Challenges and Growth
On January 15, 2017, Xiaofeng closed her final exam paper and hovered her fingertips over the name "Jiang Liang" in her phone's address book. When the call connected, she heard a pleasantly surprised voice: "Sister."
"When do you plan to go home?" Xiaofeng held the phone between his shoulders and began to pack up the scattered stationery. The zipper of his pencil case made a crisp sound.
"Train ticket for the 17th... Sister Xiaofeng, do you really want to go back with me?" Jiang Liang's voice suddenly lowered, like a dandelion blown away by the wind, with a hint of uncertainty.
Xiao Feng stopped and asked softly, "Yes, is there anything inconvenient?"
"No!" Jiang Liang hurriedly explained, "I told the team leader, and she said you can live in her old house."
Xiaofeng's tone softened. "As long as I don't cause you any trouble, that's fine." She looked out the window at the falling snow. "By the way, you can refund your train ticket. I'll buy the plane ticket. Send me your ID information."
The receiver suddenly fell silent, with only the rustling of electricity. Xiaofeng stared at her reflection in the window glass, her fingers unconsciously stroking her still-undeveloped belly. "Because I'm pregnant, the train ride is too long." She paused, hearing the other party gasp, and added, "Don't worry about the cost. I'll pick you up when the time comes, okay?"
"Thank you, Sister Xiaofeng..." Jiang Liang's voice trembled slightly. "I've never been on a plane before."
These words fell gently on Xiaofeng's heart. She looked out the window at the snow falling heavier and heavier, and vaguely remembered the time when she met Jiang Liang last month, when her hands were red and numb from riding an electric bike.
Riding a bicycle is a common summer activity for city kids, but it's a luxury only available to mountain kids, who have to trek 20 miles up a mountain road. Ordering takeout is a convenience for office workers, but left-behind children have to trek three hilltops to carry pig feed. Complaining about Wi-Fi lags is a daily routine for city kids, while mountain kids can only scribble English words in the dirt with sticks between mowings.
What you think is the starting point may be someone else's end point.
On January 17, 2017, as the aroma of the business lounge, wrapped in warm air, washed over her, Jiang Liang instinctively clenched her canvas bag. She looked down at the Portuguese gray marble beneath her feet, its reflection visible beneath her, fearing her muddy sneakers would slip. Beyond the glass curtain wall, a giant steel bird plowed in and out of a luggage cart. The macarons on the gilded tray beside her were so delicate they looked like exhibits; she didn't even dare touch them.
"Would you like something to drink?" Xiao Feng turned sideways and asked the reserved girl, but before she could finish her words, she was interrupted by Oscar's childish voice: "I want to drink nei nei!"
Wenqing immediately pulled Oscar back into his arms and, like a magician, pulled out individually wrapped animal biscuits. "Wait until the plane is level before you get the milk." He distributed snacks to the two children, then spread out the camel-hair blanket and gently covered Xiaofeng's legs. He knelt on one knee to smooth the hair around her ear. "Are you still feeling uncomfortable?"
Xiaofeng shook her head, but Wenqing suddenly lowered his voice: "The destination is quite remote, and the last three kilometers can only be covered by motorcycle..."
"Motorcycles are what I'm best at." Xiaofeng interrupted him with a smile.
Wen Qing suddenly buried his face in her palms and said in a muffled voice, "You weren't pregnant with the third child at that time."
At dusk, the distinctive aroma of burning wood stoves drifted through Jiangjiawan. The courtyard of Team Leader Jiang Zhicheng's home was festooned with lights and colorful decorations. On the eight-immortals table, an enamel basin held bacon and bamboo shoots stewed in a bamboo shoot jar, while freshly ground tofu simmered in an iron pot on the earthen stove. As Xiaofeng and the others got out of the car, the dark-skinned, middle-aged man greeted them at the gate, shaking his wet hands. "You're finally here! Liangliang, come home after dinner. I've already made arrangements with your parents."
As soon as everyone sat down, Team Leader Jiang took out a pottery jar and said, "Home-brewed jujube wine, warm yourself up first."
Wen Qing bowed and waved his hand, his tone apologetic: "Team Leader Jiang, I appreciate your kindness. My wife is pregnant, and I have to stay awake to take care of them. I'm sorry I didn't get to taste such good wine."
Team leader Jiang responded repeatedly and immediately turned the wine jar towards him: "You guys stay here, don't be polite!"
