Chapter 163
Xia Juhua, who had figured it out, felt even more sorry for Wang Caixia. This was the first friend she had ever made in her life. She was kind and honest, and she never flattered the powerful and bullied the weak. She always let people get by when things got tough, which was very rare in that era.
"Where does Caixia live? I haven't been there yet." Xia Juhua asked the salesperson in a low voice. It would be fine if she didn't know what happened, but now that she knew, Xia Juhua had to meet Wang Caixia no matter what.
The salesperson glanced at Xia Juhua with the same look that the people at the county supply and marketing cooperative had given her that year. It was obvious that he sympathized with Wang Caixia in his heart, but he was powerless to do anything. He was also afraid that his superiors would find out and make things difficult for him, so he was anxious and helpless.
Xia Juhua thought the salesperson's behavior was understandable, and asked Wang Caixia where her home was again. After getting the answer, she left the supply and marketing cooperative. As for Chen Xiaoman, whom she had just asked about, Xia Juhua was not going to meet her. If she had any questions, it would be easier to ask Wang Caixia directly.
The commune was not very big, and it didn't take long to find Wang Caixia's home. The door was closed tightly just as Xia Juhua had expected. Fortunately, there was no one watching outside like what happened to Director Lin that year, so Xia Juhua went forward and knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" Wang Caixia's voice came from behind the door.
Xia Juhua did not think it was shameful for her to come and see Wang Caixia, and she said loudly, "I am Xia Juhua."
The door suddenly opened, revealing Wang Caixia's nervous face: "Why are you here?" Aren't you afraid of being implicated?
Xia Juhua pushed her bicycle straight inside: "I'm going to the supply and marketing cooperative to find you. I knew you hadn't been to work for a few days, so I came to see you." You are my friend, and if something happens to you, I will naturally stand with you, even if it's just to let you talk and ease your mood.
Wang Caixia was very nervous and immediately closed the door. She stood at the door and persuaded Xia Juhua to leave: "I don't have anything to do. I just feel that working in the supply and marketing cooperative every day is too tiring and I don't want to go. Don't worry, there is still work waiting for you in the brigade. Go back."
"Do you believe this?" Xia Juhua interrupted Wang Caixia rudely: "I really feel tired. I was even more tired when my children were young. Now they are in junior high school, why should I be tired? I have found out what happened, but you are still hiding it from me. Do you think that Caifeng has gone to the provincial capital and we don't need to move around anymore?" After saying that, she parked the bicycle and looked at Wang Caixia.
Wang Caixia's eyes were red. She lowered her head and led Xia Juhua into the house. After she sat down, Wang Caixia sighed, "I knew you would get anxious if you heard it, so I didn't dare to tell you."
Xia Juhua felt even more distressed when she saw Wang Caixia, who had lost her former spirit: "You can hide it for a while, but can you hide it for a lifetime? What's going on? You are the deputy director of the supply and marketing cooperative, why can't you be the deputy director just because they say you can't be the director?" The Red Star Supply and Marketing Cooperative has been acting strangely in the past two years. There has been no director, and Wang Caixia has been running the business alone.
Wang Caixia told Xia Juhua that although she worked in the supply and marketing cooperative and became the deputy director because of Director Lin's recommendation, her identity was just a worker, not an official. She was a deputy director in exchange for work. Now that her relative had fallen, they used this excuse to push her down.
If she was just not allowed to be the deputy director, Wang Caixia would not have stopped going to work. The main reason was that after Chen Xiaoman became the deputy director, she overturned some of the things that Wang Caixia had decided before. When farmers asked why they didn't purchase agricultural products or sell things according to the previous prices, they pushed the blame onto Wang Caixia and asked her to explain to everyone that the prices set before were wrong.
No matter how easy-going Wang Caixia was, she could not stand having dirty water splashed on her so obviously. Naturally, she started arguing with Chen Xiaoman. However, Chen Xiaoman suppressed her by saying that she was now the deputy director. In a fit of anger, she quit her job.
