Chapter 144 Recruitment

In the afternoon, when the scorching sun subsided, the elders in the family picked up their farm tools and hurried to the fields again.

The weeds in the fields had been mostly weeded, but the cornfield needed weeding and loosening. Farming was a daunting task, and there was no time for rest.

Village chief Gu Huangping strode out, hoe in hand. He barked instructions to everyone he met. "Before you go to the fields tomorrow, gather under the banyan tree. We have something important to discuss. Everyone, spread the word, and don't forget any household."

Everyone was stunned when they heard this, and then their faces were filled with confusion. What big thing was going to happen?

Immediately, someone asked anxiously, "Village Chief, could you please tell me what's going on?"

The village chief frowned and replied unhappily, "Won't we know tomorrow morning? There's no need for the whole family to come. Just have the person who is in charge of the family come."

Wow, they actually specified that someone who can make the decision should go. It seems that this matter is very important.

The news seemed to have wings and spread throughout Taohua Village before nightfall.

Taohua Village is full of things going on, and the villagers' daily topics of conversation are becoming increasingly diverse. However, even the most abundant topics of conversation will become boring after repeated repetition.

At this moment, new news came in. Everyone worked and talked excitedly, not even feeling tired.

Someone who knew the inside story said in an enigmatic and mysterious tone, "Everyone, stop guessing. This is a good thing."

When everyone heard this, they became more curious.

I wanted to ask more, but the man kept his lips tightly shut and said nothing.

This only made the people around him more eager to know the details. Some even dreamed about what the village chief was going to announce.

Fortunately, this night was not long.

The next morning, as soon as the sky turned light, the villagers got up and rushed towards the banyan tree.

Although the village chief said that only the head of the family should come, everyone could not contain their curiosity, and many people followed him.

The village chief had anticipated this and calmly took out the gong that had been with him for many years and struck it hard.

The sound of "clang clang" was heard, and everyone fell silent instantly.

The village has been holding meetings frequently lately, and everyone has become accustomed to discussing serious matters whenever the gong is struck.

The village chief cleared his throat, his expression serious, and said loudly, "Fellow villagers, what I am about to say concerns the future of our Taohua Village. So, I am speaking from my mouth, and I am speaking from your ears. Please do not spread this matter outside of Taohua Village. If anyone dares to speak nonsense to people from other villages, don't blame me, Gu Huangping, for being ruthless and expelling them from Taohua Village!"

When everyone heard this, the playful expressions on their faces instantly disappeared.

What kind of important matter is it that needs to be treated so seriously?

Seeing that everyone was stunned, the village chief slowly continued, "Miss Jiayue used her money to set up a workshop in our village, and now she's looking for workers. After discussion, it's been decided that each family can nominate a man between the ages of twenty and thirty to work in the workshop. The monthly salary is six hundred coins, paid on time every month. Workers can rest four days a month, and their wages will not be deducted. They can also take leave during festivals and holidays, and for weddings or funerals at home."

The village chief spoke in such detail and detail that the villagers listened intently, not daring to breathe. A long time after the village chief finished speaking, everyone was still immersed in it, unable to recover for a moment.

"Village chief, is what you just said true?" Someone finally asked cautiously, with disbelief in his eyes.

It's no wonder they reacted this way. They have lived here for generations and have limited knowledge.

Six hundred coins a month, which is twenty coins a day, and you can have four days off without any deduction from your monthly salary. This good thing is simply like a fairy tale, and it is difficult to obtain even if you pray to gods and Buddhas.

The village chief rolled his eyes at the man and said unhappily, "Look at me now. Do I look like someone with nothing better to do? Why would I come here so early in the morning without working to deceive you?"

"But don't be too happy. There are requirements to join this workshop. You must be a man between 20 and 30 years old, strong and able-bodied, and you must keep your mouth shut. There's a one-month probation period after entering the workshop. If you fail the probation and are fired, from now on, not only you, but your entire family will not be hired by the workshop anymore."

"So, go back and think it over carefully. There's only one spot per family anyway. Once you've made up your mind, come to my house tonight to register. Everyone, go away. If you have any questions, come back and ask me." With that, the village chief waved his hand, signaling everyone to disperse. It was already daylight, and farm work couldn't be delayed.

The village chief was about to leave when the quick-witted Li Ergou grabbed him. "Hey, village chief, don't go yet. How exactly did you calculate the fate of this family you mentioned?"

The village chief slapped Li Ergou's hand away and said impatiently, "As long as we haven't split up yet and eat from the same pot, we are considered one family. But Li Ergou, don't be so delusional. You definitely can't enter this workshop."

Li Ergou was initially delighted upon hearing this. After all, he had just separated from his eldest brother two days earlier, and now this was such a good thing. But the village chief's words immediately dampened his hopes. "Why aren't you letting me in? Li Dagou and I are separate families, and now we're two families, each with one spot. Why can't I get in?" Li Ergou demanded, his face flushing crimson.

The village chief looked him up and down, sneering, "You can do it? Besides your age, what else makes you suitable? Do you have the strength to work? Do you have the perseverance to persevere?"

"Besides, who doesn't know what you've done? You even stole your own nephew's books. If you were allowed into the workshop, wouldn't you have emptied it out?"

Everyone burst into laughter when they heard this. "The village chief is absolutely right. If Li Ergou were allowed into the workshop, wouldn't it be like a mouse entering a rice jar?"

Li Ergou was so humiliated by the laughter that he flew into a rage. He pointed at the village chief and said viciously, "Gu Huangping! Don't think you're great just because you're the village chief. You didn't open this workshop, so what right do you have to make the decision?"

The village chief was also enraged and shouted loudly: "Hey, I told you, in Taohua Village, I, as the village chief, have the final say. If I say you can't enter, then you can't enter!"

In fact, this was Gu Jiayue's request. Although she had only been in Taohua Village for a short time, the first time she heard of beating parents and stealing was by Li Ergou, so it left a deep impression. When discussing recruitment yesterday, she made it clear that someone with such bad behavior as Li Ergou could not be hired.

However, the village chief naturally would not tell Li Ergou these reasons, for fear that he would become desperate and do harm to Jiayue.

Li Ergou's eyes were red, and he glared at the village chief fiercely, gritting his teeth and saying, "Okay, you old thing, just wait for me!" After saying this, he left angrily.

The village chief didn't care about it at all. He waved his hand and signaled everyone to go back to work.

"Brother Huang Ping, is it okay to do this? I saw that Li Ergou had a very ugly face when he left." The second uncle asked with a worried and frightened look on his face.

The village chief, however, remained calm. He patted Second Uncle on the shoulder and said, "It's okay. Li Ergou is just a bully in his own den. He wouldn't dare to do anything to me."

"Go to work, and come to my house early in the evening to help with the registration."

"Okay, I'll ask Yuhe to come along. I've only just started learning to write, so I can't recognize many characters yet."

The two men walked away as they talked, completely unaware that Li Ergou was hiding not far away. He stared at the village chief's back, gnashing his teeth and cursing in his heart: "Gu Huangping, how dare you look down on me like this! I will make you know how powerful I am!"