Chapter 67 What I saw just after getting off work was...

After Chen Aiguo and Xu Chunhua returned home that night, they immediately went to their eldest brother Chen Aidang's house.

The Chen family's main branch has not yet split up, and the huge square courtyard is still crowded with people. Now everyone is rushing to decorate the new house which was converted from a warehouse.

Chen Aiguo and his wife went over to help out for a bit, then had dinner at their eldest brother's house. They then found a chance to tell their brother that they had bought a house in Liuping and planned to set up a company and sales department there. They also wanted to open a grain and oil factory here with their two brothers.

"No, I understand you want to open a factory here. I've actually discussed this with your second brother before. But why are you buying a house and opening a company there? Wouldn't you rather invest all the money in the new factory? Why do you want to do that too? Opening two of these things wouldn't just mean paying the government twice?"

Having supplied flour and rapeseed oil to the third branch for so long, everyone in the Chen family had already considered the idea of ​​supplying other bakeries and restaurants. Some, even more ambitious, had already suggested they try to open a factory. But opening a factory wasn't something that could be done simply by talking. It required finding a location, setting up the space, gathering everyone and coming up with a charter, having someone to keep track of the accounts, and numerous other paperwork. Finally, once profits were made, taxes had to be paid, as well as contributions to the village and the government.

Because they felt that this was too troublesome and the timing was not right, Chen Aidang and Chen Aimin, who had this idea in mind, never told their brothers about it.

Now when I meet the third brother, I suddenly bring up this.

At this moment, Chen Aidang felt a sense of joy and excitement, but he was also puzzled as to why they were opening a company in Liuping. If they just wanted to store goods in Liuping, they could simply rent a place. If they simply wanted to buy a house, there was no need for such a complicated process.

"We wanted to buy that house for Panpan. Panpan had earned over 7,000 yuan before she was old enough to understand things. She gave us all her money, and we wanted to use that money to buy her a house in Liuping. But the policy there doesn't allow ordinary people to buy a house at all. Even if they did, they couldn't go through the paperwork like we did with our previous store. That's when we realized that if we bought a house and set up a company there, the paperwork would be done. So we had no choice but to buy a house under this name.

After buying the house, we couldn't cheat the government and we had to start a company and build a factory. But the space we had was definitely not enough, and we didn't want to build it outside. And without you, we couldn't build this factory. So in the end, we decided to separate the factory and sales -"

Chen Aiguo later told many people about building a factory and how to build it.

Tell it once to your eldest brother and his wife, and tell it once to your second brother and his wife.

The next day, when he was planning the wedding for his child, he secretly told the village chief about it again.

Later, on the day of Chen Erbao's wedding, when the village chief came over, Chen Aiguo secretly pulled the village chief aside and talked to him specifically.

In the past six months, everyone in the Chen family has been sending gifts to Chen Pan's house every day. In fact, they have already had this idea in mind.

Now that Uncle San had actually brought up this matter, everyone only felt a vague excitement and joy.

Although everyone was puzzled as to why they opened a company in Liuping at the same time as the factory, after Chen Aiguo explained it, everyone gradually understood.

When this matter reached the village chief, he was shocked, but at the same time he couldn't help feeling happy and excited.

"Come, come, Uncle San, let's go over there and talk. Tell me everything."

The current head of Qingshui Village is no longer the old village chief; it's Yang Gaoshan, who was previously promoted from Party Secretary. He's only thirty-seven or thirty-eight years old. He was the first to rush to handle the situation when Grandma Chen Pan was nearly hit by Li Chengcai. Later, when Chen Aiguo wanted to buy a house and start a company in Liuping and came to the village to complete the various paperwork, he felt frustrated and annoyed, but he maintained his usual decency and professionalism and handled everything properly. He didn't say a word, nor did he casually spread the news of their purchase of a house and company to the rest of the village.

He thought that now that Chen Aiguo had made enough money, he would pursue a long-term career outside the village, and that his visits to the village would surely become less frequent. He even secretly suspected that within a few years, his family would transfer everyone's household registration outside the village, becoming so-called "outsiders." Little did he know, he was quietly harboring a big secret.

"Village Chief, my second nephew is getting married today. How about I come back tomorrow—"

As elders, they all had their work cut out for them today. Chen Aiguo, tasked with entertaining the bride's relatives, immediately rubbed his hands in a dilemma. After all, the other party was the village chief, and he instinctively didn't want to offend him. But he also didn't want to delay his nephew's wedding on a day like this.

