Chapter 70: All the people he loved were by his side.
Days passed in the bitter cold of the Gobi Desert, and heavy snow blocked the roads, completely cutting off the base's access to the outside world.
The trucks that used to occasionally deliver supplies are now completely useless. Potatoes, cabbage, radishes, and pickled vegetables have become the main foods on the dining tables of the canteen and households.
As the calendar pages turn, the year draws to a close.
Going home for Chinese New Year this year is out of the question. First, the roads are impassable, and second, both she and Zhou Yue have jobs now. It's relatively easy for her to take leave, but it's not so easy for Zhou Yue.
Moreover, Zhou Yue and his team seem to be at a critical stage in their project, and they've become much busier lately, making it difficult to even get proper rest, let alone holidays.
The only saving grace was that, before the last heavy snow blocked the roads, she asked Sister Tuoya to exchange some dried beef and mutton with a familiar herdsman, and then hurriedly sent it back to the elderly on both sides.
Judging by the dates, it should have arrived by now.
On the morning of Lunar New Year's Eve, Zhou Yue left home on time as usual. They would start their holiday in the afternoon, then rest all day on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and then go back to work on the second day.
This short day and a half holiday is the most generous New Year's gift the base can give to these core personnel; everything must give way to production and construction.
Cheng Cheng's holiday is a bit longer, from New Year's Eve to the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, a five-day holiday, and she will go back to work on the fifth day.
This was their first New Year at the base, and also the first time the three of them had spent a family reunion together. Cheng Cheng took it very seriously and had discussed with Zhou Yue and Xiaoxiao what to have for New Year's Eve dinner well in advance.
It's so cold! In winter, all I want to eat is something hot, and hot pot is definitely the best choice!
She took out the beef bones she had prepared beforehand, cleaned them, put them in a pot, added ginger slices and knotted scallions, filled it with water, covered the pot, and placed it on the stove to simmer over low heat to make the hot pot broth.
In the courtyard, Xiao Lingxiao, dressed in a thick cotton-padded jacket and trousers, wearing a hat and gloves, was intently creating her snowman.
In the blank snowfield, several snowmen of different shapes and sizes had already stood up. Some were fat, some were tall, and some were thin. The little ones' faces were red from the cold, and small icicles hung on their long eyelashes.
Perhaps it's because children are highly adaptable, or perhaps it's because she's full of energy, but the little girl doesn't seem to be afraid of the cold at all.
Cheng Cheng was busy in the kitchen, glancing at her daughter through the condensed glass window every now and then. She looked down at her watch and called out, "Xiao Xiao, it's time. Come in and warm yourself by the fire."
"Okay, Mom!"
Although the little girl was still a bit reluctant to leave, she kept her promise to her mother, patted the snow off her hands, turned around, and ran back into the house on her short legs.
As soon as she entered, a warm atmosphere enveloped her.
Cheng Cheng bent down to brush the snow off her body, then took off her wet gloves and hat, rubbed her little hands in her warm palms, and then let her sit by the stove to warm herself.
As soon as Xiao Lingxiao sat down, a rich and mellow fragrance wafted into her nose.
Her little head immediately turned towards the stove, she took a deep breath, and her eyes lit up: "Mommy, it smells so good!"
Cheng Cheng was standing in front of the stove, carefully lifting the pot lid. A cloud of steam, full of the aroma of beef bones, billowed out, and the white mist blurred her gentle, smiling face.
She was putting a few bright red dates and a small handful of goji berries into the boiling soup.
"It smells like beef bone soup." Cheng Cheng turned around and saw her greedy look, her heart softened, and she smiled and said, "We can't eat it properly yet, but... we can try a small sip of the soup."
She picked up the iron spoon, scooped out a small half-spoonful from the bubbling broth, and poured it into the porcelain bowl, filling it just about halfway.
Cheng Cheng handed over the warm bowl, and then reminded him again, "Slow down, hold the bowl by the rim, be careful not to burn yourself!"
Xiao Lingxiao nodded immediately and carefully held the bowl.
