Chapter 82
Stargazing
"Uncle Nie, you were really great today. You fixed all these broken tillers, right?" Sandaner tilted his neck and looked at Nie Guozhu eagerly.
"Oh Guozhu, our farm really thanks you. Come, have a bowl of pulled noodles and follow Hongbing to the garage. We can also repair our big guys who haven't been touched for several years. What do you think?" Chen Lina also said.
In short, when the mother and son looked at him, Nie Guozhu suddenly felt that he was at least ten centimeters taller.
"But Lina, my mission is to follow your husband."
"We are cousins. My parents treat you well. Guozhu, I have to ask you, why does your wife insist on you following my old Nie? Did he make a big mistake, or is his thinking reactionary, or is it that someone in the upper echelons wants to get rid of him?"
The poplar trees rustle in the wind, the Poplar River gurgles, and the sunset and evening breeze present the best scenery of the day in the desert oasis of Mulan Farm.
"I told you not to tell your elder Nie." Nie Guozhu was a fool after all, so he was quite embarrassed. "Your cousin's wife said that his laboratory is not easy to enter. I must find a chance to break in. If I can replace him, then, the National Advanced Worker may be a part of our Hongyan Military Region."
"Cousin, you are really an ambitious young man. But I have to tell you that even if you really go into Lao Nie's laboratory, you probably won't learn anything, because I don't understand what's inside, let alone you."
"You are a college student, how can you not understand?"
"Skills have specializations, cousin. Many times, it is okay to covet other people's positions, but if you want to get it, you have to weigh yourself. Okay, you will work all night today to repair all my tractors. Tomorrow I'll find a way to let Lao Nie take you into the laboratory, okay?"
"Okay, I'll do it now."
To be honest, a rough guy like Nie Guozhu would be fully motivated as long as he was asked to repair machines.
But Gong Hongxing is thinking too much.
Chen Lina has been wondering why Gong Hongxing sent Nie Guozhu first. It seems that she wants Nie Guozhu to replace Nie Bozhao's job.
Resisting the urge to laugh, Chen Lina thought that Gong Hongxing was probably an idiot who only knew how to criticize others and play tricks on others. Otherwise, anyone with a little cultural knowledge would know that Nie Bozhao's job could not be replaced by a fool like Nie Guozhu, right?
It was the weekend, and except for Nie Bozhao who had to rush back to the laboratory, everyone stayed on the farm together.
Chen Lina tried her best to persuade Director He to stay, hoping that he would squeeze in with her in the cave for a night and have a good chat.
But Director He couldn't stay any longer. "No, I have to go back. If I don't suppress the oil refinery tomorrow, He Min will mobilize a few people to overthrow you."
She had to continue to suppress her tears even though she was crying because this was her own brother who had been transferred here.
"Okay, if you want to go, you should get going early. After all, you are carrying a child. It is not safe to travel at night. What if there are bandits?"
"I've heard recently that bandits on our border are also very troublesome, but I believe in the public security of our mining area. The armed forces are patrolling at all times, and they can't get in." He Lanshan said as he got into the car.
"Nie Weimin, aren't you going to watch the stars with reporter Guo tonight?" Gao Xiaobing asked impatiently in front of the nest.
Nie Weimin was feeding Sandaner. The little guy was very spoiled. Although he was four years old, he would always act coquettishly and ask for food. Today, he was unhappy because he had no pants to wear, and he refused to eat.
"Yeah, what's the matter? Aren't you leaving? Goodbye, Sister Gao."
Gao Xiaobing didn't say anything.
Nie Weimin pointed at Sandan'er's nose without even looking up and said, "You should let your mother have another child. By then, you won't be a baby anymore. Who will feed you when you see that?"
"I am a little egg, no one is smaller than me."
"When mom gives birth to another child, you won't be one anymore." It's really annoying to act like a spoiled brat just because you're the youngest.
"Nie Weimin, I just want to ask you, do you want to see the books in my schoolbag?" Gao Xiaobing lifted up her schoolbag a little and showed it to Nie Weimin.
"If you want to give it to me, of course I'd like to have it, but aren't you unwilling to give it to me?"
"You can ask me for it, but did you ask me for it?"
"Well, Sister Gao, can I borrow your book to read?"
Nie Weimin said this very seriously while wiping his brother's mouth. "Oh, it was originally Liu Xiaohong's turn to feed Sandan today, but she disappeared. Sandan started to act like a spoiled child, pestering him to be held and fed, and even spitting on his face. Nie Weimin was really going crazy."
But this naughty kid is like this. He is actually very well behaved at home, but he must be tormented when he comes to the farm.
Chen Lina also said that all children behave like this because they know it is difficult for others to deal with them outside, so they have to act tough.
Gao Xiaobing was about the same height as Nie Weimin. He looked at him angrily for a long time and then said angrily, "It's too late. I won't lend it to you."
Having said that, she turned around and got into the car without even looking at Nie Weimin.
