Travelers know how vast the world is.

- Turkish proverb

On the first night, they stayed in Wuerhe, a small town on the Gobi Desert in Karamay.

Gong Lamei vomited all the food she ate during the day due to motion sickness. In the evening, she was still not very comfortable and didn't want to eat, so she asked Niu Jianxin to go to the restaurant with Wang Minghua to eat.

Niu Jianxin eats tasteless noodles in a small restaurant, and he can always smell a pungent smell. He asked Wang Minghua, "Auntie, what kind of strange smell is this?" Smells bad! ”

Wang Minghua pointed to a pile of black stones next to the stove and replied with a smile: "This is the smell of burning coal in the stove." ”

Niu Jianxin's eyes widened, staring at the pile of black stones called coal, and wondered in his heart: I only know that reeds, wheat stalks, corn stalks, and sunflower stalks can be used to make a fire for cooking. Such a black stone can also be used to make a fire?

The next night, the shuttle bus continued on the boundless Gobi Desert. From time to time, there are kowtow machines on the side of the road that "kowtow" and suck underground oil.

A passenger who has seen the world took the opportunity to introduce the situation in Karamay:

"Karamay is a big oil field in our country. Karamay is a Uyghur word meaning black oil.

Karamay's oil resources were discovered early and have a long history of exploitation. In 1909, the Xinjiang General Administration of Commerce drilled the first industrial oil well in Dushanzi, Wusu County, opening a precedent for Xinjiang's modern petroleum industry. From 1936 to 1943, Xinjiang cooperated with the Soviet Union in oil exploration and refining in Dushanzi, making the Dushanzi Oil Mine one of the three major oil mines on a par with Yumen in Gansu and Yanchang in Shaanxi at that time.

On June 14, 1955, the 1219 youth drilling team of the drilling department of the Dushanzi Mining Bureau, composed of 36 employees of 8 nationalities, marched into Karamay, and drilled at the site of the No. 1 well 5.5 kilometers southeast of Heiyou Mountain, and on October 29, the No. 1 well came out of oil, marking the discovery of the Karamay Oilfield, the first large oilfield after the founding of New China--- and unveiling the prelude to the great development of Xinjiang's petroleum industry.

Niu Jianxin asked curiously: "Uncle, the oil is black, why are the fried cakes golden?" ”

The passengers in the full carriage laughed when they heard Niu Jianxin's childish words.

Gong Lamei told Niu Jianxin: "The oil cakes are fried in clear oil. Oil cannot be eaten, gasoline and diesel can be refined. The car we were in was running on gasoline. ”

Niu Jianxin suddenly realized: "So that's the case." ”

The shuttle bus travels almost all day in the narrow Karamay area. Outside the window, in addition to the oil derrick, is the Gobi Desert, which makes people drowsy.

In the evening, they stayed in a small town called 72 kilometers near Kuitun. The place turned out to be a wasteland with no name. The soldiers of the Corps have worked hard to reclaim the land and turn the ancient wasteland into 10,000 acres of fertile land. Since it is 72 kilometers away from Dushanzi, the starting point of the Dushanzi-Karamay highway, the soldiers of the Corps gave it such an interesting name.

After a three-day journey, the shuttle bus they took finally drove into the Nianzigou bus station in Urumqi.

After they got off the bus, they hired a rickshaw, pulled up their luggage and Niu Jianxin, and immediately went to find the Xinjiang Grain Bureau to exchange the Xinjiang grain stamps in their hands for national grain stamps. Only with the national food stamp can you buy food in restaurants in the mainland.

After exchanging food stamps, they came to the Urumqi railway station in the southern suburbs.

After waiting in line for more than 1 hour in the crowded ticket hall, they finally bought their train tickets. However, the train does not go directly to Lanzhou, but has to change trains in Liuyuan. They then deposited their luggage at the locker and planned to go to the Qiyi Textile Factory in the eastern suburbs to stay at the brother's house of Wang Minghua's husband.

On that day, I don't know what happened to the buses in Urumu.

They had to walk there. They searched the streets asking for directions while looking around. When passing by a building that looked like a gate of heaven in the city center, Niu Jianxin excitedly shouted: "Look, little Beijing!" Little Beijing! ”

Tianmen is a landmark building in the capital city of Beijing and a symbol of Beijing. Niu Jianxin will sing the song "I Love Beijing Tianmen". He knew that the Heavenly Gate of Beijing was inhabited by great leaders. His heart was filled with infinite admiration and sacred feelings for Tianmen and Beijing.

They walked for an entire afternoon and found the Qiyi Textile Factory in the northeastern suburbs of Urumqi. After entering the door of the relative's house, the three of them were so tired that they all sat down in their chairs, and they didn't want to say a word again.

A few days later, they boarded a train to Willow Garden.

Looking at the green body moving forward on the ground and the neat seats in the carriage, Niu Jianxin's curiosity is exactly the same as Niu Wanshan and Ma Yumin, who took the train for the first time 10 years ago. He sat quietly in his seat for almost five minutes, either rushing to the front of the train or to the back of the last carriage to observe the fading scenery, and then leaning on the edge of the window, counting the flashing telephone poles.

