Courtyard House: I Rely on Time-Space Trade to Build a Nation

The train stopped at Hami Station on the afternoon of the fourth day.

Looking out the train window, Li Zhenying saw that the platform was larger than any she had seen before, bustling with people carrying large and small bags. Some were calling out, others were moving things; although it was somewhat chaotic, upon closer inspection, it was also orderly.

"Get off! Get off! Everyone get off!" the translator shouted from inside the truck. "Change to a truck, everyone get on!"

The female workers carried their bundles and lined up to walk down the street.

Kim Hee followed behind Lee Jin-young and asked softly, "Unnie, where are we?"

"New province," Lee Jin-young replied.

These past two days, Ye Juan has frequently called me over to learn about the precautions, and I've learned a lot about the situation, such as why I and these female workers are here, what we need to do, and that everyone receives a salary...

His management position had also been changed to platoon leader, which was arranged by the regimental commander.

I was originally going to be assigned to be the company commander, but I declined. I found out from the regimental commander that...

If I become a company commander, any female worker who tries to escape will be punished.

As for the female worker who ran away, he certainly couldn't do what the company commander did—draw his gun and shoot immediately.

So Ye Juan finally made the decision and gave herself the position of platoon leader.

Jin Xi responded with an "oh," not knowing where Xin Province was.

More than a dozen military trucks were parked outside the platform, covered completely by green tarpaulins.

The female workers were herded into the truck bed by the company commander, two shifts per truck, crammed together to sit.

The truck started up much more steadily than the truck before it was loaded onto the train.

Li Zhenying leaned against the side of the vehicle, watching the Gobi Desert rushing past the window.

The sky was very blue, the clouds were very low, and the distant mountain shadows were faintly visible. Unlike my hometown, the vastness of the world here made me feel uneasy.

Jinxi leaned on her shoulder, drifting off to sleep.

The car drove for more than two hours.

When Lee Jin-young jumped out of the car and saw what was in front of her, she was stunned.

A brand new building.

Row after row, neat and tidy.

The building is grayish-white, four stories high, and the window glass sparkles in the sunlight.

In front of the building was a smooth, gray road. Ye Juan had told herself that this color was called a cement road.

The road the trucks used to travel on was called an asphalt road. The cement road was very wide, wide enough for four trucks to drive side by side.

Trees are planted along the roadside, and the saplings have just been planted and are supported by wooden sticks.

It was completely different from the "factory" she had imagined.

There were no ruins, no bomb craters, no charred wood. Only new, clean, and unfamiliar things.

A translator arranged by the Agricultural Reclamation Corps was shouting nearby, "Everyone, don't just stand there! Line up here, get your things first, then we'll assign you dormitories!"

The female workers then came to their senses, lined up behind the Corps translator, and walked inside.

Li Zhenying walked along, looking around. The cement road was flat and smooth, and felt hard underfoot.

Unlike the roads in my hometown, which are all muddy after it rains.

There was a sign hanging at the entrance of the dormitory building, but she couldn't understand what it said.

Walking in, the corridor was brightly lit, with doors on both sides.

"Eight people per room!" The translator pointed to the number on the door. "In order, once eight people are in the room, we move on to the next one."

Lee Jin-young and Kim Hee were assigned to room 206.

They pushed open the door, and the inside was better than they had imagined.

There were eight bunk beds, each covered with brand-new straw mats. The windows were large, letting in plenty of sunlight and making the room bright and airy.

"This...this is for us to stay in?" Kim Hee asked softly.

Li Zhenying didn't say anything, but went inside and touched the bed. The straw mat was soft and had a fresh, dry hay scent.

Someone outside shouted, "Time to collect your stuff! Everyone stand at the door and collect your stuff!"

They ran out and stood at the door again.

The corps translator led over a group of soldiers carrying large and small bags of supplies.

Everyone received a bunch of stuff:

A set of bedding and pillows

Four sets of summer work clothes, two pairs of work shoes, and even some underwear and socks were provided.

An enamel basin containing a toothbrush, toothpaste, two towels, a bath towel, shampoo, laundry detergent, and a bar of soap.

The corps translator shouted an explanation:

"Those distributed on the bus are for use on the road. These are yours. It doesn't matter if you lose those on the bus, the new ones are all here."

After you collect your things, go back to your dorm and unpack. You have half an hour. We'll go to the cafeteria for lunch in half an hour...

Jinxi held the pile of things, her eyes wide with surprise: "Sis, so much... is it all for us?"

Li Zhenying nodded. Ye Juan had told her that all daily necessities would be provided here.

She looked down at the thing in her hand.

The towel was white and soft, the soap had a faint fragrance, and the shampoo was something she had never seen before.

Back in her dorm, Jinxi laid out her things one by one on her bed, looking at them again and again, reluctant to put them away.

The bathroom is inside the dormitory, with white ceramic tiles, and it's as clean as a hospital room.

A squat toilet, a sink, and a tin showerhead hung on the wall.

The translator followed them in, glanced around, and pointed out, "The bathroom has hot water 24 hours a day. As long as it doesn't interfere with your work, you can shower whenever you want."

Kim Hee reached out and touched the showerhead, then pulled her hand back, asking the translator, "This...how do I use it?"

The translator taught them how to turn on the tap and adjust the water temperature. Kim Hee listened attentively, and Lee Jin-young took notes beside her.

On the balcony, a row of iron grilles, painted silver-white, stood against the wall.

Lee Jin-young had never seen it before, so she looked at it a couple more times out of curiosity.

