Chapter Summaries

Li Long and Gu Xiaoxia spent a lively evening with the family, discussed plans to reunite Chen Lirong with her husband, and shared money with relatives. The next morning, Li Long gave Uncle Lao Luo money to buy a horse and cart for hauling grass.

• Li Long moved the television to his parents’ courtyard, where the family and children gathered to watch while Li Jianguo and Lu Yingming discussed selling seed watermelons.
• Chen Lirong asked Li Long for news of her husband, and Li Long promised to visit Kuytun and bring her and the children to see him if he had not returned.
• Li Long and Gu Xiaoxia spent the night together, then joined the family for breakfast the next morning.
• Li Long gave the children pocket money and gave his sisters-in-law money for Children’s Day; Gu Xiaoxia and Li Long also gave Li Qingxia and Du Chunfang one hundred yuan each.
• Li Long gave Uncle Lao Luo three hundred yuan to find and buy a horse and cart for hauling grass.

Li Long settled back into domestic life with Gu Xiaoxia and planned to help repair Harimu’s and Jade Mountain River’s homes. At Gu Xiaoxia’s workplace, her colleagues learned about the couple’s color television and comfortable household, and Su Ningning and Tao Min ended the day envying her life.

• Li Long and Gu Xiaoxia discussed his plans to recruit team members to repair Harimu’s and Jade Mountain River’s damaged homes while Gu Xiaoxia prepared for school inspections.
• Gu Xiaoxia told her coworkers that Li Long had bought an eighteen-inch color television, surprising them with its size and cost.
• Li Long encouraged team members selling fish at the market and collected the dried fritillaria bulbs Sister Yang had bought for him.
• Li Long prepared dinner and welcomed Gu Xiaoxia’s colleagues, Su Ningning and Tao Min, who admired the deer and roe deer in the courtyard.
• Su Ningning told Tao Min that she envied Gu Xiaoxia’s life as they ate dinner and watched television at Li Long and Gu Xiaoxia’s home.

Li Long organized a crew from the team to repair the roofs and walls at Harimu’s and Jade Mountain River’s homes in the Pastoral Team’s settlement, arranging a sheep and other food for the workers. By noon, the crew had finished much of the work and gathered to eat, while a local broadcaster photographed Li Long and the repairs.

• Su Ningning and Tao Min left Gu Xiaoxia’s home impressed by her comfortable life, and Gu Xiaoxia later noticed that they treated her more warmly at work.
• Li Long recruited Xie Yundong, Jia Weidong, the Liang brothers, Tao Daqiang, and Xu Dejun to help repair the homes, then arranged a sheep, nang, drinks, and supplies.
• Li Long traveled to the Pastoral Team’s settlement, paid Adili for a sheep, and told Harimu’s mother and Jade Mountain River’s wife about the repair work.
• Li Long and the crew brought tools and wheat chaff, then repaired the roofs and walls while Adili and local residents helped prepare mutton.
• A part-time broadcaster photographed Li Long working with the residents, and at noon Li Long called everyone to wash up and eat mutton, nang, and drinks.

Li Long and the team repaired Harimu’s courtyard, then he arranged to install hand-pump wells so Harimu’s and Jade Mountain River’s families would have easier access to drinking water. While Li Long and Tao Daqiang began sinking a well at Harimu’s home, a young woman recognized the hand-pump setup and praised the idea.

• Li Long and the team finished repairing Harimu’s roof, walls, courtyard, and the road outside, and Harimu’s mother thanked them.
• Li Long paid a township blacksmith to make two pump heads and asked Li Jianguo to explain how to sink hand-pump wells.
• Li Long visited Uncle Lao Luo, who had bought a donkey and cart, then returned to the County Seat.
• The next morning, Li Long collected the pump heads and well-sinking equipment and brought the team back to the Pastoral Team.
• Li Long and Tao Daqiang dug a well at Harimu’s courtyard, found shallow saline water, and began driving a steel rod through a hard layer.
• A young woman came into the courtyard, recognized the hand-pump well equipment, and told Li Long that the well was a wonderful idea.

