In 1959, what's wrong with me pedaling a tricycle?

Wang Xingguo and his team set off at night because the daytime temperature was too high, making it too easy for them to break down.

They returned to Daheyan without incident and boarded the train back to Beijing.

Wang Xingguo didn't rest along the way. He recorded everything he saw and heard, wrote down some of his thoughts and suggestions, and prepared to submit a report in the hope that it would be helpful to the relevant departments and provide more support and material assistance to the base.

Upon returning to Beijing, Wang Xingguo retrieved the report, carefully copied it down, and then instructed the relevant staff member to submit it to his superiors.

The work report was handed to the director of the oil and logistics department. After reviewing it, the director handed it over to the unit's logistics department. Director Li then forwarded it to the old leader.

Wang Xingguo had no idea that the superior of his superior was actually Li Zhong, Li's grandfather!

After reading the report, the old leader nodded with satisfaction. This mischievous boy had matured quite a bit and had actually learned to consider issues.

The former leader was quite pleased, feeling that transferring him to this position to gain experience was indeed the right move.

After the former leader wrote his comments and signed the report, he had someone take it to the relevant department for review.

Wang Xingguo and his colleagues from the fourth department scrubbed each other's bodies. It was so hot and there were no facilities for showering that they could scrub off a thick layer of dirt.

There was no other way; the Gobi Desert was already a dusty environment, and with the severe water shortage, they couldn't even take a bath.

This vacation is only five days long. In fact, regardless of whether there are any tasks or not, Wang Xingguo can only go home during his vacation. He has to stay at the unit at other times until there is a task that requires him to be deployed.

That's how it is with secrecy; he can't even leave the capital. It's not that he can't leave, but he needs to submit an application and get approval before he can leave the capital.

Therefore, he will not leave the city now. If he does leave the city, it means he will have to face investigation.

Does anyone know what he did outside the city? Who did he come into contact with?

Therefore, Wang Xingguo will not even go to Gaobeidian now. Once he goes there, he will face strict scrutiny upon his return, which will cause a lot of trouble.

Strictness has its advantages; at least after Wang Xingguo faced such rigorous scrutiny, his wife and children were the safest.

The relevant departments will not allow anyone to hold them back, so as not to affect Wang Xingguo's ability to carry out his mission with peace of mind.

On the train back, Wang Xingguo made another batch of cured pork, this time turning half of the pork into cured pork.

It wasn't that he didn't want to make the rest into cured meat, but that he ran out of soy sauce and other seasonings.

However, we have enough cured meat for now. We can take some home to replenish our oil and fat reserves, and carry some back to the Malan base every time we go on a mission. That should be enough.

He knew that if he carried the things to Maran Town, the people there would also take the things to the Red Mountain Research Area.

Just like this time when they ran out of food, they sent all the wild vegetables and grains to the Hongshan Research Area.

At that time, the town of Malan had not yet cultivated large vegetable fields, so everything relied on transportation from outside.

The main problem is that the Gobi Desert has a lot of saline-alkali soil and a large temperature difference. The high temperature in summer can cause vegetables to wither and die. In addition, water is also very scarce at this time.

Therefore, the main vegetables served here are dried vegetables, pickled vegetables, potatoes, onions, and radishes. These vegetables are the mainstay of the canteen all year round and are the daily meals for the vast majority of people.

It's not that we have fresh vegetables here in summer and autumn. That's not the case. We can only achieve self-sufficiency in vegetable cultivation after the irrigation canal project is completed and the water problem is solved.

Because of the high temperatures, most of what is transported here is likely to spoil, making the conditions extremely difficult.

When Minister Liu asked Wang Xingguo to procure nutritional supplements, he didn't mention fresh meat at all, because it was impossible to transport it there. He only emphasized canned goods, and that was the reason.

Their transportation section is a unit at the regimental level (full/deputy), while its superior department, the fuel transportation department, is a unit at the division level. The fuel transportation department's superior department is the National Defense Science and Technology Logistics Department, which is a corps-level agency, while the National Defense Science and Technology Commission is at the military region level.

Therefore, although Wang Xingguo was the head of the Fourth Transportation Section, according to the subsequent division of section and division levels, the heads of the Third and Fourth Sections, where he worked, were deputy division-level cadres, while the heads of the First and Second Sections were division-level cadres.

Why would Wang Xingguo feel that his wife and children would be safe and not have to face the storms outside?

Because he, as the head of the Fourth Transportation Section, now holds two positions: one is a deputy regimental-level officer, and the other is a level 15 administrative cadre!

It's not that he enjoys two sets of benefits, but rather that when he's working, he's a level 15 administrative cadre, while when he's on a mission, he's a deputy regimental-level officer!

The reason for not directly converting them to military ranks is due to the need for secrecy.

He, formerly Director Wang, is now a member of the military, and even a deputy regimental-level officer!

Wang Xingguo rode his bicycle and, halfway home, took out five or six kilograms of cured meat from his spatial storage, wrapped it in newspaper, put it in his backpack, and then continued riding home.

"Is Director Wang back from his business trip?"

"Yes, I'm back."

Wang Xingguo smiled and nodded in response to the security personnel's greetings, offered them cigarettes, and then left to ride home.

When she got home, Li Xiuping was sitting at the door, chatting with her mother who was holding Wang Jianhua.

Wang Xingguo greeted her with a smile, "Mom, wife, I'm back."

The two looked up and smiled when they saw Wang Xingguo. Li Xiuping stood up, took the bicycle, and asked, "Honey, are you hungry? I'll make you some noodles."

Wang Xingguo smiled and shook his head, saying, "No need. I just happened to be back around lunchtime, so I had lunch at work. By the way, Mom, why didn't you go to work today?"

Zhao Guizhi explained, "Don't even mention it. There's not much work now, and we get to rest every Saturday and Sunday. It's only been in effect for two weeks, and I'm off this Saturday and Sunday."

Wang Xingguo exclaimed in surprise, "How could this be?"

Li Xiuping parked her bicycle and explained, "The directors of the trust store have been pressured by their colleagues to arrange lunch by collecting half of everyone's food coupons, with the store covering the other half. As a result, they can't get enough food, so they've implemented a system of rotating rest days. Those on rest days can't eat lunch in the canteen, and they're trying to save on food consumption this way."

Wang Xingguo was dumbfounded and said, "Oh my god, is that even possible?"

This is truly both funny and sad; I never expected that rest would come about in this way.

Li Xiuping took Wang Xingguo's clothes to wash. Wang Xingguo picked up his son, who didn't cry but smiled and touched Wang Xingguo's face with his little hand.

Wang Xingguo said to Zhao Guizhi, "Mom, I brought back some dried cured meat. It's in my bag. Go and take a piece back to give Dad and the others some more oil."

Zhao Guizhi exclaimed in surprise, "Cured meat? Xingguo, where did you get this good stuff?"

"Yes, I ran into a train police officer who was returning from a business trip at the train station. I saw that he was carrying cured meat on his back, so I talked to him about it and bought the cured meat he was carrying."