Just after the Spring Equinox, a layer of tender yellow-green had spread across the fields of the Hongqi Production Brigade. Morning dew rolled down the tips of the wheat seedlings, reflecting dappled light in the rising sun. Lin Wanqiu followed Shen Tingzhou, her shoes damp with grass, towards the open space at the west end of the village—this was a site they had discussed that morning, to find a suitable location to lay the foundation for the food workshop that was about to be built.

"How about this plot?" Shen Tingzhou stopped and pointed to a flat, open space ahead. It was backed by a hillside, avoiding the village houses, and had a babbling brook nearby, making water access convenient. It was also close to the main road at the village entrance, making it easier to transport raw materials and finished products. Lin Wanqiu squatted down, picking up a handful of soil with her fingers. The damp earth had a fresh scent. She smiled and nodded, "This land is good. The soil is thick and flat, making foundation work and factory construction much easier. Plus, it's far from the houses, so while the aroma of the pastries is pleasant, it won't disturb their rest."

Shen Tingzhou sat down on the edge of the field, took out paper and pen from his pocket, and sketched out the general outline of the factory with a few strokes: "We can build three large brick houses. One can be used as a production room, with a stove and cutting board, and a small room to store raw materials; one can be used as a baking room, where the iron baking pans made by the blacksmith can be placed, and a few large ovens can be built; the last room can be used as a warehouse and packaging room, where raw materials and finished pastries can be stored separately, and the pastries can be wrapped in oil paper for easy transport."

Lin Wanqiu leaned closer to look. The lines on the paper were simple yet clear, even the locations of the doors and windows were clearly marked. Recalling the layout of the modern food workshop in her previous life, she couldn't help but add: "The production room needs a large window for good ventilation and to keep it bright when making pastries; the baking room needs a chimney, otherwise the smoke won't dissipate and will seep into the pastries; the warehouse needs to be raised and covered with a layer of moisture-proof straw to prevent the flour and sesame seeds from getting damp and moldy."

Shen Tingzhou wrote down her words on a piece of paper, his eyes full of agreement: "You've thought of everything. We'll go talk to the brigade secretary later and get the land approved. We also need to prepare the materials for building the factory in advance. We can order bricks and tiles from the commune's brick kiln, and ask Uncle Zhang to help us select some sturdy pine trees from the back mountain. We'll also find a few villagers who know how to build houses, and try to start construction next month."

As the two were talking, they saw Uncle Zhang carrying a hoe and walking from the other side of the field. When he saw them, he called out from afar, "Wanqiu, Tingzhou, what are you discussing here? Is it about opening a workshop?" As he got closer, he put down his hoe, looked at the open space and smiled, "This is a good piece of land! I've been thinking for a while that if you were to open a workshop, this would be the most suitable place. It's quiet and convenient."

“Uncle, you have the same eye as us!” Lin Wanqiu said with a smile. “We were just about to talk to the brigade secretary about getting land, and we’ll need your help building the factory. You know everything about selecting timber and finding craftsmen.” Uncle Zhang patted his chest and agreed: “What’s so difficult about that! I know the pine trees on the back hill very well. I can tell at a glance which ones are sturdy and which ones are suitable for beams. And don’t worry about the craftsmen. There are several old bricklayers and carpenters in the village, and their skills are excellent. As long as they provide meals and pay some wages, I guarantee they’ll build a sturdy and beautiful factory.”

The three of them walked together toward the village secretary's house. On the way, they met several villagers who, upon hearing that they were going to open a food workshop, gathered around to inquire. "Wanqiu, are you hiring for the workshop? My wife is very skillful; she'll definitely be good at making pastries!" "I'm young and strong; I can move things and tend the fire. Count me in!" Lin Wanqiu responded to each of them, feeling a warm glow in her heart—the villagers' trust was her greatest motivation to run the workshop well.

When they arrived at the village secretary's house, he was chopping firewood in the yard. Hearing that they wanted to get land to open a workshop and wanted to involve the villagers, the secretary put down his axe and said happily, "This is a good thing! It will not only make our village's sideline businesses more prosperous, but also allow the villagers to earn more money. I wholeheartedly support it! I'll handle the land-related paperwork for you right away. I'll talk to the commune; it'll definitely be approved." He paused, then added, "However, opening a workshop requires a license. You'll have to apply at the commune's industrial and commercial administration office. The procedures might be a bit complicated; you'll have to make several trips."

"Thank you, Secretary!" Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou quickly expressed their gratitude. The secretary waved his hand, "No need to thank me! You're thinking of the village; I should be thanking you. Once the workshop is up and running, our Hongqi Production Brigade will definitely become a model for the commune!"

As they left the village secretary's house, the sun was already high in the sky, its warm rays making them feel cheerful and uplifted. Shen Tingzhou looked at Lin Wanqiu and said, "The land approval is done. Next, we need to raise money. Building the factory, buying materials, ordering equipment—it'll cost at least two hundred yuan. Do we have enough money on hand right now?"

Lin Wanqiu did the math: "Last time we made 165.8 yuan from selling pastries. After paying the villagers' wages and dividends, we still have over 80 yuan left. The advance payment for the cooperation with the food factory hasn't arrived yet. If we can't wait, we can discuss with the villagers about investing. Each household can invest five or ten yuan to raise the remaining money, and then we can distribute dividends according to the shares at the end of the year."

“This method is feasible.” Shen Tingzhou nodded. “Tonight, we will gather the villagers at the threshing ground and talk to them about investing. In addition, regarding equipment, besides the oven and baking tray, we also need to buy some large earthenware jars to store flour and sesame seeds, and build some wooden racks to store tools. We need to make a list of these in advance so as not to forget anything.”

That evening, the light bulbs in the threshing ground were lit. Under the dim light, the villagers arrived early, carrying small stools and sitting in a circle. Nian'an sat next to Lin Wanqiu, holding a small notebook, ready to keep accounts. Lin Wanqiu stood in the middle, cleared her throat, and said, "Folks, I called you all here today to talk about opening a food workshop. We've already chosen the site, it's on the open space at the west end of the village. Next, we need to build the factory and buy equipment, which will require a lot of money. We don't have enough money on hand, so I'd like to discuss with you all the possibility of investing. Five or ten yuan per household is fine. At the end of the year, we'll distribute dividends according to our shares. If we make money, we'll share it together. If we lose money, Tingzhou and I will pay back everyone's principal first."

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