"We appreciate your kindness, but we don't feel like eating lunch right now. We want to go back early and keep an eye on the tile-burning field."
"Sharpening the knife doesn't delay the chopping of wood. Even if you have to remember to go back and finish your work, you still have to eat. We can't let you go back with an empty stomach like this."
"Haha, that's really not necessary. We're not being polite. I'm not afraid of you laughing at us. Right now, we just want to go to the tile burning site and keep an eye on it. That way, we'll feel at ease and not dream."
What Niu Jianzhong said was what was in his heart, and it was also what the vast majority of the people in Niujia Village thought. After so many years, the hard times in their village have finally come to an end.
"I understand your feelings. Fine, in that case, we won't stay here and will wait for you to bake the first batch of tiles and send them over."
Seeing them rushing to leave, Li Miaomiao remembered something and said to Niu Jianzhong, "You've successfully fired the tiles. Next is firing red bricks. However, firing red bricks is even more difficult than firing tiles. If you're more patient and pay more attention to details, your success rate will be higher. If you have any questions, you can come to me. Although I don't know how to fire bricks and don't understand these things, I can look up information in books, and maybe I can help you."
It's not enough to just burn the tiles. Tiles are just a small part of the business. Only by taking away all the business can we truly slap Zhaojia Village in the face.
"Comrade Li Miaomiao, we remember your words. Thank you. We all remember your kindness to our Niujia Village. From now on, whenever you come, you will be our honored guest of Niujia Village."
However, in Zhaojia Village, a lot of tiles had already been burned. After waiting for many days, no one from Fanglin Village came to discuss this matter.
"Captain, could it be that Fanglin Village has ordered tiles from somewhere else? If so, what will we do if we continue doing this and can't sell them?"
"Among the villages around here, there is no other place that makes bricks and tiles except Niujia Village. I really don't believe that they can order bricks and tiles from Niujia Village. If the factory collapses, it will be a joke!" Zhao Qingmin said with a sneer, not worried at all.
He knew who Zhang Degen and Accountant Wu were. They were not so stupid. In that case, he would definitely come back to find them. They were probably thinking about how to bargain with him right now.
"Then Captain, should we continue to burn tiles?"
"Of course we have to continue, otherwise how can we burn all those tiles in a short time? In a couple of days, all the villages will go to the county town for a meeting. I guess the people from Fanglin Village will come to me for help then. I heard that Fanglin Village has received many orders again, so I'm afraid they are rushing to build a factory right now. Just wait, they will come to me for help."
Although there were other voices that felt that this was not a safe approach, Zhao Qingmin was stubborn and suppressed these voices.
"Uncle Wu, I'm so happy to see you today. Is there something good?"
When Li Miaomiao was about to go home after get off work, she saw Accountant Wu smiling and looking very proud.
"Your uncle Degen said we'll go to the county to attend a commendation meeting tomorrow. This autumn, we're harvesting. Although our harvest isn't as good as most villages, our soap workshop has brought honor to the county. Even if we don't get any commendations, we'll still be proud when we go out."
Li Miaomiao also knew that there would usually be a commendation meeting after the autumn harvest and the public grain payment. In previous years, Zhang Degen was not very willing to go at this time.
"Uncle Wu, are you going to the county town with Uncle Degen to attend the commendation meeting?" Li Miaomiao saw what Zhang Degen and Accountant Wu were thinking and said with a smile.
"That's right. In previous years, we always looked at other villages for their good fortune. This year, our village is different, and we don't have to bow our heads anymore. Even though our village's grain production is not as high as other villages due to land poverty, we still have other sources of income and are not lagging behind the county."
"That's right. No one can deny that. Uncle Wu and Uncle Degen can both walk with their heads held high when they go to the county this time."
"Haha, isn't this all thanks to you? If you hadn't contributed the soap recipe and worked so hard for the village, our village wouldn't be where it is today."
"Uncle Wu, please don't say that. The success of the soap workshop is the result of everyone's concerted efforts. No one can be missing. Besides, Uncle Wu, you know me well. I don't like to be in the spotlight."
Li Miaomiao has always been like this, and being too high-profile is not a good thing these days.
Accountant Wu understood what Li Miaomiao meant and was even more impressed by her rarity. "Yes, this is all thanks to everyone's concerted efforts. I have to thank the county leaders for their support. Otherwise, the soap workshop wouldn't be possible."
On the day of going to the county town, Zhang Degen and Accountant Wu set off early. They were wearing clothes that they usually wore for show, and they looked energetic.
"Hey, isn't that Captain Zhang and Accountant Wu? Your village is doing really well now. The soap workshop has been opened, and things are booming."
"No, no, it's all thanks to the support of the county leaders that our village can make greater contributions to the country. It's our honor."
Although Zhang Degen and Accountant Wu were very arrogant when they were in the village, they were now more humble than the other. They both knew that being too high-profile and ostentatious would not do any good, and they spoke in a friendly manner, which was very different from the previous behavior of Zhaojia Village.
Zhao Qingmin also arrived on a tractor at this time and happened to hear what Zhang Degen said. Wow, the old fox is quite good at pretending. He must be very proud at this moment.
Everyone felt a lot more comfortable when they saw Zhang Degen and Accountant Wu like this.
Originally, Fanglin Village was a lagging village among so many villages. Now that it has suddenly risen, everyone feels a little uncomfortable.
"Captain Zhang, I heard your village is hiring workers soon. Is that true?"
"Yes, what are the requirements for finding workers? We have capable people in our village. Can they go?"
"I also heard that your village has a school. If I send my children to school in your village, what are the rules?"
Although everyone was jealous, they cared more about whether they could get actual benefits. So as soon as someone spoke, everyone surrounded Zhang Degen and Accountant Wu to find out the news they wanted to know.
Zhang Degen and Accountant Wu were not impatient. This was something that could not be discussed, so they answered everyone's questions clearly.
Zhao Qingmin felt a little uncomfortable watching this. At this time of year in previous years, although these people envied their village, they didn't flatter them so much. It was just because they wanted to go to the soap factory in Fanglin Village.
"Captain, do you think we should go and talk to Captain Zhang? I heard the soap factory in Fanglin Village offers very good treatment, just like the factories in the city."
Zhao Qingmin's face turned even colder after hearing this: "No need. I told you to wait until they come to us and ask for help. Then we can bring up this matter. Zhang Degen has no choice but to agree."
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