Li Long and Tao Daqiang repaired homes and installed Hand Pump wells for Harimu and Jade Mountain River’s families, while Ye Laya gathered material for a report. The report aired on the county station and caught the attention of a visiting reporter, who changed his itinerary, as Li Long returned to the County Seat late that night.

• Ye Laya interviewed Li Long and Harimu’s mother while Li Long and Tao Daqiang installed a well in Harimu’s yard and confirmed that it produced clear, sweet water.
• Li Long explained that he was helping Harimu and Jade Mountain River because they had treated him as one of their own, and he and Tao Daqiang began sinking a well at Jade Mountain River’s home.
• Li Long, Tao Daqiang, and the others ate Pilaf and continued repairing Jade Mountain River’s home, while Ye Laya photographed their work and prepared a report for the County Seat.
• Li Long and Tao Daqiang finished the second well, tested it, and later returned to Harimu’s home to show the old woman that its water had cleared.
• Ye Laya’s report aired on the county broadcasting station, prompting a visiting reporter to change his itinerary; Li Long drove back to the County Seat, where Gu Xiaoxia heard his Tractor arrive.

Li Long returned to Harimu's home to reinforce the hand-pump platform, where reporter Zhang Xinhua had arrived to investigate his work. Zhang began interviewing him as he repaired the pump, while the circumstances behind his repeated acts of help remained to be explored.

• Li Long told Gu Xiaoxia he would finish the work by reinforcing the hand pumps, and she said her colleague Sister Tao planned to visit with her child to see the fawn.
• Zhang Xinhua and Zheng Mingyue changed their plans to investigate Ye Laya's radio story, and Ma Xiaoyan took them to the Pastoral Team.
• Ye Laya told Zhang that Li Long had visited Harimu and Jade Mountain River's families three times, bringing supplies and repairing their home and water access.
• Zhang inspected Harimu's yard and the polluted river water the families had relied on, while Zheng Mingyue photographed the improvements.
• Li Long arrived with cement to reinforce the pump platform, explained his work to Zhang, and began repairs before agreeing to answer her questions as he worked.

At a cooperative meeting, Deputy Director Liu Shengli challenged Li Long’s frequent absences, prompting section chief Li Xiangqian to defend him and Liu to decide to investigate further. Meanwhile, Li Long explained his friendship with the mountain herders to reporter Zhang Xinhua, shared his views on ethnic unity, and continued repairing their well pumps.

• Deputy Director Liu Shengli questioned why temporary worker Li Long was often away from his post, and Li Xiangqian defended Li Long’s work and the cooperative’s decision to hire him.
• Li Xiangqian angrily told Deputy Director Yu he would oppose any attempt to dismiss Li Long, while Yu explained Li Long’s accomplishments and ties to the mountain herders to Liu Shengli.
• Liu Shengli concluded that Li Long lacked connections and planned to discuss taking action against him with the director.
• Li Long told Zhang Xinhua how he had become close to Harimu and Jade Mountain River and explained why he had encouraged them to send their children to school.
• Li Long spoke about all ethnic groups living together like pomegranate seeds, impressing Zhang Xinhua, then finished repairing one pump platform and went with her to fix another.
• At Jade Mountain River’s home, Li Long repaired the unstable pump platform with Adili’s help while Zhang Xinhua interviewed the family about his support.

Zhang Xinhua’s interview with Li Long led to a prominent newspaper story praising his work repairing homes and wells, while the county Supply and Marketing Cooperative’s leaders debated whether to punish him for being absent from work. The article reached Director Wei during the meeting, prompting him to cancel the case against Li Long and publicly praise and support him.

• Zhang Xinhua left with Ye Laya for the County Seat to prepare her article, while Li Long returned to town and learned Gu Xiaoxia’s colleagues had heard about his work in the Pastoral Team.
• Li Long and Gu Xiaoxia discussed having a child, and Sister Yang offered to help care for the baby while sharing her plans to open a restaurant someday.
• Liu Shengli raised a proposal at a cooperative meeting to remove Li Long for drawing wages while absent, but most leaders stayed silent and Li Xiangqian opposed him.
• Director Wei received a call from the county publicity minister, who praised Li Long’s story in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region Daily and announced that the cooperative and Li Long would receive ethnic-unity honors.
• Director Wei returned to the meeting, stopped the proposal against Li Long, and told the leaders to learn from him, reimburse his expenses, and support his future efforts.