Xia Juhua asked in confusion, "I remember that Chen Xiaoman. Wasn't she also forced into the supply and marketing cooperative by Director Chen of the noodle factory? She entered the supply and marketing cooperative in a similar way to you. How dare she do this to you?"
Wang Caixia had figured it out long ago: "Director Chen is no longer the director of the noodle factory. He has been promoted to deputy director of the county light industry bureau. Some people want to flatter him and flatter Chen Xiaoman everywhere. She also wants to be like Director Lin before, and discover one or two special products like Ping'anzhuang's textiles as her own achievements, so that she can be transferred to the county seat and become a formal state cadre."
Wang Caixia couldn't help but sneer at this: "Who does she think she is? She is just like you. How can she come up with such a good idea? If she can't find other special products, she will try to lower the price of agricultural and sideline products. She lowers the price just to let her superiors notice her ability."
Do you have the ability to make ordinary people suffer losses? Xia Juhua really didn't know what was going on in Chen Xiaoman's mind, and she didn't know whether the former director of the noodle factory who had been promoted to the Light Industry Bureau knew what she had done.
Xia Juhua knocked her head in regret: "I went to the noodle factory a few days ago and found that their factory manager had changed. I just thought that Manager Chen was on a business trip and didn't think to ask him about it. If I had asked earlier, I might have known about your situation."
Wang Caixia chuckled: "I'm very happy that you can come to see me. It doesn't matter if you come earlier or later. I understand your intentions."
Although she smiled just now, the smile quickly disappeared, and there was some worry in her eyes. Xia Juhua knew what she was worried about, and asked directly: "Do you still want to go back to work at the supply and marketing cooperative? If you don't go back to work at the supply and marketing cooperative, you have to find another place. Otherwise, life will be very tight with only one person earning a salary at home."
Xia Juhua said this, but what she really thought in her heart was that Wang Caixia must have her own income, otherwise not only would the quality of life at home decline, but her status in the family would also be shaken.
If only a few years had passed, Xia Juhua could have directly hired Wang Caixia to work at the instant noodle factory - Wang Caixia had a cheerful personality and was very friendly, making her a good candidate for sales.
Unfortunately, Xia Juhua couldn't express her real worries, otherwise it would be like rubbing salt into Wang Caixia's wounds. The assumption could not become a reality. The most direct crisis in front of her was that if Wang Caixia lost her job in the supply and marketing cooperative, the family's living standards would decline.
Wang Caixia's voice was indeed full of depression: "When I came back, I really couldn't swallow that anger. But these days after I came back, they didn't pay me last month's salary. I can hold on for a while, but it won't work for a long time."
Since Xia Juhua had come to see her at home, Wang Caixia stopped trying to be stubborn and told her about her predicament and explained why she had not told Xia Juhua earlier.
The reason was similar to what Xia Juhua had guessed, but she was not afraid that her relatives would ask her to come forward and ask Xia Juhua to plead for her, but she felt uneasy in case Xia Juhua had a conflict with Director Chen, who had been promoted to the Light Industry Bureau, because of her. The Light Industry Bureau was a formal government bureau, and there was also a vermicelli factory in Ping'anzhuang. To put it leniently, the Light Industry Bureau could also supervise them.
Even though she knew that the supply and marketing cooperative would fall apart in a few years, this job was as important to Wang Caixia as the vermicelli factory and the weaving team. Xia Juhua felt that she should fight for her:
"Don't think I'm meddling in your business. I just want to ask Director Lin, we're both workers, why can't someone as experienced as you be the deputy director? What mistakes have you made over the years? Why did they fire you without giving you any reason?"
Let’s put aside the issue of whose relatives came to power and whose relatives fell - that was not something that could be made public - and just talk about personal work experience and ability, Wang Caixia is more qualified than Chen Xiaoman.