"Brother, Sister Gao is angry." Sandaner said.
Nie Weimin also said, "That's right, it's inexplicable. If she doesn't want to lend it, then don't lend it. Is she showing off how many books she has at home?"
"By the way, Erdan, where is your sister Xiaohong? Why doesn't she come to take care of Dandan?" Nie Weimin was unable to deal with Sandan'er's pestering, so he went to find Erdan'er who was eating rice.
"She left early this morning, saying she was going to take Uncle Jin to a nice place. Why, you didn't see her?"
Nie Weimin slapped his head and thought, oh no, he was still busying himself here while Liu Xiaohong had already followed reporter Guo and the photographer.
But he wanted to leave, and Sandaner didn't want to do it.
"Brother, take me with you. I want to go too."
Erdan also said, "Take me with you, I want to see the telescope too."
"Okay, then you two go into the cave and tell mom, I'll be waiting for you here." Nie Weimin took out his hand towel very seriously and wiped Sandan'er's mouth. "Remember to ask mom to put on an extra piece of clothing for you. It's windy at night and we're going up the mountain. It will be cold then. Take your time to pack. There's no rush."
Erdan and Sandan were very happy and went in to find their mother.
When Chen Lina heard that the two children wanted to go to the mountain to watch the stars, she knew that it must be reporter Guo who went to watch the stars.
The border's topography and astronomical phenomena are all perfect places for stargazing.
"Can we not go? It's windy at night. If you catch a cold, injections and medicines are no big deal. Your bodies won't be able to handle it," said Chen Lina.
"No, Mom, we also want to see what a telescope looks like," said Sandaner.
Boys are naughty by nature, they bump into things and make a lot of noise. The nest is already small, and these two are like a demolition crew, bumping into things loudly.
"You're not allowed to go. It's windy at night. What if there's a wolf? Lina, tell them to go to bed quickly." He Lan'er frowned as she spoke. "Oh, look at how well-behaved my little Hong is. Look at them, Lina, aren't you annoyed?"
"Okay, Dandan, come here and wrap yourself in your grandma's cotton coat. I'll take you there." Chen Lina thought for a moment and said.
"Lina, you are too indulgent towards your children. In my opinion, it is good enough to feed them and keep them warm. Why are you looking at the stars? They are just full and full."
"Mom, you don't understand. For us adults, it is our job to take care of children and make sure they are well fed and well clothed, because children are born by adults. But accompanying them to watch the stars can broaden their thinking and horizons. I'm very happy that my son wants to watch the stars. It's better than them being so young and only thinking about money and food." With that, Chen Lina was about to go out.
"You really treat them as your own children. Okay, put on your father's big fur jacket. I'm really worried that you'll catch a cold. Besides, you've been working all day, can't you take a good rest?" Chen's mother said helplessly.
I took the two kids out of the den, and there was no one outside, not even a bird.
"Where's your brother? Isn't he going to take you to see the stars?" Chen Lina asked Erdan.
"He said he would wait for us, and told us to dress warmly and pack slowly, and not to rush," said Erdan.
Sandan is younger than him, but he can read people's expressions and understands things. He just cried out, "Brother was just lying."
On the other side, Nie Weimin was running at full speed.
The little guy, when playing with other kids at the base, no matter whether it was Qian Goudan or Wang Fan, they were all alone, but he had two little tails hanging around his buttocks. He couldn't run away, and he couldn't beat them to death. This time he has thought it through and will not take them with him no matter what, hehe.
Half an hour later, at the first vertical well of the karez, Nie Weimin found reporter Guo and Master Jin.
Sure enough, Liu Xiaohong was standing behind them.
She was also holding a large thermos in her hand. Well, this large thermos belonged to reporter Guo. It seemed that she was providing logistical support for the two reporters who came to stargaze.
"Wei Min, how did you know we were here?" Liu Xiaohong was quite surprised.
"Girl, take a look for yourself. In the whole farm, only this vertical well is at the highest position and is unobstructed on all sides. It is the best place for stargazing. Why don't I know it?" Nie Weimin said proudly.
However, the spring breeze in March is like a pair of scissors, and it is so cold when it blows.
Nie Weimin was wearing very little and was shivering from the cold.
"This is my father's sheepskin jacket. I was going to give it to reporter Guo, but he refused to wear it because it was too dirty. You should put it on now." As she spoke, Liu Xiaohong poured half a cover of something out of her thermos cup and quietly handed it to Nie Weimin, "Take a sip and warm yourself up."
"There are red dates, wolfberries, and chrysanthemums in it. Who made the water? It's so sweet. There must be rock sugar in it."
"Reporter Guo, he said that men should start to take care of their health from the age of 25. This is the health secret your father taught him. You have to drink this every day."
Nie Weimin thought about it and said, my dad never drinks these, he only drinks coffee.
Forget it. Anyway, the candied chrysanthemum tea is really delicious. He gulped down half a cup.
