Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Comrade Liang Xin, is it a good idea to get married?
Liang Xin smiled and said, "Walk in front, one step ahead of others."
When Hou Jiefang heard Liang Xin's compliment, he and Zhao Jiangang looked at each other happily, "Comrade Liang Xin, when we went to study at the Sixth Company of the 22nd Regiment, we heard that you handed the Sixth Company a golden key, which enabled the Sixth Company to achieve such good results. So when we heard that you had made independent accounting for the family factory, we immediately thought of contracting the staff housing."
Zhao Jiangang hurriedly said, "Comrade Liang Xin, this is because of you. If it were someone else, we wouldn't dare to come. Don't worry, we are not novices. If you are really worried, we can ask a master to guide us. There is a soldier in our 3rd Company whose men have all worked in the commune engineering team for many years!"
Without waiting for Liang Xin to speak, Hou Jiefang said, "If you feel that the local people are unreliable, we can also ask our comrades in the infrastructure engineering corps to guide us throughout the process!"
Liang Xin said: "I am going to the 1st Group Service Center to deliver goods now, and I can go and see the house you built."
The two military officers suddenly looked more excited than if they had received medals of honor on the battlefield. They drove an old military jeep and wanted to invite Liang Xin to get in, but Liang Xin chose to continue riding in the carriage with Li Mao.
Therefore, the two of them wished they could turn into brown horses, whip up their horses as fast as they could, and move Liang Xin to the regiment headquarters immediately.
The 1st Regiment is very close to Jiangmen Farm, only ten kilometers away.
The regiment’s service agency currently operates a small starch factory and a small ice cream factory to provide employment for military dependents.
Li Mao drove the carriage into the group as if he was familiar with the route and stopped at the door of the service center.
The director of the service center and other cadres' families came out to help carry the bread and snacks from the cart.
The director of the service center glanced at Liang Xin casually. It was not without family members accompanying Li Mao to deliver goods before. He looked away, and the next second he turned his head sharply and looked over, and asked in surprise: "Comrade Liang Xin?"
"Hello, sister-in-law."
Although Liang Xin was visiting the 1st Regiment for the first time, the Family Committee was the division's Family Committee. Although she usually helped resolve conflicts and demands between the division headquarters and the families of the 22nd Regiment, the other two regiments also had Family Committees and basically would not come to the division headquarters, but she was very clear about the situation in the other two regiments.
The director of the service center, like the family committee, needs a family member of a high-ranking official who can control other family members.
Therefore, the director of the 1st Regiment Service Center is also the family member of the 1st Regiment Leader, Hao Haiyan.
“This is really the first time I’ve seen this!”
Hao Haiyan hurried over and asked, "Why are you here with us to deliver the goods today?"
"The family factory is holding a staff meeting, so they came with me."
Li Mao spoke again and picked up the wooden box and walked towards the service center.
Liang Xin was just about to go over to lend a hand when the other family members who were standing there rushed over first.
"Then go in and have a drink of water."
Hao Haiyan greeted him, "Comrade Liang Xin, I have always wanted to go to the Divisional Committee to find you. Recently, the regiment has been busy with the population census and counting of personal skills, so I haven't had time to come yet."
"Comrade Liang Xin!"
The director of the service center had just started talking, and before he could go into details, Hou Jiefang and Zhao Jiangang came running over.
"Wait a moment."
Liang Xin looked at Hao Haiyan, "Sister-in-law, what's the matter?"
Hao Haiyan saw the two of them were stunned, and hurriedly said, "It's about the work of the dependents of the troops in the regiment. The division helped to set up a starch workshop and an ice cream workshop before, but the ice cream workshop can only be operated in the summer. In the winter, we can only rely on the starch factory to maintain the expenses of the regiment. Now the whole regiment is recruiting dual-use talents, and starch does not have any technical content. I want to ask if there are any vacancies at Jiangmen Farm that can help solve the work of dependents of the troops."
“Yes, but you have to wait until the second half of the year.”
Liang Xin said, "However, there is still some distance from here to Jiangmen Farm. Ten kilometers is not far, but it is not close either."
"At worst, I can ride a bike!"
Hao Haiyan said: "It's much closer than going to the division headquarters. If I can go to a class, I can save enough money to buy a bicycle in a few months. After staying in this wilderness for a long time, everyone wants to have a stable class to completely improve the conditions at home."
