Chapter 126
The driver could obviously understand what Xia Juhua said, but he couldn't speak Mandarin. He was so anxious that his face turned red and he said several sentences to Xia Juhua. He pointed at the sack on the ground, then pointed at his chest, and said "Amu" several times in a row, which was probably his name.
Xia Juhua tried to call out: "Amu?"
Amu nodded repeatedly, bowed to Xia Juhua with a smile, waved his hand, and then went downstairs by himself.
Xia Juhua didn't give it away. Although she admired Amu's keen sense of smell and his ability to seize the opportunity to make money, she was more concerned about what to do with her 150 kilograms of dried shrimps.
Finally, Xia Juhua gritted her teeth and decided to carry it onto the train by herself - there was a car to take her from the guesthouse, and there was also a car to pick her up in the provincial capital, which meant she just had to walk a few steps on the platform when entering the station and when getting off the train. Xia Juhua felt that she could still carry it.
I didn't want to know that Deputy Director Gu was still worried about whether Xia Juhua went to work in the supply and marketing system. After not seeing her all afternoon, I asked my secretary to ask Section Chief Zheng. When he learned that Xia Juhua had returned to the guesthouse, he was relieved and told Xia Juhua that she must sit with me at dinner.
The expo ended successfully. All participants attended a dinner in the evening. Even the leader attended the dinner in person and delivered an enthusiastic speech. In the speech, he praised L Province for its good start and fruitful results, especially Comrade Xia Juhua, and encouraged them to keep up the good work and complete the orders.
As the leader spoke, the participants' attention focused on the area where Province L was located, and they discovered that Xia Juhua was sitting at the table of Deputy Director Gu. Hearing the leader's praise, they both stood up and bowed to the leader to express their gratitude, and everyone burst into warm applause.
Xia Juhua felt a little embarrassed: she had already received a cash reward yesterday, and today she used the reward to buy cashews and dried shrimps. She could give them to Qi Weidong when she got home and get more money in return. Now her leader was praising her in front of so many people. Didn't she feel a little unworthy?
Fortunately, the leader's speech was very brief, and then everyone had time to eat, drink and freely communicate, which made Xia Juhua's guilt go away. She didn't know that it was precisely because the leader's speech was brief and that he praised her in such a brief speech that it seemed more precious.
Even many leaders of supply and marketing systems of brother provinces who participated in the Expo did not ignore Xia Juhua when they came to build relationships with Deputy Director Gu. Instead, they treated her and Deputy Director Gu equally and toasted them at the same time.
Regardless of whether these people toasted sincerely or just to give face to the leaders, Xia Juhua didn't know how to deal with it - she had lived for two lifetimes without ever touching alcohol, and she had no idea how to avoid drinking at the table.
Deputy Director Gu had to personally come forward to defend Xia Juhua from drinking: "Comrade Xia Juhua doesn't drink, and this is her first time attending such an event. Please don't embarrass her."
Those who could come and establish contact with Deputy Director Gu were all of similar rank to him, so they could naturally see that Xia Juhua was indeed not suitable for such an occasion, so they stopped trying to persuade her to drink, and only told Deputy Director Gu about their purchase of 10,000 tons of rubber.
The central idea was very simple, that is, the rubber product factories in L Province were small in scale, so could they get a share of the 10,000 tons of rubber? Everyone knew that the 50,000 tons of rubber purchased by Director Yang must be supplied first to military industry and large state-owned factories. Their local factories, like the factories in L Province, could not be included in other people's supply chains.
Some people were jealous and said: "You are so smart, how come you thought of buying rubber yourself? We all thought that rubber can only be allocated by the state, and never thought of buying it yourself."
Deputy Director Gu looked very pleased with himself. He didn't care even though he could hear the jealousy in the other party's words. "We participate in the Expo to sell our own products and buy the products we need. Don't tell me you didn't expect it. I heard that the orders you signed are enough to feed the entire province's supply and marketing system."