Xia Juhua still finds it hard to believe that the girl who only wanted to show off in front of the boss and get a permanent job three years ago could squeeze Wang Caixia out of her work and even not pay her! She remembers that Chen Xiaoman called her "Sister Wang" all the time, and it was so affectionate.
Xia Juhua also wanted to ask Director Lin in person whether the county supply and marketing cooperative knew about this matter or not: Director Lin knew that Wang Caixia and Xia Juhua were related, and he was also the one who recommended Wang Caixia to be the deputy director. If he knew about the changes in the Red Star Commune and still allowed Chen Xiaoman to do something, Xia Juhua would have to consider this person's purpose.
However, Xia Juhua did not talk about this matter with Wang Caixia again. She talked for a while about the life of Wang Caifeng and his family in the provincial capital. When Wang Caixia's mood stabilized, she left the gift and left, aiming directly at the supply and marketing cooperative.
Director Lin was surprised to see Xia Juhua: "Why are you here? Didn't you say your team is very busy right now?"
Xia Juhua looked at Director Lin calmly, and seeing that there was no trace of guilt in his expression, she felt relieved - Director Lin had helped her a lot as well, and she didn't want to have any conflicts with him.
"It's no big deal. You know our brigade, every household has raised some chickens for the collective this year in order to increase sideline income. I wanted to ask you about the purchase price of eggs and see if they can be sent directly to the county supply and marketing cooperative." Xia Juhua got to the point as if nothing had happened.
Xia Juhua, a busy woman, actually came to the county supply and marketing cooperative in person just to ask about the price of eggs. Director Lin was very puzzled: "I know you have raised a lot of chickens. I heard that they will be delivered to the purchasing station at the end of the year to enrich the tables of the people in the county. Even our comrades in the supply and marketing cooperative know that your team members are highly conscious and will take the initiative to lower the price of eggs from now on to support the workers in the county. Why did you come to the county supply and marketing cooperative to ask about the price of eggs?"