Liang Xin nodded, "I'll remember that. You guys wait a little longer. If everything goes well, we can ask the local military to arrange another bus line so that it will be more convenient for us to go to and from get off work."
"I can wait half a year. Thank you, Comrade Liang Xin."
"You're welcome. The logistics support for the family factory is to solve the employment problems of military dependents. This is what we should do."
After helping the service center deliver the goods to the bakery, Liang Xin and Li Mao went to the regiment headquarters together to see the house and tables and chairs renovated by the 2nd Battalion Study Group.
Liang Xin focused on observing the details. She first checked whether the water and electricity pipelines were laid horizontally and vertically. She has an obsessive-compulsive perfectionist in her bones. She felt comfortable at first glance, just like seeing soldiers training in a formation on a large playground. The enthusiasm and seriousness of the people doing the work can be seen from the pipelines.
Liang Xin looked at the door frame and the window frame. The joints on the edges of the door and window frames were polished smooth and flawless, without any bumps or dents.
From these two places alone, Liang Xin felt the soldiers' cherishment of opportunities and their enterprising spirit in addition to their enthusiasm and seriousness.
Li Mao leaned close to Liang Xin's ear and said, "It's true that your craftsmanship is no worse than others. I didn't even find a single crack on the wall."
Liang Xin nodded and was about to go in when she suddenly heard an argument coming from the door.
Looking back, I saw Hou Jiefang and Zhao Jiangang leaning on the door frame, blocking the door tightly. There were several military cadres wearing four-pocket shirts outside the door, trying to squeeze in. Their faces started to turn red because they were stopped.
Liang Xin knew what was going on, and Li Mao asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing! Comrade Liang Xin, please continue watching. I will chase them away and prevent them from disturbing you!"
As soon as Hou Jiefang finished speaking, he and Zhao Jiangang pushed the person out.
"Comrade Liang Xin! Our camp also has a masonry study group, and we have also learned professional construction!"
"Lao Lin, do you still have any shame? Let's compete fairly! We specially invited Comrade Liang Xin first. Do you want to take advantage of us halfway? No way!"
Liang Xin couldn't bear to watch any longer and walked to the door.
Before he could speak, Hou Jiefang immediately said, "Comrade Liang Xin, now that you have finished looking here, why don't you go to our camp and have a look? We have several pieces of furniture made by our furniture team on display in our camp. The workmanship and style are not inferior to those made by furniture factories in Beijing or Shanghai!"
Zhao Jiangang also hurriedly came up to show the way, "Comrade Liang Xin, Comrade Li Mao, this way please."
Li Mao was startled, then he burst into laughter, "Oh, you even know my name?"
Zhao Jiangang said: "Of course, Director Li of the flour mill manages the flour mill in an orderly manner. We have heard of his great reputation for a long time!"
Li Mao took Liang Xin's arm and said, "Liang Xin, let's go to their camp first!"
Liang Xin: “…”
Liang Xin chuckled and said, "Let's go."
Captain Hou did not make false propaganda. When Liang Xin walked into the office of the commander of the 2nd Battalion and saw the furniture made by the furniture study group, she was surprised by the solid wood carved sideboard placed in the middle.
The style is novel, but the hollow carvings are intricate and exquisite, and it exudes the ancient Chinese atmosphere and the craftsmen's superb skills in precisely controlling wood.
Li Mao uttered "Yo" and then there was no more sound, which was also unexpected.
"Comrade Liang Xin, this is the furniture that Ma Wen, a soldier from the 3rd Company of our battalion, made after he established the study group." Hou Jiefang pointed to the washbasin stand, armchair, and tiger-foot square table next to it and introduced them one by one, "These were all made by other soldiers in the study group!"
Liang Xin looked at the soldiers rushing over to the door, nodded with a smile, and said affirmatively: "It is indeed possible to compete with the masters of the state-owned furniture factory."
Smiles immediately appeared on the soldiers' faces.
The other battalion officers who followed them usually had nothing to say about the craftsmanship of the furniture team, but today they said, "Your battalion is good at making furniture, so you can contract the furniture for the staff quarters, and let us do the construction of the staff quarters!"
"Bullshit! It's us..."
“Technology has seen it all.”
Liang Xin interrupted the quarrel between the two and looked at the nervous expressions of the cadres and soldiers of the 2nd Battalion. "Whether it is the renovation technology or the door and window technology, they are indeed very superb. I also admire the pioneering spirit of Battalion Commander Hou and Instructor Zhao. So we must not let down the soldiers who are concerned about others and dare to think of things that others cannot think of, dare to do things that others dare not do, and innovate."
