Chapter 136 Wang Yuqing Establishes Non-staple Food Team 1

Wang Yuqing chuckled, looking directly at He Guangliang with a hint of displeasure: "Then tell me, if you forbid me from selling snails, why were your wife and daughter allowed to sell them a few days ago? Is it okay for you to have such double standards?"

The term "double standard" was a bit new to He Guangliang, but he roughly understood it. He immediately glared and his voice was almost a growl: "No one is allowed to sell snails now. They can't sell them, and neither can you! I'm the brigade director, and what I say goes! Besides, you've been selling them for over a month, what did I say to you before?"

Wang Yuqing wasn't afraid of him at all. She frowned and said coldly, "I sold for more than a month before. Wasn't it because you, as a high-ranking cadre, didn't agree to me working and earning work points? If I didn't sell, would you give me a daily wage?"

Upon hearing the word "human grain," He Guangliang snorted through his nose.

Standing to the side, Tang Wan's expression was cold, and her voice was also cold: "Director, I think the issue of selling snails has nothing to do with Yu Qing. Is your prohibition on her selling snails driven by personal motives?"

Wang Shuo couldn't stand it anymore and shouted, "Director, isn't the most basic requirement for a brigade director to be honest and selfless? Anyone with eyes can see that you're biased. Comrade Wang Yuqing is right. A few days ago, your wife and daughter made money selling snails and you were all smiles. Why didn't we hear that you forbade them from selling snails? Even if something happened now, what does that have to do with Wang Yuqing's snails?"

When He Guangliang saw that several younger people were criticizing him, he was so angry that his teeth were numb, but he couldn't retaliate. So he simply sat down and said, "You think you're so capable? You don't take my words seriously. Then why don't you become the brigade director?"

He can't even scare a few younger people?

To everyone's surprise, Wang Shuo retorted bluntly, "If I were the brigade director, I would definitely be better than you. You'd have to find someone to take care of you after a year. What every brigade needs is a leader, not someone like you with such a biased attitude."

These words enraged He Guangliang, who slammed his fist on the table, then smashed his teacup on the ground. Pointing at Wang Shuo, he roared furiously, "You bastard with a sharp tongue, who do you think you are, pointing your finger at me and cursing me like that? You're not even a member of our brigade, just a militia instructor. Do you really think you're something special? You think you're so great just because I gave you a little face? You're nothing but a heartless bastard!"

"If you're so capable, how come you're just a militia instructor? Why don't you sit on my head?"

Wang Shuo clenched his fists, his thick, dark eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes widened. Fortunately, he knew that He Guangliang was an elder, so he refrained from throwing a punch. However, he kicked over the table and was about to curse back when the old Party Secretary and the brigade accountant walked in.

The old Party Secretary held his pipe.

The accountant was holding an abacus.

The old Party Secretary drooped his eyelids and first criticized He Guangliang for his unethical behavior, then criticized Wang Shuo for speaking too harshly and disrespecting his elders.

The two were angry with each other and ignored each other.

The old Party Secretary glanced at Wang Yuqing beside him, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes, and said, "Little Wang, I have a perfect idea that satisfies both sides."

Wang Yuqing's attitude became very polite: "Secretary, please speak, I'm listening."

Ji Xuening took the initiative to lift the overturned table, and the young accountant wearing glasses next to him moved a stool behind the old secretary.

The old Party Secretary plopped down on the stool. He didn't speak for a moment, but instead held a long pipe in his left hand and took a small pinch of tobacco leaves from the hanging tobacco pouch with his right hand, slowly twisting it into a small ball and placing it in the tobacco nest.

He wiped the mouthpiece of the pipe with his sleeve, then put it in his mouth and bit it with his teeth. He held the pipe in his left hand and a match in his right, lighting the pipe and smoking.

He took a few puffs, puffing out clouds of white smoke, looking quite pleased with himself.

Wang Yuqing observed very carefully and found it very interesting. This was the first time she had ever seen an old man smoking with a pipe. The key point was that this old Party Secretary looked like a living god.

Wang Shuo and Ji Xuening, who were standing nearby, were also watching intently.

Wang Shuo, in particular, stared intently at him and even imitated his expression.

The old Party Secretary asked, "Would you like a bite?"

Wang Shuo quickly refused: "No, I can't smoke this stuff. I only tried it when I was a kid."

The old Party Secretary chuckled, took another puff of smoke, cleared his throat, and then said, "Selling snails shouldn't have been prohibited. The director didn't consider you in his actions, which seems a bit unreasonable. But he was actually thinking of the brigade, afraid that more people would follow your example and cause trouble later. Today, this has caused a problem. Fortunately, it didn't escalate too much, otherwise we wouldn't be able to handle it, and our brigade would be finished."

He glanced at He Guangliang and smiled like a cunning old fox: "As for personal motives, everyone has them, right? The director isn't a god..."

Upon hearing this, Director He's expression turned even more unpleasant.

Wang Yuqing could tell from these words that the old Party Secretary must have been listening outside for a long time.

She smiled, said nothing, and waited for the old secretary to continue.

The old Party Secretary squinted and continued, "But if it weren't for what happened today, your snail-selling business would have really earned our brigade a good reputation and made us famous. Now, the other brigades and communes are all following your lead in selling snails. Several brigade directors have come to visit and asked me about it... I'm so proud. Our brigade has become famous because of you."

He turned a blind eye and took another puff of his cigarette: "I've reviewed the documents issued by our superiors before, and after much thought, I think your idea of ​​selling snails is both feasible and not feasible. After all, the director was right when he said that if everyone followed your example and set up stalls outside, who would take care of production?"

"But we can't stop you from selling, after all, our brigade still needs your help to benefit from it, and the brigade is also trying its best to promote people like you who are good at business..."

"So, I've decided that from now on, you'll have half a day off every Sunday to sell snails at the county market. I'm only allowing you to sell them; I don't trust anyone else to do it. You'll have to work with the collective during the week to earn work points, since you won't earn any grain from selling snails, right? But every time you go to sell snails, you have to pay the production team a fee to earn work points..."

"To put it bluntly, many people think that any decent young person with a good family background wouldn't be a street vendor. Look at the vendors at the market, aren't they mostly elderly people, children, and some disabled people..."

"This is essentially a side business that our entire brigade sends people out to do, so no one dares to gossip about you. No matter where you go in the future, we'll even give you a letter of introduction."

After saying that, he smiled and said, "Think about it, isn't it great to have work points? You can get grain, oil, salt, and vegetables. You can't buy these things with the money you earn."

After hearing this, Wang Shuo and Tang Wan both thought the old Party Secretary's idea was good.

Wang Shuo said, "I think the old Party Secretary is doing a good job."

Tang Wan looked at Wang Yuqing and whispered, "Yuqing, I also think it's feasible."

Wang Shuo chuckled to himself, thinking to himself that he and Comrade Tang Wan were truly in sync.