Chapter 61 You can never think of 8-(Zheng Xiaofang)

Time trickles away like running water... In a blink of an eye, I have been in this ancient city on the fortress for seven or eight months. The city is located at the border of the Mu Us Desert and the Loess Plateau.Interestingly, the south of the city is the continuous mountains of the Loess Plateau, and the north of the city is the endless Mu Us Desert.If you stand on the ancient city wall of the Ming Dynasty buildings, you can see two different landforms at a glance.And this city is like a stamp pressed on the second line of a letter of introduction.Whether it is the Loess Plateau or the Mu Us Desert, all that can be displayed is a yellow color.It is said that yellow represents happiness in life, but it is a symbol of desolation in nature.Sandwiched between loess and yellow sand, the city is mostly brick and tile houses, presenting a gray scene.The lovely green color can only be seen on the banks of the river west of the city.In addition to the dense belt of willow trees, there are even green rice fields.There is no green that is more eye-catching than the green here-because in contrast to this green is a large area of ​​desolation.

I didn't know until I came here that this city has been an important frontier defense town in the past dynasties.In ancient times, if you leave this city, you will arrive at the so-called "Land of Huma".There have been wars here for years.Under the deserted yellow sand, who knows how many human corpses and horse bones are buried.At that time, walking out of the city, that is, the local folk song "Walking to the West Gate"-probably went to Baotou area.I think back to the year when the deep and sad singing sounded like complaints, weeping, and blessings. I used to accompany the lonely traveler with the monotonous camel bell, and walked through the vast and endless desert...

Now the city is the seat of a district.The territory under its jurisdiction is as large as Taiwan Province, with a population of about two million.There are about 60,000 to 70,000 residents living in this city.There is no doubt that this ancient city has now become an outpost for marching into the desert.Going further north, it is already a world where Mongolian and Han people live together—there is already the hinterland of the Mu Us Desert; there is not a single tree on the road for tens of miles, and I can’t see a single person... After I graduated, I was assigned to the district Forest Service.

I quickly fell in love with this place.Its legendary color, its romantic atmosphere, and its vast and desolate land are just the ideal paradise for a passionate youth. But the days before me were not happy.It wasn't all because of Xue Feng—it was still painful to think of him.Although we have been communicating and keeping in touch, we have been separated by thousands of rivers and mountains after all. My unhappiness is mainly due to my work. When I first came here, no one took me seriously.Some important jobs were not allowed to be done by the leaders, fearing that I would not be able to do them, so I was basically doing odd jobs all the time.

Later, I was asked to sort out the files of the Forestry Bureau.These archives began in 1955, and various categories were mixed together, piled up like a hill.Technology, financial planning, office, business, paperwork, etc. have not been properly managed for many years, and now they are like a mess.I had to sort, change the covers, move the moldy parts out in the sun, and get dizzy all day long.Except for eating, I spend all day in the file room, and there is even someone like me in the unit. Later, a job finally came to me. According to the instructions of relevant provincial departments, the Forestry Bureau plans to plant a sand-fixing plant flower stick on a large-scale test in a desert farm.At the same time, I am going to try to plant some mulberry saplings—in history, silkworms have never appeared in that place.

There is no doubt that this work is of great significance.Of course, the main labor depends on that farm.But the bureau needs to transfer a cadre there, who is both the leader of this work and the technical guide—in fact, this person is in charge of two important experimental projects.No one wants to go.Because that place has reached the hinterland of the great desert, at least two hundred miles away from this city.Zhitian's living conditions are undoubtedly extremely difficult.And in fact, both experiments required their directors to be there for years and years.The leader approached many technical cadres in the bureau, but all of them refused with some grandiose reasons.Of course the leaders themselves are not willing to go.