The officers and soldiers of the 2nd Battalion just smiled in surprise, but were frozen by Liang Xin's word "but".
"This cadre also put aside his cadre status and actively fought for the soldiers. I admire him very much."
Liang Xin looked at the two battalion officers and soldiers who were looking at her nervously and attentively. "The estimated cost of the staff housing in our family factory is 200,000 yuan. The price of labor costs is about 20 to 30 percent, which is about 50,000 to 60,000 yuan. It is impossible for me to determine the price of labor costs alone in just one or two sentences."
"In a few days, the family factory will prepare a tender document, which will detail the scope of the project, construction period requirements, construction drawings, physical bill of quantities, project price settlement methods, etc., and send an invitation letter to the study group that wants to take on this project. You need to prepare to discuss the technical plan based on the tender document, explain your understanding of the project and the technical route for implementation, survey the site, design an outline and project quotation to participate in the family factory's project bidding. Captain Hou and Instructor Zhao will be given priority because they dare to be the first, but if the plans of other study groups are better than yours, then..."
Liang Xin didn't say the rest of the words, but the cadres and soldiers present understood what she meant.
A young soldier whispered, "Bidding? What does bidding mean?"
Another young warrior replied in a low voice: "I guess it's just like a martial arts competition to win a bride."
The two young soldiers thought they were speaking in a low voice, but it reached everyone's ears. The simple and clear conversation also made everyone immediately understand what Liang Xin said.
Hou Jiefang's face was full of joy and sadness. "Comrade Liang Xin, from what you said, it's not just our battalion and the 3rd Battalion?"
“There are study groups in the three regiments of the division, and anyone who wants to participate can join.”
Liang Xin smiled and said, "The 2nd Battalion's study group has such good skills, and because you two have priority qualifications, today is not the time when only the 6th Company in the entire army dared to do it. I think it is fair and just, and it is good for all of us."
"That's right. If I give you all this money, who knows what kind of trouble you'll get into."
The commander of the 3rd Battalion was very happy. Even though he lost in a fair competition, he still had a chance to fight for it. "Comrade Liang Xin, thank you!"
As soon as Liang Xin left the 1st Regiment, Lu Chongfeng arrived at the regiment headquarters and heard what had just happened.
Listening to the leadership team of the 1st Regiment praising Liang Xin, Lu Chongfeng raised the corner of his mouth.
He came with Deputy Political Commissar Ji and Staff Officer Wu. On the way back, when they were about to reach Jiangmen Farm, he asked the driver to stop the car, got out of the car and walked towards the farm, letting them go back first.
At ten o'clock, the first staff meeting of the family factory was held. All thirty-two employees from the chicken farm and flour mill arrived on time.
In the abandoned factory building next to the flour mill, everyone sat together on the long board.
"Since they are all family members, it is not as official as the military factories and the state-owned factories outside."
Liang Xin sat in the middle of the bench. "Today's meeting mainly wants to say three things. The first thing is, thank you for your hard work over the past year."
The excitement of the martyrs' relatives in holding their first meeting suddenly stopped.
"Because of the closed geographical location of Jiangmen Farm, there is a serious shortage of daily necessities. It is not only very inconvenient for everyone to live here, but the accommodation environment is also in sharp contrast to the environment of the division headquarters. The conditions in all aspects are not good..."
"Director Liang!"
A relative of a martyr stood up and said, "The conditions here cannot be compared with the division headquarters, but they are similar to what we used to have in the countryside. I even think it is better than at home. We are all women, squeezed into such a big house. These are all brick houses, not the thatched houses we used to live in. We don't feel hardship at ordinary times!"
“We are workers!”
“Even though it was hard, we learned real skills!”
"No one bullies me anymore. I'm not mentally exhausted. I feel that life is very hopeful!"
"Yes, there is a future!"
The martyrs' relatives and employees laughed and rushed to speak, completely drowning out Liang Xin's words.
Liang Xin waited until everyone had finished speaking before she smiled and said, "In the early days of our business, everyone worked really hard. But fortunately, my second project, building staff housing, didn't make everyone's hard work for more than a year go to waste. I've also fulfilled my promise to everyone."
The relatives of the martyrs suddenly became quiet, and even their breathing became lighter.
No matter how true what others say is, they cannot take it 100% seriously. Only when they hear it from Director Liang’s mouth can they feel at ease.
