Chen Changyuan snorted, ignored her, turned around and walked away.
The next day, Chen Changyuan arrived at the supply and marketing cooperative on time. He chatted with the old accountant about family matters, his voice deliberately raised. "Food factory, there are plenty of opportunities for future cooperation!" These words tumbled out of his mouth, clearly intended for someone on the lookout. Lin Xiaoya, standing at the doorway, pretentiously flipping through the list of goods, had her ears perked up, taking in every word.
As expected, as soon as she heard it, she turned around and ran towards Zhou's house with quick steps.
The next day, Chen Changyuan and Lao Yuantou, along with several strong men from the village, set to work in the back hills. Digging trenches, driving stakes, the work continued one after another. Looking out, the entire construction site seemed chaotic yet orderly. Standing beside the freshly excavated earth, Chen Changyuan's face lit up with joy. He raised his chin, the bustling scene before him inspiring.
But a few steps away, someone was stunned. It was Zhou Changhe. He walked around the hillside, hoe in hand, and took in the scene before him. He was completely stunned, speechless for a long time. Who could have imagined that Chen Changyuan would act so quickly this time, and even recruit so many people to help!
A nameless anger burned in Zhou Changhe's throat, and he couldn't suppress it. He gritted his teeth and cursed, "This kid really can't be kept!" He turned around and rushed to Village Chief Wang's house.
After hearing this urgent report, Wang Fugui stopped smoking the half-smoked cigarette in his hand. His usually cheerful face dimmed as if someone had smeared ashes from the bottom of a pot. He stared at the cigarette butt for a while before slowly saying, "Interesting! He can eat it without worrying about choking. In that case, let's play with him, maybe even a little bigger."
Zhou Changhe gripped his teacup tightly and said viciously, "He's not messing with me alone, he's messing with our entire village! All the bamboo from his farm has been piled up on the back mountain! But the back mountain is our village's collective land. What is Chen Changyuan doing? He's encroaching on collective resources. If you don't know, you'd think he's become the 'Long-Term Landlord'!"
Wang Fugui's eyes suddenly tightened, as if he were considering something. After a moment, he tapped the edge of the table with his pipe, and finally a sneer appeared on his lips. "Okay, since he's so ignorant, we can't just sit there and watch. You, go to the village and spread the word that Chen Changyuan's farm is occupying collective land and is completely illegal!"
Zhou Changhe perked up instantly, but still hesitated. "Village Chief, if this gets out, please don't implicate us. Although Chen Changyuan is a brat, he's as cunning as a fox."
Wang Fugui waved his hands, shooing away flies, and said to him, "We're working for the village, we're righteous, what are we afraid of? Just spread the word, let the villagers make a fuss, and then we'll add some water to the situation, and I guarantee he won't be able to get away with it!"
Zhou Changhe nodded, wiped the sweat from his face, and strode out the door. He had a plan in mind, and although it wasn't sincere, he just wanted to make his enemy Chen Changyuan suffer.
That afternoon, rumors spread through the village like a winter's north wind. Around teahouse tables, in the fields, and in casual conversations on the street, every topic revolved around the farm: "Changyuan's land is collectively owned. Why did he take it?" "We all follow the rules, but he doesn't take them seriously. Does he look down on the villagers?" "If the farm makes money, won't we be the ones who suffer, and the honest people in our village will be the ones who suffer!"
Despite hearing these rumors, Chen Changyuan remained remarkably calm. He returned home from the bamboo shed and opened the file bag in the cabinet. A fire within him gradually gathered into a cold, sharp edge. To be fair, the construction permit granted by the commune and the purchase contract signed by the supply and marketing cooperative were sufficient proof of his legitimacy, but these documents alone were clearly not enough to truly sober the villagers.
In order to completely reverse the situation, Chen Changyuan secretly visited Lao Yuantou. Lao Yuantou brewed a pot of strong tea and smiled, inviting him into the house. "What's wrong, Xiaoyuan? Are you worried?"
Chen Changyuan briefly recounted the situation, his words tinged with restrained anger. He looked at Old Yuantou, pushed a file bag onto the table, and whispered, "Excuse me for the trouble. Bring a few reliable villagers here tomorrow to publicly prove the original state of this land."
"That's it?" The old man grinned, his face showing no hesitation. "Okay, take tomorrow off, buddy. I'll go to the town store to buy some wine and get some people to testify with you!"
The next morning, the small village square was bustling with activity. The flames of rumor and suspicion hadn't been extinguished, burning even more fiercely. Wang Fugui and Zhou Changhe stood in a corner, watching from afar as Chen Changyuan walked into the crowd, clutching a briefcase. A sneer lingered in their eyes, and they remained motionless.
"Am I hoarding collective resources? Blocking the villagers' financial resources?" Chen Changyuan's voice echoed sharply. He slammed the document bag onto the table, opened the permit documents and the purchase contract, and said calmly and firmly, "If any of you villagers want to see these, I'm here for you anytime."
There was a commotion in the square. Some people lowered their heads to read the large characters on the document, while others whispered doubts to Wang Fugui. Suddenly, the old leader's loud voice came from the other side: "Don't worry, everyone. This piece of land is barren and overgrown with weeds. If you don't believe me, you can walk on it yourself. Feel free to show me!"
Upon hearing this, several villagers stepped forward and said, "Yes, it really is wasteland. Changyuan hasn't occupied any good place!" One old farmer even rolled up his trouser legs, revealing his muddy ankles, and said on the spot, "I'm busy cleaning up the chicken coop. Brother Changyuan asked me to help watch over the bamboo piles. This place is just crooked and wasteland, there's nothing valuable here!"
In the square in the early morning, the atmosphere, which had gradually cooled down due to the fading of doubts, was suddenly ignited again by Chen Changyuan's words.
"Fellow villagers, I know the recent rumors have been upsetting everyone, but I want to tell you that this piece of land, this farm, has always been part of our village." Chen Changyuan's voice was steady and confident as he glanced at the villagers. "Since it belongs to our village, the profits should go back to the village."
A buzz of murmurs rose from the crowd, and the villagers whispered to each other. Some had suspicion in their eyes, others had frowns on their brows, but most were filled with anticipation.
"Changyuan, what do you mean by that?" An elderly man stood up, his voice a little hoarse, but he asked directly, "Does the profit from the farm have to be shared among everyone?"
Chen Changyuan shook his head and smiled slightly. "It's not about sharing, but hiring. I can't manage this farm alone. I plan to expand it later and need more manpower. When the time comes, all the villagers who want to work can come and sign up. I promise to pay everyone a reasonable wage."
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