Lush Mountains as Witnesses

Xu Qiren

Xu Qiren was a playwright and once served as chairman of the Tongcheng Dramatists Association.

Hao Tugen

Executive director of Anhui Foreign Language and Literature Association， dean of the School of Foreign Languages， Anqing Normal University.

Wang Qiaoying

Lecturer of the School of Foreign Languages， Anqing Normal University.

Huang Quancan

Director of Anhui Translation Association， deputy dean of the School of Foreign Languages， Anqing Normal University.

Lush Mountains as Witnesses

Written by Xu Qiren

Translated by Hao Tugen， Wang Qiaoying， Huang Quancan

Huang Shan Publishing House

April 2022

39.00 （CNY）

Lush Mountains as Witnesses tells a moving and inspiring story of Zhang Lanlan and Zhou Lifan， two forestry graduates starting their business by building a tree farm in their hometown. The love and determination of the two young entrepreneurs display the aspiration， ambition， and commitment of modern Chinese youth.

Act I

Early summer.

Among the rolling hills， vast areas are bare， sprinkled with green pines and cypresses.

Four Chinese characters are inscribed on a big roadside stone， Jinfeng Tree Farm. Underneath a shade shed stands a rough set of table and stools.

Director Xie enters the stage carrying a briefcase under his arm.

Director Xie： Up yours！ A stumbling block！ （sings） I’m a grass-roots official busy getting rid of poverty. New projects and able men came to nothing in the end. Vast mountain areas can’t be used. Hares and pheasants here and there. It’s such a headache for cadres that nobody expects a Mu Guiying to come here！ Zhang Lanlan returned to start a business. A graduate loves not the city but the country. She sets her mind on something big. Will she be too naive to be impulsive？

Zhang Qiye enters the stage carrying a bamboo basket.

Director Xie： Qiye， you’re coming up the mountain again. Worried about your baby granddaughter？

Zhang Qiye： Yes！ Don’t you think， as a graduate， she can do anything？ But she just wants to establish a tree farm！ Her parents are against it， and so am I！ She didn’t listen at all！ Alas， what a stubborn girl！

Director Xie： Hey， Qiye， now you shouldn’t oppose it anymore！

Jinfeng Tree Farm is a low-carbon environmental-friendly project approved and supported by the municipal government. Moreover， it’s a graduate start-up demonstration project. Just now， the town mayor called me to ask Lanlan to handle procedures for the first 200，000 yuan subsidized loan from the government.

Zhang Qiye： Director Xie， by all means you can’t give her this money！

Director Xie： Why not？

Zhang Qiye： If her farm collapses， with what can she pay back？

Director Xie： Your granddaughter is ambitious！ She said she wanted to turn this tree farm into a green oxygen bar， a flower base， a countryside park， and a leisure resort. Not to mention 200，000 yuan， even a million yuan is not enough for that！

Zhang Qiye： I’ve been planting trees all my life and didn’t make it！ You guys shouldn’t have allowed her to start the tree farm！

Director Xie： Lanlan majored in forestry. Such a vast mountain area remains idle. Lanlan is doing a good deed for the village！ In my view， Lanlan is quite methodical in her work. Maybe she could be successful！

Zhang Qiye： Alas！ She doesn’t care for an easy and comfortable life but would rather start an enterprise！ Her dad runs a big factory in Zhejiang and wants her to work there. She refused and went instead to start her own business. Is this easy？ Easier said than done！

Director Xie： Can I not support the young to start their businesses？ If she fails， just consider it a tuition fee. Does your son just ignore her？

Zhang Qiye： （forced smile） The father makes money for his daughter to spend. Nothing is wrong with that. （yells to the mountain） Lanlan， Grandpa has made some tea eggs for you， come and have some！

Director Xie： Qiye， she can’t hear you. Let me call her. （takes out a phone to dial） Hello， is that Lanlan？

Zhanglanlan’s voice： “Director Xie， it’s me.”

Director Xie： Lanlan， I have good news for you！

Zhang Lanlan’s voice： “Director Xie， what is it？”

Director Xie： Take it easy. I’ll wait until you come down. Now， your grandpa has something to tell you. （hands the phone to Zhang Qiye）

Zhang Qiye： （takes the phone from Director Xie） Hello， Lanlan. What are you up to now？

Zhang Lanlan’s voice： “Grandpa， I’m working on the soil survey.”

Zhang Qiye： Soil survey？ Who are you surveying？ Grandpa has brought you some tea eggs. Come quickly to have some！

Zhang Lanlan’s voice： “Grandpa， you’ve come to send tea eggs again？ Just leave them at the gate of the farm. You may go back.”

Zhang Qiye： （returns the phone to Director Xie） Does the soil need surveying？ These young people... （puts down the basket and go back）

Director Xie： Qiye， this is called science.

Zhang Qiye： Director Xie， I’m leaving！

Director Xie： Qiye， take it easy when going downhill！

Zhang Qiye： Director Xie， would you mind taking care of her？

Director Xie： Qiye， no， I wouldn’t. Rest assured！

Voices of Meilua and others come from behind the curtain： “Ershunzi， stop！” “Stop！”

Ershunzi escapes onto the stage， flustered. He bumps into Director Xie， and the two fall on the ground with him. Meilua and others catch up.

Director Xie： （angrily） Ershunzi， are you in a hurry to get beheaded？

Ershunzi： （hurries to help Director Xie up and speaks with a flattering smile） Director Xie， some tigers are chasing after me！

Director Xie： Tigers？ Where are the tigers？ Our village would get rich if there were any tigers！

Girls： Ershunzi...

Director Xie： Whoops！ All right！ All right！

Sanchun： Director Xie， Ershunzi is always making trouble！

Xiugu： He’s always coming to the tree farm and pestering us with his nonsense！

Meihua： He also said he would imitate Tang Bohu’s way of selecting Qiuxiang. He went so far as to follow us to the toilet！ How shameless！

Qiaozhen： Director Xie， will you discipline him or not？ If you don’t， I’ll go to the police station！

Girls： Right. We’ll go to the police station！

Director Xie： Hey！ Ershunzi， what you did is sexual harassment. This is illegal， don’t you know？ Aren’t you ashamed of being so young yet idle and sponging off your parents？

Ershunzi： Director Xie， why don’t you have any sympathy for me at all？ For me， an elder bachelor， is it illegal to look for a wife？

Director Xie： Is this your way of finding a woman for a wife？ So brazen-faced and tough！ Let me tell you， without my approval， you are not allowed to go to the tree farm！

Girls： Right！ Don’t allow him to come to the tree farm！

Ershunzi： （recalcitrant） Hum！ I’m told that Jinfeng Tree Farm is crowded with beauties. In my view， you’re singing high praises for yourselves！ （points at the girls） How could I take a fancy to you？ It’s Zhang Lanlan， your farm director， who I want to date！ Please wait for my wedding candies！

Girls burst into hearty laughter.

Director Xie： Ershunzi， why don’t you piss off and take a good look at yourself！ Forget about it. What makes you think Zhang Lanlan would take a fancy to you？ If her grandpa heard what you said， it would be strange if he didn’t beat you up！