Liang Xin briefly explained the situation of the independent accounting of the family factory, and then said: "The staff housing is confirmed to be built. What I want to talk about is the housing distribution system. I know that everyone has been concerned about this. Some comrades came from local cities and may understand, but some comrades came from rural areas and don't know much about this aspect, so I will explain it in detail first. The housing distribution system of military factories and local state-owned factories is generally based on the point system. In simple terms, everyone starts to accumulate points when they enter the factory. Length of service, age, and position are all considered as composition. One point for length of service, one point for age, and points for obtaining individual and collective honor certificates are also counted. There is also a very important iron rule that you must be married to get a house. Finally, as long as the spouse does not have a house, they are eligible to get a house according to the score."
The comrades at the meeting listened very attentively.
A house is everyone's dream.
"Our family factory is different from other units. We handle special matters in a special way." Liang Xin said, "Houses have good and bad floors, sizes, lighting and orientation. Even if everyone has a good relationship, others will always have opinions if you get one. So we can also distribute houses according to this scoring system, and calculate the length of service, age and population into scores. Those with higher scores will get houses first."
Li Mao nodded: "This is a good idea, it's fair."
The other martyrs' relatives nodded and had no objection.
"Speaking of honorary certificates." Liang Xin said, "This is also one of the main points of my visit today. All the regiments and companies in the division are busy forming study groups. I believe everyone has heard more or less that the employees of our family factories can actively form study groups outside of working hours to learn singing, dancing, painting, photography, skills, and study for courses for secondary school, college, and university entrance exams. Every honorary certificate, skill qualification certificate, and academic degree certificate obtained from a competition activity can add points, not just one or two points. For example, skill certificates, party membership, and primary, middle, high, secondary, technical, college, undergraduate, and master's degree certificates start at 5 points, and there is no upper limit. You can exchange for a good house at any time according to your scores."
“We can learn too?”
"I'm already so old, and I'm still going to college!"
"I don't know anything, I don't even know how to read!"
“I already have the skills, do I still need to learn technology?”
“Who will teach us?”
The martyrs' families were extremely surprised. Although they were frightened, nervous and embarrassed, they also looked extremely excited.
"You only learn when you don't know how to do it. What's the point of learning when you already know how to do it?"
Liang Xin patiently answered them one by one: "In the future, family members of other regiments and local unemployed youth will come to the farm one after another. You should first summarize what you can do. It doesn't matter if you really don't know anything. Just like the soldiers, if you want to learn how to drive, you can learn with the study group of the transportation company. If you want to learn radio, you can learn with the study group of the communication company. The same goes for other projects."
An elderly relative of a martyr said: "What's the point of learning so much? How can you do a good job?"
Liang Xin rushed to speak before Li Mao, who was obviously about to refute, and said, "The bigger the factory is, the more urgently it needs talents. College graduates all want to be assigned to provincial units as state cadres. No one is willing to work in such a remote family factory like ours. Therefore, the future of the factory depends on everyone's self-improvement. Besides, work also requires a combination of work and rest. The teachers of the study group, the local military support, the Women's Federation, and the Family Committee will help contact people to come and teach you. As long as you are interested and actively participate, in addition to building staff housing, we will also open clubs, learning and cultural centers, barber shops, bathrooms, service centers, etc."
At this point in the meeting, Liang Xin could hardly get a word in. The employees were chattering away, and each of them suddenly looked several years younger. They all had endless things to say, eager to speak.
"Whoever marries this daughter-in-law must have accumulated great virtue for eighteen generations!"
At the flour mill gate, a young soldier crouched at the corner and looked inside. He turned back and said to the cadre at the gate, "Isn't that right?"
Lu Chongfeng nodded, "Yes."
The young soldier turned around and looked at Lu Chongfeng, "You are envious too, right? I understand you, it's a pity that Comrade Liang Xin is the family member of our Deputy Division Commander Lu. If they hadn't gotten married..."
Lu Chongfeng looked at him.
The young soldier turned his head and glanced at Liang Xin, smiling with longing, and whispered: "If we are not married...even if we are divorced, I am willing to marry her! With this wife, I might be promoted to a regular employee in half a year, a company commander in two years, and even replace our battalion commander in five years. Don't you think so?"
Lu Chongfeng's eyes were cold.
The young warrior's smile faded. "You want to compete with me? Although your looks and head are advantageous, you must be at least thirty, right? I'm only eighteen! Hehe, men like small girls, and women like small girls too. In this respect, I have a lot more advantages than you!"
