Chapter 64 Chapter 64 [VIP]
Many people chased the staff to inquire about the compensation for the expropriation, but they received no accurate information. This made many people eager to get inside information instead of thinking about how to cultivate the land.
Bai Duan from the Bai family works in the army, and people in the village always ask him about him in a roundabout way.
Some impulsive people ran directly to the Zhou family and asked, "Did you come back after knowing from inside that the tax was going to be levied?"
People were unsettled. Bai He and Su Xing also privately speculated that the outcome wouldn't be as rosy as everyone expected. The land was state-owned, and the people only had the right to use it. The government wouldn't provide substantial subsidies for special circumstances. If the land were designated as a resettlement site, the village would inevitably attract many strangers. With more people, there would be more trouble, and the interests of the Sheshui villagers would inevitably be affected.
But there are also advantages. Their area has become a key management area of the organization, security issues can be greatly guaranteed, and they can receive various information and resources in the fastest way.
In short, being designated as a resettlement area had its pros and cons. Bai He and Su Xing also sorted out their existing resources and their own abilities, confirming that they would be able to respond relatively safely even if changes occurred.
The troops were incredibly efficient, issuing detailed measures for the collection the very next day, and simultaneously, various machines began operating outside. Their swift and decisive action left no one with time to react.
The villagers were immediately outraged when they saw the document. Each household was to retain their existing address and half an acre of land per person. How could that be possible? Not only was there no compensation, but their existing property was to be taken away. There was widespread resentment, protests, and even some treachery.
Every evening, groups of people would protest at the base. Village officials, all politically savvy and aware that they couldn't change the situation, approached each person individually to try to persuade them. But no one listened. Instead, many people started clashing with the village officials, viewing them as heartless lackeys who only had work to do. For days, Sheshui Village was riven with tension.
Chen Zhen feels sorry for her husband. His throat is hoarse after coming back these days.
On this day, when groups of villagers lay down on the construction site to prevent the construction team from starting work, the kind soldiers lost their usual good temper and directly arrested all the troublemakers.
This action stunned some villagers who had recently become complacent. Regardless of the villagers' cries and struggles, the troublemakers were all taken to the army.
The anxious relatives sought help from the village cadres. After all, they were from their own village, so the village cadres could not sit idly by. Through the organization personnel stationed in the village, they learned that they had all been detained in the detention center.
The villagers were dumbfounded again. The next day, a written notice was distributed to the village, which clearly stated "20 days' detention for obstructing public service."
What's the first reaction of the Xia people when they encounter problems? Use connections, offer benefits, and make things smaller.
But this time, no matter who they found, it was useless. Not only were the items they sent returned, but they were also warned. With the previous lesson learned, the family members no longer dared to go to the base to cause trouble, and the atmosphere in Sheshui Village fell into a slump again.
At a meeting at the base, Uncle Bai was criticized. He said with dismay, "They've been made an example of. As the saying goes, you can't beat a strong opponent with your arms. Going head-on with the organization is like hitting a stone with an egg!"
"Times have changed. We can no longer apply our old ideas to today's society." Grandpa Bai echoed.
In the past, the organization used a conciliatory policy, but now it is clearly using iron-blooded methods.
Seeing the organization's tough attitude, no one dared to stop it even though the villages were complaining.
The village is undergoing extensive construction, and because the cost of operating machinery is high, the demand for manpower is even higher. Various job opening notices for construction sites are posted throughout the village and town.
Porters, carpenters, electricians...
Job booths were packed with people. Although the government still distributed food aid every week, the amount was much less than before, barely enough to keep people alive.
A tall, middle-aged man watched in agony as his mother, languishing in pain on the bed, utterly reduced to mere bones, begged to die. He could do nothing. He had pawned all the valuables in the house to get medicine, and now all he had left were the four sweet potatoes he'd received two days before. Hearing the job posting over the loudspeaker outside, his lifeless eyes suddenly lit up. "Mom, hold on, the medicine will be there soon."
A girl who was being forced by her family to become a secret prostitute, upon hearing words outside the window, instantly grabbed the last straw of life, knelt on the ground and kowtowed to her parents, assuring them that she would work hard and earn enough food for her family.
The elderly grandparents looked at the job postings, which showed cleaning and tidying jobs specifically for the elderly and the weak, and smiled for the first time in a long time. They breathed a sigh of relief, knowing they no longer had to burden their children.
These enrollment brochures have brought new vitality to the entire area.
The villagers of Sheshui Village were also tempted by the salary offered at the construction site. They were given canned food, compressed biscuits, and other long-lasting foods. However, the recent conflict between them and the organization still lingered, leaving them with resentment. Every evening, they could only watch in envy as the workers outside worked furiously.
Some of the work is paid on a daily basis. The villagers felt uncomfortable watching the boxes, each as tall as a person, being distributed one by one, and watching every tired face smile with joy and satisfaction when they received the food. They are the best at doing the work, and if they do the job, they will definitely get a high salary.