"It's okay. If the village chief asks you to come over, just go. Lingling's relatives haven't come yet, so you can talk to the village chief first. When they arrive, I'll have the younger generation call you over."

The more remote and impoverished a place is, the greater the power of the village chief and clan leader. Currently, the village chief is Yang Gaoshan, a person unrelated to the Li family. Therefore, Chen Aidang treated him with even greater respect and caution.

After hearing from the younger generation that the other party was coming, he immediately came out of the house to greet him. When he came out, he saw his silly brother rejecting the other party. He immediately laughed and said that he had made the right decision for his brother. He immediately called his eldest son, who was busy not far away, over and said, "Yongyi, go inside and find a quiet table for the village chief and your third uncle to talk!"

"No, no, it's too stuffy inside. Let's just go to the table in the corner and chat for a while." Although Yang Gaoshan was already accustomed to everyone's respect and deference, he was not someone who didn't know the importance of things. Knowing that the tables inside were reserved for the bride's relatives who would be arriving later, he immediately waved his hand and refused to go in, pointing directly to an empty table in the corner.

"Okay, then we'll sit at that table first. Come, village chief, please—"

Chen Aiguo was not the kind of person who could not show himself in public. He immediately stretched out his hand to wave the other party to go to the corner, and quickly told his eldest nephew to serve tea and food.

Whenever a group of elders sit together seriously, there is definitely something going on.

So since Chen Aiguo and Village Chief Yang sat in the corner, almost all the younger people at the scene had the awareness not to disturb them.

All the women and children could vaguely see that they were talking about serious matters, and they would not rashly walk over to say hello as they usually would.

After they talked for a while, Chen Aiguo called his two brothers over.

On this happy day, they were still sitting together like this. All the Chen family members and other neighbors and relatives present almost felt that something big was going to happen to the Chen family.

Some of the Chen family's wives and girls who learned about the situation from their husband's brother whispered happily to their familiar sisters-in-law and sisters.

For matters big or small, they usually turn to their elders. At this time, they also habitually keep an eye on their uncles and aunts to see if they have any younger generations who are diligently working on their own affairs. At this time, they dare not be petty anymore, and while paying attention to that, they also do their best to entertain other relatives and friends who come to the house.

Some people who were unaware of the situation and were curious about the situation directly asked Xu Chunhua, Liu Zhaodi and Xue Hehua, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Chen family, who were in the kitchen.

On days like today, the kitchen is the most important.

Xue Hehua was dressed in a festive outfit today. As the oldest female elder in the Chen family's main branch, her main responsibility today was to watch over the kitchen and the outside, mainly serving as a coordinator.

Xu Chunhua, who is good at cooking, and Liu Zhaodi, who is hardworking and persevering, are responsible for assisting the chef today, one being responsible for assisting the chef, and the other for providing the kitchen with a steady supply of plates and dishes.

Of course, they are all elderly elders. Xu Chunhua only helps to arrange the dishes and cut the vegetables. She does not wash the vegetables or serve the dishes. These are the responsibilities of other people.

The petite Liu Zhaodi was also responsible for urging people to prepare the dishes, and occasionally went to the dishwashing area to get dishes when she was in a hurry. She didn't just sit outside and wash dishes; such heavy work was now handled by the daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law of her family.

In short, everyone in the kitchen jokingly asked them why their husbands had been sitting outside with the villagers for so long, and whether there was any happy news.

The three of them had fought openly and covertly all their lives, and had even fought over family division and other matters in their early years. At this moment, they were particularly united, all smiling and saying that it was okay, and they all looked at each other with tacit understanding.

This year, because of Chen Pan’s sesame cake business.

Both Chen Aidian's family and Chen Aimin's family have made some very good special income.

With more income, the family’s food, clothing and other expenses have all improved accordingly.

For example, the eldest branch of the Chen family did not borrow money from outside when they married a new daughter-in-law for the first time.

It was also the first time that I helped my children and grandchildren get married, and there was no fighting or quarreling over money in the family.

As for the second son of the Chen family, their family was in financial difficulty. The two elders hadn't dared to buy new clothes for several years, and they were very stingy when it came to eating meat during the Spring Festival. But this year, meat appeared on their table as usual.

Liu Zhaodi was earning her own money, finally no longer having to rely on others. She bought herself new clothes and pants, and also bought two sets for her father and mother. She even secretly bought two bolts of new cloth for her two daughters-in-law, so they could make something for her and their children. Because of this, her family became much more harmonious than before.