At night, Gong Lamei spread a piece of paper shell under the seat and let Niu Jianxin, who was so sleepy that he couldn't open his eyes, sleep on it.

It was 1 a.m. when we arrived at Willow Garden. Gong Lamei woke up the sleeping Niu Jianxin, asked him to carry a small bag, and followed the passengers off the train.

Liuyuan Town is located in the northwest of Anxi County, Gansu Province, east of Jiayu Xiongguan, west of Xinjiang Hami, south of the famous tourist city of Dunhuang, north of Subei Horsehair Mountain, is a land transportation hub connecting Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang and Tibet 4 provinces and regions.

The name of the willow garden is derived from the red willow garden. Hongliuyuan is 8 kilometers southwest of Liuyuan, which is the name of a post station in ancient times. It is said that at that time, there was a lush red willow growing there, and the officials who inspected the construction of the station named the place Red Willow Garden.

In 1958, the Lanxin Railway was opened to Liuyuan, and the Ministry of Railways set up a station here, taking the name of Hongliuyuan and giving up Hongtuo Liuyuan, which was called Liuyuan Railway Station. In 1962, when the town was established, it was officially named Liuyuan Town.

Niu Jianxin followed the people in front of him in a daze, crossed a few railroad tracks, and then got on another train, and then fell on the paper shell and continued to sleep.

After 3 days and 3 nights of travel, the train they took was like a slow old cow, swaying to Lanzhou.

They didn't have much trouble in Lanzhou. Wang Minghua's sister, who lives and works in Lanzhou, came to meet them at the station and arranged for them to live in her own home in Xiaoxihu.

This is a peculiar unit family home. Unlike other family homes, which are neatly arranged, there are houses facing each other from the east, west, north and south, forming a large square. In the middle of the square is a small garden with red flowers and green grass.

I heard the old man in the courtyard say that before the liberation, this was the private house of a large family, and a Kuomintang officer named Niu Hehai lived there. After the liberation, the state confiscated the mansion, made it the property of the people, and converted it into a family home for the unit.

After listening to the introduction of the old people, Gong Lamei carefully observed the compound, searching hard for something in her mind. However, she didn't say anything.

Due to the drought and lack of rain in Xinjiang, in order to save materials and make it convenient to dry melons and fruits, most of the houses are built with flat roofs. Even in places where there is a little more rain, the roof of the house is only built in the shape of a slope, and there is no need to lay tiles on the roof. Niu Jianxin looked at the large and small tiled houses in Lanzhou City, and felt very fresh and interesting, as if he had come to a mysterious and peculiar world.

Lanzhou in November, the sun is shining and the air is fresh. The wide avenue is lined with tall poplar trees. The grass is half dark green and half light yellow. There are large pears on the fruit stall that you can't eat in a single meal. All these in front of him made Niu Jianxin feel the infinite charm of Lanzhou. Because at this moment, Xinjiang is already covered in snow and cold and windy winter.

He remembered in his mind the land where his ancestors once lived and the beautiful provincial capital of Lanzhou.

They stayed in Xiaoxihu for two days, and then parted ways on the spot. Wang Minghua took the train and continued eastward to his hometown of Shanghai. Gong Lamei and Niu Jianxin got on the train and turned west, heading west to Gong Lamei's hometown of Ledu County in Qinghai Province.

The employees of the Xinjiang Construction Corps are all young immigrants from Guannai, and their family and social relations are very simple. Children call older men uncles, older women aunts, and they know a rough idea of grandfathers, grandmothers, uncles, and aunts, and it is almost impossible to figure out what cousins, cousins, cousins, and cousins.

Niu Jianxin met his grandmother (grandmother) Wang Tianying in Ledu. However, Wang Tianying's appearance does not match the image of his grandmother in his mind.

She wears a black semi-new cross-placket on her upper body, and a pair of old-fashioned pants that are also black at the top and thin at the bottom. Wrapping the deformed little feet, he wears a pair of new black cotton shoes. The skin on the face is white and red. The red capillaries are clearly visible. A pair of small sharp eyes revealed a stern expression.

Gong Lamei couldn't help but shed tears because she hadn't seen her mother and siblings for many years.

Wang Tianying quickly glared at her little eyes and said crisply: "Everyone is fine." What are you crying about? ”

Wang Tianying's personality is strong, short-tempered, and strong-hearted. Judging from the personalities of the six children raised by her and Gong Guoyuan, Gong Lamei and her elder brother Lian Chao, younger brother Lian Gui, younger sister Yingchun and Qiu Ju are introverted, patient and silent, and inherit their father's temperament. Only the third daughter, Xia He, has a pungent style, dares to speak and do, and follows Wang Tianying's character.

Wang Tianying often boasts that her heart is as spacious as the Qaidam Basin, and she has never had the idea of covering her children around her.

