Siheyuan (traditional courtyard house): Starting with the Korean War, returning home to take charge

The report had been sitting on He Yuzhu's desk for half a month. It wasn't that he didn't want to approve it; he just had a lot on his plate—the radar station needed debugging, the anti-ship missiles needed test firing, and the T-62 dismantling report wasn't finished yet. When Yang Xiaobing came in to deliver the documents, half of the report was peeking out from under a stack of materials. The four words "urgently need fresh water" were written in pen, each stroke forceful, the back of the paper bulging.

He Yuzhu pulled out the report and read it again. Water was scarce on the island, and the soldiers relied on boats for drinking water. When the winds were strong and the waves were high, the boats couldn't dock, so they drank sparingly. They used seawater to wash their faces and brush their teeth, which caused their skin to crack over time, and some developed itchy rashes that kept them awake at night. He placed the report on top, staring at those four words for a long time.

He picked up the phone and dialed the number for the Zhoushan base. The person on the other end answered urgently, as if they had just run in from outside.

"Where does it grow?"

"I've looked into the seawater desalination project. The technical data room has the necessary documents. You can make a list of the materials and equipment for building the site, and I'll coordinate the arrangements."

There was a two-second silence on the other end. "Director He, the conditions on the island are poor, and it's hard to find a construction team."

"I'll find the construction team. You guys prepare the site, install the water pipes, cables, and equipment foundations. Leave the rest to me."

He responded and hung up.

He Yuzhu stood up and walked to the wall. On the map that had been hanging there for almost a year, the Zhoushan Islands looked like a handful of scattered beans, densely packed in the East China Sea. He traced his finger across the mainland, stopping at the outermost island. That island wasn't far from the open sea; the winds were strong and the waves were rough, making it difficult for ships to dock. The soldiers lived on the island, unable to get fresh water, washing their faces and brushing their teeth with seawater, which eventually caused their skin to crack. He remembered that year at Changjin Lake, lying in the snow waiting for the bugle call, he too was thirsty. He grabbed a handful of snow and stuffed it in his mouth; it melted, leaving little water.

"Yang Xiaobing".

Yang Xiaobing poked half his head in through the doorway. "Commander?"

"Go to the archives and retrieve the document on seawater desalination. Also, find a few people who have experience in engineering to come with me to Zhoushan."

Yang Xiaobing was taken aback. "To Zhoushan? Now?"

"Now."

The ship departed from Ningbo and tossed and turned at sea for six hours. He Yuzhu leaned against the gunwale, looking out at the sea. The sky was hazy, the waves were large, and the bow of the ship bobbed up and down, splashing seawater onto his face, salty and pungent. Yang Xiaobing squatted beside him, his face pale, his hands gripping the gunwale, his knuckles turning blue. He swallowed, then swallowed again, suppressing the surging saliva. Old Lu stood at the stern, legs spread apart, swaying with the ship, as if he were an extension of the deck.

The guide was Staff Officer Lin from the base, his face tanned a dark red, and he spoke with a heavy Ningbo accent. He pointed to a dark dot ahead. "Chief He, it's over there. The outermost island."

The black dot drew closer. The houses on the island were gray and low, clinging to the hillside. The dock was small, its concrete surface pitted and scarred by the waves, with moss growing in the cracks. As the boat docked, several soldiers ran over to help tie the mooring lines. They wore blue work clothes, the cuffs frayed, their faces dark red and tanned, their lips chapped, and some had white patches on their lip.

He Yuzhu jumped ashore and followed Staff Officer Lin uphill. The path was paved with gravel, and low shrubs grew on both sides, swaying precariously in the sea breeze, their leaves yellowed and curled up. Halfway up the mountain, there was a row of bungalows with gray brick walls and small windows. Further up, there was a small, cement-lined reservoir. Several cracks ran along the cement platform beside the reservoir, and moss grew from the cracks. A soldier squatted by the reservoir, scooping water with half a gourd ladle. He scooped half a ladle, looked at it, and then poured the other half back in.

Staff Officer Lin opened his mouth, but didn't speak immediately. After taking a few steps, he spoke, his voice low.

"Hey, on this island... to be honest, water is more precious than cannonballs." He pointed to the reservoir. "With this little bit of water, if you drink sparingly, it can last a week. But if the waves are high and the boats can't come, you can only drink until you're half full."

He paused, then added, "The soldiers never complained."

He Yuzhu didn't speak. He walked to the reservoir and squatted down to look. The water was murky, but he could see the bottom, where mud lay. He stood up and turned to look at the sea. The sky was hazy, and the sea was hazy too; he couldn't tell where the sea ended and the sky began. The wind was strong, making his clothes flutter and letting in a chilly draft into his collar.

Where will the dilution station be built?

Staff Officer Lin pointed to a flat area at the foot of the mountain. "There. It's close to the sea, the ground is solid, and it doesn't need much treatment."

He Yuzhu walked over and stepped on it. There were many hard, loose stones, so he couldn't dig very deep. He squatted down, took the blueprint from Yang Xiaobing, spread it on a rock, and drew a few lines on it with a pencil.

"The equipment is here. Pipelines are laid from the sea to the desalination station. Cables are run from the barracks and buried underground. The water tanks are built behind the station, lined with cement to prevent seepage. It produces fifty tons of water a day, enough for the whole island."

Staff Officer Lin squatted down beside him, looking at the blueprints and tracing lines with his finger. "Commander He, where did this equipment come from?"

"We'll source from Beijing. The materials will also be sourced from Beijing. The construction team will also be sourced from Beijing. You just need to prepare the site, and get the water pipes, cables, and equipment foundations in place."

Staff Officer Lin nodded. "Alright. We'll get ready."

On the ship back to Beijing, He Yuzhu leaned against the railing, watching the island grow smaller and smaller until it became a dot and disappeared below the horizon. Yang Xiaobing squatted beside him, no longer seasick, writing something in a notebook. Old Lu stood at the stern, hands behind his back, motionless.

The equipment shipment was proving more complicated than expected. Tianjin Port said they couldn't spare any cranes and it would take three days. He Yuzhu hung up and dialed another number, calling the Navy Logistics Department. They said they could help, but procedures had to be followed. He Yuzhu said to proceed with the procedures first, and send the equipment first. There was a moment of silence on the other end, then they agreed.

On the day the construction team arrived on the island, the wind and waves suddenly picked up. The barge rocked at the dock for over an hour before finally reaching the shore. The equipment boxes were covered with tarpaulins, which were soaked through by the waves, water dripping down. Yang Xiaobing stood on the dock directing operations, his voice hoarse from shouting. A wooden box had been hit by the ship's side during hoisting, cracking at one corner. Yang Xiaobing ran over, lifted the tarpaulin to check. Inside was a water pump; the outer casing had a dent, but it wasn't damaged. He breathed a sigh of relief, touched the dent, and covered the box with the tarpaulin again.