The person who spoke gave Deputy Director Gu an unceremonious look and said, "Everyone knows that you, L Province, are the big winners this year. We didn't sign many orders for the same things. Our friends all went to you. The few orders we signed were for things you didn't have."
After saying the same thing many times, Deputy Director Gu became more comfortable with the response, and even asked others if they could exchange internally about things that were in short supply in L Province but abundant in other provinces.
Other provinces were not unmoved by his request, but if they wanted their things they could go back and ask for instructions. However, they all told Deputy Director Gu that no matter what the leader's opinion was, they would tell the leader that Province L had to use rubber for the replacement.
Deputy Director Gu said to Xia Juhua with regret, "Yesterday you shouldn't have only asked those people about cashews. You should have asked them if they had rubber. If they did, we could have bought it all."
Xia Juhua asked Deputy Director Gu in confusion: "How much money can you mobilize? If you really want it, it's not too late to ask Roberts now."
These words left Deputy Director Gu speechless - he did have partial purchasing authority, but not unlimited purchasing authority. The funds he could mobilize were only enough to pay for the 10,000 tons of rubber. He had to report back and then allocate funds for the 20,000 tons of cashews.
If he hadn't known that Xia Juhua was such a straightforward person (Deputy Director Gu might have misunderstood her), he would have suspected that Xia Juhua was blatantly mocking him. But now he was laughing happily: "Maybe after we return to the provincial capital, we will have to place additional orders for Robert soon."
Xia Juhua nodded affirmatively: "Yes. You have Robert's phone number, so just call him directly, it's so convenient." There is no phone in Ping'an Village now, so she doesn't want to make phone calls.
"When you go to work in the provincial capital, it will be more appropriate for you to take charge." Deputy Director Gu felt that he could now assign tasks to Xia Juhua directly with a smile.
Xia Juhua also felt that she should tell Deputy Director Gu her thoughts: "Director Gu, I feel that I am still not suitable for the job in the provincial capital. It is better for me to stay in Ping'an Village."
Deputy Director Gu stopped laughing all of a sudden: "What did you say?" Why didn't I hear you clearly.
Xia Juhua had to repeat herself: "I want to continue to stay in Ping'an Village. I am too old to work in the provincial capital."
Deputy Director Gu had actually heard it clearly the first time, but he just couldn't believe that there were people who didn't want a city hukou or a stable job at a supply and marketing cooperative these days. "Comrade Xia Juhua, I hope you can go back and reconsider this."
At this point, Deputy Director Gu remembered something, smiled and said, "If you're worried about your children, there's no need to worry. You know we have a succession policy. One of your two sons can take over your job. As for the other, I can report to the leadership when I get back. It's not impossible to make an exception and recruit him into the supply and marketing system."
Based on Xia Juhua's contribution, Deputy Director Gu felt that it was not impossible to make an exception and solve the household registration problem for one child. He said that it should not be a big problem if he went back to study it with the leadership: "In the future, not only your son, but also your grandson and granddaughter can eat commercial grains."
Xia Juhua thought, who cares about those two boys? But if they can really be recruited into the supply and marketing system, whether they are willing to build houses or not, they can stay away from me. It is not impossible to consider it: "Deputy Director Gu, why don't I stay in Ping'an Village and recruit my two sons into the supply and marketing system."
When the people at the same table heard Xia Juhua's request, they all looked sideways and secretly examined Deputy Director Gu's expression.
How could Deputy Director Gu show them a good face? He didn't slam the table and stand up to leave. It was all the result of years of self-cultivation and effort to restrain himself.
It was a nice meal, but it ended in a bad mood. Deputy Director Gu ignored Xia Juhua completely afterwards. However, unexpectedly, at the last moment, Director Yang personally came to the main table of Province L to toast Deputy Director Gu. This was a treatment that no other province had.
This made Deputy Director Gu feel a little flattered: "Director Yang, I should be the one to pay my respects to you and the leaders. But the leaders of Guangdong Province are here, so it is not convenient for me to go over." He explained to Director Yang in a low voice.