After a newspaper profile brought Li Long recognition and new work, he learned that his Second Older Brother would soon return from Kuytun for a political review connected to a permanent job. Li Long planned to visit him, then went fishing with Dad and noticed that Little Haizi seemed to have fewer fish than the previous year.

• Li Xiangqian told Li Long that the cooperative had received recognition for ethnic unity and would reimburse his expenses, and Director Wei approved a hundred yuan for him.
• Li Long took hauling jobs at the Welfare Home and Experimental Middle School construction sites, earning more than three hundred yuan in a week.
• Li Long received a telegram saying his Second Older Brother would return from Kuytun and that a political-review inquiry was on its way; Li Long planned to visit him after fetching sugar residue.
• Li Long went with Dad to retrieve nets at Little Haizi and observed that the water was high and murky, but the nets held fewer fish than they had the year before.

Li Long took fish to sell in Stone City and collected sugar residue at the Sugar Factory, where Section Chief Hu praised his newspaper profile and invited him to give a talk. He refused the talk, sold the fish, and returned home planning to visit Second Older Brother in Kuytun the next day to check on the harvester.

• Li Long, Li Qingxia, and Tao Daqiang caught and packed fish before driving the children to school and heading to Stone City Old Street to sell their catch.
• Li Long went to the Sugar Factory, gave fish to Song Ming and Section Chief Hu, and accepted a load of sugar residue.
• Section Chief Hu praised Li Long’s newspaper profile and invited him to speak at the factory, but Li Long declined.
• Li Long helped sell the fish, bought milk tea and food for Li Qingxia and Tao Daqiang, and asked Tao Daqiang if he would help with future tractor work.
• Li Long visited Chen Xingbang, returned home, and told Gu Xiaoxia that he planned to visit Second Older Brother in Kuytun the next day.

Li Long drove to Kuytun to visit Li Anguo, Li Junshan, and Yang Yongqiang at their construction site, where he learned they had all qualified to become permanent workers. Over dinner, Yang Yongqiang shared his plan to attend night school and train for skilled work, while Li Long prepared to visit Ma Aihong before deciding whether they would return home with him.

• Gu Xiaoxia gave Li Long sheepskin knee guards before he drove west to Kuytun with fuel and food.
• At the First Construction and Installation Company, Li Long found Li Anguo, Li Junshan, and Yang Yongqiang working at the Red Flag Mall construction site.
• Li Anguo told Li Long that all three men had made the first list of workers eligible for permanent status, and Yang Yongqiang said he hoped to attend night school and become a technician.
• Li Long treated the three men to dinner, promised to ask Ma Aihong about Yang Yongqiang's political review, and discussed housing and their plans for the future.
• Li Long bought gifts and dropped the men at their company so he could visit Ma Aihong.

Li Long visited Section Chief Ma to thank him for supporting Li Anguo and the others’ permanent positions, then bought a prototype harvester from the Kuytun Farm Machinery Factory. He headed back toward Stone City with the harvester secured on his trailer.

• Li Long visited Ma Aihong and asked him to watch over Li Anguo’s household-registration and political-review paperwork; Ma Aihong agreed and accepted the hundred yuan Li Long had hidden among the gifts.
• Li Long asked Li Anguo, Li Junshan, and Yang Yongqiang whether they wanted to return home, and they chose to wait until their permanent positions were settled.
• Li Long examined the Kuytun Farm Machinery Factory’s second harvester, and Du Tongzhou explained its removable guides, adjustable cutting direction, and other features.
• Li Long bought the harvester for two hundred yuan and promised to report its performance to Du Tongzhou after using it.
• Li Long stocked up on supplies, said goodbye to Li Anguo and the others, and drove east with the harvester in his trailer.
• Li Long continued across the hot Gobi, passed a roadside restaurant without stopping, and reached the outskirts of Stone City.

