Chapter 242: “no Appeal Whatsoever”
Director Jiang specifically went to the warehouse to inspect the goods, saw that the mushrooms were indeed growing very well, said “good” three times in a row, and turned to find the commune secretary.
The two chatted for a long time in the office.
That evening, the mushrooms sent by Fengshou Brigade were loaded onto the train heading to Haicheng.
That said.
Gu Yuanshan and Dahai got a thick stack of Da Tuan Jie banknotes, walking as if floating on air. The two had never carried even fifty yuan on them in their lives, and suddenly having several hundred yuan and running all over the streets, they were so nervous they didn’t know where to put their hands and feet.
“Yuanshan, my arm is weak, you hold the bag.” Dahai shoved the ragged cloth bag with the money into Gu Yuanshan’s bosom.
Gu Yuanshan was panicking too.
His whole body stiffened.
“You old six…” His lips were trembling, and he subconsciously stuffed the cloth bag into his bosom, hugging it tightly.
He glared at Dahai anxiously and nervously, “Does my arm have strength? You pit good!”
After tossing the hot potato away, Dahai could finally breathe and even laugh.
“Yeah, aren’t you hugging it tight? Let’s go, I’ll follow you.”
Gu Yuanshan said no more nonsense, striding forward boldly, walking faster than when they came.
Fortunately, nothing happened along the way.
The two smoothly returned to the village entrance.
Seeing the figures of the villagers from afar, Gu Yuanshan touched the cloth bag in his bosom, breathed a sigh of relief, and a brilliant smile appeared on his face.
“So many people!” Dahai said, “They’re all waiting for us, hehehe, they definitely can’t imagine how much we sold them for…”
Gu Yuanshan had been on edge the whole way, too tired to speak, just heading into the village.
He now had only one thought: hand over the “bomb” in his bosom.
Having received the adults’ instructions, the children obediently waiting at the village entrance saw Gu Yuanshan and Dahai and let out shrieks.
“They’re back! Uncle Yuanshan and Uncle Dahai are back!!”
“Brigade Leader, the ones who went to sell mushrooms are back—!”
Like a relay race, loud voices rose one after another.
Spreading throughout the whole village.
The members who heard the sounds hurriedly ran out.
Then they surrounded Gu Yuanshan and Dahai.
Wanting to ask something but not knowing where to start, they stared at the two with burning eyes.
Finally, the brigade leader spoke up.
He slapped his son’s shoulder.
“Dumb? Speak! What’s the situation? Did you sell them?”
It was certain they sold them; the two boys were carrying empty burdens, and the bamboo baskets they brought were gone.
Dahai grimaced, rubbing the spot hit by his biological father, grinning, “We sold them! Dad, why don’t you guess how much per jin we got?”
The brigade leader wanted to swing his hand again.
“Guess my ass!” he said impatiently, “How much did you sell for? Cut the suspense!”
Seeing his dad about to flare up at any moment, Dahai didn’t dare to push it and shouted loudly at high speed: “The supply and marketing cooperative’s purchasing agent took one look and said our mushrooms are top grade, offered seven mao per jin, and me and Yuanshan together sold a total of two hundred ninety-five yuan… and four mao!”
Hearing this, the brigade leader unconsciously opened his mouth wide, his jaw dropping.
Seeing his dad’s mouth opening wider and wider, Dahai hurriedly helped hold up the brigade leader’s jaw.
“Dad, take it slow, your jaw’s about to hit the ground.”
The brigade leader seemed to come back to his senses, grabbed his son’s arm, his eyes brighter than ever.
“What did you just say? Seven mao per jin? You’re not fooling me, are you?!”
The questioning voices grew louder and louder.
The howls brought the others back to reason.
Grabbing Gu Yuanshan and Dahai’s clothes, they asked one after another.
“Yuanshan, is what Dahai says true? Did our planted mushrooms really sell? How could that be, mushrooms more expensive than eggs?!”
“Dahai, you’re not talking nonsense, are you?” An elderly grandpa stared at Dahai, warning, “If you’re spouting rubbish, don’t blame me for disciplining you on behalf of your dad.”
He was the brigade leader’s own elder, so it wasn’t overstepping to say he’d discipline the son for the brigade leader.
Dahai held the grandpa’s arm, his expression turning serious.
“No nonsense.” The grandpa was old with poor ears, so he raised his volume appropriately, “It’s true, the money from the sale is right in Yuanshan’s bosom, words can deceive, money can’t.”
The elderly person’s dry lips trembled.
At this moment, Gu Yuanshan found the opportunity, pulled out the ragged cloth bag with the money from his bosom.
He handed it to the brigade leader, saying: “Brigade Leader, the money is here.”
The brigade leader took it, turned, and handed it to the brigade accountant to count.
It wasn’t distrusting the member who went to do the errand; it was following the rules.
The brigade accountant went to the side, counted the money under the watch of the brigade cadres, and it was indeed that exact amount.
