Chapter 69 The steps forward never stop
"Attention all units and families of children at the base: Due to continuous snowfall overnight and deep snow accumulation, the primary and secondary schools and preschool classes at the base will be closed today for safety reasons. Please take good care of your children and minimize unnecessary outings."
"Attention all test units: The original plan remains unchanged. Please overcome any difficulties and arrive at your posts on time."
"Personnel in all non-critical support departments may postpone their arrival until 10:00 AM. All officers, soldiers, staff, and their families, please promptly clear snow from your respective areas and main roads to ensure smooth traffic flow at the base..."
The broadcast was still going on when Cheng Cheng's eyes lit up. "Ten o'clock! I can go to work at ten o'clock!"
However, Zhou Yue was in a worse situation. As a staff member of an important department, she had to overcome difficulties and get on duty on time. She subconsciously looked at Zhou Yue, who had to leave immediately, and tried to keep her expression in check, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.
She quickly put down her bowl, got up, and took out the heavy military green cotton overcoat from the inner room. While helping the man put on the overcoat, she carefully buttoned it up one by one, unable to contain her pride.
He reached out and patted the man's shoulder, trying to keep a straight face. He cleared his throat in a serious tone, mimicking a leader's mobilization speech, and drawled out, "Comrade Zhou Yue, the time has come for the organization to test you! Good luck!"
Zhou Yue noticed his wife's barely suppressed glee, which was clearly tinged with a hint of smugness, and he couldn't help but shake his head.
His eyes were full of helplessness, but even more so, they showed indulgence and pampering.
Seeing the joy on her face, Zhou Yue worriedly reminded her, "Don't play in the snow for too long, or you'll catch a cold."
"knew!"
Cheng Cheng smiled and accepted the thick Lei Feng hat that her daughter handed her, put it on his head, and pulled the brims down a bit.
"Alright, mission accomplished!"
"Be careful on the road."
Zhou Yue nodded, took a deep breath, turned around and pushed open the door. In an instant, a chilling air mixed with snowflakes rushed into the room from outside.
The tall figure stepped out, braving the cold wind, and walked without hesitation into the white expanse outside, then the door was quickly closed.
Cheng Cheng closed the door, shutting out the cold air from outside, and the room regained its warmth.
Little Lingxiao immediately turned his head, his little face full of excitement, his big eyes sparkling as he looked at his mother. It was obvious that he wanted to go out and play.
Seeing her daughter's eager expression and all the gear she was prepared for, Cheng Cheng couldn't help but tap her little head: "Did you hear what Daddy said? When the snow gets lighter, we'll go out and shovel snow. Then, Mommy will help you build a snowman!"
Xiao Lingxiao's face fell for a moment, but she was a reasonable and good child, so she nodded obediently, though her gaze remained lingering on the window.
Cheng Cheng took her daughter's little hand and walked to the fire wall, where two small stools were placed. "Let's sit here, warm ourselves by the fire, and watch the snow fall until it gets smaller, okay?"
The mother and daughter sat side by side by the fire, gazing out the window at the swirling snowflakes.
Suddenly, a burst of exceptionally loud laughter came from the neighboring yard.
"Take this!"
"Haha, missed! Watch this!"
It was Gao Xiaoyu and Batu who didn't have to go to school today. They seemed to have nowhere to release their energy, and they couldn't wait to start a battle in the snow, even though it was snowing outside.
"Little Xiaoxiao! Come out and play!"
Naren called out from outside, her laughter like a silver bell wrapped in snowflakes, clear and icy, mixed with the dull sound of snowballs hitting her cotton-padded coat and the crunching sound of her footsteps on the snow as she ran.
The lively sounds were like hooks, instantly captivating Xiao Lingxiao's heart.
The little girl couldn't sit still any longer. She stood up from the stool, stared longingly outside, and turned to look at her mother.
"Mother……"
Little Lingxiao ran up to Cheng Cheng without saying a word, but just rubbed his head against his mother's arm and gently shook her arm with his little hand.
Cheng Cheng was soft-hearted to begin with, and seeing her daughter's coaxing, she smiled and gave in, "Alright, alright, Mom gives in!"
"But you have to be careful to keep warm, okay? You can't play for too long."
Cheng Cheng rearranged her gear, wrapped a thick scarf around her neck twice and tied it in a tight knot, then put on a hat and cotton gloves.
He opened the door. "Go!"
Little Lingxiao flew away joyfully, like a bird released from its cage.
"Sister Naren, I'm here!"
Cheng Cheng couldn't help but smile, and she put on her thick boots, wrapped her scarf around her neck, and went outside.
In the spacious open space in front of the red brick house, the snow was white and a series of footprints were left on the snow. Gao Xiaoyu was directing: "Xiaoxiao, you are a girl, so you are in Chasuna's team. Batu and I are in the same team."
"Xiaoxiao, come over here quickly!"
"Take this!"
When Cheng Cheng came out, the battle had already reached a fever pitch. One by one, the children who heard the commotion ran out of their homes and joined in the snowball fight.
She stood under the eaves, watching Xiaoxiao and her friends run around with their rosy cheeks, their breath instantly swirling in the cold air.
