Next, we registered, received supplies, and were assigned dormitories...
Everything is proceeding smoothly.
When Zhang Laosan received a clean set of bedding, two roasted sweet potatoes, and a bowl of steaming, oily meat soup, tears streamed down his face.
Not only that, because he had his daughter with him, the steward brought them a serving of goat milk and a chicken and egg custard made with minced meat!
Ignoring the heat, he wolfed down a large mouthful of meat soup. After regaining some strength, he quickly brought over the steaming hot goat milk and carefully fed it to his daughter in his arms.
"Dad, it's delicious..." the child mumbled, a long-lost smile appearing on his face.
Old Zhang choked up, nodding repeatedly: "Good, as long as it tastes good..."
The cafeteria was filled with the sounds of slurping soup and chewing.
Widow Li also received a portion. She had already felt very happy, as she picked out all the meat pieces to feed her children and only drank the soup herself.
However, a girl in an orange dress next to her frowned as she looked at her.
"What's wrong, sir?" Widow Li asked anxiously.
She remembered that those people wearing orange shirts were all managers, and each manager controlled a thousand people, wielding terrifying power!
The girl in front of me looks only fifteen or sixteen years old, yet she's able to manage so many people. She's really amazing!
"Don't you eat? Your child has food. We've already given you goat milk and chicken and egg custard, and the portion is definitely not small!"
Tong Yiwen frowned and asked.
She wasn't supposed to have any work today, but Tong Yiwen was worried that her apprentices might make mistakes treating the newly arrived disaster victims, so she came down the mountain to check on them.
Who knew that this scene would appear as soon as I arrived at the factory.
Widow Li was immediately embarrassed: "Little steward, I, I am a woman, and I don't eat much. But my child is growing."
"I... I wanted to give her more food, in case she gets hungry at night..."
She then stopped talking.
The other women around her gave her knowing looks; she was reluctant to eat it herself and planned to save it all for her child!
"What a wonderful mother!" one man exclaimed. "I want to find a wife and mother like her in the future!"
"Smack!" Tong Yiwen was so angry that her head hurt, and she slammed her hand on the factory's uniform wooden table.
"Who gave you permission to do this? All the factories and all the workers in our wasteland county must have enough to eat every single meal!"
"What if you don't eat enough at this meal and collapse while working, delaying the progress?"
"Some machines are very dangerous. What if you get caught in one?"
Tong Yiwen asked several questions in succession, and the surroundings were completely silent.
Widow Li's face turned bright red, and she almost buried her head in it.
Seeing that the baby in her arms was about to cry, Tong Yiwen sighed, held the baby in her arms, and fed the baby the warm goat milk.
Widow Li dared not speak, but she was extremely anxious.
"Then let me make this clear to you. The factory will provide meals for all the children you brought! Even if they get hungry at night, someone will bring them fresh goat milk." Tong Yiwen's voice was loud enough for all the women and men around to hear.
"You absolutely do not need to sacrifice yourselves to supplement the children's nutrition! All the factories in Huangxian County can do that! This is stipulated by the Mountain Goddess, and no one dares to disobey it!"
"Furthermore, the broth we've given you contains thick slices of meat; this is to help you replenish your strength."
"Have you considered the consequences of feeding such thick slices of meat to children? What if a child chokes on the meat and can't breathe?"
After Tong Yiwen spoke for a long time, the group of people immediately felt guilty.
Yes, what should you do if your child chokes?
Widow Li looked more closely at the chicken and egg custard in front of her and found that the chicken had been chopped into very small pieces, so that even the youngest child could eat it.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Widow Li came out and apologized repeatedly.
"You don't need to apologize. This was an oversight on the part of the barren mountain. We will send people over to make it public in the future." Tong Yiwen quickly helped her up.
"Since you've come here to study, make the most of it. Even if you don't understand everything, make sure you eat your fill so you have the strength to keep living!"
Tong Yiwen spoke earnestly and patiently.
The people around immediately burst into tears.
So, are the people in the desolate mountains really this kind? Even if they might not learn anything, they're still willing to make sure they're well-fed every day?
"Thank you, little steward, and thank you, Mountain Goddess, for this opportunity!"
A group of people knelt down facing the direction of the barren mountain.
Tong Yiwen also looked at the barren mountain, her face filled with emotion.
Who would have thought that before the heavy snow, the desolate county was just an ordinary, impoverished town?
She also clasped her hands together and praised him sincerely in her heart.
…
On the other side, Zhao Tiezhu and Gousheng were also holding earthenware bowls bigger than their faces, drinking soup while looking around.
The workers here, regardless of gender, do not have the numbness and despair of disaster victims. On the contrary, they are all full of energy and walk with a brisk pace.
Strange slogans were also posted on the walls of the cafeteria.
"Safety in production is everyone's responsibility!"
"If someone isn't enthusiastic about eating, there's something wrong with their thinking!"
"Supervise and support each other!"
This desolate mountain is strange in every way, yet it is also full of an indescribable vitality.
After eating and drinking their fill, the group was led to rows of newly built, simple dormitories.
Although simple, it was clean and tidy, a hundred times better than the shacks they used to live in.
Standing in front of the dormitory area, Liang Shu addressed the group, "Everyone, please rest well today and familiarize yourselves with the environment. Starting tomorrow, you will be assigned to different factories for training based on your individual strengths and preferences."
She paused, then added, "Large kitchens, cotton mills, and textile factories give priority to hiring female workers, while strong men can go to brick kilns, glass factories, or cement factories..."
"If you can read or do some arithmetic, you can register at the registration office and we will make other arrangements."
"If you have children who are five or six years old, please remember to register them as well. We have built a temporary school here in this barren mountain area and will send someone to pick up and drop off your children to study here."
"Remember, in this desolate mountain, as long as you are willing to put in the effort and learn, the Mountain Goddess will never let down any hardworking person!"
After saying that, she left with her people.
The newly arrived disaster victims stood in the afterglow of the setting sun, gazing at this place that was both unfamiliar and full of hope, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.
Zhang Laosan held his daughter tightly (now repaired) and looked at a huge house where wisps of smoke rose from the chimney, carrying the aroma of food and the warmth of home.
"Child!" he whispered, "We...we have a way out..."
As night falls, the factory area in Huangxian County remains brightly lit.
The roar of various machines, the turning of looms, and the shouts of workers blended into a strange and powerful symphony.
For these people who have just escaped the brink of death.
This sound is perhaps more melodious and pleasing to the ear than any orchestral music in the world!
Because this is the sound of life! This is the hope of living!
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