She said disapprerovingly: "The old hen is just carrying a flock of chicks." Nau are people. If you are a human being, you should travel all over the world and make the world your home. ”

As her old man said, her eldest son Gong Lianchao settled in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, the eldest daughter Gong Lamei was far away in Xinjiang outside Yumen Pass, the second daughter Gong Yingchun married across the province to Jingyuan County in Gansu Province, the third daughter Gong Xiahe did not go out of the province, but also married to Haomen Farm in the north of Qinghai Province, and the fourth daughter Gong Qiuju did not break the curse of marrying far away and married to Xinjiang County, Shanxi Province. Only the youngest son, Gong Liangui, ended up living by her side.

Back then, Wang Tianying was unable to raise his youngest son because of his poor health, so he gave Lian Gui to his mother's relative Wang Cripple, who did not give birth. But the good times didn't last long, Lian Gui's adoptive mother and Wang Cripple's wife suddenly gave birth to a son, and since then he has been bad for Lian Gui, who is not his own, and beating and scolding have become commonplace.

The neighbors saw that Xiao Liangui was really pitiful, so they told him enthusiastically in private: "Your own mother is outside the east gate." You'd better go find your own mother.

So, Lian Gui ran back to his biological mother Wang Tianying's house, and he didn't want to return to Wang Cripple's house anymore. At a young age, he has already become a loner and has a very autistic personality.

Gong Lamei's elder brother and several younger sisters returned to Ledu from Sichuan, Gansu, Shanxi and Haomen Farms respectively. The brothers and sisters of the Gong family finally achieved a reunion after 23 years of separation. They excitedly reunited at the home of their eldest brother in Chengdu after 4 years

Gong Xiahe proudly took a family photo of his family for everyone to enjoy.

Gong Lianchao unexpectedly discovered that Xia He's husband, that is, his brother-in-law, turned out to be Chen Xiaoshan, the volunteer soldier who guarded the Yalu River Bridge back then!

Niu Jianxin is very naughty and very curious about his grandmother's things, especially the clay kang that emits heat. He was bouncing around and singing songs on it.

Wang Tianying is usually used to staying alone quietly, and she doesn't like the noise of children very much. She saw that Niu Jianxin was active and naughty, so she grabbed a bamboo ruler board beside her, hit him on his feet quickly, and scolded in her mouth: "You wild doll in Xinjiang, how about jumping?" Knocked down the heat pit of Nau! ”

Niu Jianxin, who was beaten, covered his sore feet while looking at Wang Tianying with strange eyes: Grandma is the one who tells stories to her grandchildren to sleep, and she is the kindest and kindest relative. How could my grandmother look like a vicious landlord mother-in-law?

Once, Wang Tianying said to Niu Jianxin with an inexplicable smile on his face: "Your abba surname is Niu, right?" Then he's the big brother of all of us. ”

Coincidentally, an old scalper suddenly crashed open the gate of Wang Tianying's yard and broke into the yard.

Wang Tianying, who was sitting on the hot kang, saw the old scalper who broke in from the window, and shouted loudly: "Oh, Brother Niu is coming." Lian Gui, hurry up and get Nao away! ”

Niu Jianxin was very angry when he heard Wang Tianying's words, and asked her dissatisfiedly: "Why do you want to scold my father?" You said. You make it clear to me! ”

Annoyed and angry, Wang Tianying picked up the bamboo ruler, hit Niu Jianxin with his head and face, and scolded him: "You wild doll from Xinjiang!" When did Nau scold you Abba! Yes! You make it clear to Nau! ”

Niu Jianxin quickly jumped off the hot kang and escaped.

In the middle of Wang Tianying's yard stand three huge pebbles. In the middle of the crevices of the pebbles grows a stout fruit tree. Niu Jianxin especially likes to climb up and down on cobblestones, imitating the People's Liberation Army ambush in the movie.

Wang Tianying saw Niu Jianxin being naughty again from the window, pushed open the window, and reprimanded loudly: "You wild doll from Xinjiang!" Hurry up and get Nau down! That's the altar. ”

Niu Jianxin stiffened his neck and retorted not to be outdone: "What altar? Isn't it just a few broken stones? If I wasn't allowed to play, I would go to the Huangshui River to play. ”

Wang Tianying was anxious again when he heard this, and shouted and scolded: "Can't go!" Falling into the river washes you away, and your grandma won't be able to find you. ”

Niu Jianxin didn't believe it, and ran out of the gate with a smoke.

Two days later, Niu Jianxin suddenly developed a high fever, his whole body was sleepy and weak, and he did not get better after taking Western medicine for a few days, and he slept in a daze all day long.

Wang Tianying took out a piece of yellow paper from behind the frame, folded it into several folds, and then lit it with a match, shaking it on the top of Niu Jianxin's head while chanting words in his mouth.

Strangely, Niu Jianxin's illness was cured that afternoon. Since then, he has been full of curiosity about the mysterious yellow paper, and he is also in awe of Wang Tianying's magic.

Every evening, Wang Tianying would light a piece of yellow paper in the kitchen, then close her eyes and whisper something in her mouth.

Niu Jianxin quietly followed behind her, wanting to see what kind of magic she had.

Although Wang Tianying's eyes are closed, his ears are very sensitive. She heard the subtle movement of Niu Jianxin walking, turned her head suddenly, and gave him a fierce look.

Niu Jianxin was startled and quickly slipped back to the main house.