"According to the older generation, our ancestors were separated from the same ancestral hall, so we are still the same family. My wife, children and I are going home," Wenqing said with a smile.
"Right, right!" Jiang Zhicheng raised his glass, his bronze face flushed. "We're family, so we shouldn't have different opinions..." Before he could finish his words, Aunt Jiang twisted his arm and said, "Drink less!"
"Hey, I'm so happy today!" He turned to Wenqing, "Mr. Jiang, Jingjing is the first female college student to come out of our bay!" He suddenly raised his thumb, his tone full of pride, and said, "How did you two meet?"
Xiaofeng looked at the dancing flames in the stove and said with a smile, "She rushed towards me on her electric bike and even crawled out from under it. I thought she was being scammed."
Amidst the roar of laughter from the entire courtyard, Jiang Zhicheng put down his chopsticks and said solemnly, "Our Jiangjiawan has a tradition passed down from generation to generation: we'd rather starve than earn dishonest money." The flames cast his hunched silhouette against the earthen wall, like a stubborn old tea tree. In the yard, the playful sounds of twins chasing chickens and ducks echoed one after another...
After a long day of traveling and a wild evening of play, the two little ones slept soundly that night. Xiaofeng, on the other hand, tossed and turned in bed like a pancake. Wenqing, who was packing her luggage, came over, stroked her hair, and asked, "What's wrong? Are you not used to it?"
Xiaofeng reached out from under the quilt and grasped Wenqing's hand, which was resting in her hair. Her hand was icy cold, and the chill spread through her fingertips and into Wenqing's heart. He hurriedly asked, "Why are you so cold? Are you feeling unwell?"
"It's so cold." Xiaofeng gently squeezed his hand.
Wenqing leaned over: "Wait a moment."
Wen Qing crawled under the covers and pulled Xiaofeng into his arms. His warmth was like a fireplace suddenly lit on a winter night. Xiaofeng buried her face in his collar, which smelled of sunshine. Between their interlocked knuckles, where ice and warmth met, tiny droplets of water seemed to condense.
"It's because the humidity in the mountains is too high." Xiaofeng's voice came muffled from his arms, "Will this affect your rest?"
"Yes," Wen Qing deliberately drawled out his words, his hand suddenly painfully gripped by her under the quilt. "I definitely won't want to get up tomorrow."
After a while, Xiaofeng's toes finally felt warm. She curled up into a fetal position, resting her forehead against Wenqing's collarbone and whispered, "You smell like the sun."
Wen Qing laughed, his chest trembling slightly: "Obviously, you are my sun."
The next day, we originally planned to go to school, but the two little guys refused to cooperate and insisted on playing the chicken catching game all day long.
In the evening, Xiaofeng rubbed against Wenqing's arms and said, "Today is also the smell of the sun."
Wenqing gently rested his chin on the top of her head. "It's the sunlight that hid secretly during the day... and now you've discovered it." He suddenly grabbed Xiaofeng's hand and pressed it to his chest. "But there's something even hotter here. Do you want to inspect it?"
Xiaofeng's fingertips immediately curled up, but she touched his beating heart under his pajamas, as if she was holding a melting toffee.
As the Little New Year approaches, the countryside gradually becomes lively: offering sacrifices to the Kitchen God, dusting and sweeping the house, pasting Spring Festival couplets and window decorations, and welcoming ancestors...
As dusk deepened, Wenqing squatted before the earthen stove, adding firewood, the flames dancing on his chiseled features. Xiaofeng rubbed her belly. The sudden blast of firecrackers outside startled both children, making them jerk simultaneously, like two glutinous rice balls colliding. Wenqing quickly covered Xiaofeng's ears with his ash-stained palms, mumbling, "Don't scare the kids." As the firecrackers faded, he looked at the ash that had rubbed against Xiaofeng's nose, and laughed uncontrollably.
Based on their on-site inspection and Team Leader Jiang's suggestions, they planned to build a new educational complex in Jiangjiawan, including classroom buildings, a basketball court, and a dedicated water purification system. That day, they began crucial negotiations with the Suping City First Construction Bureau regarding the construction contract.
At seven in the morning, Team Leader Jiang, Wenqing, Xiaofeng, and representatives of the Jiangjiawan villagers arrived at the Construction Bureau's meeting room. Wenqing rubbed his waist and complained, "This mountain road is so bumpy, and you insisted on coming along and suffering like this."
