A Tale of Two Cities Supporting Xinjiang

On the day the loan was approved, Aihemaiti held the bank card, his hand trembling slightly.

He was the first to approach Ding Xuemin, his throat tightening: "Director Ding... the money has arrived."

She didn't say much, but her eyes were a little red.

This money wasn't just cash; it represented his weighty trust, which had finally been realized.

Without delay, he immediately hired people and bought materials, tidying up his greenhouse inside and out.

The patch is gone, the leaks have been sealed up, and two more surveillance cameras have been installed, so we can see every corner of the pond.

Standing under the brand-new greenhouse, looking at the lively crabs in the water, which were noticeably larger than those in other farms, Aihemaiti's initial apprehension completely turned into enthusiasm.

He deliberately stopped Ding Xuemin after work and said frankly, "Director Ding, if there's any work to be done here in the future, whether it's for renovation or manual labor, please don't hesitate to call me first! I'll be there whenever you need me."

Within two days, the news had spread throughout the staff.

"See that? Old Ai's greenhouse is as bright as a new car now!"

"The key is the crabs! I went to see them, and they were so energetic, wow..."

"The loan guaranteed by Director Ding is no joke; it really solves the problem."

When the news reached the ears of those employees who had been hesitant about taking out a loan due to financial difficulties at home, it took on a different meaning.

Originally, I was afraid of not being able to repay the loan and of taking risks, but now there are living examples right in front of me. Aihemaiti's pond is the best example of a bad investment.

The next day, Lao Wang and the other two households rubbed their hands together and found Ding Xuemin's office door with embarrassed smiles on their faces.

"Director Ding...we'd like to ask about that loan in more detail."

"With my child in school, money is tight; I hadn't dared to think about this before..."

Ding Xuemin didn't waste any words and put down what he was doing: "Let's go to the credit union now, I'll explain the situation to them for you."

He led his team, running around helping people fill out forms and explaining the prospects of greenhouse farming and their renovation plans. With his expertise and role as project leader as a guarantor, the credit union's efficiency improved considerably.

Although the process still had to be done according to the rules, seeing that there was hope, the gloom on Lao Wang and the others' faces dissipated considerably.

All of this was silently observed by Abujiang Tursun.

He was initially the most unconvinced, always feeling that Ding Xuemin was just wasting his time and that his efforts were all show and no substance.

But after these past few months, observing from the sidelines, I simply can't find any fault with it.

The loan came through, the greenhouse was built, and the crabs... really did grow even better.

Especially Aihemaiti's pond, it was like a resounding slap in the face to his previous sarcastic remarks.

The unease he felt, like a blockage of ice, slowly melted away in the face of tangible benefits and changes.

That afternoon, everyone gathered at Aihemaiti's pond to exchange experiences, and they were talking enthusiastically about temperature control.

Abujiang stood outside the crowd for a while with his hands behind his back, then suddenly cleared his throat and spoke:

"Simply monitoring the temperature isn't enough."

His voice wasn't loud, but with that old-fashioned confidence, it immediately drew everyone's attention.

Ding Xuemin turned to look at him, but didn't say anything, waiting for him to continue.

Abujiang walked to the front and pointed to the roof and inner walls of the shed: "This shed is well sealed, so the temperature has gone up, but the moisture can't escape."

In winter, the humidity is high, and when the temperature inside the shed rises, it becomes as stuffy as a public bathhouse.

Crabs thrive in damp environments, which easily breed bacteria and cause disease outbreaks—a much bigger problem than inaccurate temperature control!

His words immediately enlightened everyone.

Everyone was so focused on the thermometer that they didn't really think about the humidity.

"Then... Brother Abujiang, do you have any ideas?" someone quickly asked.

Seeing that everyone was really listening, Abujiang straightened his back a little and poured out all the folk methods and observations he had figured out over the years: "Ventilation requires a clever touch; it can't just be about lowering the temperature."

When ventilating at midday, make sure to choose a time when the outside humidity is low.

Sprinkle some quicklime in the shed to absorb moisture, but don't use too much, or it will burn the shell.

It would be best to get a few hygrometers and hang them up, just like the temperature meter, and record the readings!

He paused, glanced at Ding Xuemin, and said, "I think the notebook that Director Ding made is quite good."

Add another column to record humidity.

Ding Xuemin immediately nodded: "This suggestion is crucial."

Master Abujiang is right; humidity control is essential.

We'll add the humidity data to the records now.

Seeing that his experience had been adopted, Abujiang's face showed a hint of barely perceptible relief.

That wasn't the end of it. The next day, someone saw him carrying a toolbox to Old Wang's new shed. Old Wang's family was poor, and some parts of the shed were rudimentary.

Abujiang inspected the inside and outside, reinforcing what needed to be reinforced and resealing what needed to be sealed, working diligently all morning.

Feeling bad about it, Old Wang offered him cigarettes and water.

Abujiang waved his hand, his face still bearing that stiff expression, but his words were honest: "If the equipment isn't set up properly, what's the point of controlling the temperature and humidity?"

Take good care of your crabs. Once you've sold them at the end of the year, treat me to a proper meal.

From that day on, Abujiang changed completely.

They went from being indifferent observers in the opposition to becoming more enthusiastic pragmatists than anyone else.

If anyone's shed has a minor problem, he'll step in and help fix it; when encountering technical issues, he'll proactively discuss them with Ding Xuemin, combining his old experience with new techniques.

Ding Xuemin was pleased with the outcome and frequently affirmed Abujiang's experience in front of everyone.

Abujiang still doesn't talk much, but when he directs people to work and shares his tips, his leadership spirit is slowly emerging.

The atmosphere inside the shed had changed again without us even realizing it.

Previously, he learned to chant scriptures from Ding Xuemin, an outsider monk. Now, Abujiang, a local master, has also joined in. The old and the young, the new and the old, have combined their efforts into one.