The little star from the Gobi Desert, handed over to the state, is hailed as a national treasure.

Soon, the news of the discovery of a water source caused a sensation throughout the entire base. Everyone, no matter what they were busy with, couldn't help but run out to witness this miracle with their own eyes.

Since the base was built, finding water has been the biggest problem. Everyone could endure hunger for two days, but they couldn't stand the thirst and dryness.

Now, they've actually managed to dig up water, and no matter how little, it's enough to make everyone overjoyed.

The soldiers jumped into the sandpit one after another, swung their shovels with all their might, and someone pulled up a small cart to load the dug sand and transport it away. The whole camp was bustling with activity. Even the female soldiers from the cultural troupe were playing the clapperboard by the pit, chanting "Fight against heaven and earth, man will conquer nature."

Soon, the base's main leaders, several national treasure-level academicians, and the chief designer were all alarmed. These people are usually elusive, but when it comes to drinking water, none of them can sit still.

After all, no matter how brilliant our minds are, we are still just mortals. We can endure everything, but we can't endure thirst.

"We must not be careless; we need to check the water quality first." Chief Designer Wang wiped his glasses with trembling hands as he watched the soldiers carry basins of clean water up, his eyes wide with astonishment.

The quality inspectors took water samples and rushed off to test them, their faces beaming with joy.

"Who, who discovered the water source first??" Commander Liu had just returned from a meeting in Beijing and hadn't even had a chance to sit down when he heard the news and immediately rushed over.

All eyes were on the little dumpling Liang Zhe was holding.

Sweetie, who had been crying and shouting anxiously just now, was a little tired and was drowsily leaning on her father's shoulder.

"Sir, it's this little girl."

Commander Bai softened his voice, afraid of disturbing his precious daughter, "Little Liang, I was rash just now and misunderstood you and your daughter. Please don't take it to heart."

Song Dazhuang jumped onto the sandpit, his face beaming with excitement: "Commander Liang, your daughter is amazing! If we had just listened to you, would we have been able to dig this water out today?"

Commander-in-Chief Liu was also shocked. "What? You mean this little kid insists there's water underground?"

Professor Qian adjusted his reading glasses: "Let me see, let me see... Oh my, this little one has become a great contributor to our base."

Liang Zhe gave a wry smile: "Mr. Qian, the child might have been mistaken..."

"Guess? In a place like this, where there's water every three meters, you think you can guess?" Professor Qian rarely joked.

"That's right, if it weren't for her, where would we get water to drink?"

"Xiao Liang, you've given birth to a wonderful daughter."

Liang Zhe's heart pounded and his face flushed as he listened to the praise from his former superiors. He held his daughter, unsure of what to do. Just then, the quality inspector came running from afar, his voice nearly cracking from shouting.

"Leaders! Commanders! This water is fine; it has low hardness and few impurities, and it's safe to drink directly!"

"Whoosh—!!!"

The entire base erupted in cheers, the atmosphere was deafening, even more lively than during the Chinese New Year!

The soldiers hugged each other, jumping and laughing. Some of them laughed and then cried—after years of enduring hardship in the Gobi Desert, this was the first time they had seen such clear water.

Commander Liu finished reading the report using his guard's flashlight, his face beaming with excitement: "Good! Good! Heaven hasn't forsaken me! Quickly protect this place for me, this is top-level combat readiness material."

"Ten yuan of my allowance should be allocated to buy some nutritional supplements for the children in town," the chief designer said, raising his voice.

Ten dollars was a huge sum of money back then.

"General Wang, no need..." Liang Zhe was about to decline when Commander Liu added, "Regarding the child's mother... please accept my condolences. Inform the base's Women's Federation that all the women take turns caring for Tian Tian, ​​making sure the child is well-fed and clothed!"

Liang Zhe's voice choked with emotion. "Thank you, sir!"

Just then, Tian Tian stirred, opening her big, sleepy eyes, "Daddy..."

Her voice was soft, "Can Sweetie drink water?"

"able!"

The seven or eight leaders around him all spoke in unison.

Professor Qian personally brought over a bowl of water, saying, "Little girl, Grandpa is feeding you water."

Sweetie subconsciously looked up at her father.

Liang Zhe nodded with a smile, "Drink up, and remember to thank Grandpa."

"Thank you, Grandpa."

Sweetie lives up to her name; when she called him "Grandpa," the old professor was so moved that he almost shed tears.