No mistake.
He nodded to the brigade leader.
At this point, the few brigade cadres finally felt a bit of reality.
Really… made money!
“Good! Great!” The brigade leader’s face flushed with excitement.
He said to the members: “Plant mushrooms! Expand planting!!”
The members all saw the Da Tuan Jie banknotes; those were shares for them too, they didn’t know how much they’d get, but no matter how much, it was profit.
No such income in previous years!?
Yuan Shan’s father said the mushrooms in the mushroom room could be harvested all winter.
Everyone mentally calculated the accounts…
Incredible, truly incredible!!
“Plant, we’ll plant!”
“My family too!!”
The members were very excited.
Gu Fu, however, frowned, saying with some worry: “Not enough cow dung.”
What Fengshou Brigade was using now was all borrowed from the neighboring brigade.
If they knew Fengshou Brigade made money from planting mushrooms, and not little money, the neighboring brigade definitely wouldn’t be willing to part with that bit of cow dung.
This way, how to compost?
Gu Fu had tried pig manure; it wasn’t as good as cow dung, not workable.
The brigade leader also thought of these issues, the joy on his face fading a bit.
“This is indeed a problem.” He said, “For now, tomorrow morning I’ll go find the secretary to explain the situation, see what to do.”
He had big ambitions, eyeing the farm’s cow dung.
This required the commune to step in.
A little brigade leader like him couldn’t manage it; for now, he could only pin hopes on the commune.
Just then, the commune sent someone to Fengshou Brigade.
The young man casually found a child to lead the way and went straight to the brigade leader.
Seeing the brigade in chaos, members all gathered together, beaming with joy like New Year, he looked puzzled.
The simple smiles on those faces were infectious, and the young man smiled too.
“Brigade Leader Ye, the secretary wants you.” He shouted to Dahai’s dad.
Brigade Leader Ye looked baffled.
Hadn’t they just met?!
Remembering he also needed to report the cow dung matter to the secretary, without delaying, he went back to the room, grabbed the flashlight, mounted the bicycle, and headed straight to the county.
It was very cold, but Brigade Leader Ye’s heart was warm.
Approaching the county, he made various guesses, inevitably anxious.
Arriving at the secretary’s office.
No sooner had he sat down than the secretary’s opening words stunned him.
What he said was… the commune’s upcoming arrangements for mushroom planting work.
Brigade Leader Ye was stunned.
What?
He didn’t hear wrong, did he?!
“…Plant mushrooms across the whole commune?” Brigade Leader Ye raised his voice, full of shock, his mind blank.
The commune secretary nodded, “This is the result of our discussion.”
“Our country is in a difficult period right now, short on all materials. Mushroom planting technology is a scarce type. Since we’ve developed this technology… we can’t waste it. Our plan is to turn this place into the nation’s mushroom planting base. If done well, we might even export outward.”
“Your brigade is the first to succeed, so when setting up the factory, Fengshou Brigade will be prioritized. Also, since it’s large-scale planting across the commune, the epidemic prevention station needs to be built first, and it’ll be placed in your brigade.”
The technology belongs to Fengshou Brigade’s members; the commune won’t stint on preferential treatment for them.
Can’t leave people disheartened, right.
Brigade Leader Ye’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.
“We’ll follow the leadership.” His voice was firm and resounding.
The secretary chuckled, “What do you mean ‘follow the leadership’? We’re a democratic society. What is democracy? Democracy is listening to the voices of the masses. Whatever problems you encounter, you can raise them.”
“If even you brigade leaders don’t speak up, what about the people below?”
He prided himself on not being a harsh leader, fairly approachable, but these brigade leaders acted like mice seeing a cat when seeing him, which left him helpless.
Brigade Leader Ye, after several interactions with the secretary, had a changed impression of him.
For the difficulty just discovered, he didn’t hold back to solve it himself like before, but directly said: “We really have run into a problem.”
The commune secretary looked over, “You say.”
“You know too, planting mushrooms requires composting, and composting uses cow dung. Our brigade’s cow dung is borrowed from a few neighboring brigades. If the whole commune starts planting mushrooms later, the cow dung may not be enough to go around.”
Commune Secretary: “We’ve thought of this problem and discussed it. We plan to talk to the farm; there’ll definitely be enough cow dung, don’t worry about this!”
This was what Brigade Leader Ye worried most about; the leadership solved it in one go, and now he was full of energy.
Back in the village, he immediately started arranging work.
On such a cold day, the people of Fengshou Brigade were full of enthusiasm, energetically planting mushrooms.
Educated Youth Point.
The educated youths gathered around the fire stove, discussing the brigade’s mushroom planting.
Wen Huaiyuan spoke first: “Should we learn to plant them too?”
Song Qian lifted his eyelids, glanced slowly at his friend, and remained silent.
He didn’t want to plant.
First, he wasn’t short on money; second, he was too lazy to bother. With that time, he’d rather read a couple more pages of a book.
