82.On the way back,when passing through the boardroom the soldiers lay,at it Cai stopped casting a deep sight and snarled abruptly,"The Huangjiawan militia company!" "Here!" the two masculine guys —— Huang Duode,the first platoon commander and Cai Huode,the second platoon commander——snapped to attention."As my capacity of the militia lieutenant,I am now ordering two tasks that you two must carry out to the letter.First,you guys in the corps must keep the installing thing to yourself!Do not leak it to anybody,even your folks,or you will be subject to disciplinary punishment!Am I clear?" "Clear!We pledge to have the thing rotten in the stomach." replied Huang Duode quickly."Good!The second task is after the opening ceremony for the new teaching building,you must escort with ‘armed forces' the supervisor back to the station the engineer camp is located,hiring a decent microbus,got it?"Cai went on mysteriously."Got it!We guarantee to fulfill our mission!" answered the two guys in unison.Later,we learnt that the supervisor,after attending the cutting ribbons ceremony,intended to stay to settle the small debts the army owed to the villagers when living there.But the instant the ceremony was completed,he was escorted back to the station for whatever reasons.In order to pay the debts,the administrator did afterwards manage to come over to Huangjiawan but was every time escorted back by reasons.And the debts remained unsettled even after his being transferred to civilian work.Not until over a year later did Cai,in a meeting intended for servicemen,put an end to this matter."There is no need to press on the settlement of the debts,and sooner or later it will be done," Cai chuckled to the leader of forces,"As they say,Barracks seldom change,but soldiers come and go; while time changes,however,our friendship never dies.If we must calculate,it is us villagers who owe more to you than you to us.So please don't talk about who owes whom any more."
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83.No sooner had Cai arrived home with Xiwa at the family door than his old partner asked,"Did you see Wang safely off,and his people?" "Yep!" answered Cai."How's the work in school?""It's all done,grandma!Our new school is gorgeous.You are bound to see it tomorrow...en...not tomorrow but this early morning." Xiwa rushed to answer."Oh,that's good,that's very good!I must go to see it soon.Now,go to wash your hands.I've made noodles.You shall eat some with your grandpa.Then,you two must take a nap to make up for your lost bedtime after working a whole night." nagged grandma."It's now daybreak!There's no time left to sleep!I must arrive at school at 7:30.am." corrected Xiwa,gobbling up the noodles,with sweat oozing from his forehead being spattered now and then."That's right!Forget your sleep,or you can't make it to your class punctually.I will accompany you the night and to the school later at 7:00,since the county leader Mr.Qiang will be coming over to our village this morning to present over the new school completion celebration,and I will also be attending it.So,we start out together.Isn't it great?" said Cai adorably,which naturally led to a smiling face of the old grandma and grandson alike.In the twinkling of an eye,Xiwa put down his bowl,his face turning cloudy,his mouth uttering a long sigh,"The county leader decided that whoever moves into the new house beyond another wins.But I have had grandpa lost the contest.It's my fault.Grandpa,please forgive me!" said Xiwa in guilty."You cub still bear that thing in your mind,Hum?Would your grandpa get angry at you for what you've done right?Of course not,instead,you have my credit!" Old Cai said tittering and continued,"Just as what your father said,I am now but an old fool.Alas!" Xiwa quickly took the words before grandpa sighed out,"You are not old at all,nor an old fool!You made a good job of the post- earthquake relief and reconstruction.I have seen that happen.Grandpa,I take you my idol in my whole life!" "Crap!You such an innocent boy is in no way having any idea about idol." Old Cai pretended to be in solemnity.He was right.But quite naturally,with the compliments from Xiwa,Cai was then feeling quite well and sweet enough as if being dipped in the crude honey in the back mountains,which was so easy and so comfortable a feeling!Xiwa wouldn't forget the contest,let alone Cai.Still,Very heavy was the contest in Cai's mind.As he determined to have his new doors dismantled for the new classroom,he knew exactly he was bound to lose and what's done could not be undone.It was for the children to study in the new school as early as possible that he lost the contest,however,the whole story could hardly be spoken up.The suppressed emotion was hard to bear.And the emulative spirits were again stirring his blood,given that he had never been defeated by Huang before."There is no way you old geezer can win the contest so comfortably.I am feeling bad and you are not to be feeling well.It is time I play some tricks on you." he thought to himself.Thereupon,Cai jumped to his feet saying,"Xiwa!Let's go to shoot off firecrackers!" Feverishly,by stepping on a chair,Xiwa was impatient to fetch the crackers hanging long on the tree,and held it outdoors with a bamboo pole.Then,very soon,there were heard a thunder of cracks.Before leaving for school,Cai exhorted his partner,"Cook enough meat!We're gonna feast all fellow villagers!" With that,Cai and Xiwa were hand in hand heading for the new school in the rising sun.