Chapter 108: Inspiring
Old Hu held the key but didn’t give it to Lu Qiaoge. Instead, he asked her, “Building a small factory of this scale isn’t that difficult either. The Neighborhood Committee will definitely provide some supplies and funds in the early stage. However, who will manage this factory?”
Lu Qiaoge looked at Old Hu candidly. “For now, I can only manage it myself, because others aren’t familiar with the situation or the volunteers. It will definitely be difficult to carry out the work. Once the factory is on the right track, we can arrange someone to manage it based on the situation, or promote someone from the current group.”
Old Hu was very satisfied with Lu Qiaoge’s attitude and confidence.
Young people should have this kind of vigor.
He handed the key to Lu Qiaoge. “Alright, you go ahead. Try not to affect the work here.”
After thinking for a moment, he added, “If the factory runs normally and makes a profit, you can get a subsidy every month.”
Lu Qiaoge happily thanked Old Hu and took the key, preparing to head to the Pickle Factory.
This matter… several people in the office already knew about it.
Speaking of which, the Neighborhood Committee had fewer than ten cadres, and everyone held multiple positions.
Sister Qiao said to Lu Qiaoge, “Arrange things for them and then come back. I’ll take you to the district to reconcile accounts.”
Lu Qiaoge agreed crisply. Over there, Shao Le looked at Lu Qiaoge with some envy.
Actually, at the beginning, he had entered the Neighborhood Committee together with Lu Qiaoge, starting from the same point.
Because they were both newcomers, they often went out together to visit and mediate. But later, Lu Qiaoge stopped taking him along.
Now look at Lu Qiaoge, doing so well. They were both newcomers, yet he was still doing odd jobs for Cadre Liu, while Lu Qiaoge had become the Factory Director.
Although this factory hadn’t been built yet.
He followed along, walking with Lu Qiaoge and smiling as he said, “Is there anywhere you need my help?”
Lu Qiaoge thought about Shao Le’s relationships and smiled back, “Of course there is. Is there nothing going on at the Public Security Office?”
Sure enough, opportunities are seized.
Shao Le said excitedly, “Wait for me a moment.”
He ran to ask Cadre Liu for leave, saying he was going to the Pickle Factory to help Lu Qiaoge.
Cadre Liu glanced at the happy Shao Le and wondered to himself, what’s there to be happy about helping out there? Isn’t it just doing work?
But he generously granted the leave.
Shao Le happily followed Lu Qiaoge to the Pickle Factory. It wasn’t far from the Neighborhood Committee. Back when collective enterprises were booming, there had been several factories around here.
The Pickle Factory was built early, but it was disbanded early too, mainly due to a lack of raw materials and no good recipes. Ordinary pickles could be made by any household—who would specially buy pickles?
After it was disbanded, the place had been empty ever since. After all, this wasn’t a Residential Area.
It was just north of the Department Store Warehouse.
At that moment, a group of people was waiting at the doorway. When they saw Lu Qiaoge and Shao Le, they all excitedly widened their eyes.
Lu Qiaoge saw Chang An with a child on his back, and Zhou Li holding a bucket, rag, and other cleaning items.
This was a rare opportunity. They couldn’t skip it just because no one was watching the child. Once their household registration was transferred to the city, they could send the child to the military factory’s Nursery.
Lu Qiaoge smiled faintly, took out the key Old Hu had given her, and personally opened the main door of the Pickle Factory.
As the main door swung open, these people couldn’t help but cheer.
Unlike the Night School, this place felt like their belonging and home.
It was rundown, truly rundown, but these people weren’t afraid of it being rundown—the more rundown, the happier they were. Because that proved they were useful. At least to the Food Factory, they had value.
Having value meant no more hesitation and anxiety.
Including Shao Le, somehow everyone felt filled with strength.
Lu Qiaoge led these people on a tour around the place. Then Lu Qiaoge handed the key to Meng Qingshan. “Brother Meng, you have the most experience and age here, and you’re steady in your work. I’m handing you the key, and I feel at ease.”
Shao Le watched as Meng Qingshan, a big man, was moved to the point of nearly crying.
He took the key and guaranteed, “Comrade Lu, rest assured. I guarantee there won’t be any problems.”
Lu Qiaoge trusted him, and this was also meant to train him.
From now on, the Service Station was no longer a makeshift setup.
Lu Qiaoge said to these people, “The approval for this factory was simple because the authorities don’t manage anything. But actually building it up isn’t that easy. First of all, besides these houses, our Food Factory doesn’t even have a single pot, let alone the ability to make rice, flour, grains, and oil. It was just like the early days of 516—aside from a small Xiaohe Village washed away by floods, it was just a piece of barren land.
“I heard from my dad that when the factory was first being built, our old workers lived in ground cellars, slept on straw mats, and ate cornbread buns and pickle strips… But with everyone’s efforts, this first military factory in Dragon Country, which safeguards our national defense, rose from the ground in just one year, making tremendous contributions to our country’s national defense efforts. I don’t need to say it—you military industry children know it best. So, having nothing isn’t scary. We can start from scratch. I believe in you all. We can definitely build this into Jiangcheng’s number one Food Factory. Comrades, do you have confidence?”
Shao Le’s eyes bulged wide. Oh my goodness, this speech was too inspiring.
The scene went silent for a moment, then they all shouted together, “We have confidence!”
Lu Qiaoge smiled satisfied.
Next came the work. First, clean the factory’s hygiene, then repair doors and windows, organize the ground and walls…
Lu Qiaoge pointed to the middle and said, “This big room will be our food workshop. I’ll go back and apply to Director Hu for lime and cement. We’ll pour the cement ground ourselves. I’ll also apply for some white cotton cloth so we can make white coats, masks, and hats. And Hu Ze, you keep doing the accounting. There’s a storage room over there—clean it out, move the baskets and other items from the Night School over. In a few days, we’ll hold another market day so everyone can exchange things for the factory and themselves…”
Lu Qiaoge arranged everything one by one.
Besides the designated food workshop, Lu Qiaoge separated the storage room area to make it the handicraft group, continuing to develop handicrafts. After all, with more than ten people, the initial flaky pastries and corn cakes definitely couldn’t support them all.
There were many detailed tasks too, which could wait until after cleaning and renovations.
Lu Qiaoge thanked Shao Le for being here. With him present, it represented the Neighborhood Committee’s attitude, and these people worked even harder.
She had to go back with Sister Qiao to reconcile accounts in the district.
It was the accounts for making paper boxes, a task assigned by the district to subsidize residents’ lives. Because Dragon Country currently had no mechanization, and handicrafts occupied a large proportion in the national economy, making paper boxes was now a very important side business income.
Unexpectedly, before they even left the general office’s main door, a young man and woman walked in one after the other.
One was clutching their clothes, the other frowning with head down—neither looking at the other.
Lu Qiaoge glanced over. Wasn’t that frowning young man Brother Gu?
The Gu Wenbo, Brother Gu, who had gone with her to Guzi Village to haul vegetables the first time, and who had a good relationship with Lu Zhiguo.
But this atmosphere didn’t seem like they were getting a marriage certificate either.