The translator from the Production and Construction Corps saw this and explained to Li Zhenying with a smile.

"Those are radiators. They get warm in winter, making the whole building warm. It's like when you burn firewood, but this is central heating."

"Centralized heating?" Li Zhenying didn't understand.

"You don't need to burn it yourselves," the translator said. "You'll see when the time comes."

After putting their things away, the Corps translator took them to see the public facilities.

There were several machines in the laundry room, bigger than washbasins, cylindrical in shape, with the lids open.

The translator said that was a washing machine, and that we could come here to do laundry in the future.

"How do you use it?" someone asked.

The translator said, "I'll teach you later, no rush."

The medical facility was on the first floor, with four or five rooms. The doors were open, and you could see white sheets and medicine bottles in the cabinets inside. The translator said, "If you feel unwell, come here. There are doctors and nurses; the treatment is free."

Lee Jin-young stood at the door for a long time.

"Remember," the corps translator said, "don't suffer in silence, come see a doctor if you're sick."

At dinner time, they were taken to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was even bigger than the dormitory building, with rows of long tables and benches, all full of people.

The aroma of food wafted over, and Li Zhenying and the others' stomachs began to rumble.

buffet.

A row of more than a dozen large basins, steaming hot, were placed on the long table.

Braised pork belly, stewed ribs, braised chicken pieces, meatballs—she counted, there were four main meat dishes.

There were also green pepper and pork slices, minced pork and eggplant, and two or three small meat dishes on the side.

There were also three or four vegetarian dishes: stir-fried bok choy, shredded potatoes, and bean sprouts. There was a large pot of soup, and you could scoop as much as you wanted.

The staple food was steamed buns, a mixture of cornmeal and wheat flour, golden yellow in color, piled up like a small mountain.

The translator from the Production and Construction Corps called out from the side, "Come over here and get a tray. Eat as much as you want, it's unlimited! But remember, don't overeat! Eat slowly, your health is important!"

Li Zhenying stood in front of the large basins, holding a plate, unsure how much to scoop.

A female worker nearby scooped up a small spoonful of braised pork, which was seen by the Corps translator, who smiled and spoke.

"Take as much as you want! Start eating, and come back if you're still hungry! But remember not to overeat! You can also take a portion of each, try it first, and come back for more if you like it."

Li Zhenying gritted her teeth, scooped up a large spoonful of braised pork, made a meatball, and finally a spoonful of stir-fried bok choy. She also took two steamed buns and found a place to sit down.

Jin Xi followed suit and ordered a few dishes. The two of them followed the instructions of the corps translator and found an empty table to sit down. Soon, the female workers in Li Zhenying's platoon followed suit and sat around her. None of them touched their chopsticks and silently watched Li Zhenying. It was clear that they had developed a basic habit during the few days on the train.

"Eat!" Li Zhenying shouted, imitating the company commander, after everyone had sat down. The female workers quickly picked up their chopsticks and spoons.

They began to wolf down their food. Although the meals on the train were unlike anything they had ever seen before, the food in the canteen was clearly a step above. In particular, the aroma of braised pork was incredibly enticing to these female workers who had just eaten their fill for three days.

Lee Jin-young also couldn't wait to pick up a piece of braised pork, the moment it entered her mouth.

Tender, flavorful, and rich but not greasy.

The satisfaction brought by the fat and sweetness almost made Lee Jin-young cry.

Jinxi sat opposite her, engrossed in her food, without even looking up.

After the meal, the translator from the Production and Construction Corps arranged for everyone to wash the dishes, and then reminded them again: "If you feel unwell in the future, be sure to go to the clinic. Don't suffer in silence."

At 7 p.m., the female workers were gathered together again and taken to a large room.

The room was like a classroom, with a blackboard, desks, and chairs. They were assigned in rows, with over forty people in each room, exactly one row.

The translator from the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps told everyone that this was a classroom where they would learn Chinese and characters. Once everyone could read, write, and communicate fluently, the entire factory area would be open to them.

A young female teacher, in her early twenties, stood on the podium. She had her hair in a braid and a beautiful smile.

The teacher wrote several symbols on the blackboard, pointed to the first one, and said:

"This is pronounced 'a'."

"a——"

The others followed along sparsely.

The teacher wrote a second one.

"o——"

"o——"

Lee Jin-young stared at the symbols, feeling that they looked somewhat familiar.

When she was little, her father taught her a few Chinese phrases, but he never taught her these symbols.

The teacher led the reading again and again, correcting the students each time. Gradually, the voices became synchronized.

"a——o——e——i——u——ü——"

As she read, Li Zhenying suddenly thought of her father.

When her father tried to teach her Chinese, she never wanted to learn.

Her father didn't force her; he would just say a few words occasionally and have her repeat them.

Later, war broke out, my father passed away, and I forgot most of what he said.

Now someone is teaching her again.

Lying in her dormitory bed that night, Li Zhenying couldn't fall asleep no matter what she did.

Jinxi was sleeping opposite her, already snoring loudly. The sisters on the next bed turned over, making a rustling sound in the blankets.

There was light coming in through the window.

She remembered what Sister Liu had said on the train:

"This thing is very common here now."

She thought of the mountains of steamed buns piled high in the cafeteria, the braised pork, the clean restrooms that looked like a hospital, and that iron thing called a "radiator".

She didn't know if the radiators would actually get warm in winter.

But she knew that from this moment on, she really wanted to live here forever...