When Director Yang came over, he had already noticed Deputy Director Gu's expression of concern, but he pretended not to see it and gestured to Xia Juhua with his wine glass: "Comrade Xia Juhua, this glass is for you and Deputy Director Gu at the same time."
Deputy Director Gu did not block Xia Juhua from drinking. He looked at Xia Juhua who was still holding the glass of water in front of her and said, "Director Yang, I don't drink."
Director Yang smiled indifferently, clinked his glass with Deputy Director Gu, then clinked Xia Juhua's glass and said, "It doesn't matter what you drink. Even if you don't drink, it won't erase your contribution. Besides, we'll need your help soon."
The last sentence reminded Deputy Director Gu that no matter whether it was cashews or rubber, if additional orders were to be placed, Xia Juhua might have to step in. What if the international friend insisted on only recognizing Xia Juhua? Even if he could call Roberts himself, Xia Juhua's role in the line with Director Yang should not be underestimated.
So he put on a gentle smile again and touched Xia Juhua's glass: "Director Yang is right. Comrade Xia Juhua will continue to make contributions in the future."
The three of them drank all the wine and water. In front of everyone, Director Yang left Xia Juhua his address and even his office and home phone numbers, stating that Xia Juhua could contact him at any time. Then he greeted Deputy Director Gu and left with satisfaction.
How could Deputy Director Gu still be so cold to Xia Juhua? When everyone left the cafeteria, they smiled and walked together with Xia Juhua.
It was not until they returned to the guesthouse and Section Chief Zheng handed Xia Juhua the train ticket that he had time to ask her: "During dinner, I saw that Deputy Director Gu was a little unhappy. Is that true..."
The truth was obvious, so Xia Juhua told the truth: "Deputy Director Gu wanted me to stay in the provincial supply and marketing system. I wanted him to take my two disappointing sons to the provincial capital. He was not happy if I stayed in Ping'anzhuang Brigade."
Section Chief Zheng was stunned: "You are old enough to retire in a few years, and then there will always be a son who can take over. Why do you have to bring it up now?"
Xia Juhua looked helpless: "I just mentioned it like that, but who knew that Deputy Director Gu was unhappy? What can I do?"
Section Chief Zheng is still speechless. People have good intentions to provide you with a guarantee for the future, but you give them a bigger problem. It would be strange if they are not angry - do you really think that switching from agricultural households to eating commercial grains is just a matter of lip service?
After all, Deputy Director Gu is the deputy director of the provincial supply and marketing system. Normally, his words are heard by everyone in the supply and marketing system. If Xia Juhua is really upset by this, then the supply and marketing cooperative in Chengping District...
He asked Xia Juhua tentatively: "How about you go and apologize to Deputy Director Gu?"
Xia Juhua did not feel the need to apologize to Deputy Director Gu: Deputy Director Gu's conditions were good, but he was only asking for Xia Juhua's opinion. If he was asking for her opinion, then wasn't it normal for her to have her own opinion?
As for whether Deputy Director Gu would make things difficult for her because of this, Xia Juhua thought it through: If he really wanted to make things difficult for her, he would have already had opinions about her when she proposed to let her two sons go to the provincial supply and marketing system, and he would have made things difficult for her whether she apologized or not.
She is just a rural woman. Even if Deputy Director Gu tries to make things difficult for her, can he still expel her from the peasant category and stop her from farming? After a few years, she will have money in her hands. Qi Weidong is going to build a farmers' market, and there will be plenty of opportunities for her to make money by doing business. What can Deputy Director Gu do to her? !
Moreover, Director Yang's statement today was too obvious. Even Deputy Director Gu, who is such a smart man, softened his attitude. Xia Juhua really didn't think he would make things difficult for her.
Section Chief Zheng had been dealing with Xia Juhua for quite some time, and he knew too well that although Xia Juhua seemed easy to talk to, she would not listen to anyone when she got stubborn. He sighed and stopped trying to persuade her, only asking Xia Juhua to have a good rest and not to miss tomorrow's train - there was no direct train from L Province to Guangzhou, so they had to change trains in Beijing, so the tickets they bought were for six o'clock the next morning, so they had to get up at least five o'clock.
