Chapter 237: “this Place Is Really Nice”
The Brigade Leader spoke at length, and the members listened until they felt like fainting.
“Sigh, you’re something else. You’ve been talking forever, where’s the main point?” Neighborhood Committee Captain Zhang Yongqiang called out loudly.
His assistant, Uncle Chang Sheng, chimed in: “Yeah, where’s the main point? Brigade Leader, stop with the nonsense and get to it. Brother Yongqiang still has to go back and coax the child.”
As soon as he said that, everyone burst into laughter.
Zhang Yongqiang glared, looking quite fierce.
Those standing too close didn’t dare laugh too hard and quickly turned their faces away, while those farther away figured he couldn’t jump over and hit them, so they laughed uproariously.
“Hahaha…”
Laughter rose one after another.
Zhang Yongqiang laughed in anger, grinding his teeth inwardly, memorizing the ones laughing the hardest, then sat down calmly.
Laugh all you want.
The Brigade Leader had a wicked sense of humor, especially when he was in an extremely good mood, always making everyone run around a bit first.
He bang bang banged the gong a few times.
“Quiet down, listen to me!” the Brigade Leader raised his voice.
This time he didn’t beat around the bush and said directly: “Yesterday I and Old Gu went to the City to find the secretary, for our Brigade… mushroom cultivation to increase income!”
The second half of the sentence was said with force.
After all, this was something he’d always wanted to achieve.
Previously he had the will but not the means; Old Gu had given him a ladder.
“Increase income?” A young man in the front row stood up excitedly.
“Brigade Leader, is it real?” This youth had few laborers at home and relied only on himself, which was very tough.
He hoped more than anyone for the Brigade to find a way to increase income.
“You think it’d be fake?” The Brigade Leader patted Shuan Zi’s shoulder. “It’s real. Today’s mobilization meeting is about the whole village doing mushroom cultivation.”
He’d only said half when Shuan Zi hurriedly interrupted: “Brigade Leader, no one in our village knows how! How do we do it?” He anxiously paced in place.
The Brigade Leader held him down. “Young fellow, don’t be so impatient. If no one knew, could we even bring this up? Uncle Gu has the technique, and he’s willing to hand it over to the Brigade, so that’s how the Brigade got this business…”
At this moment, Gu Fu was the center of attention.
“Old Gu knows how to cultivate mushrooms?”
“Uncle Gu is willing to hand it over to the Brigade? He’s that generous?”
…
Those near Gu Fu kept asking.
“Yuan Shan’s Father, did you really grow them? Just using that method you did before?”
Gu Fu didn’t hold back. “Yes. I didn’t hide anything; every step was done right under everyone’s eyes.”
“Doing it like you did before can really grow mushrooms?” another asked. They were all good at farming and had seen clearly what Gu Fu did.
“Yes.” Gu Fu nodded and simply explained a few requirements for mushroom cultivation. “Do it that way and they’ll grow; just pay attention to the mushroom room temperature.”
There were many people on site, and without a loudspeaker, his voice naturally didn’t carry far, so only those nearby heard.
Shuan Zi looked up with a grin, his eyes squinting together, clearly thrilled.
Seeing him like that, everyone guessed it was true. Thinking of the benefits from the side product, no one could sit still; both men and women stood up.
“Brigade Leader, give the loudspeaker to Yuan Shan’s Father and let him say a few words!”
The Brigade Leader had a good temperament and immediately called Gu Fu over. “Yuan Shan’s Father, come up and say a few words.”
Gu Fu hesitated for a few seconds, then went up, took the loudspeaker, and started speaking.
He talked about the background and reasons for coming up with the idea of mushroom cultivation, inevitably mentioning Lin Zhao.
Yuan Bao kicked his legs in his dad’s bosom. “It’s Aunt Lin, it’s Aunt Lin.”
After the twins’ birthday, the village kids’ fondness for Lin Zhao reached its peak.
Yuan Bao’s dad patted his son’s buttocks. “Don’t make a fuss. Behave, or I won’t bring you next time.”
“Nyah nyah nyah, fine, I won’t say it.” Yuan Bao stuck out his tongue at his dad, struggled down, and went to chat with Tie Niu.
The two little ones chattered away excitedly.
“When are the twins coming back? They didn’t come to the meeting.” Yuan Bao thought it was a shame.
It was so lively; the twins would definitely be happy if they were here.
Tie Niu: “My grandparents said the twins are City kids; City kids won’t have to attend meetings anymore.”
“Why?” Yuan Bao said. “Their home is still here; they come back every week. The twins are from our Brigade; we grew up together. Forgot?”
Tie Niu hadn’t forgotten, but…
He’d noticed that since the twins went to live in the City, they didn’t come back as often.
And.
“They’ll go to accompany the army later. Once they do, they won’t have to attend meetings anymore.” A strange emotion welled up in Tie Niu’s heart—this feeling was called the melancholy of growing up.
