In town.

Zhao Jianfei, the youngest son and an ingrate, had just returned from the county and was staring fiercely at the dark ceiling.

"So what if he's my own father? Since you don't care whether I live or die, don't blame me for turning against my own family. Nobody in town dares to touch you, and I don't believe you have connections in the county!"

Zhao Jianfei skipped work today and shamelessly hitched a ride on an oxcart to the county to report Zhao Youcai for speculation and profiteering at the Revolutionary Committee.

As for the other important figures in town, Zhao Jianfei didn't take the opportunity to make a fuss.

After all, those people have been able to stay in their positions for so many years; both ability and connections are indispensable.

Zhao Jianfei did not believe that just because he was a college student, he was more precious than those powerful and influential people.

If I accidentally report those big shots and end up getting a beating in return, it would be a huge loss.

Sure enough, the county's Revolutionary Committee took this matter very seriously. They were even more furious after hearing that Zhao Youcai had amassed a fortune and was planning to bribe officials.

First, Zhao Jianfei was told to go back and do what he was supposed to do every day, and not to reveal any flaws that might be discovered.

Then they began to take stock of the manpower, preparing to set off that night and arrive at Zhaojiagou early the next morning.

As for why they didn't set off in the morning and stay at the town's guesthouse that night, it's because they considered themselves clever.

Zhao Youcai is capable of doing such big things, and the town's revolutionary committee is not doing anything. There must be someone backing Zhao Youcai.

Either the person backing them up is a member of the Revolutionary Committee, or someone the town's Revolutionary Committee members dare not offend.

To avoid any unforeseen complications and to prevent anyone from tipping off Zhao Youcai, this matter must be resolved swiftly, without a moment's delay.

Meanwhile, within the military region...

"Report!"

"Come in."

The soldier who was delivering honors and bonuses to Zhao Youcai's home entered the leader's office and mentioned the instant noodles that Zhao Youcai's home had prepared for storage. He also demonstrated the process of making the food using readily available hot water and a large lunchbox.

The leader, who had been sitting there without any interest, jumped up excitedly the moment he smelled the aroma.

This, this, this...

The leader didn't even wait for the noodles to be brought to him; he picked up his chopsticks and went over to eat them himself.

When I saw the noodles, diced vegetables, and even diced beef inside, I was so excited I could hardly speak.

The soup had a thin layer of oil on top, and the broth had a beautiful color, making it very appetizing.

After slurping down a mouthful of noodles, the leader's eyes lit up even more.

Only after finishing every last drop of the noodle soup did she calmly return to her seat and awkwardly try to start a conversation.

Believe it or not, he actually found a very worrying problem.

"This is oily and meaty, it must be quite expensive. We are the people's soldiers, we must be thrifty and frugal. We must not let down the Party and the people, and we cannot waste a single penny."

The soldier delivering the instant noodles was just waiting for his leader to say that, so he quickly told him the price Zhao Youcai had given him.

Even the leaders were unsettled.

With these ingredients and this amount of dough, how can they possibly make a profit at this price?

It's good enough if we don't lose money.

"This price is inappropriate."

The soldiers delivering instant noodles were all confused at this moment.

Isn't such a low price appropriate?

Unexpectedly, the leader's next words were—

“I’ve made the decision. I’ll raise the price by one cent for Comrade Zhao Youcai. You drive over now, order 10,000 flatbreads and the necessary seasonings, and find out how long it will take to deliver.”

"With so much stuff, we need to be careful with the packaging. While we're at it, go to the food factory and pick up a packaging machine to deliver to Zhao Youcai's house. We don't want the flatbread to get moldy within a few days of bringing it back."

The soldier was so excited that he immediately turned around and was about to leave.

"Wait a minute!"

The soldier turned around and saw his leader pointing to the large lunchbox he had just finished eating.

"Take the lunchbox out to wash it, return it, and then go out."

...

Zhao Youcai, who was having a great time drinking, returned home with the help of his third son. However, the dazed look in his eyes, as if he were drunk, disappeared without a trace the moment the front door closed.

"Dad, you're not drunk?"

Zhao Jianhua was completely stunned.

He turned around and closed the door, and was so quick that he was afraid his father would fall.

How come my dad is perfectly fine after I came back? He even did a set of something called Five Animal Frolics in the yard?

Zhao Youcai rolled his eyes. "Nonsense! Don't you know how much you can drink?"

Zhao Jianhua really didn't know.

After all, ever since I can remember, my dad's stinginess has been terrifying. I've hardly ever seen him drink alcohol in all these years; he only ever has a little and then stops.

Little did he know that Zhao Youcai only took a few sips at the beginning, just enough to get a slight smell of alcohol on him.

"He is your future father-in-law after all, so I can't really not drink. I have to pretend to drink a certain amount, otherwise it will be embarrassing for him."

Not only Zhao Youcai, but even the brigade leader's situation was similar to Zhao Youcai's.

However, the captain and Zhao Youcai had different ideas. He simply wanted to hitch up the oxcart to go to the town for a meeting the next day, and he wanted to tell everyone with a beaming face that Zhao Family Village had produced an advanced individual honor specially awarded by the military.

To avoid a headache the next day, the captain pretended to be drunk and was helped home by his wife.

However, the brigade leader's wife was not as easily fooled as Zhao Jianhua. She slapped the brigade leader on the arm almost as soon as she entered the house.

"You old geezer, you're not even that drunk, why are you pressing down on me so hard!"

The captain chuckled, his face full of ingratiation.

"It's because we're afraid those people will find out. The Li family are all honest people, and Zhao Youcai is quick-witted. If they really find out we didn't drink much, they'll keep thinking about it, which would be so embarrassing."

This is a major event involving marriage. What if he, as the witness, doesn't perform well and both families think he has a problem with it?

If Zhao Youcai has a bad impression of him because of this, how will Zhao Family Village become rich in the future?

The brigade leader's wife thought it made sense, so she didn't argue with her husband.

...

For once, the heavens smiled upon us and finally sent down a rain shower.

The farmers all breathed a sigh of relief, fearing that this year would be another year of no harvest.

We've had a drought for three years in a row; we can't afford a fourth.

The soldiers who came to finalize the instant noodle cooperation drove military vehicles that were both windproof and rainproof and had lights, and they were very comfortable along the way.

The revolutionary committee comrades who came from the county were in distress.

They braved the rain and pedaled their bicycles against the wind, panting heavily from exhaustion.

The leader was cursing and swearing, verbally abusing Zhao Youcai, whom he hadn't even met yet, all the way.

They used the most offensive and offensive language imaginable; if this were in later generations, it would all be censored.

"Ouch!"