After Section Chief Zheng left, Xia Juhua started packing her luggage and realized that she had been away from Ping'an Village for twelve days. This was the longest time she had been away from home in her two lives. She missed her own small courtyard, the hens in the backyard that didn't lay eggs until winter, and the mat-weaving team members Zhao Xianzhi, Chang Xiancao, and Zhang Cuiping. She also missed her two sisters-in-law, Li Daya and An Baoling, and...
Missing someone cannot start. Once it starts, it will make people toss and turn. Xia Juhua did not sleep well that night. She appeared in the cafeteria with big dark circles under her eyes.
Section Chief Zheng thought she couldn't sleep because of what he said yesterday, so he whispered to her, "As long as we complete our orders on time, even the provincial supply and marketing system can't hold us back. Even if we earn a lot of foreign exchange, they will still support us, so don't worry."
As soon as she heard it, she knew that Chief Zheng had misunderstood her. Xia Juhua hurriedly explained to him: "I was just thinking that I had been away from home for more than ten days, and I didn't know what was happening at home or in the team."
In the eyes of Section Chief Zheng, Xia Juhua was just too embarrassed to tell the truth. You said that she was doing her job well, making her own mats and being her own team leader. She came to the Expo and not only signed orders for herself, but also increased the orders of L Province by a lot, and created a lot of foreign exchange for the country. Why did she have to be sent to the provincial supply and marketing system?
At this point, Section Chief Zheng actually had a grudge against Deputy Director Gu and forced Xia Juhua to sit at his table, under the pretext that Xia Juhua was so tired in the past few days that she hadn't even had a full meal, and that she had worked too hard for the Chengping District Supply and Marketing Cooperative.
They were not sitting alone at the table. There were also people from other regions' supply and marketing cooperatives sitting with them. Almost all of them had received help from Xia Juhua. When they heard what Chief Zheng said, they all agreed and handed Xia Juhua porridge, wontons, and steamed wheat. The result of all the handing over was that there were four or five bowls and four or five small plates piled in front of Xia Juhua. Even if Xia Juhua had another one, she wouldn't be able to finish all the food in them.
"What's the matter? You're reluctant to part with Comrade Xia Juhua, right? Don't worry, we still have to hold a summary and commendation meeting when we return to the provincial capital, and we'll have plenty of time together." Deputy Director Gu's voice suddenly appeared at their table, and the person on Xia Juhua's right stood up to give his seat to the leader - the person sitting on the left was Section Chief Zheng, who also stood up, "coincidentally" a beat slower than the person on his right.
Deputy Director Gu ignored these details and took up the untouched bowl in front of Xia Juhua, scooped up the wontons inside and swallowed them, then asked, "Have you packed everything?"
Only Xia Juhua responded: "I have packed it, but I need Chief Zheng to help me carry it for a while."
Deputy Director Gu smiled and said, "It seems you made a lot of money yesterday. What good things did you buy?"
Xia Juhua told the truth about how she bought dried shrimps. The two of them finished their breakfast with a conversation that made Section Chief Zheng's scalp tingle: Was Deputy Director Gu angry with Xia Juhua? Was Xia Juhua unable to sleep because she was worried about being harassed by the supply and marketing system in the future?
The two of them behaved too normally, and he, who thought he knew the whole situation, really couldn't understand it at all.
Not to mention Section Chief Zheng who didn't understand, even Deputy Director Gu, the person involved, felt that Xia Juhua was too patient - it wasn't that he was really angry with Xia Juhua. At first he did feel a little uncomfortable that his kindness was treated as a donkey's wickedness. But in retrospect, Deputy Director Gu had figured it out himself.
Everyone has their own aspirations, and they cannot be forced. It is said that working in the provincial supply and marketing system is a qualitative leap for Xia Juhua's life, but is it really so? Xia Juhua is obviously living a comfortable life in Ping'an Village Brigade. Her annual work points and bonuses are no less than those of regular employees in the city. She is also determined to lead all the members of Ping'an Village to a better life. Suddenly someone asked her to leave. Isn't that the same as digging a healthy tree out of the ground without saying hello?