“…When?” Yuan Bao asked nervously.
“How should I know?”
Yuan Bao gave him a look like how do you not even know that; Yu Bao knows everything.
He lowered his eyes in some disappointment and asked again: “Like with Mao Dan’er?”
Tie Niu propped his chin watching Grandpa Gu speaking and nodded boredly.
Yuan Bao mimicked his pose and sighed. “Then Yu Bao and Heng Bao can play with Mao Dan’er again. That’s pretty good too. Mao Dan’er is smart, and his dad is a high-ranking leader, so he definitely won’t let bad kids bully Yu Bao and Heng Bao.”
“Right.” Tie Niu said. “Once they accompany the army, we can write letters.”
Yuan Bao’s eyes lit up a bit. “Like how Mao Dan’er writes to the twins?”
Thinking of something, he asked nervously: “Will they? If they make new friends, they won’t forget us, right?”
Tie Niu wasn’t sure either. “They won’t, right.”
In an instant, he said as if cheering himself up: “They definitely won’t. Then we’ll write back. My grandpa always says… feelings are cultivated over time; stay in touch and the connections won’t break.”
Knowing mailing letters required stamps, he clenched his fist. “This New Year’s lucky money, I won’t let Mom hold it for me. I’ll keep it myself and buy stamps. Oh yeah, I need to get it back—one, two, three, four, five… should be quite a bit.”
He didn’t know the exact amount.
Yuan Bao had opened a new world: oh yeah, he could collect his own lucky money.
“Me too!”
The adults around who overheard the two burst out laughing.
Wanting their lucky money back?
Such innocent little dolls.
They probably didn’t know their lucky money had long become the family’s oil and salt money.
The adults suddenly laughed, leaving Yuan Bao and Tie Niu baffled, looking over in confusion.
Question marks over both their heads.
“??”
…
In the corner.
Gu Mu was also surrounded, everyone asking her about mushroom cultivation.
She said a few simple words and nodded toward Gu Fu with the loudspeaker. “Look over there, listen to the old man. What do I know? I just helped out a bit; I don’t even know how to control the temperature. I heard temperature control is the most important—if it’s off, the mushrooms won’t grow at all…”
Seeing everyone tense, afraid of doing it wrong, afraid of wasting effort, even more afraid of losing the income source.
She said: “What are you afraid of? The old man will teach you hands-on. Ask him if there’s any problem.”
“If he can’t answer, he can check the book.”
Gu Mu gestured at the thickness of the Mushroom Cultivation Guide. “It’s that thick a stack, all the things to note for cultivating mushrooms. With ready experience there, what are you afraid of? Go for it boldly.”
Her words relieved Li Laotai and the others.
They weren’t afraid of hard work or failure; they were afraid… of getting hopes up for nothing.
Li Laotai nudged Gu Mu’s shoulder. “If this really works out, your man will be the whole Brigade’s benefactor, our benefactor. Once the mushrooms sell, I’ll treat you to red eggs—two of them!”
Gu Mu smiled. “I’ll remember that: two red eggs.”
“Don’t worry, won’t short you.” Li Laotai patted her chest, full of energy.
The others said too: “Same for us. If we really grow them and sell for money, treating you to red eggs is nothing—meat’s fine too!”
They spoke with great bravado.
Wang Chunhua was there too and thought of something. She asked: “If we grow the mushrooms, can we sell them? They won’t say we can’t…”
Speculation and profiteering, right.
She didn’t dare say it directly.
Before Gu Mu could reply, Li Laotai spoke first: “Don’t you see where the Gu Family’s third son’s wife works?”
At the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
Everyone caught on.
Pairs of eyes lit up.
Wang Chunhua looked hopefully at Gu Mu. “Really can ask Yu Bao’s mom to help sell? Would she be willing?”
After all, it’s village business; who knows if she’d want the trouble.
“Willing.” Gu Mu said. “It was the third son’s wife who said it herself.”
Whoa, look at the smile on Yuan Shan’s Mother’s face—so radiant.
“I know your daughter-in-law is great; stop gloating, your face is about to twist from grinning.” Li Laotai rolled her eyes at her old sister.
Gu Mu, exposed, felt a bit embarrassed. “Who’s gloating…”
“Fine fine, if you say no, then no.” Li Laotai brushed it off.
Gu Mu: “…”
…
The mushroom cultivation mobilization meeting happening in the Village—Lin Zhao was completely unaware.
The Supply and Marketing Cooperative hired two people today: one salesperson, one the new accountant.
The accountant was a skinny young man in coarse cloth clothes. When Director Jiang brought him to meet Lin Zhao and the others, he looked a bit awkward and shy, hands glued to his pant seams, not daring to look around.
When Director Jiang mentioned Lin Zhao, he suddenly looked up, eyes lighting up slightly, looking at her gratefully.
Lin Zhao met his shining eyes and showed confusion on her face.
