Chen Jianshan rushed over in one stride, his hat askance in anger: "Say that again?"
The bespectacled educated youth shrank back in fright.
"Let me tell you!" Chen Jianshan ripped open his collar, revealing his tanned chest: "Five years ago, when I camped here with seven soldiers, we didn't even have a well! And now?"
He pointed to the faint greenery in the distance: "That's the windbreak forest that I led people to plant! That's the karez well that I led people to dig! Without our Corps, this Gobi Desert would still be a desolate wasteland!"
The educated youth fell silent.
"From today onwards, you are all members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps!" Chen Jianshan pulled a small notebook from his pocket and slammed it on the table. "This is the 'Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Rules and Regulations Handbook.' Everyone take one! You won't be allowed to eat until you've memorized it!"
Du Jianshan took the mimeographed booklet and opened it.
Article 1: Obey orders without question.
Article 2: Leaving the team without permission is strictly prohibited.
Article 3: No casual relationships within the past three years.
Article 4........
hiss!
These are really regulations; just looking at these lines of text gives me a headache.
"Did you understand?" Chen Jianshan shouted until his voice cracked.
"Understood..." the educated youth responded sparsely.
The fact that they were given such a hard time right from the start made everyone feel uncomfortable.
"Didn't you eat? Speak louder!"
"Understood!"
Chen Jianshan nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly lowered his voice: "There's one more thing... Our conditions here are tough; our usual meals are just cornbread and pickled vegetables. Want some meat?"
He grinned, revealing teeth stained yellow from smoking: "Either take a holiday and go hunting in the mountains yourself, or save up enough work points to exchange for them! Don't even think about cheating, I'm watching closely!"
An uproar immediately erupted below:
"Huh? There's not even any meat?"
"This is even worse than cutting in line..."
"I should have brought two jars of pickled vegetables..."
Chen Jianshan glared at him: "What's all the noise about? We're here to build up the frontier, not to enjoy ourselves! Back when the Red Army was crossing snow-capped mountains and grasslands, they didn't even have tree bark to eat!"
He waved his hand and said, "Now! Everyone, go to the cafeteria for lunch! After you've eaten, you'll be assigned to dormitories according to the list!"
The canteen was a low, mud-brick building with a large iron pot set up at the entrance, in which cabbage stalks were stewing, with a few drops of oil floating on top.
Du Jianshan received a dark cornbread and a bowl of watery vegetable soup, which he quickly ate in a few bites while squatting in the corner.
"Brother Du, this food is terrible..." Wang Tieniu grinned as he held the cornbread.
Du Jianshan didn't say anything, but took out a piece of pickled vegetable from his pocket and threw it to him: "Make do with this. I'll try to get some meat tomorrow."
Wang Tieniu's eyes lit up: "Really?"
"Shh..." Du Jianshan winked.
These days, getting meat isn't easy; if someone hears about it, you'll definitely get into trouble.
After finishing his meal, Chen Jianshan took the roster and began assigning dorm rooms.
"Room 301, Zhang Jianjun, Li Weiguo... Room 302, Wang Tieniu, Du Jianshan..."
The dormitory was a row of single-story red brick buildings, and the paint on the walls was peeling off.
Pushing open the door, a musty smell mixed with foot odor hit me.
The dormitory occupies most of the room, with ten people per room, and each place is covered with yellowed straw mats.
Several broken washbasins were piled up in the corner, and a kerosene lamp sat on the windowsill, its shade blackened by soot.
"How...how can anyone live here?" one of the educated youth cried out on the spot.
The veteran leading the way scoffed, "You think it's too bad? The dugouts outside are even damper! Take it or leave it!"
Du Jianshan chose a seat by the window and threw his bundle onto the bed.
Wang Tieniu quickly put down his bedding roll next to him.
An old soldier pointed outside: "See that? That dugout was dug by the old educated youth. It's warm in winter and cool in summer."
"Those who are capable can dig their own nests to sleep in, those who are even more capable can build mud-brick houses, and those who are not capable can sleep on a communal bed!"
Everyone craned their necks to take a look.
Several holes were dug on the sand dunes in the distance, with tattered cotton curtains hanging at their entrances.
A lean man was sticking his butt out and scooping out soil, seemingly trying to dig deeper.
"Then...then why don't they all dig dug dugouts?" someone asked.
The veteran glared at him: "You think digging a dugout is easy? Without the tools and skills, you'll just collapse and bury yourself in it!"
He turned and walked out: "Hurry up and get ready, we're starting work at five tomorrow morning when the whistle blows! Anyone late will have their work points deducted!"
As soon as the door closed, the room erupted in chaos:
"Five o'clock? It's not even dawn yet!"
"This shabby place doesn't even have electricity..."
"The mice ate all the cookies I brought!"
Du Jianshan ignored them, took out a piece of oilcloth from his bundle and spread it on the straw mat, then unfolded an old cotton quilt.
Wang Tieniu leaned over and asked, "Brother Du, are we really going to live here? Or... or maybe we should dig a dugout?"
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