Even though Liu Zhaodi still looked thin and small, her face no longer bore the obvious signs of illness or malnutrition. She was now wearing brand new, unpatched clothes, and looked like a vibrant, energetic woman in her fifties.

They are all like this, but Chen Pan’s grandmother Xu Chunhua looks even more different.

Xu Chunhua's situation is a bit complicated. She has always been a carefree, cheerful and talkative person.

Because they originally had only one son and her husband was hardworking and capable, among the three sisters-in-law of the Chen family, she had always been the one with the least financial pressure, the best conditions, could often eat meat, and had the easiest life.

But after the accident fifteen years ago, although she didn't seem to have changed much on the surface, people who knew her well could actually see the real changes in her.

At least since that accident, she's been reluctant to stay longer in such places. Even when she does come to work with everyone, she quickly helps everyone, fulfills her responsibilities as an elder, and then leaves immediately. Back then, people didn't dare joke with her or speak casually in front of her when they saw her face. But now, when they look at her face, they dare to talk about the past, and they can see in her face that she has truly let go and is at peace.

Anyway, at this moment, everyone only saw her face and noticed the slightly upturned corners of her mouth, and they knew that she had really changed. They understood that her life outside was really good.

"Auntie, it seems like it would be a good idea for you to go outside and change the environment."

Most of the Chen family's daughters-in-law were jokingly talking to Grandma Chen and her eldest daughter-in-law, congratulating them on becoming new mothers-in-law and grandmothers today. A younger daughter-in-law, who had a good relationship with Xu Chunhua in the past, stood beside her and whispered to her.

"Yeah, it's really nice to change the environment."

When she was in this place before, everyone would carefully observe her expression. When they were alone with her, they would carefully ask her if she felt pain after losing her only son at such a young age. Some who knew Panpan's life story would secretly ask her if she regretted her decision to adopt Panpan, a girl.

Some people would ask them in public, "Pan Pan isn't a girl. So, will they find a live-in son-in-law for Pan Pan or let her get married?" Others would express their feelings and sympathy when they saw them.

Facing such expressions every day, she couldn't truly move on even if she wanted to. And staying in the countryside, she wouldn't think much of it during busy farming season. But when the cold winter arrived, Panpan went to school, and her husband went to the mountains to herd cattle and sheep, she stayed alone at home, unable to help but feel sad again and again, thinking about the past again and again.

But now that they were in a new environment, no one around them would rashly ask them questions anymore. Even if they met someone as close to them as the Qin family, after they learned that her son had passed away early and she only had a granddaughter, they would only comfort them by saying that they were lucky to still have a granddaughter, but they would not secretly doubt Panpan's identity or ask them questions directly.

Anyway, now that she is far away from Qingshui Village, Xu Chunhua only comes back occasionally on days like this, and she feels really good.

The second son of the Chen Aidan family finally got married at the age of eighteen.

Just two days after the wedding, rumors spread in the village that the Chen family was going to open a factory in the village.

The Chen family is considered a large family in Qingshui Village. It's fair to say that the Chen, Li, Yang, and Wang families are the largest in the village. The Li family produced Li Decheng, who opened a cement factory. The Wang family has produced a teacher, Wang Qingshan, for many years. Since then, young people from this family have been aspiring to become teachers. The Yang family is known for its good relationships, and it seems they've always enjoyed serving as village officials. Both the former and current village chiefs are from the Yang family.

As for the Chen family, they used to have more sons than daughters, and their families were always skilled farmers. After the reform and opening up, their children generally educated themselves. Chen Aiguo's son even graduated from high school. Of the Chen family's grandchildren, most children, both boys and girls, are still studying. Although no one has yet made it to university, the Chen family is the most likely among the younger generation to send both boys and girls to compulsory education.

When people talk about the Chen family in Qingshui Village, their first impression used to be that they had many male children and were the most aggressive in water wars. Now, most of the children are in school, one family has even opened a shop, and most of the Chen family is now engaged in harvesting flour and rapeseed oil.

Yes, after more than half a year of harvesting flour and rapeseed, the news that the entire Chen family was engaged in this business had spread throughout the neighborhood.

So now that there were rumors that the Chen family was going to open a grain and oil factory, the entire Qingshui Village and even several nearby villages knew which branch of the Chen family was going to open the factory.

Moreover, people outside did not seem surprised by the result, and most people felt that it was as they expected.

Amidst everyone's speculation and discussions, Chen Aiguo, with the help of the village chief, quickly reopened their Chen Family Grain and Oil Factory.

He already owned a Chenji Shaobing shop, and the newly opened Chenji Grain and Oil Company was also under his name. As for the Chenjia Grain and Oil Factory in his hometown, he wanted to register it under the names of his eldest and second brothers.