Li Long returned from Kuytun with news that Li Anguo and Yang Yongqiang were doing well and nearing permanent employment, then brought his new wheat harvester back to the team. After learning he had been named an Ethnic Unity Advanced Individual, he prepared to attend the county commendation ceremony.

• Li Long stopped at Ke Youmu's shop and Chen Xingbang's pork stall in Stone City before driving home with the harvester.
• Li Long told Gu Xiaoxia that Li Anguo and the others were doing well, and she told him the county commendation ceremony would take place in three days.
• Li Long took the harvester to the team and told his family that Li Anguo was expected to become a permanent worker.
• Li Long reassured Yang Hua and his wife that Yang Yongqiang was doing well in Kuytun and hoped to become a technician.
• Li Long visited the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, where Li Xiangqian advised him to prepare for the ceremony, and Li Long reviewed what he might say if asked to speak.

Li Long received a county ethnic unity award and learned he had also been selected for an autonomous region award, despite doubting that his deeds deserved the recognition. He traveled to Wu City for the ceremony, where reporter Zhang Xinhua explained that Li Long’s words about ethnic unity had persuaded leaders to honor him, and he met his roommate, Aiyidaxi.

• Gu Xiaoxia reassured Li Long before he attended the county awards ceremony, where he received an honorary certificate and a radio.
• Ye Laya told Li Long that he had been selected for an autonomous region award, and Director Wei and Li Xiangqian urged him to attend and arranged travel money.
• Li Long bought a Zhongshan suit, white shirt, and leather shoes, while Gu Xiaoxia explained that the award recognized the example he set.
• The County Publicity Department delivered the official notice and instructed Li Long to mention the county’s publicity and education efforts in interviews.
• Li Long traveled to Wu City, checked into the Autonomous Region Cadres' Guesthouse, and learned from Zhang Xinhua that his words about ethnic unity had led to his selection.
• Li Long met his roommate, Aiyidaxi, who had come from Aksu.

Li Long spoke with Aiyidaxi about his upbringing and attended the ethnic unity commendation meeting, then visited Professor Huang Shuyi to discuss watermelon cultivation and his precision seeder. Afterward, he went to see Engineer Liu at the Jade Factory and agreed to buy the jade pieces Liu had carved.

• Aiyidaxi told Li Long how he had been separated from his Han Chinese birth parents, raised by a Uyghur couple, and built a life growing apples without seeking his birth family.
• Li Long and Aiyidaxi discussed Li Long’s role in promoting ethnic unity, then went to lunch at the guesthouse before the next day’s commendation meeting.
• Li Long traveled to Bayi Agricultural College and asked Professor Huang Shuyi for advice on managing the watermelons his eldest brother’s family was growing.
• Li Long drew his precision seeder for Professor Huang, who praised the design and advised him on fertilizing and preventing watermelon pests and diseases.
• Li Long told Professor Huang that he was in the region to receive a commendation for ethnic unity, and she asked permission to share his story with her students.
• Li Long visited Engineer Liu at the Jade Factory, shared dinner with him, and agreed to buy all the jade pieces Liu had carved.

Li Long attended an Autonomous Region commendation ceremony, received an award, and headed home after buying gifts for his family. Meanwhile, Harimu returned from the mountains and discovered that Li Long had improved his family’s home and provided them with a hand pump and schoolbags.

• Li Long bought jade carvings from Engineer Liu, then talked with Aiyidaxi about selling apples and hunting before the commendation ceremony.
• Li Long attended the ceremony, received a certificate and one hundred yuan, and spoke with the Vice Chairman, who praised his work on ethnic unity.
• Li Long said goodbye to Aiyidaxi and Zhang Xinhua, bought gifts for his family, and boarded a bus back to Ma County.
• Harimu left the Summer Pasture, checked his Winter Camp and Li Long’s cabin, then rode to the Pastoral Team settlement to see his family.
• Harimu learned that Li Long had improved his family’s home and helped provide a hand pump, and he saw Nasen and Sasiken carrying new schoolbags.

