Li Mu sent her seven grandchildren to the courtyard house for the summer holiday, dedicating herself to preparing three meals a day for her sons and daughters-in-law.
Since Tian Jing was also busy, this year, watermelon seedlings and vegetable seedlings were being cultivated together. Not only did the children's planting team need vegetable seedlings, but the greenhouses that did not get to plant watermelons were also planting vegetables first. However, the village did not build any more seedling houses, so she led the members of the seedling team to add multi-tiered shelves to the seedling house, utilizing the space reasonably.
Zhang Shitou, now a formal worker, carried the greenhouse shift schedule book, patrolling the more than a thousand greenhouses daily to ensure the correct planting varieties. It was not a problem if the vegetables had issues, but the watermelons absolutely could not, otherwise, the supply chain would be broken.
Seeing his grandson's hurried back, Zhang's father said to his wife, "Ask Li Min when she's going to see Fangcao, and let's go together?"
"Our education was wrong. Shitou has changed a lot, better than his father."
Zhang's mother agreed, but added, "I don't know if Li Min is willing to take us. I don't know if our daughter-in-law agrees."
Zhang's father glared at his wife, "Why does she need to agree? If she hadn't stopped him that day, would Shitou have been beaten by his father? Would we have been disqualified for this year?"
"Do you think it's just missing over ten thousand yuan this year? Being short by ten thousand means you'll always be short of shares in that big plan."
"Right." Zhang's mother clapped her hands. "No, no, we must talk to Shitou and Zhantou properly and see if they are willing to lend the money for next year's land acquisition."
Zhang's father shook his head, "That's still not enough, half is missing. Forget it, don't calculate Shitou and Zhantou's. Look at the drive they have, they have their own goals to strive for."
"We'll work hard to save money. Once we have enough, we'll discuss with Village Chief Li if we can make up the difference. The big plan still needs money."
"Okay, okay, hurry up and sweep."
...
In mid-September, the Kuhe Bridge was completed. After settling the labor costs, the construction team withdrew, but the villagers of Wang'er were reluctant to leave. From nothing to something, they had developed an emotional attachment to the bridge.
A notice was posted by the village committee office door, listing the various costs for road and bridge construction. The cost of materials and the construction team for the bridge was 202,200 yuan. The cost of materials and the construction team for the township road was 821,000 yuan. Wang'er Village's labor costs were 84,000 yuan plus 45,360 yuan.
The villagers were literate, and they stared intently at the 84,000 and 45,360 yuan. This was the wages for the strong laborers who built the bridge and the semi-laborers who prepared the roadbed. A total of more than five hundred people worked for three to five months, earning only 129,000 yuan. Less than 130,000 yuan. The average per person was only a little over 200 yuan, and it was heavy physical labor. Their own individual earnings were between 1,500 and 2,500 yuan, more than the total of their wages.
Turning around, they pushed past people and ran back to the greenhouses. They had to be serious, they had to work hard. Otherwise, Village Chief Li could replace them with workers and Wang'er villagers.
...
Amidst the crackling of firecrackers, the Kuhe Bridge began to be open to traffic. A checkpoint was set up at the bridgehead, with Zhang's father and mother taking turns to guard it, earning a monthly salary of twenty yuan. On the twenty-five-kilometer township road, between the trees on both sides, prickly roses were planted. At the guard posts at each village entrance, three Wang'er villagers were hired, working in eight-hour shifts. The township road was temporarily not open to other villages, even for payment, because it was the busiest season for transportation in the Kuxian Mountains.
The three villages cursed Wang'er Village as dogs of Kuxian Village. The villagers of Wang'er did not care. The village chief said that following Kuxian Village was the right path. When their village developed like Kuxian Village, wouldn't Lishi Village obediently become their dogs?
Li Zhengguo also heard the curses and reported them to the township. The township quickly arranged for people to give the villagers of the three villages lessons on civilization. They also followed Kuxian's example and selected the villagers who cursed the most to be the leaders of the civilization group. With a high-sounding title, the villagers who were best at cursing transformed into the most civilized villagers. The village chiefs of the three villages were also replaced by deputy village chiefs. If the deputy village chiefs also failed to manage the villagers' quality education, the village chiefs would continue to be replaced. The villagers of the three villages changed. They no longer cursed when passing by the new township road and greeted the Wang'er villagers enthusiastically.
