"They're much better than some people who can't do any work but are good at talking! All they do is gossip and spread rumors! They're like maggots in a latrine, stinking and annoying!"
His words were harsh and crude, hitting the nail on the head.
Ma Chunmei's face contorted with rage as she pointed at Wang Tieniu: "You...who are you calling a maggot!"
"So what if I curse you? You don't like it?" Wang Tieniu puffed out his chest, his body as solid as a wall.
Overwhelmed by his imposing manner, and remembering the company commander's warning and Du Jianshan's fist, Ma Chunmei immediately backed down and dared not shout anymore. She could only glare at them hatefully.
"Hmph! Bragging doesn't cost anything! If you're so capable, bring back some real stuff! It would be best... best if you died on the mountain and never came down! So you wouldn't be an eyesore here! Bah!"
Du Jianshan didn't even turn around, treating her like a buzzing fly, and patted Wang Tieniu: "Ignore her, she's bad luck. Let's go, let's get down to business."
The two went straight to Ayiguli's courtyard.
The gate to the courtyard was open, and Ayiguli was hanging out the clothes she had just washed to dry in the yard.
Team leader Uncle Halikzi was sitting on a small stool under the grape trellis, slowly rolling a cigarette.
"Captain! Sorry to bother you!" Du Jianshan greeted her with a smile, then looked at Ayiguli: "Comrade Ayiguli!"
"Comrade Du! Comrade Wang!" Ayiguli smiled when she saw them, putting down the clothes she was holding. "Come in quickly!"
Uncle Halikiz looked up, his wrinkled face expressionless, and simply nodded slightly in response.
He recognized the two young men who were working very hard.
"Captain, I've come to ask for your help," Du Jianshan said, getting straight to the point.
"We'd like to go to the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains to hunt some wild game and improve our meals. We'd like to borrow your oxcart for a couple of days; the old ox knows the way and is reliable."
Upon hearing this, Aygul immediately looked at her father: "Ada (Dad)?"
Halikiz naturally wouldn't refuse, and said enthusiastically, "Yes, the ox knows the way. Let's hitch up the cart."
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the cowshed.
"Thank you, Captain!" Du Jianshan and Wang Tieniu quickly expressed their gratitude and went over to help.
While the captain was harnessing the car, Du Jianshan pulled out a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes: "Captain, thank you so much for your help this time! This is just a small token of my appreciation, please accept it."
Seeing this, Halikiz quickly waved his hand and said, "What are you going to do with these! You've helped Baiyangbao so much, I should be the one thanking you!"
"Captain, this is our token of appreciation, please accept it!" Du Jianshan wasn't annoyed and chuckled.
Seeing that he couldn't refuse, Halikiz accepted it somewhat embarrassedly, and couldn't help but glance at Du Jianshan again.
This young man is indeed different from the other educated youth.
Not only is he physically strong, but he also understands social etiquette.
Most importantly, someone who can both repair cars and treat animals is indeed a promising talent.
He was very skilled, and in no time he harnessed the sturdy old wooden cart to the old ox.
The old ox seemed to know it was time to go out; it snorted and pawed at the ground with its hooves.
Aygul ran back into the house and quickly took out a package wrapped in a clean cloth: "Comrade Du, Comrade Wang, this is a naan I baked this morning, along with some homemade pickled vegetables and cheese curds. Have a bite to eat on the way."
"Oh! Thank you so much!" Wang Tieniu grinned from ear to ear, quickly took the naan bread and hugged it to his chest. The aroma of the naan bread had already made his stomach rumble.
Du Jianshan felt a warmth in his heart: "Comrade Ayiguli, you've gone to so much trouble! We'll send some to your family after we hunt some wild game!"
"Be careful on the road!" Aygul reminded her.
After bidding farewell to Uncle Halikzi and Ayiguli, Du Jianshan sat on the carriage shaft and gently flicked the reins: "Giddy up!"
The old ox slowly and steadily took its steps, the wooden cart wheels creaking as it rolled over the dry dirt road at the edge of the company, raising a small cloud of dust.
The wind of the Gobi Desert, carrying the dry smell of dust, blew against my face. On both sides of the road, there were endless clumps of drought-resistant camel thorn and tamarisk.
The old ox knew the way and walked at a leisurely pace, gradually leaving the company behind, turning it into a small black dot on the horizon.
After running for almost two hours, the majestic silhouette of the Tianshan Mountains became clearer and clearer, like a giant screen stretching across the road ahead.
The continuous mountain range resembles the spine of a giant beast, covered with a belt of deep green coniferous forests.
Higher up, there are exposed gray-black rocks and snow-capped peaks that never melt, shimmering with a cold, hard light under the azure sky.
The air became crisp and moist, carrying the fragrance of pine resin and earth, a stark contrast to the dry, dusty smell of the Gobi Desert.
"Whoa!"
Du Jianshan reined in the oxcart and stopped it in a slightly elevated, sheltered spot near a stream.
"Tie Niu, let's stop here. Tie the ox up and let's wander around the edge of this grove, grab a little something to eat, and check out the situation."
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