But they can't let go of their worries. As long as they participate in the invisible, it means they accept this unfair arrangement.
Why? This is their home, and the villagers of Sheshui Village feel very unfair.
Some villagers, out of sight and out of mind, have stopped going out for walks at night and are focusing on farming. The government recently distributed some newly cultivated seeds that are drought-resistant and have strong survival abilities.
Some people couldn't stay still and kept strolling around, going wherever there was excitement, especially some old ladies in the village, who touched here and looked there, and secretly took some discarded items from the construction site back home.
…
With the rise of the work boom, Bai Zhuo returned to Sheshui Village with his parents, wife and children. Bai Zhuo was too embarrassed to go back to his second uncle after his parents had done such a thing, so after some consideration he decided to go to his uncle Bai's house.
Bai Hui was a little surprised to see the arrival of the family of six, but when he saw the little child in Bai Lao San's arms, a smile appeared on his face.
"This is Zhuo'er's baby, right? Good that you're a grandfather now."
Bai Hui's good attitude towards the children made Bai Laosan and his family feel a little relieved.
"Yes, Jianjian, this is uncle calling someone." Bai Laosan said to coax the baby.
Bai Anjian, who was only half a year old, didn't know how to call for help. He just felt uncomfortable after being disturbed. His mouth was pouting and a humming sound came from his throat.
Bai Hui: "Stop torturing the child."
"Zhuo'er is a handsome child, but a little thin! It's better for children to be a little fatter."
When talking about this, Bai Lao San and the others' brows darkened, their eyes and faces full of distress. "Since Jianjian was born, not only has he never taken any health supplements, he hasn't even had milk powder every day."
Bai Hui sighed, looking at the child with pity in his eyes. "When you leave later, take some white and yellow rice with you. Go home and boil some rice oil over a low fire for the child to drink. Don't let him starve, otherwise he won't grow tall in the future~"
As soon as these words were spoken, Bai Zhuo tightened his grip on the backpack.
Bai Lao San smiled and said, "Brother, we won't be going back to town this time."
"Where will you live if you don't go back to town?" Bai Hui asked in surprise. Yang Cuilan, who was slowly pouring water in the room, also stopped.
"I want to stay with you for a while. The environment in town is not very good right now. Jianjian is still young and can't stand it."
"Ah!" Bai Hui frowned.
"this……"
Yang Cuilan came out with some water and said with a smile, "Third brother, the child is still young and it is really not suitable for him to live in the town."
When Bai Laosan and his family breathed a sigh of relief, Yang Cuilan said awkwardly, "But you also know that our family split up a long time ago."
Bai Hui has two sons. The original homestead was divided into two plots after they came of age, and both sons built new houses on them. But the two of them built a bungalow behind their sons' houses. It's not big, but it's enough for the two of them to live in.
Bai Laosan forced a smile and said, "Yaojun and Yaowu have both built two-story houses. Just clear out one for our family to live in."
"Hey! Both of their sons are married now, so how can there be any empty house? Besides, these two kids are very selfish. You can go find the second one. He has a big house and meat to eat."
Bai Hui nodded in agreement.
"I had some conflict with my second brother, and I was embarrassed to look for him."
Bai Hui and his wife looked at each other in surprise. Bai Hui smiled and said, "There's no such thing as overnight hatred between brothers. Talk to your second brother nicely, he won't ignore you."
"That's right. Your second brother has always been very good to you." Yang Cuilan echoed.
She didn't want the Bai Third family to live with them. Not only would it cause trouble, but they couldn't just sit back and do nothing if they ran into any trouble. What if they didn't want to leave? It would be better to push the problem onto the Second Brother right from the start, since he had the bigger family and wealth.
"Uncle, aunt, we are not living here for free. We pay you rent every month." Seeing his parents extremely embarrassed and his wife's eyes filled with fear, Bai Zhuo said directly.
"How could you think that, kid? What does this have to do with rent?"
Bai Hui showed an unhappy look on his face.
"No, no." People have to bow their heads under the eaves.
"We all have the surname Bai, and we are all family. If you have any difficulties, I will definitely help you.
After some refusal, Bai Hui and his wife reluctantly took the bag handed over by Bai Laosan's family.
Bai Laosan and his family also moved to the utility room next to Bai Hui and his wife.
"Although there are a lot of things in this room and it's a bit messy, it's large enough for your family to live in comfortably. We'll help you clean it up later."
"Well, thank you, brother and sister-in-law." Bai Laosan smiled and saw Bai Hui and his wife off.
Turning around, he looked at the room filled with junk, a layer of dust floating in the air, and a strong odor, and said with a wry smile, "I never thought that I would live here again one day."
This utility room was previously the room where his deceased parents lived.
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