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

Brigade Commander Bai walked over and patted him on the shoulder: "Alright, let's leave this topic at that. You have an important matter to attend to now. We need to go check out the sea buckthorn forest that Tian Tian mentioned last time. Those sea buckthorn berries are life-saving treasures; we absolutely cannot afford to lose them!"

"yes!"

Liang Zhe saluted and turned to leave. After the conference room door closed, Brigade Commander Bai looked at Commander Liu: "Old Commander, what do you think of this Shen Ruowen...?"

Commander Liu squinted, his expression unreadable through the swirling smoke: "Have you sent anyone to check the source of her press pass and letter of introduction?"

"We have contacted the higher authorities to verify, but it will take some time."

"Then let's wait," Commander Liu said slowly. "But since she dared to enter the base, she must be certain that there are no flaws in her identity."

"Commander, you are wise indeed. Rather than letting her make trouble in the dark, it's better to keep her right under our noses. This way, we can always be vigilant."

"Speaking of which," Commander Bai smiled, "if Liang Zhe can really meet the right person, that would be a good thing. At least there would be another person to help take care of Tian Tian."

"What other people do we need! With so many of us, can't we take care of a little baby?" Commander Liu said sternly. Ever since Tian Tian discovered the engine problem, Commander Liu had been treating her like his own granddaughter.

Seeing his anxious expression, Brigade Commander Bai laughed and said, "Commander, I'm not saying we can't take good care of Tian Tian. But no matter how good the care is, it can't replace a mother's love. If there is a 'mother' who truly cares for Tian Tian, ​​it will be more beneficial for the child's growth and mental health."

"That depends on whether she can shoulder the responsibility. Whoever it is, if they treat Tian Tian any badly, I'll be the first to object."

"Commander, don't worry. Judging from Liang Zhe's expression, he still has Lin Shufen in his heart. It's unlikely that anyone will be able to get into his heart anytime soon."

"Who knows what will happen when it comes to young people's feelings? There's no one around now, so who knows, he might suddenly have a breakthrough." Commander Liu stubbed out his cigarette and straightened his uniform.

"Let's go to the test site to see Professor Qian and the others, and pick up Tian Tian while we're at it. The data issue has been clarified, but the engine damage assessment will take time. Whether 'Longsword' can take to the skies depends on the conclusions in the next few days."

The two finished packing their documents, and the car was already waiting outside the base gate. From a distance, Shen Ruowen's gaze drifted through the window towards an unknown point.

She had a notebook spread out on her lap, filled with dense writing, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be just some unimportant interview outlines.

Footsteps sounded outside the door, and Li Guihua's voice rang out: "Reporter Shen, Dr. Sun from the clinic is here to take a look at your foot injury."

Shen Ruowen immediately composed herself and put on a gentle and polite smile: "Thank you for your help, Dr. Sun. Please come in."

At 11:00 a.m., a convoy drove out of the test site. In the lead jeep sat Zhao Youtian, the head of the logistics department, Liang Zhe holding Tian Tian, ​​and Song Dazhuang protecting her. Their destination was the sea buckthorn forest behind the sand dunes.

The two Soviet-made trucks following behind were filled with a platoon of soldiers, each holding a shovel, pickaxe, and other tools—this wasn't their first time carrying out this kind of digging and excavation work, and each time they had different gains and surprises. This time, they were even more excited.

Thanks to Sweetie's amazing memory, the convoy quickly arrived at a tall sand dune that resembled a reclining camel with its back arched high, like a towering mountain.

As soon as Tian Tian landed, she broke free from Liang Zhe's embrace and ran to the sand dune with her short legs. Hands on her hips, she called out in her childish voice, "Hong Guoguo is right behind us!"

Song Dazhuang shaded his eyes with his hand and looked over, clicking his tongue in amazement, "Goodness, that sand dune is at least ten meters high, how did you, a little one, manage to climb up there?"

Sweetie proudly raised her chin: "Sweetie climbed all by herself! Aren't you amazing!"

"Amazing!" Song Dazhuang couldn't help but bend down and gently tap her forehead with his, making Tian Tian giggle. Her clear laughter echoed across the vast Gobi Desert.

He immediately straightened up, waved his hand, and shouted in a booming voice, "Attention, everyone! Objective: get over the hill! Charge!"

Knowing that a vast seabuckthorn forest lay just beyond, the soldiers were already eager and ready. At the command, they charged forward like tigers released from their cages, quickly beginning their assault on the top of the dune.

