"Comrade Lu Fangfang, what do you think about our regiment setting up a quail farm? You can be the farm manager."
"I don't ask for anything else, as long as you can ensure that the soldiers in the regiment can eat a quail egg every day, I will try my best to meet all your requests!"
Gao Dajiang looked serious, and he wasn't joking.
Life is tough not only in the local areas, but also in their regiment. The monthly ration of grain from above is insufficient, so the regiment can only engage in sideline work, such as land reclamation, to subsidize the soldiers.
Eating potatoes and sweet potatoes every day, the soldiers suffered from heartburn and stomach problems, and were going crazy from lack of oil and nutrients.
A tiny quail egg can solve a big problem for the group.
"Comrade Lu Fangfang, the troupe will not let you work for nothing. As long as you become the farm manager, the troupe will pay you a salary of thirty yuan per month."
"As long as the farm is successful, we can give the soldiers one quail egg every day, and the regiment will give you a bonus, hmm..."
"I'll pay you the same salary as Xiao Zhuang!"
Lu Fangfang stood there, mouth agape, stunned.
The farm manager? The manager of a quail farm?
This... she really hadn't thought of that.
To be honest, she was somewhat tempted. After all, it was an honorable job working for the troupe and she could earn money.
With the same salary as Zhuang Mingcheng, it's just over a hundred yuan a month. Since they're both employed, their combined income is over two hundred yuan.
However, it's not easy to ensure that everyone in the group can eat a quail egg every day.
The entire group has more than 2,000 people. If each person gets one quail egg a day, then at least 2,000 quails need to be raised.
What if something goes wrong...
Zhuang Mingcheng was also very shocked.
He glanced at his wife, then politely declined, saying, "Commander, starting a breeding farm is no small matter; my wife has never done anything like this before..."
"Xiao Zhuang, don't worry. As long as Comrade Xiao Lu dares to do it, I, Gao Dajiang, will bear all the consequences, regardless of whether it succeeds or not."
Since the regimental commander had already said so much, Zhuang Mingcheng could only silently look at his lover again.
"Commander, can you let me think about it?"
Lu Fangfang was still somewhat hesitant.
If she chooses to do this, she must succeed!
"Okay, think it over carefully. If you agree, let Xiao Zhuang tell me."
Gao Dajiang nodded.
Just as he turned to go to the troupe, he suddenly remembered something.
"Xiao Lu, you had Xiao Zhuang deliver a sack of vegetables to the regiment's canteen yesterday. I've told the canteen to keep track of it. I'll have them pay you at the end of the month."
"Commander, no need, no need, this is a gift for the regiment, it's free."
Lu Fangfang quickly waved her hand.
The wasteland she cleared nominally belonged to the group, so she couldn't accept the money for the vegetables.
"That's settled then."
Gao Dajiang turned and left.
He was filled with passion. He had wanted to start a breeding farm for a long time, but he hadn't decided what to raise and didn't have anyone knowledgeable about large-scale breeding.
Logically speaking, the area around the communal farm is full of grasslands, making it the perfect place to raise cattle and sheep.
But the grass on the pasture still needed to be kept to feed the horses in the regiment; he dared not let the breeding farm compete with the military horses for food.
It wasn't until he heard Lu Fangfang's introduction today that he realized raising quails would be a good option. It requires little capital, and even if he fails, it's not a big deal.
No, he has to go to the regiment and discuss it with Lao Xiao.
...
"Mingcheng, you should go and talk to the commander right away. We can't accept the money for the vegetables."
"Fangfang, think carefully about the farm matter. Whatever decision you make, I will support you."
Zhuang Mingcheng gave his lover some instructions, and then went to catch up with Gao Dajiang.
"A breeding farm..."
Lu Fangfang stood there, somewhat undecided.
As she was thinking, her sisters-in-law immediately gathered around.
The women overheard a few words of what the group was saying. They realized that even the regiment was going to open a quail farm, so quail must really be a good thing.
"Fangfang, I'll trade my chicken eggs for your quail eggs. You don't need to incubate them. My hen is brooding right now, so I'll take them home and incubate them myself."
"Comrade Xiao Lu, I'll also trade eggs. Sister Manling, can you incubate them for me too?"
"I'll change mine too, I'll change mine too."
The sisters-in-law discussed it among themselves and soon decided to work together to let Sun Manling's old hen hatch the eggs.
Without waiting for Lu Fangfang's consent, her sisters-in-law escorted her directly to Sun Manling's house.
Taking the basket from her hand, the women put the quail eggs directly into the old hen's coop.
"Fangfang, do you still have any quail eggs at home?"
Looking at the chicken's rear end, Zhao Guilan felt there were still too few quail eggs.
The troupe is about to open a quail farm. Once Lu Fangfang's quails lay more eggs, the troupe will definitely want them. If she doesn't hatch a few more quails now, she might not have the chance again.
“They’re all gone. There aren’t any left. Sister Shufen also raises a few quails. You can go to her house and ask.”
"You guys are really something. Some of these quail eggs are unfertilized, and you didn't even bother to pick them out."
Lu Fangfang shook her head helplessly.
They really went all out to trade one chicken egg for one quail egg.
I never imagined that my own quail eggs would become such a rare commodity.
"Sister-in-law Shufen..."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Guilan had an idea, and she turned around and went home to get the eggs.
The other women did the same, all going back to get their eggs.
Some of the women who didn't have eggs at home started thinking of buying them on credit.
With the farm in mind, Lu Fangfang didn't argue much and readily agreed.
After a while, she returned home carrying a basket of eggs.
She put down the eggs, poured some water, and slowly took a sip.
Looking at the basket full of eggs on the table, Lu Fangfang felt uneasy.
She originally just wanted to boast about the quails to attract other people in the residential compound to raise them together, so that others wouldn't be envious.
Unexpectedly, they went too far and started boasting about having a breeding farm.
She really needs to think about setting up a breeding farm for the troupe.
"A girl? A girl?"
Wang Shufen hurriedly walked in from outside the courtyard.
"Hey girl, what's going on? A whole bunch of people have come to my house, all clamoring to exchange quail eggs. I asked them what's wrong, but they won't tell me, they just made me come over and ask you."
Lu Fangfang pulled Wang Shufen to sit down and told her that the regimental commander wanted her to work on the breeding farm.
In the family compound, besides Zhuang Mingcheng, the person she trusted most was Sister Shufen, so she decided to ask Sister Shufen for advice.
"A quail farm?"
Wang Shufen was taken aback when she heard this.
She then stood up and walked out.
Lu Fangfang stepped forward and quickly grabbed her, "Sister Shufen, where are you going?"
"I won't trade those quail eggs. You can give them to the girl to hatch into baby quails and start a breeding farm for the troupe."
"Sister Shufen, it's not certain yet. I haven't decided whether I want to do it or not."
Lu Fangfang was somewhat moved. She pulled Wang Shufen and sat down again.
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