This is my chance! I took advantage of the situation and went to challenge the leader. Both the director and the deputy director stared at me with wide eyes.They couldn't believe that the yellow-haired girl in front of them asked to complete such an important job. But they were still felt by me, and there was no one to go, so I decided to put this difficult burden on my shoulders. I explained my work in the bureau, cleaned up briefly, and took a long-distance bus to my work destination alone. It was March and April, and it was also the worst day of the year for this place.The rhubarb wind rolled the sand grains, roaring for no apparent reason.People prefer to stay at home all day unless they have to.Although it is spring, the weather is still extremely cold.Wrapped in a padded jacket, I sat curled up in a bumpy car.

Nothing could be seen outside the car window, and the sky and the earth were muddy by the wind and sand.Even though it was daytime, cars sometimes had to turn on their lights, and most of the road had been buried by sand, leaving only a little trace of the road.Sitting in a car is like sitting on a small boat in the wind and waves, the internal organs are about to be thrown out.I felt nauseous, but managed not to spit it out.Looking at the dust flying outside the car window, I couldn't help thinking: In the provincial capital, people probably have changed into thin clothes by now.The wind is clear and the sun is beautiful, and the weeping willows in the park and on the sidewalk have spit out bright yellow willow silk.Groups of people are walking in the bright spring sunshine with a very happy mood.The winter jasmine flowers in various parts of the Forestry College have probably already bloomed brilliantly—no, the winter jasmine flowers have withered, and it should be the time when the peach blossoms are like fire and rosy clouds.On the street, those girls who love to dress up have already taken off their bloated winter clothes and put on bright spring clothes.They must be radiant with the lines of their bodies and breasts being redrawn...

Yes, the spring there is a real spring, and the spring here is worse than winter.Although winter is cold, there is less wind and sand, and in spring, wind and sand almost bury the world. A gust of cold wind rushed into the car window, I wrapped my old padded jacket tightly, leaned on the back of the chair and closed my eyes... I didn't get off the car at the terminal around four o'clock in the afternoon. This is the location of a commune, more than ten miles away from the farm I am going to.This part of the road can only be walked.I took my simple living utensils - a big net bag and a small bag, asked for directions, and then rushed to the farm without stopping.I walked very tight, because it was getting dark and I was afraid of getting lost.

I have completely turned into a native.There is always sand in his mouth, and he can't finish it no matter how hard he spits it out; the wind and sand blows his eyes into tears, because every step is extremely difficult because he is against the wind.After walking about four or five miles, I couldn't walk anymore, so I wanted to take a rest.Looking around, there is no place to shelter from the wind.Had to sit on the ground. I sat on the side of the road, letting the wind and sand blow.Whether far or near, nothing can be seen, and the eyes are full of cloudy yellow.I couldn't hear anything; I could only hear the roar of the wind and sand and my own heartbeat.The sound of the heartbeat sounds very clearly now.I rested for a while, and started on my way again.The road was barely discernible.The first time I walked in the sand, it was soft and I was not used to it. Even with a lot of effort, I couldn't walk fast.At this time, I suddenly heard the roar of a tractor not far behind me.The sound suddenly broke the silence of the desert.

