A Tale of Two Cities Supporting Xinjiang

For the next two weeks, Li Chao could be seen every day on the ridges of the fields in Jiulian, arriving earlier and leaving later than the farmers in the fields.

As dawn broke and it was still pitch black outside, Li Chao carried a shovel and went out.

The dew on the ground was so heavy that it could soak through his clothes. He trudged along the ridges, his trouser legs quickly getting wet. The icy dew climbed up his trouser legs, making his calves numb and stiff as if they were tied to an iron plate.

But he didn't care at all. He squatted in the sapling patch, checking the soil moisture of each tree one by one. He dug up the soil with a shovel, inserted his fingers into the soil to feel the moisture, and muttered to himself, "This patch is a bit dry, I need to water it quickly; that patch is too wet, it's easy for the roots to rot, I need to loosen the soil."

After checking everything, he carried a shovel to draw water, digging irrigation ditches along the field ridges to bring the river water to the roots of the saplings, watering each one thoroughly. By the time he finished all this, it was already broad daylight, and his back was soaked with sweat, which mixed with dew and felt chillingly cold.

The midday sun was like a fireball, baking the ground until it was scorching hot, and the air was filled with heat waves.

Wearing an old straw hat, Li Chao loosened the soil around the saplings and applied layer after layer of sunscreen, which had long since lost its effectiveness. His cheeks were sunburned and eventually peeled off, revealing fine cracks on his dark skin. It hurt terribly whenever he sweated.

When villagers passed by and saw Li Chao working so hard, they couldn't help but advise him, "Cadre Li, it's so hot, take a break before you continue."

Li Chao wiped the sweat from his face, beads of sweat dripping down his chin. "It's okay, I'm used to it."

"Let me warn you, you need to be prepared. Don't be fooled by how much you're putting in now; there's no guarantee you'll reap the rewards in the future."

"Don't worry, these are cold-resistant seedlings, there won't be any problems," Li Chao replied confidently.

As Uncle Simayi Maimaiti passed by, he joked, "Cadre Li, you take better care of these saplings than you would your own children! They're really lucky to have them in your hands."

Li Chao wiped his sweat and replied with a smile, "These saplings are my precious treasures, I have to keep a close eye on them! The land in Jiulian is suitable for growing fruit trees. Once they grow up, they will bring income to everyone, so it will be worth it no matter how hard or tiring it is."

But trouble came knocking just a few days later. A sudden cold snap caused many saplings to wilt, and some even withered completely.

When Li Chao saw this scene, his heart sank to the bottom.

He squatted on the ground, carefully examining the withered saplings, his fingers trembling. His heart was filled with anxiety and pain: "How could this happen? We've already covered them with insulating film, how could they still not hold up?"

The news quickly reached the villagers' ears, and many began to discuss it.

"I knew these saplings wouldn't survive. How can fruit trees grow on the land of the Ninth Company? Cadre Li is just wasting his time!"

"So much time and energy wasted, and in the end it all came to nothing?"

Several villagers even approached Li Chao, their tone filled with discontent: "Officer Li, if all these saplings die, won't we be taking over our land for nothing? We'd be better off planting crops!"

Uncle Sima Yi Maimaiti also advised Li Chao: "Cadre Li, why don't you give up? The Ninth Company has been farming for generations. Growing fruit trees is really not easy. Don't end up putting in a lot of effort for nothing."

Looking at the villagers who were questioning him, Li Chao gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, everyone. The withering of the saplings is only temporary, and the cold is also an unexpected situation. I have checked the information, and as long as we take timely measures, most of the saplings can survive."

In the following days, Li Chao worked even harder.

Since there wasn't much to do here, he would go to the field before dawn every day to cover the saplings with double layers of insulation film. At noon, when the sun was shining, he would uncover the film to allow ventilation, and then quickly cover it back up in the afternoon.

To supplement the saplings with nutrients, he even went to the county town to buy organic fertilizer and applied it to the roots of each sapling, ignoring the fact that his fingers were burned white by the fertilizer.

But problems arose one after another: there wasn't enough organic fertilizer, and the agricultural supply stores in the county town were out of stock, with a two-week wait before they could restock.

"What can we do? Without organic fertilizer, even if the saplings survive the cold, they won't grow well!"

Li Chao was frantic, frantically searching through his phone contacts, asking around to find out where he could buy organic fertilizer.

Just when he was at his wit's end, Uncle Simayi Maimaiti found him, holding a cloth bag in his hand: "Cadre Li, this is sheep manure that I have collected in my sheep pen. Although it is not as effective as organic fertilizer, it is still good fertilizer. You can take it and use it first. If it is not enough, I will mobilize the villagers to contribute more."

"Uncle, how could I possibly accept this?"

"You're so concerned about the saplings for our Ninth Company, how can we watch you worry?"

Uncle Simayi Maimaiti said with a smile, "I have already told the villagers, and everyone is willing to bring out sheep manure and chicken manure from their homes to help you save these saplings."

Soon, the villagers arrived at the field carrying bags of farmyard manure. Some helped fertilize, while others helped check the insulation film. The previous doubts disappeared.

Looking at the scene before him, Li Chao was deeply moved. He exclaimed, "Thank you everyone! With your help, these saplings will definitely survive! Once they bear fruit, we'll all share the profits!"

The villagers laughed along, saying, "Officer Li, we believe in you. With your dedication, you're sure to succeed!"

Winter in Shihezi never gives people a chance to recover; strong cold waves arrive suddenly.

That night, the wind rattled the windows of Li Chao's mud house, tearing a large hole in the plastic sheet covering the window frame. The icy wind rushed in instantly, carrying dust and snow particles that stung his face.

Li Chao's mind was filled with thoughts of the saplings that had just been planted in the field. They had only just taken root, and their root systems were not yet firmly established. Could they withstand this sudden cold snap?

The insulation blankets we used before looked sturdy, but will they be blown away by strong winds?

Thoughts swirled in his mind. At four in the morning, he could no longer contain himself. He jumped up, hastily put on two down jackets, tying the collars and cuffs tightly, put on thick felt boots, wrapped a scarf around his neck three times, leaving only his eyes showing, grabbed a flashlight, and rushed out the door.

As soon as he pushed open the door, a biting cold wind, mixed with stones and snowflakes, pierced his face, neck, and cuffs, causing him to wince in pain and tears to well up in his eyes.

When you breathe, the white breath you exhale instantly turns into ice crystals.

After walking only a few steps, a thin layer of white frost formed on my eyelashes and eyebrows, and even the nose hairs in my nostrils were frozen stiff. It hurt to breathe even a little, so I could only breathe in small gasps.