicycle!"
"Don't try to be a hero, it'll be even more troublesome if you break it!"
"That's right, if it can't be fixed in this desolate place, we'll really have to walk back!"
Du Jianshan ignored them and reached out his hand: "Company Commander, do you have any tape? And a piece of wire too."
Chen Jianshan was skeptical, but he still rummaged through his toolbox and handed him some tape and wire.
Du Jianshan took the tools, deftly disassembled the oil pipe, wrapped the crack tightly with tape, and then secured it with wire. His movements were quick and steady, clearly those of an experienced worker.
"Hey! This kid's got some skills!" The driver leaned over, his eyes lighting up.
Du Jianshan didn't even look up, and casually made up a couple of things: "I worked in an agricultural machinery factory for two years, what kind of broken-down vehicles haven't I seen?"
Actually, in his previous life, he spent half a year learning from an old mechanic in prison, and he could tinker with any kind of car.
Du Jianshan clapped his hands and said, "Alright, give it a try!"
The driver jumped into the car, turned the key, and with a "whoosh," the engine immediately started running.
"Hey! It's really fixed!" Chen Jianshan patted Du Jianshan on the shoulder with delight: "Good lad! You've got some skills!"
The educated youth were also in an uproar:
Holy crap! It's really fixed?
Wow! Who's this guy?
"Now we don't have to walk back!"
In the crowd, a round-faced, honest-looking young man from the educated youth group squeezed through, his face full of admiration: "Comrade, how are you so amazing? My name is Wang Tieniu, can you teach me in the future?"
Du Jianshan glanced at him. This kid seemed honest and had clean eyes, unlike those slick and slippery types. So he nodded and said, "Du Jianshan."
Chen Jianshan was overjoyed and patted Du Jianshan on the shoulder, laughing: "Our company is short of repairmen! I'll apply for one for you in a couple of days. If it works out, you won't have to do hard labor in the fields anymore!"
Du Jianshan grinned: "That would be great!"
Chen Jianshan jumped into the car and waved his hand, "Everyone get in! Let's keep going!"
The educated youth scrambled onto the truck bed, and this time they looked at Du Jianshan with different eyes.
Wang Tieniu leaned closer and whispered, "Brother Du, did you really work in an agricultural machinery factory before?"
Du Jianshan leaned back on the hay and said lazily, "Yeah, I managed to get by for two years."
Wang Tieniu looked on with envy: "That's amazing! I can't even fix a bicycle..."
Du Jianshan smiled but didn't say anything more.
The car continued driving forward, and the sky gradually darkened. The distant Gobi Desert was dyed golden red by the setting sun, and the sand rippled like waves when the wind blew.
We're almost at Baiyangbao.
The truck screeched to a halt in front of the mud-brick house, kicking up a cloud of yellow dust.
Du Jianshan jumped out of the car and squinted at it.
The mud-brick houses formed a square courtyard, with a flagpole standing in the middle, and the faded red flag fluttering in the wind.
A tattered wooden board hung at the entrance of the courtyard, with the words "Third Company of Huozhou Reclamation and Construction Corps" painted in red on it. The paint was peeling off at the edges.
A brocade banner hangs nearby, with the words "Defending the Border and Reclaiming Land" written on it.
In the distance stretched an endless expanse of Gobi Desert, while nearby stood several rows of crooked poplar trees. Underneath the trees squatted a few villagers wearing white hats, watching them with amusement.
"Everyone assemble!"
Chen Jianshan shouted at the top of his lungs, and the educated youth lined up in a crooked and disorganized manner.
"Attention! At ease!"
Chen Jianshan paced back and forth in front of the group with his hands behind his back, the soles of his rubber shoes screeching against the sand.
"Comrades! This is where you will fight!"
He suddenly waved his hand, pointing to the distant Gobi Desert: "See that? That's all wasteland over there! Waiting for you to cultivate it!"
"You educated youth sent to the countryside are under semi-military management! You must obey all orders! Anyone who dares to seek special treatment, I'll be the first to deal with them!"
A bespectacled educated youth muttered under his breath, "Isn't this just like a labor camp..."
"Smack!"
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