"Comrade Xiao Nie, I've adjusted the focus. Yes, come over and take a look. Do you see it? This is Jupiter. Do you see that big red spot? It's called the Great Red Spot. It's a huge dust storm that rotates at high speed. It has been rotating since humans discovered it in the 18th century. I just want to ask you, is it beautiful?" Reporter Guo said, handing the camera to Nie Weimin and sighing, "The U.S. imperialists have not mentioned how many times they have landed on the moon, and the space station is almost built. They are not talking about imperialism. They are almost dominating the universe, but we are still carrying out the agricultural revolution and struggling to fill our stomachs. It makes me angry just thinking about it."
Nie Weimin adjusted the aperture himself and looked at the dark brown star in the mirror. He had read so many books and looked up at the starry sky so many times. He was familiar with every star in the sky and was so excited that he was speechless.
Of course, it was also the first time, he thought, one day, I will plant our red flag on the moon.
"Why, do you really want to go to the moon?" Liu Xiaohong asked with a smile.
"Sister, how did you know?" Recently, Nie Weimin felt that the word "sister" was the most appropriate to call Liu Xiaohong.
She was not as hypocritical as Gao Xiaobing. She just wanted to see the stars, but she had to beg him. Nie Weimin could even conquer his stepmother and make her obey him in everything, but he never asked anyone for anything. Humph.
"I won't tell you, but I know it anyway." Liu Xiaohong turned around and grabbed the telescope. "Okay, you've seen enough, show it to me too."
"Just let Nie Guozhu back into your laboratory. You take him in quietly and don't impress anyone. Okay?" Two days later, when they returned to the base, Chen Lina said.
"Why? You know the importance of my laboratory. What if he is a Soviet revisionist or an American spy?"
"Given my cousin's intelligence, do you think he can be a spy?" Even spies have their own thresholds, okay?
"Do you think that spies are all very smart people? Xiao Chen, let me tell you, do you remember Li Hongshu? Beijing mobilized all the people in the Ministry of Public Security to catch the Su Xiu spy. When I went to Beijing this time, the leader specially asked me to sit in on his trial. Let me tell you, he was so ordinary that he couldn't be more ordinary in the crowd. You would never even look at him twice.
But it was he who took our secrets across the desert and traveled back and forth to the Soviet Union several times, causing us incalculable losses. Your cousin may not be a Soviet revisionist, but his lover is very problematic. "
"Can't we let him in? Yesterday I promised him that if he would help me fix all the abandoned tractors, I would let him visit your laboratory." Last night, in order to get a chance to enter the laboratory, Nie Guozhu stayed up all night and worked for several days.
For example, changing engine oil and repairing tires were dirty and hard work. Nie Guozhu rolled on the ground in the mud mixed with engine oil for several days.
"Didn't you say that we shouldn't set those rigid rules? Then let's make an exception tonight. I'll let him in even if it costs me my life," said Nie Bozhao.
Ah, this female enchantress, a fox spirit, was only played with once, but Nie Gong still thinks about her day and night, and is haunted in his dreams. He wants to do it again.
"Get lost, you wish." Although she said this, she still glared at him and said, "Go take a shower first, and stop howling. Nie Guozhu is a fool. If he hears you howling, he will definitely come over to see. He might think I am bullying you."
"I guarantee to complete the task." The worker said, and prepared to take a shower.
"Um, teacher, are you there?" The base has large courtyards and the doors are not closed until bedtime. If someone wants to enter someone else's house, most people can't hear them if they knock on the door, so they can only throw a stone to ask for directions or shout first.
"Yes, Xiao Zhu, why are you here?" Nie Gong immediately stopped smiling and sat down on the chair with a serious look on his face.
In front of students, of course he had to be stern. He didn't know if the kid had heard him flirting with his teacher's wife just now.
"It's like this. Didn't you inform us that Nie Guozhu would be entering the laboratory? We have already prepared everything that should be prepared, but we don't know whether he will come in tonight or tomorrow?"
"Who let Nie Guozhu into the laboratory?" Chen Lina asked Xiao Zhu.
"Didn't Secretary Ah come to the base in person to request it, saying that there was a red phone call from above and that he had to go in?"
"Boss Nie, Nie, it seems that you can't stand the pressure and have to let Nie Guozhu into your laboratory. But, do you have any shame to scare me with such a thing?" Chen Lina was furious. Seeing that he was going to boil water, she said, "Wash it. Even if you rub off a layer of skin, don't even think about me sleeping with you. Tonight's sex life is cancelled."
"Mom, what are you canceling?" Erdan came in after school, skipping and jumping. "Are you not going to cook tonight? Will we not be able to have dinner?"
"Eat, eat, eat, Erdan, you can't just think about eating every day, you can think about something else."
"Dad, are we going to cancel the drinking too? I saw you were boiling water. Are we going to just drink water tonight?"
"Does boiled water taste good?" the worker asked helplessly.
"It doesn't taste good." Well, at least there are things that Erdan doesn't like to eat.