Uncle Hu has set up the stage; it's time for Liang Chao to make his appearance.
"Hello, Village Chief Hu. When we leased the land, we promised the commune that we would give priority to villagers from the surrounding villages when hiring workers. However, we need hardworking and honest people who don't cheat or shirk their duties."
Despite having served in the military for many years, Liang Chao still exudes a commanding presence.
Village Chief Hu nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Liang Chao's words.
"Because of Uncle Hu, we chose Hujia Village as our first choice for hiring workers this time. We hope that Village Chief Hu can introduce villagers who really want to earn some extra money through labor. We have little time and heavy tasks, so we need people with good physical fitness."
"I know, Old Hu from our village knows. Although some of them like to gossip, they're all quite capable. Of course, this time I'll select the best of the best, making sure it doesn't delay things. It's a rare opportunity to earn some money during the lean season."
Liang Chao used a combination of kindness and firmness, and also supported Uncle Hu. With a serious expression, he began to explain the work.
“We need to clear the patch of wasteland where the wormwood is tall first. Find someone to cut the wormwood, one yuan per acre, and make sure to cut it close to the ground. You need to emphasize this to the village chief.”
"You get one yuan for every acre of land harvested, and it doesn't matter how many people harvest it, right?"
Village Chief Hu confirmed again that cutting wormwood on one mu (approximately 0.16 acres) of land was nothing for villagers skilled in farming. If they were quick, they could cut ten or eight mu a day, which would bring in a considerable amount of money. These days, how much does a worker earn in a month?
"Yes, one person or a family is fine. We will measure the land properly, and then everyone can do their own work. We require quality and quantity. If you cheat us this time, we won't hire your village next time we need work."
Liang Chao made it clear from the start that this was a good start, as there would be many more opportunities to hire people and deal with the nearby villagers. He couldn't let them think he was easy to talk to, or they would cause trouble later.
"I know, I will emphasize this and I will also keep an eye on it."
Village Chief Hu understood, and the villagers' thoughts were also understandable. Initially, the requirements weren't strict, but over time, some people started to take shortcuts and harbor侥幸心理 (a gambler's mentality). They couldn't let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch; earning a living wasn't easy.
Liang Chao and Uncle Hu went to measure the land, and Village Chief Hu started using a loudspeaker to recruit people.
Liang Chao remembered Yu Yin's suggestion that he needed to hire an assistant; things were getting busier and busier, and this was causing too much trouble.
Liang Chao knew about the last test and had memorized the area. Today, after measuring it, he found it was more than he had estimated; he thought it would be just over a hundred mu, but it turned out to be nearly 170 mu. Yu Yin knew she should be happy this time—it was an unexpected surprise.
Less than an hour later, Village Chief Hu arrived with a group of people, quite a few, about fifty or sixty men and women.
"Comrade Liang, look, I've selected the best at cutting the land. They're famous in our village for their speed in cutting the land. They also said that we have to cut close to the ground, we can't just fool people."
“Okay, Uncle Hu and I have already measured the land. Each plot is five mu, and we’ll lay them out in a row and harvest them one after another. Are there any others here who want to work together? Then take a plot, finish it, and then move on to the next one. We’ll make sure the quality and quantity are up to standard.”
As soon as Liang Chao finished speaking, Village Chief Hu called on everyone to start working according to the instructions.
They were all strong laborers, their sickles gleaming, and their speed was remarkable the moment they got to work. The men cut in front, while the women tied them up behind, their teamwork seamless.
Uncle Hu said that if you tie up the wormwood and stand it up to one side, you can use it as firewood.
Liang Chao inspected the cut ground; the wormwood stalks were cut close to the ground, leaving very low stubble. Uncle Hu was also checking nearby, and any stubble that wasn't up to standard was ordered to be recut; there was no favoritism.
Everyone is working at a fast pace, eager to finish this piece before moving on to the next; making money is the priority.
It got hot, so I took off my shirt, went shirtless, and brandished a sickle. Sweat streamed down my back, glistening in the sunlight.
The land is being dried at a decent pace; it seems we can finish another plot before nightfall.
As darkness fell, Uncle Hu and Liang Chao tallied the numbers; fifty mu of land still needed harvesting. They agreed to start work the next morning. Uncle Hu said he wouldn't go home today; he'd sleep at his house for the night and come to supervise the work tomorrow morning.
Liang Chao paid the wages, told Uncle Hu to be careful, and then hurried off to catch the last bus.
After getting off the bus, I went straight to Yu Yin's house.
"Brother Liang, drink some water, you're sweating so much. Aunt Hu, make Brother Liang some noodles with gravy, he probably hasn't eaten yet."
"Aunt Hu, I really haven't eaten. I'm really hungry. Could you give me something convenient?"
Liang Chao didn't stand on ceremony; he had been here many times and was quite familiar with the place.
"Aunt Hu, are there still dumplings in the refrigerator? Boiling dumplings will be quick."
"Okay, I'll go right away."
Aunt Hu went to the kitchen, while Yu Yin and Lu Shurui stayed with Liang Chao to talk.
"Yu Yin, we measured the arable land today, and it's nearly 170 mu."
"There's so much, we've made a profit."
Lu Shurui and Yu Yin were both surprised; they hadn't expected such a good thing to happen.
"Yes, I measured it with Uncle Hu. I measured the boundary line myself."
"Yes, yes, that's great."
Liang Chao was also quite happy; Yu Yin was better, and so was he—they were in the same boat.
"Also, Brother Zhang and Huang Qiang said that building the wall with bricks would be too expensive. Brother Zhang can find some scrap wood to use as clamps, which can last for several years. Also, Huang Qiang said he can build the pigsty."
“Okay, let’s use wooden planks to clamp the canes first, that will save some money. The main thing is that we’ll need to build a cowshed and other things later, so we can build a sturdy one then.”
Yu Yin hasn't planned a place to raise cattle yet; a fence to shield them is enough.
"The dumplings are ready, Xiao Chao, do you want to eat now?"
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