Captain Ou also knew that no one would want those two courtyards, which was why he deliberately announced them last.
"Starting tomorrow, those planning to buy new homesteads should come to the team office to pay. However, the money for the old homesteads must be paid first. Don't cry poor to me; I know you can all afford this. With agricultural products and cotton, you've all earned quite a bit. The commune will still purchase cotton this year."
"Just think about it: once the homestead is purchased, regardless of policy changes, you will own property. Once purchased, the three fen of land will not be subject to public grain taxes, and you'll have it for fifty years. What's not to like?"
They couldn't be beaten, but they could be scolded and reasoned with, right?
A commune member said, "We only earn two hundred yuan a year. Three years' earnings combined are barely enough for the old homestead and private plot. You won't even let us pay on credit. Where's the fairness?"
Captain Ou frowned. "This isn't my idea; the commune arranged it. Moreover, because there are few people in Kushan, we're allowed to buy homesteads in advance. Don't believe me? Ask other production teams if they're allowed to buy homesteads in advance."
Ouyang Meihua raised her hand. "If you can't afford it, then don't buy it. What are you complaining about? I'll buy. My family will also buy the three fen of homesteads and private plots in the south, along with the barley and wheat. I'll buy the rest too."
Tian Jing was buying, so she would naturally follow.
Chen Suozhu also raised his hand. "My family will buy too."
Brother Wang raised his hand. "My family will buy too."
Doctor Yang also raised his hand.
Sister-in-law Niu saw this and quickly raised her hand. Her family would follow Tian Jing.
"Alright, alright," Captain Ou called out again. "Starting tomorrow, come to the team office to pay and register. Oh, and by the way, Tian Jing is willing to sell watermelon seedlings."
Immediately, the crowd buzzed with discussion again.
Tian Jing glared at Captain Ou in annoyance, always being pushed forward at critical moments.
She gestured to Ouyang Meihua to borrow the captain's loudspeaker.
Ouyang Meihua swiftly stepped over the shoulders of the commune members, grabbed the captain's loudspeaker, and then stepped back over them.
The commune members dared not speak despite their anger. If they dared to speak, Ouyang Meihua might step on their heads next time.
With the loudspeaker, Tian Jing could finally express her opinions clearly. She didn't have internal energy to gather her voice.
"Listen carefully, commune members. Watermelon seedlings are two mao each. I've planted them, but how they are sold is none of my business. Everyone is working independently now. Don't use collective honor to bind me. Why should you use my social connections?"
"Everyone is growing watermelons. Who can eat watermelons as their main food? If all the watermelons flood the market, they won't sell, and the price will definitely drop, or they'll rot in the fields."
"You might say I'm crying wolf, or that I'm worried about you taking my market share. Let me tell you, you're overthinking it. I can have Xiaohu help me transport the watermelons to the city or the provincial capital to sell. Can you?"
"For the past three years, for the sake of collective honor and to support the work of the captain and the party secretary, I've tried my best to treat all commune members equally."
"But today, I'm done. The era of a market economy has arrived. Whoever has resources and ability, whoever acts first, makes big money. Why should I drag you along?"
"In these three years, you've all seen who has the ability and who doesn't. If you don't have the skills, don't take on the job. Those who want seedlings should reserve them in advance. We won't sell to those who don't."
"Furthermore, Uncle Li's family, including his youngest son; Uncle Li's second family, including his two sons; Li Aiguo and Zhang Fangcao's maternal family; Brother Niu's family; and that Huang who once helped me with my house-raising ceremony with paper money, along with his family and all his relatives – these people I've named, do not come to my house to reserve seedlings. From now on, I will not sell any seedlings to you."
"I repeat, in the past it was for collective honor, but now it's a market economy and a time for individual capability. I will no longer endure this disgust and drag certain people along."
"In these three years, some people have benefited from me while speaking ill of me behind my back. I know exactly who they are."
"A gentleman's revenge can take ten years. I am a woman, a petty woman. Don't test my patience."
When Tian Jing spoke, the commune members dared not discuss. For the past three years, if Tian Jing hadn't pulled everyone along, they might not have even had enough to eat, let alone earn two hundred yuan a year.
Captain Ou sighed. He owed too much to Tian Jing and Li Zhengguo.
He waved his hand feebly. "Meeting adjourned, adjourned."
Tian Jing returned the loudspeaker to Ouyang Meihua.
Ouyang Meihua stepped on the commune members' shoulders again.
The commune members suddenly felt that even if Ouyang Meihua stepped on their shoulders every day, they would be willing, as long as Tian Jing didn't quit.
Sister-in-law Niu and Ouyang Meihua carried their stools and left with Tian Jing first.
The commune members on the scene, under the scorching sun, were unwilling to move. If they moved, the meeting would be over, the collective would be dispersed, and the days of the captain and Tian Jing pulling them along would be gone forever.
Some even wept aloud.
Before, they all hated collective labor and would slack off whenever they could, as they all received work points.
But later, things changed. Land could be adopted, and the captain did his best to help everyone pull along with Tian Jing so she could lead them.
Tian Jing agreed and delivered. Every household had some surplus cash.
However, such good times were so short. Only three years, and they had planned to follow suit this year and earn several hundred to a thousand yuan.
But things suddenly changed. Not only could they not earn money together, but they also had to use their earnings to buy homesteads.
When hope was within reach, a bucket of ice water was doused over them. They were back to square one. How could they live?
Where there were tears, others followed.
Suddenly, a wave of crying swept through the scene.
Tian Jing and Ouyang Meihua, who hadn't gone far, could hear it. Sister-in-law Niu could also hear it.
Sister-in-law Niu sighed. "If I didn't know you wouldn't abandon me, Tian Jing, I would cry too. In the past three years, my family has only earned a little over a thousand yuan."
"I have two sons, so I'll definitely need two new homesteads. Including the private plots, that's eight hundred. Adding the old homestead and private plot, it's twelve hundred. Even with everything accounted for, it's not enough."
"This homestead matter is truly disheartening. We can understand paying for new homesteads, but why do we also have to pay for old homesteads?"
Tian Jing looked at Ouyang Meihua. "Do you think so too, Cousin?"
"I don't think so."
Ouyang Meihua shook her head. "You have homesteads, but we in the county town live in public housing or in our old homes. We have nowhere to buy homesteads. You've used them without charge for so many years and generations, and you're still not satisfied?"
Seeing that Ouyang Meihua hadn't hit the nail on the head, Tian Jing could only explain to Sister-in-law Niu.
"Sister-in-law Niu, you only heard that you have to pay for the old homesteads. Have you considered that the homesteads will be entirely yours? That they can be bought, sold, and inherited? Otherwise, if the policy changes one day and they are repossessed, you'll have no one to cry to."
Sister-in-law Niu was stunned. "They can be repossessed?"
Tian Jing immediately denied it. "No, I'm just using it as an analogy. At least once you buy it, you have the final say on your homestead. After purchasing, the homestead is no longer collective property; it's yours. No matter how the policy changes, the homestead will be yours."
"Why did I buy so many? It's precisely because I value the aspect of private ownership. If there weren't people on both sides, I would have wanted to expand my old house."
Sister-in-law Niu didn't quite understand, but, "You mean it's best to buy it, right? Even if we have to borrow money?"
Tian Jing nodded. "Yes. For my three fen of homestead, I'll use them for farming first, growing vegetables and watermelons. Who can control that? I won't exceed the boundaries, the village roads that are already set. It hasn't changed much from now, only that the vegetable sheds will be replaced by six fen per plot."