A little face brought close to the rim of the bowl, eyes closed, and a deep breath of the fragrant steam rising from the bowl filled the air with delight.
Then she pouted and blew on the soup several times earnestly. With each blew, tiny ripples spread across the pale white surface of the soup.
When she felt it was about right, she picked up the bowl, gently touched the rim, and tentatively took a small sip.
Instantly, a burst of intensely hot, savory flavor spread through her mouth, carrying a subtle sweetness. The little girl abruptly looked up at her mother, her eyes wide with surprise, and exclaimed in a slightly astonished tone, "Mommy, it's so delicious!"
After saying that, the little girl couldn't wait to lower her head and taste it in small bites.
The pot was bubbling and bubbling continuously, filling the whole house with the aroma of meat.
At 2 p.m., the festive atmosphere in the family quarters of the base was already so strong that it was hard to believe it.
Cheng Cheng packed up her bath basket, which contained towels, clean underwear, soap, and a small bag of precious shampoo. The family of three then joined the flow of people heading to the bathhouse.
In the frigid temperatures of tens of degrees below zero, taking a shower at home is simply impossible; the only option is to go to the base's public bathhouse, where almost every family goes out together.
The white breath exhaled on the road formed a continuous cloud, and neighbors who knew each other greeted each other loudly when they met.
"Engineer Zhou, Teacher Cheng, are you going there too?"
"Yes, it'll feel great to be clean and refreshed for the New Year!"
Cheng Cheng responded with a smile. Little Ling Xiao was held in his father's arms, his little face buried in the scarf, only his curious eyes showing.
As you lift the heavy cotton curtain of the bathhouse, a wave of warm air, a mixture of the scent of soap and dampness, rushes towards you.
Zhou Yue carried the basket to pay the fee, received the numbered wardrobe key, and the family of three separated at the men's and women's entrances.
Cheng Cheng led Xiao Lingxiao to the women's bathhouse, where the changing room was already packed with people and filled with steam.
The women quickly took off their heavy winter clothes while chatting enthusiastically.
What kind of filling do you make your dumplings?
"We managed to get some chives, even though they were a bit wilted, but I mixed them with a lot of pork and cabbage. We'll be having chive and pork dumplings for dinner."
"Oh my, that's a rare find!"
The other person immediately exclaimed in surprise, their tone filled with genuine envy: "With the roads blocked by heavy snow, where did you get this from?"
The young wife proudly raised her chin and replied, "Hey, the service center sent a small bundle last time, and I was quick to grab it!"
At this moment, a gentle-looking, slightly older woman chimed in: "Our family is still the same as always, pork, cabbage, and vermicelli, peaceful and content, enjoying the traditional flavor!"
The person who spoke earlier immediately found common ground and slapped their thigh: "That's right, cabbage is the main ingredient in our dish too, and I even chopped up a few dried shiitake mushrooms to enhance the flavor."
"In this weather, I'd be content just to have a hot bowl of dumplings!"
When someone saw Cheng Cheng and her daughter come in, they immediately asked with a smile, "Teacher Cheng, what kind of dumplings are you having for dinner tonight?"
Cheng Cheng recognized Sister Wang, who was drying her hair, and replied with a smile, "It's cabbage and pork filling!"
I haven't started making dumplings yet, but I've already prepared the filling. I'll start making dumplings after I take a shower and get back.
"Cabbage and pork is delicious, so satisfying!"
Sister Wang's loud voice echoed in the steamy changing room, "The pigs we raise at our base have done a great job!"
These words were like a pebble thrown into calm water, and the floodgates of conversation were opened immediately.
"I heard that the desert black pig program at the Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Institute is working really well. Those piglets are running around happily in the sand."
"We were hoping they would run around in the sand and grow stronger, but as soon as it snowed, we had to herd them all back to the farm's warm enclosures."
"Oh! To be honest, we have to thank Teacher Cheng for this!"
Everyone's eyes turned to her. Cheng Cheng didn't stop working. She deftly took off Xiao Lingxiao's thick cotton-padded coat and hung it up. Her cheeks were rosy from the steam.
"I just mentioned it casually. It was only because the leaders and experts took it seriously that the idea was put into practice."