"My granddaughter is about the same age as my darling." For the sake of the country's cause, everyone has settled down in the border areas and rarely has the chance to reunite with their families.

"From now on, treat this place as your home. We are all your family," Commander-in-Chief Liu declared decisively.

Liang Zhe never expected that his daughter would become the apple of the eye of the entire base on her very first day.

After drinking the water, Tian Tian's dry, cracked skin finally felt better. Satisfied, she nestled her little head against her father's chest and said, "Daddy, I'm hungry."

"I still have half a pound of cornmeal. Go to Grandpa's and I'll make you some porridge." The chief engineer of the rocket system also wanted to leave a good impression on the child.

Unexpectedly, Sweetie shook her head and said something that surprised everyone: "No, Daddy, Sweetie wants to eat fish."

Commander-in-Chief Liu's face stiffened, and he exchanged a bittersweet, helpless glance with Brigade Commander Bai. The entire base lacked even a decent amount of protein; the poor kid couldn't even fulfill such a small wish as to eat fish.

"Sweetie, let's go to Grandpa's for some porridge. Grandpa's porridge is so sweet."

Liang Zhe, unable to bear seeing the leaders embarrassed, quickly tried to smooth things over.

Sweetie pointed to another spot, "There, there are fish! Why doesn't Daddy catch fish for Sweetie?"

"What did you say?" Liang Zhe followed her hand and subconsciously looked over—it was a sand ditch eroded by wind and sand.

"Sweetie," Liang Zhe said softly, "there are no fish there, you're mistaken."

"Yes!" Sweetie exclaimed excitedly, gesturing with her little hands, "Lots and lots of them, swimming around!"

Brigade Commander Bai pondered for a moment, then whispered a few words to Commander Liu.

Commander Liu waved his hand and said, "Let's dig it open and see."

As long as the child can find water, what does it matter if he digs a few more shovelfuls in the sand?

Song Dazhuang immediately led more than 20 soldiers to the place Tian Tian had mentioned and started digging.

Within a minute, two minutes, everyone's eyes were drawn to them.

Liang Zhe held Tian Tian, ​​feeling uneasy.

Five minutes have passed...

Suddenly, a soldier shouted, "Water!"

With a "poof," a clear jet of water shot out from the sand, reaching a height of two meters.

"This, this is an underground river..." Professor Qian exclaimed in surprise.

Before he could finish speaking, Song Dazhuang exclaimed in surprise, "A fish! Good heavens! It really is a fish!"

He eagerly jumped into the water, swirled his hands around, and in the next moment, a carp three feet long appeared in his hands, its scales still shimmering in the setting sun.

Everyone in the base was stunned.

This isn't just a fish; it's a miracle from the desert!

The soldiers scrambled to find basins and buckets. The fish that had suddenly appeared in the river were large and plentiful, and in no time, they had filled three or four large basins.

Sweetie clapped her hands happily when she saw the lively fish.

The usually composed Commander Liu couldn't help but look up to the sky and exclaim, "Heaven bless our Great Xia!"

Chief Designer Wang took out a handkerchief to wipe away tears: "I never imagined that one day I would see fresh water and fish in the Gobi Desert."

"Little Liang, your daughter is a lucky star," Old Qian said, patting Liang Zhe on the shoulder.

"Go and tell the cooks to have an extra meal for everyone tonight—fish!" Commander Bai was so happy he could hardly stop grinning.

Li Dazui had been waiting for a long time. Upon hearing this, he quickly took the large basin: "I'll go and make fish soup for all the leaders right away. I guarantee it'll be so delicious it'll make your tongue tingle!"

Just then, Tian Tian's little head bobbed up and down, looking extremely tired, and she buried her face in her father's shoulder.

"Quickly, don't disturb the child, let her sleep peacefully." Upon seeing this, the bigwigs all lowered their voices, afraid of waking up this precious little gem.

Holding Tian Tian in his arms, Liang Zhe never dreamed that things would start this way. The woman in his arms was not only his daughter who had been lost and found again, but also the hope for the entire base to survive its desperate situation. She was a "lucky star" who had fallen from the sky.

On his way back to the barracks, he looked up at the distant starry sky and seemed to see his wife's gentle smile.

Shufen, he thought, did you see that? Is it because you have been protecting her from heaven that our daughter found water and saved everyone's lives?