Li Long returned from the regional commendation ceremony, shared the news with Gu Xiaoxia and his coworkers, and discussed new hauling and harvesting work at the cooperative. Harimu arrived with pelts and antlers as gifts, and Li Long took him to eat before helping him obtain ammunition.

• Li Long returned to the Big Courtyard, told Gu Xiaoxia about the ceremony, and gave her the dress he had bought in Wu City.
• Li Long showed his certificate to Li Xiangqian and the cooperative employees, then gave gifts to Li Xiangqian and Director Wei.
• Director Wei told Li Long to pursue hauling jobs and maintain contact with Reporter Zhang, while Li Xiangqian discussed harvesting and broom-making work with him.
• Harimu arrived at the cooperative with pelts and antlers, and Li Long brought him to the Big Courtyard.
• Harimu refused payment for the pelts and antlers, explaining that they were gifts from him and Jade Mountain River in gratitude for Li Long's help.
• Li Long took Harimu to meet Gu Xiaoxia, then brought him to the halal canteen for a meal.

Li Long supplied Harimu and Jade Mountain River’s families with ammunition, radios, provisions, medicine, and sheep, while Harimu carried the supplies to Summer Pasture and discussed how the herders could repay Li Long’s help. Li Long then bought another sheep for his relatives and planned to advise his eldest brother about growing watermelons.

• Li Long arranged two hundred rounds of ammunition for Harimu and bought him radios, batteries, necessities, medicine, and three sheep for the herders’ families.
• Harimu delivered a sheep and a radio to Jade Mountain River’s family and brought another sheep and radio to his mother, who told him to repay Li Long with sheep when they could.
• Harimu rode to Summer Pasture and told Jade Mountain River about Li Long’s help, and they agreed to use the ammunition against wolves and later give Li Long pelts.
• Li Long told Gu Xiaoxia about the gifts and their friendship, and she encouraged him to accept the herders’ reciprocal generosity without worrying over who owed whom.
• Li Long bought another sheep, delivered meat to Gu Boyuan and Uncle Lao Luo, and took the rest to his eldest brother’s courtyard, where Du Chunfang told him the family was working in the watermelon field.

Li Long arranged for Gu Boyuan to open an agricultural supplies shop and spent the following weeks hauling building materials while looking for a suitable house. After his brothers returned as permanent workers and the family celebrated their good fortune, Li Long prepared to harvest the team’s wheat with his harvester.

• Li Long advised Li Jianguo on caring for seed watermelons and promised to buy the needed fertilizer and pesticides.
• Li Long proposed that Gu Boyuan move to the county town and run an agricultural supplies shop, and Gu Boyuan agreed to consider it if Li Long found a suitable house.
• Li Long sold pelts and antlers to Chen Hongjun for over fifteen hundred yuan and asked contacts to look for a house, but the available property was unsuitable.
• Li Anguo and Yang Yongqiang returned to the village as permanent workers, and Yang Hua hosted a celebratory meal for the family.
• Li Long settled his hauling payments in July and prepared to harvest wheat for local farmers at two yuan per mu, while the rest of the team waited to see whether the harvester was worthwhile.

Li Long began harvesting wheat with his tractor-mounted harvester, which cut the Li family's twenty mu in under two hours and impressed the villagers who came to watch. After agreeing to harvest nearby fields for two yuan per mu, he finished the Tao family's wheat by lunchtime, and he expected more villagers to sign up.

• Li Long and Tao Daqiang prepared the tractor, harvester, and trailer for the wheat harvest while the Li family readied tools and binding ties.
• Li Long drove the harvester through the Li family's field as Xu Chengjun and other villagers watched it cut and lay the wheat neatly.
• Xu Chengjun arranged for Li Long to harvest the villagers' fields next, and Tao Daqiang told Li Long that the charge was two yuan per mu.
• Li Long finished cutting the Li family's twenty mu in under two hours, then drove to the nearby Tao family's field and harvested their wheat.
• Tao Jianshe and Tao Daqiang discussed whether the two-yuan-per-mu fee was worthwhile, while Li Long finished the Tao family's field by lunchtime.