Yan Li smiled, revealing white teeth, looking sweet.
“I want to try…”
She had just stated her position when Meng Xiaoying cut her off, “Try what? I heard planting mushrooms requires composting. Know what for composting? Cow dung! I’m saying it upfront, no making the whole yard smell like cow dung, or I’m not done with you!”
Yan Li clenched her fist, wanting to punch Meng Xiaoying.
She barely thought of their poor family situation and not wanting trouble, so she held back and said no more.
Plant if you want, worst case she’ll go to Educated Youth Guan and Su Zhiqing.
Wen Huaiyuan saw Meng Xiaoying’s nasty facial expression and instantly lost the desire to speak.
He yawned sleepily, leaving unhurriedly.
Meng Xiaoying still wanted to talk to Song Qian, but the young man’s weary gaze swept over her face without stopping and left the warm kitchen.
Cold wind whooshed, billowing his clothes, outlining a clear waistline.
Meng Xiaoying’s eyes went straight.
Noticing other female educated youths, she glared at them with her eyes; the pretty Yan Li got the most white eyes.
Yan Li: “…”
Sick?
The men at the educated youth point weren’t her type; she liked tough guys. Weaklings had… no appeal to her. She smiled: ）
…
Yan Li was a person of action; that very day she went to find… Su Zhiqing and Educated Youth Guan who had moved out.
Her arrival surprised the two female educated youths.
Since they moved out, they were clearly closer to the villagers, and interactions with educated youths at the point were mere formalities.
Knowing Yan Li’s intent, Su Yi and Educated Youth Guan exchanged a glance.
Su Yi looked hesitant.
She was willing, even for the sake of Yan Zhiqing’s similar situation to hers, two in the same boat.
Fellow wanderers far from home should help each other.
Educated Youth Guan and Su Yi had lived together so long they were friends; she could guess her thoughts.
So she said: “No objection from me. What about you, Su Zhiqing?”
Su Yi’s dark eyes lit up, “No objection from me either.”
She looked at Yan Li, “Yan Zhiqing, the three of us plant together.”
“Educated Youth Guan and I plan to build another room, specifically for planting mushrooms.” Su Yi explained their next arrangements.
Yan Li was also direct, “I’ll give you the money for building the house. How much per household?”
Building a mushroom room didn’t cost much; Su Yi and Educated Youth Guan had calculated, quoted a number, “Two yuan, refund excess or pay shortfall, okay?”
Yan Li pulled out the money and gave it to her, saying: “I trust you.”
These words were heartwarming; Su Yi grinned leaning on the table, “Just like we trust Comrade Lin.”
Yan Li looked puzzled, “The Comrade Lin who gave birth to twins and dragon-phoenix twins?”
“Yes, that’s her.” Su Yi’s eyes sparkled.
She had interacted with Lin Zhao a few times and had a good impression of her.
Yan Li’s eyes showed regret, “Too bad I came late and never met her.”
When it was hot, Lin Zhao didn’t like going out; when cold, she took her four cubs to live in the county. Few later educated youths had seen her.
Educated Youth Guan said: “What’s that? Comrade Lin isn’t not coming back. When the supply and marketing cooperative has holiday, around New Year, she’ll come back to the village for New Year, and you’ll meet her then.”
Su Yi looked at her, “How do you know so clearly?”
“Comrade Lin told me.” Educated Youth Guan smiled.
In fact, she had asked; Comrade Lin just politely informed her.
Su Yi’s expression was indescribable.
Like three traveling together, the other two suddenly having a secret, the third knowing nothing.
…
The brigade’s lively affairs, Lin Zhao still didn’t know.
On the weekend, she brought her four cubs home and found the village atmosphere vastly different from previous years.
A flavor of bustling enthusiasm.
She felt very puzzled.
Until she smelled the overpowering stench.
Yu Bao covered his nose with his gloved hand, “So stinky, so stinky! Why did the village suddenly get so stinky!!”
Yuan Bao and the others ran over, hearing this, sniffed their frozen runny noses, chattering answers to his question.
“Everyone’s composting, and composting stinks!” Yuan Bao’s voice was cheerful, his little nose red from cold, yet as if unaware of the chill, his face bloomed with a brilliant smile.
Clearly, the village having a money-making venture made him very happy.
Tie Niu said: “Stinky is fine, as long as it earns money! My dad came back from selling mushrooms, walking with wind, so happy. My mom says this New Year she’ll make me new cotton-padded clothes, buy fruit candy.”
As the little friends talked, Lin Zhao pushed open the yard gate, calling the little ones into the yard; it was cold outside and she worried the children would catch colds.
The yard livened up.
Gu Lan came out from the kitchen, saying: “Third Aunt, I boiled hot water, the water kettle is full, the bedding at home was sunned yesterday, the bed sheets are clean too…”
With the third branch moved to the county, the village house was looked after by the old house; Gu Mu and others came occasionally to clean and air the bedding and such.