But after hearing about the subsequent responsibilities of running a factory, Chen Aimin and Chen Aidang agreed to let Chen Aiguo continue as factory director. They had to register with the town police station and the Industrial and Commercial Bureau. They also had to pay annual taxes and a certain deposit to open the factory.

According to them, Chen Aiguo was the only one of the three brothers who knew a lot of words, could do arithmetic, had handled various formalities, and had seen the world. Furthermore, since his family's old yard was going to be the office for the new factory, he would definitely be the factory director.

Anyway, with everyone's unanimous "recommendation", Chen Aiguo, who originally just wanted to be a shareholder, became the new director of the new factory.

In reality, Chen Pan's uncles had their own ideas, but none of them had split up the family, deferring to their father. Even if they were reluctant, once the elders made the decision, they had no choice but to obey. And honestly, among all the males over thirty in the Qin family, Chen Aiguo knew the most characters. He was also the only one who could truly use an abacus and knew the multiplication tables. As for the saying that the Chen family was now full of scholars, it really referred to Chen Pan's generation, not the Yong generation in the middle.

So, for these reasons, when they heard that opening a factory meant taking on responsibilities, going through paperwork, paying taxes, attending meetings, and traveling, the few people who had originally considered it eventually quietly gave in.

As for young people under twenty, they were still in a similar situation within the Chen family, like Chen Pan. Everyone listened to their opinions, but when it came to making decisions, everyone subconsciously ignored them. At least in the Chen family's first branch, things had always been like this. Meanwhile, the grandchildren of the second branch hadn't grown up yet and had absolutely no say.

*

In this era, the country is vigorously encouraging everyone to start businesses and find new jobs. All entrepreneurs, especially those in rural areas, are strongly supported by the town and village as soon as they hear about it.

Not only do the authorities encourage everyone to start their own businesses bravely, they also provide strong support in terms of procedures. There are even special entrepreneurship training classes in the town, as well as certain financial and policy support.

Anyway, Chen Aiguo's factory opening procedures were still very smooth this time.

The day after submitting the paperwork, he was organized to attend a rural entrepreneur training class in Chenjia Town. After a half-hearted lecture, he learned that if factories like his were short of funds, they could apply for a loan from the town credit union with their business license. As long as they had a business license and a legitimate factory, the loan process was incredibly fast, and the interest rates were exceptionally low.

Without knowing what was going on, Chen Aiguo completed all the procedures for opening a factory within a few days.

He followed the village chief to handle various procedures for opening a factory and was busy attending inexplicable training meetings.

His two elder brothers, and Xu Chunhua who came with him this time, were busy paying the public grain tax, contacting people to collect grain and rapeseed, and cleaning up Chen Pan's yard, trying to turn the yard into a temporary small factory.

Afterwards, Chen Aidan and Chen Aimin spent money to make a large white plaque engraved with "Chen's Grain and Oil Factory". They also spent money to buy a particularly large iron gate for the factory.

That day, the three brothers and a dozen young members of the Chen family replaced the big iron gate and hung up the white wooden plaque high.

No matter what it looks like inside, at least from the outside, Chen Pan’s family’s three-story courtyard, which originally faced the street, now looks like a real factory.

“Congratulations, congratulations!!”

“Business is booming!”

"Uncle, uncle, congratulations!"

"Uncle San, I heard that your paperwork has been approved. That's amazing!"

The Chen family's original plan was to simply replace the gate and plaque, and then celebrate privately.

But since they started to change the gate, many people they knew in the village had been waiting outside.

By the time they finished finishing the gate and hung up the plaque, they hadn't even taken out their wedding gifts, candies, and firecrackers.

As if by appointment, the nearby villagers and friends, who had been empty-handed, all pulled out their long-prepared firecrackers and red silk from their pockets and bags. They quickly handed them to the deceased and quickly hung red ribbons on their doors and house numbers. Then, amidst shouts of congratulations, everyone lit the long-prepared firecrackers.

After seven or eight days of waiting in the shop, Chen Pan finally received a call from her grandparents and rushed over. As soon as she got off the bus, she saw that her family's factory had already opened. Her grandparents, along with her great-grandparents, and her second-grandparents, were all surrounded by people, all tied with red ribbons. They were tying red ribbons around them, setting off firecrackers, and congratulating them. Everyone was smiling, a scene of pure joy.

Looking at this festive scene, Chen Pan couldn't help but smile widely when he realized what was happening.