After playing for more than ten minutes, Cheng Cheng called Xiao Xiao back. She touched her clothes and found that her back was sweaty from running. She immediately pulled her daughter and headed home.
I took off her coat and wet thermal underwear, carefully wiped her back with a dry towel, and then changed her into a dry and warm cotton coat.
"Ah Qiu!"
Little Lingxiao couldn't help but sneeze and covered his mouth with both hands.
"Did you catch a cold?"
Cheng Cheng felt sorry for him and a little guilty, so she quickly sliced some ginger and boiled a bowl of hot ginger soup.
Knowing she was in the wrong, the little girl wrinkled her nose, held the bowl, and began to drink in small sips.
A spicy yet sweet aroma spread through my mouth. At first, the spiciness made me stick out my tongue, but I soon tasted the sweetness of the brown sugar.
A warm current spread from my throat to my whole body, and I felt warm all over.
It was getting late. When Zhou Yue left, the snow was still falling heavily outside, but it had stopped by then.
"Xiaoxiao, it's cold today and the roads are difficult to walk on. Why don't you stay home and read or draw?"
Cheng Cheng tried to talk to her daughter and ask her to stay at home. The library didn't have a firewall and was quite cold. If it weren't for the salary and the pension she could receive in the future, she wouldn't even want to get out of bed in this awful weather and could stay in bed all day.
The little girl refused, shaking her head like a rattle-drum, "No, I want to go to the library with my mom."
Xiao Lingxiao didn't want to stay at home alone. She wanted to go out, even if the library was cold, it would be more interesting than staying at home alone.
Looking at the little girl's stubborn face, Cheng Cheng couldn't persuade her otherwise and had no choice but to give in.
She wrapped Xiaoxiao up even more tightly than in the morning, and after fully covering herself, she picked up the two thermos flasks filled with boiling water and wrapped them in thick cloth covers.
He tucked one into his daughter's arms so she could hold it to warm her hands, and carried the other himself.
The snow was slippery after being trampled down, and Xiao Lingxiao, being small with short legs, stumbled as she walked.
Cheng Cheng held her hand tightly, burying her face in her scarf. The biting wind blew like a knife, and her long eyelashes were instantly covered with frost.
This weather is awful; it's probably below minus ten degrees Celsius. Cheng Cheng regretted bringing Xiao Xiao out.
Looking around, the whole world was dressed in a blanket of snow, a vast expanse of white. The sunlight reflected off it, making the light dazzling and cold, and the world looked like a giant natural freezer.
They were like two slowly moving fish in the freezer. Cheng Cheng held her daughter's little hand, which was covered with a thick cotton sleeve, tightly. No matter what she said that afternoon, she wouldn't take Xiaoxiao out.
Life at the base is not interrupted by snowfall; all production activities continue as usual. "Hibernation" is not an option here.
Every morning, the snow removal team members use shovels and wheelbarrows to clear narrow but solid passages through the thick snow.
People of all kinds, including students, still left home on time, going to school or going to work as usual.
Cheng Cheng's art classes at school were moved indoors, while Zhou Yue's evening classes at night school continued as usual.
Cheng Cheng took a firm stance this time, refusing to let Xiao Xiao go to class with Zhou Yue that evening. On this matter, Zhou Yue and his wife shared the same position.
It was freezing cold outside, and even adults were struggling. I really couldn't bear to let my daughter go out to school in the wind and snow.
Zhou Yue took out two books that he had prepared beforehand and a sheet of paper filled with calculations, and assigned his daughter the task: "Study at home and finish reading the first chapter of this book. I will check these exercises when I get back."
"Okay, then Dad, you need to come back soon."
The little girl nodded obediently, thinking to herself that if she could grow up quickly, her parents wouldn't have to worry about her anymore, and they wouldn't stop letting her go out to school with her father just because she was young.
Little Lingxiao looked down at his short legs, and today was another day when he desperately wanted to grow up quickly!
Zhou Yue got ready, put on a heavy military overcoat, scarf, and hat.
Pushing open the door, it was already pitch black outside. Night falls particularly early in the Gobi Desert; it was only dusk when the sky darkened.
Only the snow on the ground reflected a faint light, making it appear exceptionally cold and quiet.
Zhou Yue turned around, took the tin flashlight from Cheng Cheng, patted her hand, and said in a deep and gentle voice, "Go inside, it's cold outside, don't catch a cold."
Cheng Cheng nodded, took Xiao Xiao's hand, took a step back, and watched Zhou Yue leave.
Zhou Yue held up a flashlight, stepped out into the snowy landscape, and closed the door behind him.
The footsteps outside gradually faded into the distance. Cheng Cheng sighed silently to herself.
Thinking back to a few days ago, she was again summoned by Section Chief Li to help in the publicity department to carry out winter production publicity and boost morale.
One slogan reads: "Minus twenty degrees Celsius may freeze the ground beneath our feet, but it cannot freeze our steps in tackling key challenges."
At that moment, she suddenly truly understood the weight of those words.
She strode to her desk, spread out her drawing paper, and realized that the strength of the motherland was not a distant goal, but a testament to the countless figures who persevered through wind and snow, one after another.
On this Gobi Desert covered by wind and snow, the pace of progress never stops.
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Author's note: Goodnight
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