"Pan Di is a remarkable girl. Her elder sister and brother-in-law listen to her, and their lives have become quite prosperous," someone remarked.
"We country folk are not afraid of hard work. As long as there's money to be made, no one is too unwilling to put in the effort."
Shen Futang couldn't help but nod. He never imagined that one day his family could help so many of their fellow villagers.
The distiller's yeast fish factory now employed over a thousand people, each earning tens of yuan a month. While not comparable to state-owned enterprise workers in the city, it was a world apart from earning work points by farming at home.
The money they earned in a month now was equivalent to what they used to earn in a year. Shenjiaba Village was having a prosperous year; every household was cooking meat.
During the first lunar month, they didn't have to rely on a single plate of fish and a bowl of meat for the entire period. They could simply buy more when they ran out. Pork was only a little over a yuan per jin. The village collective raised pigs, and after fulfilling their quota, they sold them to the villagers without needing ration coupons.
It seemed the authorities were turning a blind eye to it all. Some were even building pigpens in their backyards to raise their own pigs.
News of what happened in Xiaogang Village last year had spread, and people's minds were becoming active. They wanted to emulate Xiaogang Village by implementing the household contract responsibility system, dividing land to individual households.
Then, one person from each family could work at the distiller's yeast fish factory, while another would stay home with the elderly and children, farming the land. Whatever they produced, after handing over the grain tax, would be theirs to keep.
Everyone felt that good times were beckoning, except for the lazy and good-for-nothing.
"Brother-in-law, I'll go to Nianzhuang tomorrow and tell Sister Pan Di. She'll be overjoyed."
Shen Rong's eyes crinkled with a smile. Going to Hong Kong, even possibly abroad, was an unimaginable prospect for a village girl like her. But now, thanks to Chen Yang, it was becoming a reality.
"You silly girl, you can't just leave the village to pay New Year's calls on the first day of the lunar month."
"Go after the second day. If your maternal grandparents and maternal uncles were still alive, you'd be visiting them on the second day."
Shen Futang shot Shen Rong a look. This girl, after going to school, had almost forgotten her manners. The first day of the lunar month was for paying New Year's calls within the village; there was no reason to visit another village.
"Dad, I'll listen to you. I'll go on the second day then. It's not like I'm going to Hong Kong immediately anyway."
"Brother-in-law, I'm going to study English."
Shen Rong said this and scurried back into the house, not even bothering to promise to play with the baby and Chen Hao with firecrackers.
"Is this blasted English really that fun to learn?"
"Is it better abroad than in China? Hong Kong is just a small place, isn't it? Why are they so rich?"
Shen Futang looked at Chen Yang, unable to comprehend after living for most of his life why such a small place could possess so much wealth.
The entire distiller's yeast fish factory had monthly orders worth millions. Such a small place, rumored to be smaller than their Qingyuan City, yet richer than their entire Anhui Province.
"Dad, they've just developed for a few decades longer than us. In the future, we will also develop."
Chen Yang didn't know how to explain to Shen Futang that Hong Kong's prosperity was due to its geographical location and historical reasons.
"Never mind, let's not talk about this. The old village head and Grandpa Tu said they want you to come over after dinner tonight."
"They probably want to discuss this household contract responsibility system. Quite a few communes in our county are preparing to divide the land to households. Fields will be assigned for individuals to farm, moving away from the 'big pot' system, which will motivate everyone more."
Chen Yang's interest was piqued by Shen Futang's words. Household contract responsibility, it was finally here.
At the end of 1978, eighteen households in Xiaogang Village risked everything and pressed their fingerprints. By the end of 1979, every household had a bumper harvest. The total grain output that year was equivalent to the sum of the years 1955 to 1970. Xiaogang Village, for the first time in its history, paid the grain tax and also made up for previously owed taxes.
By the end of 1979, the matter of Xiaogang Village had quickly become famous throughout Anhui Province. It was natural for the villagers of Shenjiaba Village to have ideas.
Chen Yang also knew that the leader of Anhui Province at the time would inspect Xiaogang Village after the New Year, and soon the central government would take notice and give its approval.
Soon, the fire of the household contract responsibility system would spread from Anhui Province to the entire country. This undertaking was not risky, and with the contract responsibility system, farmers' productivity would greatly increase, leading to a significant rise in grain output.
With more grain, they could develop industries like fish farming and pig farming. Even if they couldn't raise pigs, smaller poultry like chickens and ducks could significantly change the living conditions of many farmers.
"I'll pay New Year's calls on the first day of the lunar month and go chat with the old village head and the others."
Chen Yang certainly wanted to reassure the old village head and the others about this matter, encouraging them to proceed boldly and without hesitation, so they wouldn't be afraid to act.
"It's good that you have this under control. I know you're a capable person. I can't compare, and even my father is far behind you."
"You're leading the villagers to a better life. When I go down later, I can brag to my father that I found him a good grandson-in-law."
After saying this, Shen Futang rolled himself a cigarette and was about to go to the corner outside to enjoy it. He had held back for a long time, and now, in a good mood, he couldn't resist having one.
Chen Yang slept soundly with his wife and children. Another year had passed, and the children were a year older. It was time for them to sleep in separate rooms.
Otherwise, it would be too inconvenient. With the children around, Shen Xue couldn't be unrestrained, and Chen Yang's attempts at intimacy had been repeatedly thwarted.
Being unable to "do anything" with his wife left Chen Yang feeling restless. The next morning, Chen Yang got up early, splashed cold water on his face, and took the two little ones out to pay New Year's calls.
Since they had ruined his plans yesterday, these two shouldn't expect to sleep in.
"Old village head, Happy New Year! I wish you good health this year and that you lead the villagers to an even more prosperous and flourishing life."
Chen Yang didn't offer any flowery speeches. Nothing was more important than leading the villagers to a better life under the old village head's guidance.
"It's you, young man, who understands an old man's heart. My well-being is not important; what matters is that the villagers' lives improve. Only then will I have lived up to everyone's expectations."
"Yangzi, you've heard about Xiaogang Village from your father-in-law, haven't you? What are your thoughts? I think Director Liu from the commune is quite keen on this."
"Our production team's situation is already much better than before, and most people are more motivated. Our situation is different from Xiaogang Village's."
The old village head's words made Chen Yang respect him even more. It was true; what worked for others wasn't necessarily suitable for oneself. Huaxi Village had persisted with collective village management, and it was doing very well.
Chen Yang also carefully considered the old village head's words. With the collective village asset, the distiller's yeast fish factory, Shenjiaba Village wasn't necessarily in need of dividing the land to households. Pursuing the path of collective village development wasn't impossible.