紅星公社的供銷社，對上竟然給的是這種理由，還真讓夏菊花開眼：“林主任，我是個啥性格你不會不清楚。不該我們要的錢，我一分不會多要。可是我們社員辛苦養的雞，因為齊縣長的要求，年底都得交到收購站，好些社員能指望的，就是現在下的雞蛋增加點收入，你覺得我是主動提出降價的人嗎？”
林主任不由摸了摸下巴，如果夏菊花不提，他還真沒想到這一層。可是紅星供銷社就是這麽上報的，且已經送過兩次雞蛋到縣供銷社。雖然數量不是很多，可還是引起他的關注。
現在聽夏菊花的意思，明顯不是平安莊社員主動降價，林主任就不能不重視了：“究竟是咋回事，你給我詳細說說。”
“究竟是咋回事，我也沒打聽太明白，可是王彩霞已經被擠兌的上不了班了，這情況你知道嗎？”夏菊花一五一十把自己知道的全都說完之後，問了林主任一句。
林主任聽了大吃一驚：“我不知道呀，誰通知她不做副主任的？”
夏菊花沖林主任搖了搖頭，沒有說話。林主任沉思了好一會兒，才向夏菊花說：“這事兒我知道了，等過兩天我去平安莊找你。”他已經想到一種可能，可沒問清楚之前，不好直接說給夏菊花聽。
從頭到尾，林主任都是一個厚道人，不屑于背後搞小動作。
夏菊花覺得自己确實應該給林主任些時間，畢竟他這個縣供銷社主任，竟然不知道自己下屬供銷社的副主任換人了，放在哪個單位都不應該輕輕放過。
回程的夏菊花，并沒有再去見王彩霞，而是靜等着林主任的到來。林主任是個說話算數的人，說過兩天，就真在兩天之後來到平安莊大隊，一見面最先向夏菊花感慨的說：“我早聽人說平安莊大隊的路修得好，我還覺得他們是誇大其辭了，沒想到他們說的還保守了。”
夏菊花笑着把人讓進大隊部，常會計馬上給林主任倒上茶水，又讓林主任有話對夏菊花說：“你們大隊也鳥木倉換炮了，以前我來只有白水喝。”
雖然他一進來就不停的說話，夏菊花卻覺得有一股故做輕松的意味。她向常會計使了個眼色，常會計便輕手輕腳的出了門，還幫着把門關上。
林主任一看這架勢，還有啥不明的，輕聲嘆了一口氣，對夏菊花娓娓道來：王彩霞被撸了副主任，他的确不知情，是新上任的供銷社書記親自做出的決定，事後也沒有知會他。昨天他去問過才知道，那位給王彩霞安排工作的親戚，運動期間雖然只是一個小喽啰，可是他跟着的人犯下的罪惡還不少。
哪怕王彩霞的親戚不是骨幹成員，仍然跟着被清算，念及沒啥大惡，只被取消幹部身份，已經分配回老家種地。做為被他安排進供銷社的王彩霞，身份自然也被質疑。
如果不是考慮到王彩霞與他只是親戚關系，而不是直系親屬，王彩霞的城鎮戶口能不能保留都不一定呢。涉及到清算，哪怕林主任再因為書記的不通氣生氣，再認可王彩霞的人品與能力，也無法與書記分辨，只能來把消息告訴夏菊花。
夏菊花同樣聽得倒吸一口涼氣，上輩子她聽說過這樣的事情，受時代與當時政策的限制，哪怕被無辜涉及的人，都沒有啥申辯的機會，只看自己單位的領導或是更上一級單位領導，對此的态度。
“那彩霞的日子可咋過？她當售貨員的時候，可沒做過啥違法亂紀的事，就這麽沒了工作，家裏還有三孩子，就她男人一個人掙工資……”夏菊花說不下去了。
林主任也跟着搖頭：今年以來，各單位重新配齊了書記，按照組織紀律，他這個主任也在書記領導下工作，很多事情只有建議權沒有決定權，否則也不會出現書記做出決定，他這個主任不知情的情況。
“那現在紅星供銷社，突然壓低農産品的價格，縣供銷社是個啥意見？”夏菊花覺得王彩霞的事兒自己還能想想辦法，平安莊雞蛋的事兒也得要個說法。
林主任更是大搖其頭：“書記對陳小蔓的說法十分認可，還要把她當先進典型培養，紅星公社收購農産品的價格，怕是一時半會恢複不了。”
豈止恢複不了，說不定還會繼續往下壓。盡管林主任沒說，夏菊花也想到了這一點，心想難怪上輩子遍及城鄉的供銷社，說不行一下子就全都門可羅雀了，看來不只是受到個體戶商品更新快、價格低、服務态度好的沖擊。
連自己占據優勢的貨源采購都把握不住，才是最大的問題吧？要知道沒有哪一個系統，能如供銷社一樣占據着遍布全國采購網的便利，只要稍微用一點心，做好采購與土特産批發，供銷系統也不該倒那麽快。
可是他們是怎麽做的？對農民随意壓低收購價格，還一臉自己是大爺的高傲，仿佛除了他們農民的東西都得爛在手裏一樣。
但凡多一個渠道，誰還願意把東西賣給他們？！
夏菊花有些同情的看着林主任：“你現在在供銷社……”日子怕是也挺難過吧？
林主任只是搖頭，夏菊花就更同情他了。與陳小蔓的作法相反，林主任在紅星供銷社的時候，是盡量發掘當地一切能賣錢的土産，以便給農民增加收入，這樣的理念跟一把手起了沖突，憋氣為難在所難免。