…Did she know him?
“Alright, everyone knows each other now. Get familiar over time; back to work.” Director Jiang dropped the words and went off to be busy.
After the new accountant left, Li Fen approached Lin Zhao.
“Doesn’t the new accountant seem weird?” she said mysteriously.
Lin Zhao looked over. “You know why?”
Li Fen said directly: “Remember that old man who always came to you to trade eggs?”
“Yes.” Lin Zhao nodded, then puzzled: “What’s that got to do with the new accountant?”
“Got to do with him—it’s the eldest son’s connection.” Li Fen said. “The new accountant is that old man’s son.”
Lin Zhao: “???”
She said: “Didn’t you say lots of people were eyeing the accountant’s job? And a farm boy snatched it?”
“Not snatched, more like picked up a bargain.” Li Fen explained the story in two sentences.
“No wonder I said that kid has weird good luck. I heard three families fought for this job, each pulling out all stops for their own. Otherwise it wouldn’t have taken months to settle.”
“They made such a fuss, the higher-up leader got mad and said to give the job to the one with the biggest grievance. Knowing that youth graduated junior high and did well as village accountant these years, they just settled on him directly to come work here—that’s today’s scene.”
Lin Zhao: “But what’s that got to do with me? Why’s he looking at me?”
“How not related to you.” Li Fen disagreed. “You’re his family’s benefactor, the one who changed his fate. If not for you getting rid of Liu Chunhong, could his family get the embezzled compensation? Could the Supply and Marketing Cooperative free up an accountant’s spot?”
Lin Zhao: “…”
“Liu family came after me first; I was just defending myself.” She spoke up.
“Getting rid” sounded like she targeted them.
“Same thing, all the same. Don’t sweat the details.” Li Fen waved it off.
Lin Zhao waved too. “No, I’m not. I was counterattacking.”
Yao Bao found it fun and mimicked the adults waving. “I’m not, I’m not…” Halfway through, she giggled.
Lin Zhao scooped up her daughter. “You’re not what?”
Yao Bao smiled sweetly, burying into mom’s bosom; her laughter softened hearts.
Knowing the new accountant had no malice, Lin Zhao put it out of mind.
She didn’t take the matter to heart.
At most, she thought this person had strangely good luck and wouldn’t do badly if he worked hard.
Ding Shun also felt his luck was good.
He was led to the Office.
The window was bright, the desk spacious. It was messy with dust, but so what—wipe it clean.
This place is really nice.
He said to himself inwardly.
“This is your spot. Don’t want the stuff on it? Up to you—toss or keep as you like. Desk’s dirty; wipe it yourself. Know where to get water?” the male comrade in the Office said.
“Know, know. Director said.” Ding Shun said quickly.
“The Director’s like this with all new comrades.” The speaking male comrade smiled.
Ding Shun didn’t know what to say and just smiled.
“Alright, settle in. Call me if issues.” With that, he went to his own desk.
Ding Shun thanked him and started tidying.
Accountant Liu had good conditions; his things were all good. Others shunned them as unlucky, but Ding Shun didn’t mind. He organized them, planning to take them home to wash and scald with hot water.
Once tidied, the desk seemed much bigger.
He sat by the window, sunlight streaming in through the glass—this scene, he wouldn’t have dared imagine.
His mind flashed to being insulted while selling eggs at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, then to his elderly dad’s hunched back leaving… For a moment, his heart turned over.
—Dad, I’ll work honestly, live steadily, and repay the benefactor.
…
Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
The mailman rang his bike bell.
Wang Ju trotted out and soon brought in a stack of letters.
“Comrade Lin, you’ve got mail—pretty thick.”
Lin Zhao took the letter. “Thanks.”
She glanced at the envelope—from the military region where Gu Chenghuai was.
This thickness looked like from Mao Dan’er, Momo, and Baibai.
Yao Bao’s hand sneakily reached to grab it, but Lin Zhao caught it. “This is brothers’; no touching.”
The little girl withdrew her hand and urged mom to get off work. “Go to school…”
Li Fen couldn’t help laughing. “This girl is getting smarter.”
“Yes.” Lin Zhao didn’t deny it, rubbing her daughter’s braids.
Back home.
The twins learned there was mail for them and went wild with joy, not even wanting to eat to read it.
“Eat first; read after.” Lin Zhao ordered.
The two brats with butts off the stools instantly sat back and shoveled food.
After eating, they washed hands meticulously; Yu Bao and Heng Bao opened the letter.
Mao Dan’er was older than them, recognized characters earlier and more, so he inevitably wrote some they didn’t know.
Lin Zhao saw the two brats’ expressions like this: (-﹏-`；)ゞ
Went back to hometown yesterday for business, ran around all day, exhausted, body still uncomfortable, wanted to nap then write, but overslept; woke up morning to catch bus, wrote on the go, finished… then couldn’t connect to net again… did it send?!!