"Teacher Cheng, don't be modest." Sister Wang's face showed the excitement of someone in the know. "I heard that the higher-ups have seen the results and made up their minds to expand the scale and raise more pigs next year."
"When we make dumplings again next year at this time, there will definitely be enough pork filling! Maybe every household will get a few extra pounds so we can make dumplings with lots of filling and wrappers!"
The eyes of the women around them lit up instantly. This hopeful prospect made the atmosphere in the dressing room lively, and everyone's face was filled with a smile of anticipation.
"If that's the case, I'll make pure meat filling next year!"
"Our lives will definitely get better year by year!"
Amidst laughter and chatter, Cheng Cheng had already swiftly stripped both Xiao Xiao and herself down to their undergarments, wrapping them tightly in a large towel. Carrying the bath basket, she entered the shower area.
About an hour later, the family of three reunited at the entrance of the bathhouse.
Her hair was wet and wrapped in a towel, her cheeks were flushed from the steam, and her whole body exuded the fresh scent of soap and steaming heat.
"Let's go home and make dumplings!"
Back home, the stove was burning brightly, and the kitchen was filled with the warmth of the Lunar New Year.
Cheng Cheng quickly tied on her apron and brought out a smooth dough that had already been kneaded and a large bowl of pork and cabbage filling.
Zhou Yue washed his hands, picked up the rolling pin, cut off a small piece of dough, flattened it with his palm, and then rolled it out with the rolling pin.
Cheng Cheng took the first freshly made dumpling wrapper, spread it in her palm, and used chopsticks to place a suitable amount of filling in the middle.
"Come on, Xiaoxiao, let Mommy teach you. First, fold the dough in half and pinch the middle tightly..."
Cheng Cheng slowed down her movements, and with a deft pinch of her fingers, she wrapped a dumpling that looked like a gold ingot.
Little Lingxiao imitated her mother, her little hands working hard. She put in a little too much filling, and when she folded it in half, the filling squeezed out from the side. The little girl frantically tried to salvage it.
As Zhou Yue rolled out the dough, he looked at the dumplings in his daughter's hands and chuckled softly.
Cheng Cheng couldn't help but laugh. She took the dumpling from her daughter's hand and gently instructed her while trying to salvage it: "The filling should be just right, like this. When you pinch the edges, you should make pleats like this so it won't leak."
Xiao Lingxiao picked up another dough wrapper, added the filling again, and this time wrapped it up quite well. He looked very pleased with himself, his face beaming with joy.
The family of three sat around the table, chatting and laughing. On the stove next to them, a hot pot with beef bone broth was bubbling and steaming, with wisps of white vapor rising from it.
"The water's boiling, add the sliced meat!"
Cheng Cheng announced with a smile that she would add the paper-thin slices of dried beef to the boiling soup. In just a few seconds, the beef slices would curl up and change color, emitting an enticing aroma.
Zhou Yue picked up the first piece of meat and naturally placed it in his wife's bowl, then picked up the second piece of meat and put it in his daughter's bowl.
Outside the window, the temperature was a frigid minus twenty degrees Celsius, but inside, it was warm and cozy, with steaming hot broth where potatoes, radishes, vermicelli, and freshly made dumplings were bubbling.
“Come, let’s celebrate our family’s first reunion at the base.” Zhou Yue raised his glass, his gaze gently sweeping over his wife and daughter.
"So that next year, we may have this day every year." Cheng Cheng also raised her glass, a bright and happy smile on her face.
Seeing this, Xiao Lingxiao also raised his glass, his dimples curving upwards: "Happy New Year, Mom and Dad!"
Cheng Cheng touched the little guy's cup with her own, "Happy New Year, Zhou Lingxiao!"
Sitting opposite him, Zhou Yue watched this scene unfold. The rising steam enveloped his wife's gentle smile and his daughter's happy laughter, filling him with peace and contentment.
This year is wonderful; all the people he loves are by his side.
"Happy New Year!"
The three cups gently clinked together. We looked at each other, our faces beaming with pure smiles.
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Author's note: Goodnight.
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