...
Village Chief Tian of Zhangshan Village, no, the former village chief, went to the Tian family. Old Man Tian and Old Lady Tian were already old. The management power had fallen into the hands of Tian Yongren and his wife. Tian Yongren ignored the complaints of his cousin. He was waiting, waiting for the day when the deputy village chief could no longer manage, and the village chief's hat could be placed on his head.
The former village chief immediately understood Tian Yongren's intentions and looked at Tian Liwen. "Liwen, Li Zhengguo is only three years older than you, and he's already a village chief."
"This time, the township replaced three village chiefs at once, which made me realize a problem."
Tian Liwen secretly glanced at his father and asked, "Cousin, speak your mind."
"I realized that the township strongly supports Kuxian."
Tian Yongren sneered, "Everyone knows this. Otherwise, on what grounds could Li Zhengguo get a loan of two million yuan?"
"On what grounds could he buy steel bars and cement? And on what grounds could he call in a construction team?"
The former village chief shook his head, "Yongren, what you said is both right and wrong. What I mean is that the township supports Li Zhengguo. In other words, Magistrate Ji supports Li Zhengguo."
"And this replacement of village chiefs is just a casual move. Once Kuxian develops, the county will definitely develop our line as well."
"At that time, the village chiefs will have to be replaced again, and the new village chiefs will be young, visionary, ambitious, and capable, like Li Zhengguo."
"The age limit for these young people should be around forty, definitely not exceeding forty-five."
"Now, if Liwen can join the village cadres, there's still a chance."
Old Man Tian, who was smoking his pipe with his head down, immediately looked up. "Yes, let Liwen take a position in the village committee. Then, among a group of elderly people, young blood will be immediately visible."
Tian Yongren looked at his cousin with ill intentions. "Cousin means that I should step down and let Liwen take over, right? Do you think this is city work, where you can retire and be replaced?"
"If I step down, your Lihui will immediately take my position. Don't think I don't know he has a vocational school diploma, and he's an accounting major."
The former village chief stood up. "Believe it or not, Lihui graduated from vocational school and is going to the township. Who would waste their life in the village?"
Tian Yongren also stood up to see him out. "Then I'll wait and see. When your Lihui enters the township, I'll consider stepping down. Goodbye, cousin."
After seeing off his cousin, Tian Yongren berated his eldest son.
"You still believe his words? If his wife hadn't taken Tian Ping's money and stirred up trouble in the village, would you have made one stupid move after another?"
"You ruined the lingering feelings Tian Jing still had for Lixiang."
"Besides, since he said that once Kuxian develops, the county will also develop these four villages of ours."
"Since he believes that young village chiefs will be replaced, it means they will support Li Zhengguo and follow Li Zhengguo."
"Li Zhengguo will definitely know the list of appointed new village chiefs in advance."
"Let alone you and me, any person surnamed Tian will be rejected."
"They did things so absolutely back then, and now they still want benefits? What a dream!"
"Ten years east of the river, ten years west of the river, they are no longer the dejected and wronged young people of back then."
"It's not the same background as back then anymore. Young people with ability, courage, insight, and shrewdness are the ones leaders will notice."
"Liwen, what do you have? You don't even have self-awareness."
Tian Liwen was angered by his father's scolding. "Dad, in your eyes, am I completely useless?"
"Yes!" Tian Yongren nodded forcefully. "If you're not convinced, then let's divide the family. I've had enough of managing a family with people who have different intentions."
"It's understandable that your second and third uncles have ulterior motives, but if you have ulterior motives, it's unforgivable."
"If you believe your cousin, then I'll step down and see if you get the accountant position or if his youngest son gets it."
Old Man Tian had something to say again. "Liwen, believe your father."
"Grandpa?"
"Just now, I was deliberately dealing with your cousin. His intentions are not simple."
Tian Liwen was speechless.
In terms of scheming and shrewdness, his father and grandfather seemed very capable. However, no matter how capable they were, they couldn't outmaneuver Tian Jing and Li Zhengguo.