50．During the following thirty days，Cai and Huang still got on like peas and carrots.They had more telephone calls，however，with the traffic and power coming back to be normal.Quarreling gave way to communications and consultations.Post-disaster construction，business volume of the slaughterhouse，resumption of the primary school，the harvest of the summer crops as well as the levelling of homesteads——they had a train of topics to talk about.In effect their families were very happy to see them become intimate and associated with each other more than before.Both families would share good foods they gained.More interestingly，their sons who both worked in the city would visit the old rivals of their own fathers first when they went back home.Huang’s son，Huang Jiancheng，an engineer of the City Construction Bureau would chat with Cai for half a day and wouldn’t go home without the family’s urge.Cai’s son was Cai Xingwang，an agricultural technician of the Municipal Agriculture Bureau.Unexpectedly，Xingwang once stayed with Huang in hiding.On the midday of the preceding Saturday，he came back to the village，and didn’t go home for lunch but disappeared with Huang in the afternoon.They even didn’t go home at night without communication with each family.Consequently both families were so worried that they searched around almost all the night but couldn’t find them.Not until 13 p．m.of the next day did they return to the village.When both families asked them where they had been，they both kept silent as if they had agreed in advance.Consequently，both families were extremely annoyed but had no way out．
51．On the early morning of one month and eight days after the earthquake，the army sent one excavator，two loaders and eight dump trucks and began their busy reconstruction of the primary school： digging，leveling and shoveling.There came the villagers，the old and the young，men and women.Till noon the kids finished their morning classes，running out of the temporary classrooms to watch the soldiers working.Touched，some kids sang a song called My Pal taught by the aid teachers（They were the teachers in advanced urban areas who were sent to teach the students in backward rural areas）from the capital of Gansu province：
52．Pal，Pal，my Pal.Quake Relief hero Many times I have met you．
53．A red flag，and green uniform，how beautiful！
54．Met you，with you，how could I forget you？
55．Pal，Pal，my Pal.Salute and thank you！
56．When singing salute，all the kids present saluted to the soldiers.The soldiers were so joyful that they were in high spirit for the reconstruction work.However，suddenly Cai together with scores of senior villagers rushed into the construction site to stop the construction machinery in groups."Stop，Stop！The PLA comrades，let’s go back.If you are blamed，I will be responsible for it.After all，the work is the business of our village.We can’t bother you，the engineering army comrades，to do it.We really can’t！The day before yesterday，a leader of the town called me that our village primary school would be reconstructed soon with the totally-funded aid of Shenzhen.He also asked me if I agreed that engineering corps in Longnan leveled up the school construction site with machinery.I agreed right away，for I thought it was a good thing that no one could gain.Meanwhile I also had a deal that you would work for us but we would provide your meals.That’s the settled.But now you don’t follow our deal，asserting that you only eat the compacted dry food that you brought in order not to lighten our load.Lieutenant Wang，let me tell you，we can provide you meals for a couple of days in spite of the earthquake.Now it is up to you，if you agree，stay with us.If you disagree，you can leave.Although you work one day by the machine，we have to work at least ten days by our hand.We are not frightened by the big earthquake，needless to say，the reconstruction work.Besides，we were all born laborers，not afraid of any labor.Leave here if you don’t accept our meals."
57．Holding Cai’s hand，lieutenant Wang of the engineering corps said，"Mr village head，we haven’t finished the task but now you make us retreat，besides…"At that time，Xiwa headed a group of kids to draw around，begging one after another，"grandpa，grandpa，don’t drive the PLA soldiers away！please don’t ！We all hope to accomplish the new school earlier，and we can move into the new classroom earlier！" Cai was touched with tears，but he insisted，shouting to lieutenant Wang，"Eat or leave？Just tell me in one word！" At the sight of the kids’ expecting eyes，lieutenant Wang lowered his voice，"Nothing but a meal！It’s trifle.Why do you drive us away？" No sooner had the lieutenant finished his words than Cai pressed again： "To eat or to leave？" Quietly，the lieutenant disciplined his army，performed three parade steps and saluted to all the villagers，the young and the old，declaring，"Eat！Let’s go dining！Thanks，my parent-like local folks！" The tough guy’s face was covered with tears."Great！" yelled Cai.With the cheers and applauses，the soldiers of the engineering army were fenced by the local villagers and marched into the village．