“那個陳廠長？”夏菊花見林主任不想多談他與書記理念間的沖突，問了另一個關心的問題。
林主任對此也打聽過了，告訴夏菊花陳廠長現在已經是輕工局二科科長，主管的是縣屬的挂面廠、洗衣粉廠和調料廠，現在正努力在輕工局站穩腳跟，并不知道陳小蔓這麽有上進心。
聽說陳科長沒有摻和進來，夏菊花沒覺得輕松多少。供銷社新來的書記她還沒見過，聽林主任說的就知道跟自己怕不是一路人，以後平安莊編織品的對外銷售，只怕會有影響。
這對平安莊來說才是大事，畢竟現在平安莊的粉條廠和方便面廠暫時不能盈利，只有編織組賺錢。
林主任大概知道夏菊花在擔心什麽，寬慰她說：“你也不用太擔心，畢竟還有省供銷系統呢。”
是呀，還有省供銷系統。可夏菊花兩輩子都沒學會經勢壓人，那位新書記如果不把她逼急了，她覺得還是別捅到省供銷系統的好——人家能當上縣供銷社的書記，也是經過努力的，真捅到省供銷系統，這個書記只怕他就白努力了。
算了，走一步看一步吧。現在編織組的訂單，都是博覽會後各國友人主動追加的，生産任務都排到明年半年去了，一時半會也用不着縣供銷系統給找銷路。
其實那位新來的書記聰明的話，就該主動跟平安莊打好關系，而不與平安莊為難——編織組可不光給平安莊社員帶來不菲的收入，她們賺的外彙，先是算L省的成績，層層分解下來，縣供銷社同樣沾光。
夏菊花不怕新書記是聰明人，就怕他是小聰明。沒有接觸過，她又不便下結論，最後問了林主任一句：“你說要讓彩霞去別的單位工作，供銷社管不着吧？”
林主任有些拿不準：“去別的單位工作？她現在名還挂在紅星供銷社呢，要不她就自己不幹了，要不就得盡快辦理調動手續。”他擔心如果動作不快的話，供銷社直接把王彩霞開除，哪怕再找一個單位上班，以前的工齡都白費了。
夏菊花便拿起電話，直接拔到了齊小叔辦公室，一聽她說這事兒，齊小叔給氣樂了：“夏菊花，你是不是覺得我這個縣長天天沒事幹，就等着給你解決問題呢？現在可好，不只平安莊的事兒你管，別人的事你也跟着摻和是吧？”
夏菊花讓他說得有些心虛，對着話筒都笑得燦爛無比：“齊縣長，我這不也是沒辦法嘛。我們平安莊剛起步的時候，人家紅星供銷社的林主任和王副主任一直幫我們找銷路，否則平安莊不可能有今天。”
“當然，要是王彩霞自己有問題，我這話算白說。可明明人家當時被招工也是有正當理由的，一直本本份份工作，這些年同樣招工的人還少嗎？那些人還老仗着自己有靠山，不好好工作呢，咋就把她一個人給拉出來？要我說她就是擋了別人的道。”
最終夏菊花還是沒忍住抱怨了一句，竟讓電話那頭的齊小叔沉默了一下，才對她說：“別瞎說，有些人躲着點就行了。你去跟那個王彩霞說一聲，問問她願意不願意到公社上班。要是願意的話，就直接去找張書記，張書記會給她安排崗位。”
After hanging up the phone, Xia Juhua pondered over Uncle Qi's words, but couldn't figure it out. So she had to go to Wang Caixia's house with Director Lin first. After telling her the good news, he personally took her to see Secretary Zhang of the commune.
Secretary Zhang had obviously received instructions from Uncle Qi. He was not surprised to see Xia Juhua and the others coming over. He directly told Wang Caixia that if she had no objection, she could go to work in the commune canteen.
Although working in the commune canteen sounds less respectable than being a salesperson in the supply and marketing cooperative, Wang Caixia is very content: seeing that she has lost her job and her family life will be affected, Xia Juhua found a new job for her so quickly, allowing her to leave the supply and marketing cooperative, a sad place, and keep her working years. She must have asked a lot of people for help. If she is still not satisfied, how can Xia Juhua explain to those who asked her for help?