Xiao Feng smiled and pulled him to sit down: "Baby, no problem."
When Director Wang, the representative of the Construction Bureau, handed over the contract, he smiled professionally and examined it: "Please review it."
After a quick glance, Team Leader Jiang pushed the file toward Xiaofeng: "You should take a look."
Xiaofeng paused at the construction period clause: "Construction will begin after the Lantern Festival. The main structure will take three months, but the basketball court foundation..." Before she finished speaking, Wenqing suddenly pressed the contract and added: "The teaching building foundation needs additional earthquake-resistant piles."
"This will exceed the budget by 100,000 to 150,000 yuan," said Director Wang.
"Keep it under 100,000 yuan." Wen Qing turned to Director Wang. "The renovation details must specify: C30 concrete for the floor, formaldehyde-resistant latex paint, and 304 stainless steel railings."
Regarding the basketball court surface, Wen Qing suggested: "It is recommended to use a crushed stone base layer and an asphalt surface layer, which is more suitable for mountain climates than cement."
Negotiations reached an impasse when discussing water purification equipment. Citing cost, the Construction Bureau refused to include it in the 1.5 million yuan budget. Wen Qing sat upright, his gaze fixed on the water. "A basic reverse osmosis unit costs 12,000 yuan, and a solar-powered system for 50,000 yuan can provide water for 200 people."
Director Wang frowned: "This will cost you the labor costs."
Wen Qing closed the contract and said with a smile, "Let's treat it as a public welfare model project for the Construction Bureau. The selection of Suping City's top ten livelihood projects of the year is coming soon..."
Finally, the two sides reached a consensus within the total budget of 1.5 million and signed a memorandum.
Xiaofeng looked at Wenqing with starry eyes. He tugged at his tie, his Adam's apple rolling up and down, his eyelashes casting a faint shadow under the overhead light. As he spoke, the watch peeking from his sleeve ticked calmly, as if the clauses that had troubled her were nothing more than a child's misplaced building blocks, easily put back in their proper places.
"What's wrong?" Wen Qing met her gaze, and his eyes instantly changed from firmness to tenderness like spring water.
"Wenqing, you're awesome!"
The smile on Wenqing's face spread like ripples, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously raised: "What did you say?"
"You are great!" Xiaofeng repeated it again, with clear pronunciation.
"Hmm..." Wen Qing nodded slightly, his eyes flickering with a hint of playfulness, "Got it, I accept it."
On the night of the Lantern Festival, Wenqing received a video call from her mother. "Where are you guys now?" Jiang Wan asked.
Wenqing turned the camera, panning across Xiaofeng and the two children in the yard—they were treading on the snow, the soft crunching sound beneath their feet. "We just finished dinner at the team leader's house, and we're back to clean up and get ready for bed."
"It's hard to go out for a day, and now that I'm done..." Jiang Wan's words were interrupted by the sound of firecrackers in the distance.
Wenqing squatted down and focused the camera on the two children. "We'll be back after the project starts. Xiaofeng still has classes and exams next semester."
“That was really hard work!”
"I will take good care of her. Thanks, Mom!"
On February 19, 2017, before departing, Wen Qing was having a final handover discussion with several project leaders. A light spring mist condensed on the windowpanes. Xiao Feng stood in the corner of the room, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the edges of a document, leaving tiny wrinkles on the paper.
"I'll leave the construction organization to you." Wenqing closed the schedule and suddenly turned to Xiaofeng: "Xiaofeng, do you want to add a few words?" This suggestion made Xiaofeng's eyelashes tremble violently, like the wings of a frightened butterfly.
"Just arrange it." Her voice was so soft it sounded like a sigh. Wenqing stepped forward, gently placed his hand on her shoulder, and took two steps forward. This action made Xiaofeng's breathing noticeably hitch, and her fingertips clenched the documents.
The room fell into an eerie silence. Just as Xiaofeng was about to count her own heartbeats, the lead engineer suddenly stood up and said, "Don't worry, Mrs. Jiang!" This reassurance was like a pebble dropped into a lake, startling Xiaofeng so much that she bent down reflexively. "Thank you so much!"
The entire row of figures in work clothes bowed in unison in return. Wen Qing suddenly laughed at the scene and reached out to hold Xiaofeng's elbow: "Okay, baby should have an opinion." He gently tapped Xiaofeng's lower abdomen with his fingertips, his tone full of pampering.
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