Suddenly, a short pig-slaughtering cry was heard outside.
Liang Xin glanced outside and saw nothing happening, so she interrupted the family members of martyrs who were chatting animatedly and said, "Everyone is enthusiastic about the study group, so we can start preparing later. In order not to delay everyone's meal, I will talk about the third thing first, which is the selection of employee representatives. This is also related to the allocation of housing and the study group."
“I’ve heard of this!”
A relative of a martyr raised his hand and said, "Factories outside have employee representative meetings. I heard that even the decisions of the secretary and the director can be vetoed!"
Another relative of the martyred raised his hand again, "Whatever Director Liang says is what we will listen to!"
Liang Xin laughed, "When electing a staff representative meeting, I can't just say whatever I want. It's not just me. When there are new cadres, the family-run factory can't have a one-man show. Let me explain it in detail. The staff representative meeting means the workers' representative conference. The workers' representatives refer to the public opinion polls conducted by the division headquarters. You vote anonymously to elect the workers' representatives. The factory's business policies, management decisions, salary and bonus distribution plans, employee training plans, employee housing allocation systems, living benefits and other important rules and regulations are all reviewed, supervised, appointed, removed, rewarded and punished by the staff representative meeting. Our family-run factory should be run by the family workers."
Applause suddenly broke out.
Every family member and staff member's face was filled with sincere admiration for Liang Xin.
Liang Xin raised her hand to stop the applause. "The employee representatives must be elected as soon as possible. The family factory will hold a bidding meeting for employee housing next. The employee representative meeting will choose which study group's bid is satisfactory. Therefore, I believe everyone understands the importance of employee representatives and they must be chosen carefully. Money is very tempting. Everyone has burdens. I understand and I am trying my best to reduce everyone's burdens. It is human nature to be tempted by money that is delivered to your doorstep, but for employee representatives who cannot control their hearts and hands, there will be no mercy to talk about at that time."
The martyrs' relatives nodded solemnly.
When I first met Liang Xin, I couldn't find any airs of an official's wife in her, nor could I find any airs of an official herself. She was kind-hearted and gentle, and her good deeds were touching.
But I have also seen and heard that Liang Xin's attitude towards those who bullied them was sharp and merciless.
After all the hard work, they finally have their happy ending. At least for now, no one would be stupid enough to ruin their stable lives.
Lu Chongfeng threw the young soldier out and walked back with a cold face. Hearing that the meeting was almost over, he was about to walk to the door when he suddenly heard an employee ask, "Comrade Liang Xin, is it a good idea to get married?"
Liang Xin stood up and prepared to leave. She looked at the martyr who suddenly asked a question and said with a smile, "You already have two children, why are you still asking me this question?"
"Although we were married, we could only see each other once every one or two years, and each time we only had a few days of vacation. When we finally dared to look up at each other, the vacation was over."
The martyr's relative recalled: "After I got married, I moved from my parents' home to my husband's home to work. It was more tiring than at my parents' home because I was alone during pregnancy, childbirth and raising the child. After her father died, my husband's family treated me as an outsider. This went on for six or seven years until I was finally rescued by a bakery job offer. I think Meihua seems to be doing well after remarrying, but there are also many people who are not planning to get married again, saying that marriage is just that. Director Liang, I believe what you say, can you tell me something?"
"I think everything has its pros and cons, and marriage is no exception." Liang Xin said, "Two people can accompany and care for each other and give each other emotional support, and can share financial expenses and the responsibility of educating children. However, this relationship will also bring pressure, conflicts, household chores and more financial pressure that one person would not have. In addition, it takes a long time to get to know the character of the person you are going to marry. Therefore, you can say that marriage is a gamble. There will be an incident in the Family Committee every now and then. The results of the gamble can be roughly divided into good, still able to live, and bad. If you are not under so much pressure in your life now, you should carefully consider remarriage to avoid bad situations like Sister Daya and Dr. Liao."
The martyr nodded seriously, and then suddenly smiled, "Comrade Liang Xin, the outcome of your bet must be the first of the three options, right?"
Lu Chongfeng unconsciously slowed down his breathing, pricked up his ears and moved forward.
Liang Xin said: "No."
The corners of Lu Chongfeng's mouth froze, and he even began to tremble slightly.
Liang Xin smiled and said, "I am so good that I don't even exist in picture books or novels."
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