From the camp to the commune, it was only a few miles away. She encountered several groups of people returning to camp to rest. They were covered in mud, their clothes and shoes were unrecognizable, and they were covered in mud and snow. They didn't look too exhausted, but their shoulders were drooping.
With their hands tucked into their sleeves and their faces chapped from the wind, it was easy to imagine that their hands were in no better condition. They hurried across the snow, shivering.
They are all new recruits this year, most of them around seventeen or eighteen years old. In fact, strictly speaking, many of them are not as old as Jian Dan.
Having transmigrated, she already had a different perspective than others. The original owner's wealthy family background gave her the confidence to live a life of comfort and ease, while the base space she carried with her allowed her to be more carefree and think things through more carefully when faced with problems, in addition to being able to take care of herself.
In her view, these new recruits were still children. However, like most of the natives, they came alone. With even filling their stomachs a problem, their first consideration might not necessarily be protecting their home and country. They were just focused on getting enough to eat and keeping their lives before they could even think about whether they could do anything else.
When even basic needs like food and clothing cannot be guaranteed, talking about ideals and defending one's country is truly a luxury.
Some say that poor people don't deserve to talk about ideals. To put it bluntly, which everyone agrees with, money isn't everything, but you can't do anything without it.
Ultimately, everything—clothing, food, housing, transportation—revolves around money.
The hardships faced by ordinary people at the bottom of society are ubiquitous and pervasive; their wish is humble: to survive.
To be alive is to have hope.
Most of the children who join the army are from impoverished families. Joining the army is indeed an honor, but the more realistic reason is that they might be able to get enough to eat and survive.
In both her past and present lives, Jian Dan has never experienced the hardship of lacking money. However, during her years in the countryside, she has transformed from a pampered young lady who never lifted a finger into someone who is now more grounded in the realities of life.
The most obvious example is that, although she couldn't accept the lives of the poor, she understood and respected them.
In other words, if you can eat meat, who would want to eat only bland, watery vegetables all day long?
This era is an inevitable stage in the country's development. Although there will be setbacks, obstacles, and stumbles, what was that saying of my high school politics teacher again?
The road is winding, but the future is bright.
This is perfect for the present era. As long as the direction is right, a bright future is only a matter of time.
Even the poorest people will eventually see the sun again.
Lost in thought, Jian Dan herself sighed, realizing that even life in the military was so tough, let alone for an old farmer.
I thought that with this much snow, there wouldn't be many people in the county town, and the commune would be even quieter. But to my surprise, the commune was quite lively. Even the supply and marketing cooperative and the state-run restaurant were full of people. I asked someone and found out that they were all from nearby villages. With the help of the stationed troops and the armed forces, they had suffered much less and had managed to salvage a lot of their food. So, the villagers were discussing what to do for the children.
Seeing the counter completely blocked off, she simply backed out. Thank goodness, how could she forget that people's hearts are at their purest at this time?
For Cheng Jin and his team, this was their responsibility. But if they could gain the people's approval, even if it was just a needle, a thread, a bowl of water, or a word, it would all be worthwhile.
Once she stepped outside, she suddenly felt much lighter. She went to the state-run restaurant, bought twenty cornbread and pickled cabbage buns, and then strolled back home.
When I passed the post office, I made a special call to Fang Ping. It was snowing when I left last time, and I was in a hurry to leave because I was afraid of heavy snow. Fang Ping has been thinking about the situation here these past few days.
The radio station in Beijing has only just begun preparations, and this area is still considered a remote region, so it's not yet on the list. If Fang Ping wants to know what's happening here, he can only make phone calls, send telegrams, or, in the most primitive way, write letters.
However, with the snow disaster, Secretary Lin had been running around to various villages and hadn't answered the phone. Now, hearing Jian Dan's voice, Fang Ping finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Girl, you finally contacted me! I was so worried, you know?"
Yesterday, Sheng Zhiyuan said he'd called your Secretary Lin several times a day, but still couldn't reach him.
Jian Dan didn't get to see Secretary Lin, but with such a big matter, she could imagine how busy he must be.
"Didn't it snow when you left? The snow was so heavy that it blocked the mountains, and many houses in the villages collapsed. Secretary Lin must have been extremely busy."
"Did you get home safely? Were there any unexpected incidents on the way?"
Fang Ping stood up in shock, feeling a wave of fear. They had just returned when someone used the excuse of conversation to probe for information, implying that he had done something he shouldn't have and trying to pin a label on him.
If they were really trapped in those mountains, who knows what kind of trouble might arise here?
"Such heavy snow? How are you? Are you alright?"
How's your village?
Over the years, he has been in this position and has experienced a lot. He knows that heavy snow can turn into a disaster, and the people will suffer.
Besides, he just made some money from them, so it's only right and proper that he cares about them.
This simple fact wasn't hidden from him.
"It's not good. About a third of the houses were crushed. It's a blessing that no one was killed."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Fang Ping started talking about their important business of making money.
"If that's the case, then it must be inconvenient for you to get vehicles in your area these past few days, right?"
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