It's an old tree that's been growing for forty or fifty years, the kind that would break its bones if it moved.
Let alone Xia Juhua, if someone now said that Deputy Director Gu could be promoted to a full-time position in another province, he would be happy but also a little disappointed.
So today, Deputy Director Gu had made up his mind to talk to Xia Juhua without leaving any trace at the dinner table, so that she would not have any grudges. However, when they entered the cafeteria, Xia Juhua had already sat down in the Chengping area, with two big dark circles under her eyes, which made Deputy Director Gu feel guilty.
Similar to what Section Chief Zheng thought, Deputy Director Gu also believed that he was the culprit for the two dark circles under his eyes, so he did not allow anyone to invite Xia Juhua to his table, but instead found a table in Chengping District himself.
Being valued so much by the leader, most people would be excited, happy and overwhelmed. But Xia Juhua just ate and drank normally, answered questions openly and ate her own food without showing any arrogance.
This made Deputy Director Gu despise himself in his heart, and he raised his evaluation of Xia Juhua by one level. His desire to get Xia Juhua into the supply and marketing system, which had originally died down, became restless again.
Even Deputy Director Gu had another wrong idea: Maybe Xia Juhua didn't want to join the provincial supply and marketing system, but as a mother, she wanted to give her children a better future, so she wanted both of her children to join the supply and marketing system?
This must be the case, otherwise Xia Juhua would not have proposed that both of her sons join the supply and marketing system at once.
With this conclusion in mind, Deputy Director Gu smiled even more brightly: He had to think carefully about how to report to the leaders when he returned so that they would agree to let Xia Juhua and her son join the supply and marketing system.
Therefore, Section Chief Zheng had nothing to do with Xia Juhua's luggage. Deputy Director Gu's secretary came to Xia Juhua's room early with another young man and took Haimi's luggage to the farewell car. Even the check-in procedures at the train station were handled by them and the money was paid by them, so Xia Juhua didn't have to worry about anything.
Xia Juhua was not the kind of person who would let others take things for granted. She felt bad for the two guys who were busy and sweating, so after getting off the train, she gave each of them a pound of dried shrimps and a pound of cashews, saying that if they didn't accept them, it would mean they were looking down on her, and she wouldn't dare ask them for help again in the future.
The two young men blushed as they took Xia Juhua's gift, and repeatedly reminded her that no matter what happened, she should come to them and that they would be there whenever she called.
Yes, Xia Juhua was still living in a guesthouse at this time, but she had moved to the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse in the provincial capital. The conditions were better than in Guangzhou - all the participants of the expo had to attend the L Province Supply and Marketing System Summary and Commendation Conference here, and Xia Juhua could not be absent either.
Fortunately, although Xia Juhua's stomach was still a little churning on the way back, she did not suffer from carsickness after getting off the bus. After resting for half an afternoon, she was able to attend the celebration banquet in the evening: no matter what the results were, being able to participate in the expo was a victory, and a celebration banquet was justified.
However, Xia Juhua was actually arranged to sit directly at the leader's table. It was obvious that Deputy Director Gu had already reported this to the leader, who knew about her performance and the role she played at the expo and made such an arrangement to show his appreciation for her.
As a woman from the countryside, Xia Juhua was surprisingly calm and at ease when others thought she would be shy and uncomfortable - she had met leaders as high as the Expo Commander and had reported every situation to them honestly, so Xia Juhua didn't think she had anything to be shy about.
It's the same thing as eating, so it doesn't matter where you sit.
The only drawback was that the leaders at this table had to speak and toast to the people at each table.
Just now, when the next leader gave a toast to each table, the leader who gave the speech whispered to Xia Juhua: "Comrade Xia Juhua, you have made great contributions to the provincial supply and marketing system this time. The provincial supply and marketing system is very grateful to you. Do you have any requests?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