However, climbing sand is different from mountain climbing. Your feet sink in as soon as you step in, and you can easily slide down if you're not careful. But these difficulties can't stop the warriors who are looking forward to sea buckthorn fruit. As long as they think about eating the sweet and sour fruit soon and getting rid of the blisters in their mouths, who cares how easy or difficult it is to climb sand?

The soldiers chased each other, some using shovels as crutches to move upwards; some simply took off their cloth shoes, going barefoot, their soles sinking into the sand, which actually made them more stable; others simply used both hands and feet, climbing upwards like monkeys.

"Give it your all, everyone!" Song Dazhuang roared from behind. "The first one to reach the top, I'll reward him with a handful of sea buckthorn berries!"

"Just you wait and see, Deputy Regiment Commander!"

The soldiers roared in defiance, none of them willing to fall behind, afraid of being a step too slow.

Although Zhao Youtian was older than these soldiers, he was a proper soldier. Back in his days in the mess hall, he could carry a heavy iron pot weighing dozens of kilograms and march for more than ten miles without getting out of breath. He rolled up his sleeves, spat into his palm, and rushed forward without saying a word, his speed no less than that of the young men.

Liang Zhe and Song Dazhuang each held one of Tian Tian's little hands, carrying her up the sand dune. At first, the little girl obediently let them hold her hands, but after a few steps, the sand beneath her feet suddenly felt different—

No longer soft and floppy, but rather as if an invisible force was supporting her little feet, making each step steady and firm, just like when she left the sand dune.

"Huh?" Liang Zhe was the first to notice something was wrong. He looked down and saw that Tian Tian was taking short strides and darting forward, even faster than him and Song Dazhuang.

Song Dazhuang was also stunned, clicking his tongue in amazement: "This girl is truly a lucky charm; even the sand helps her!"

The soldiers, halfway up the path, watched helplessly as a tiny figure darted ahead of them in a few quick movements, and couldn't help but burst into laughter: "Sweetie's amazing! She's faster than us uncles!"

"Sweetie, wait for Uncle! If you lose, you have to sing for Uncle!"

Sweetie turned around and made a face at them. Her short legs moved even faster, and soon she left the adults behind. Her small figure was particularly eye-catching on the sand dune.

Amidst laughter and cheers, the team quickly reached the top of the sand dune.

The sight before them brought tears to the eyes of the soldiers who had spent years in the Gobi Desert.

Behind the sand dunes, there was no small sea buckthorn forest, but a boundless sea of ​​sea buckthorn!

The sea buckthorn trees stand close together, their branches laden with bright red and yellow berries, like stars in the Milky Way or jewels adorning a brocade.

A gust of wind carries a sweet and sour aroma that makes one's mouth water.

"My God..." a soldier muttered to himself, the shovel in his hand falling to the sand with a clatter.

Zhao Youtian slumped down onto the sandy ridge, his eyes instantly reddening.

How could he not be excited? Ever since the base got Tian Tian, ​​it has water, fish, and land, and now it even has the life-saving sea buckthorn fruit!

This child is simply a guardian angel sent from heaven to the entire base.

"Minister Zhao, please give the order. What's the next step?" Song Dazhuang asked from his vantage point.

"Comrades," Zhao Youtian steadied himself, his voice still trembling slightly, "we'll only pick the ripe ones from this batch of fruit. We won't touch the green or small ones; they need to rest and recover. Pack the picked fruit into baskets, and be careful not to crush them."

"Yes!" the soldiers responded in unison and immediately began to work.

Zhao Youtian, still worried, pressed on, "Be gentle! Be gentle, everyone! Don't break the branches. Tian Tian specifically told us to take care of the trees!"

"Hey, you there, don't step on the tree! If you can't reach it, find another tree; there are plenty of fruits over there!"

"Hey, you, you! I told you to pick the fruit, why are you plucking leaves?! You can't eat those leaves! You'll make the tree bald!"

They gave him detailed instructions at every step, treating the sea buckthorn forest as if it were their own eyes.

He hadn't forgotten that before they came down, Tian Tian had tugged at his sleeve, repeatedly telling him, "Grandpa Zhao, the little tree is a good friend, don't hurt it."

He dared not let anyone use any brute force.

Song Dazhuang and Liang Zhe also took to the field themselves. Being tall, they picked the sea buckthorn berries with ease. Holding the glistening berries in their palms, their joy and pride were indescribable.

Before long, the baskets and basins they had brought were more than half full. Just as everyone was immersed in the joy of the harvest, a scream suddenly rang out—

Song Dazhuang whirled around, his finger trembling as he pointed to a spot on the ground, his eyes wide as saucers: "Where...where's Tian Tian?! Where did Tian Tian go?!"