It was getting louder—it seemed to be coming from behind me. I stood by the side of the road, ready to make way for it. A tractor roared and drove over—it turned out to be a large tractor with a steering wheel, and a bucket truck was behind it.But there is no cab, and the tractor driver sits on it, covered in dirt, like a statue in a temple. The tractor stopped suddenly beside me, but the engine continued to roar. The driver in the car bent over to look at me.All I could see was his row of white teeth. "Where are you going?" He asked me. "Go to the farm." "Listen to the voice, I can tell you are a woman." "Don't listen to the voice, I also know you are a man!" I was very angry at this man's words. "Ha..." He smiled, "If you want, please sit up, I'm going to the farm..." I kind of hated him saying, "No, I'll walk by myself." He probably also saw that I was angry, and quickly explained, "I really didn't recognize you as a woman! Because you are completely a native. Besides, there are very few women in this place... oh, lesbians. Lesbians Come up, it's almost dark, and the road is still far away!" I hesitated a little.When I was hesitating, the driver jumped off the tractor, walked up to me, took the things in my hand, and put them in the bucket truck.He was quick in his movements and a strong young man. It seems that I have to sit on this tractor. I stepped on the tires to get on the bucket truck, but the side of the truck was very high, so I couldn't get on it no matter what. The tractor driver was standing next to me, laughing and watching me make a fool of myself.I was afraid that he would help me.As I continued to climb, I was nervously guarding if he approached me.But he didn't, which made me start to feel reassured about this man. I finally managed to get into the car. He jumped into the driver's seat, turned his head and said to me: "Hold on to the side of the car firmly, the road is bad, be careful to knock you down! Because you are facing the wind, turn your head to the side, and you'd better close your eyes..." He told me carefully. I couldn't help asking him: "Which unit are you from!" "I'm from the farm," he replied, putting on his gloves. "From the farm?" I shouted happily, "I just went to your farm to try planting flower sticks and mulberry seedlings!" He turned his head and glanced at me in surprise, and said, "Why didn't you send a man?" "What's the matter with the girl?" I could see that he looked down on me. "Women?...Oh, women can hold up half the sky!" He laughed out loud, and then started the tractor.In this way, I took a tractor and arrived at the farm in less than half an hour.It was already dark at this time—maybe it was only in the evening, because of the overwhelming wind and sand, that the night fell earlier.What the farm looked like, I couldn't see at all now. After getting off the car, the tractor took my things and took me to the farm leader.Now I already know that this young man is called Wu Youxiong. Wu Youxiong led me to a row of brick houses with lights on. At the door of the middle room, he yelled inside: "Secretary Cao, there are guests!" The door opened, and a man in his fifties came out, with a bald head and a strong build—it seemed that this was Secretary Cao. Secretary Cao looked at me carefully and said, "Are you Zheng Xiaofang?" "Yes." I replied.He smiled and said: "Okay, okay, okay. The Regional Forestry Bureau has already called and said that you are coming, and we have packed up the house for you... Yuxiong, please tell the person in the kitchen, let us This lesbian cooks... oh, first get some wash water and bring it to room number one!" Wu Youxiong handed me the things, nodded to me, and walked away. Secretary Cao led me to the prepared "Room No. 1". The rooms are extremely shabby--I've thought of that before--but a little more shabby than I thought.After Secretary Cao led me to the room, he greeted and comforted me.He told me to take a good rest after dinner and talk about other things tomorrow.Before he left, he added: "My name is Cao Shengrong." Wu Youxiong arranged for me the washing water and meals. He has washed his face.Only then did I see his face clearly: square face, dark complexion, about 27 or 20 years old, with a very simple appearance.I thank him again and again.Instead, he said shyly, "What thanks..." He put down the wash water and the meal, and left. I sat wearily on the stone block of the kang, feeling dizzy. After a short rest, he washed his face first, and then ate a few noodles.Now I just want to sleep, and I have no intention of checking other conditions in the room. Just before undressing, I checked the bedding in detail. It's disgusting!Dirty aside, I found a lice in no time! In spite of my drowsiness, I dreaded the presence of the bedclothes. There is no way!Now that you are in such an environment, you have to endure everything. Holding the kerosene lamp, I tried very hard to catch all the lice on the bedding carefully.I gave up the idea of ​​taking off my clothes, and lay on the mattress with all my clothes on. The quilt only covered my chest. I turned off the lamp and fell asleep in the darkness. The wind outside continued to roar, as rough as the waves of the sea.The sand crackled the paper on the window, as if someone threw a handful of it on it with his hands. Although I was extremely sleepy, once I lay in the darkness, I couldn't fall asleep again. For some reason, Xue Feng's face suddenly appeared in front of my eyes in the darkness... Yes, in this night of howling wind and sand, in this desolate and strange place, I couldn't help thinking of him at this moment.He!What's up now?Is everything as good as he imagined?