Xu Ningyan only said that she came back for a vacation and would stay for about half a month.
As for Gu Zhiyuan, he only said that he was busy and wouldn't be coming back.
The team leader and Aunt Xie didn't suspect anything. After all, everyone had heard of working at the machinery factory. It was such a prestigious factory, and Gu Zhiyuan was a designer. It sounded quite impressive.
It's understandable that capable people are busy.
They were all very happy to hear that Xu Ningyan was able to stay for so long this time.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xu Ningyan inquired about the newly built cowshed not far away.
The brigade leader took a couple of puffs of his cigarette, his face full of worry: "I don't know what's going on. This year, we've already sent several 'black five categories' members down to our brigade. They all look so polite and refined, they don't look like people who can do any work. I don't dare to assign them any heavy work, I'm afraid they won't be able to handle it!"
"I'm worried. With this kind of physique, I can't do any work. How am I going to survive in the second half of the year?"
I don't know what happened, but in the past, their Tuanjie Brigade hadn't had a single person sent down to the countryside for several years.
But ever since Gu Zhiyuan was exonerated and became a worker at the machinery factory, every now and then two people would be sent down to their brigade.
The cowshed is already overflowing, and now all the cattle in the brigade have been moved to Old Yang's house, but it still isn't enough space.
They've built two more rooms, and they're already struggling to keep up. If they send two more people down here, the cowshed won't be big enough to house them all.
This is really worrying!
Ever since Gu Zhiyuan, he has learned the principle of leaving a way out for others, so that you can meet again in the future.
Who can say that among those sent down to the "Five Black Categories," there won't be another Gu Zhiyuan?
Therefore, although they were sent down for reform, after discussing it, the brigade leader and secretary did not dare to assign them many tasks, nor did they allow the brigade members to bully them.
However, with one more person, there will be one more person to share the food rations. These people are not good at working, but they still have to share the food rations. Over time, I'm afraid everyone will have complaints.
The captain gets a headache just talking about it.
Xu Ningyan guessed that those who were sent down to the countryside might not be without influence, and that they might have relatives and friends behind them.
They probably found out that Gu Zhiyuan hadn't suffered any bullying or torment in the Unity Brigade and was doing alright, which is why they were sending people to the Unity Brigade.
If the brigade leader and the party secretary continue to maintain their current attitude, it can be considered that they have formed a good relationship.
In the future, after these "five black categories" members in the cowshed are exonerated, they might all become big shots.
If everyone remembers even a small good thing about the Unity Brigade today, they will benefit immensely from it in the future.
Moreover, making life a little easier for those big shots in the cowshed is a good deed in itself.
Therefore, he just smiled and said, "It's because the leaders above trust the brigade leader, the secretary, and our brigade that they were willing to entrust such an important task to our brigade! Otherwise, not to mention Hongxing Commune, there are so many communes and brigades under the county seat, why would they insist on sending our Tuanjie Brigade for reform?"
"Of course, we've seen the results of the brigade leader and everyone else in reforming them. Take my brother Gu, for example, isn't he the best example? Not to mention our county, how many people in the whole country can be transformed from 'black five categories' elements into factory workers? Isn't this all thanks to everyone?"
"That's why the higher-ups believe in the abilities of our brigade's cadres and the reform environment of our brigade! The higher-ups have probably seen your performance, Brigade Commander. If our brigade produces a few more good examples of reform in the future, our brigade and you, Brigade Commander, might become national models—"
Xu Ningyan kept making empty promises to the brigade leader.
The captain was immediately filled with excitement, and he imagined the dream that Xu Ningyan had made. If that day really came, he would be in a great position.
Is there a chance to give a presentation in a county, city, provincial capital, or even Beijing?
He's someone who's read the newspapers and knows the facts.
The newspapers have reported on the "Learn from Dazhai in the Countryside" movement. But wasn't Dazhai just like the Tuanjie Brigade, made up of peasants? If they could be received by the highest leaders, maybe I could have that good fortune too?
With that in mind, the captain no longer had to worry!
They were itching to get started and couldn't wait to go and make a big splash.
The brigade leader couldn't sit still any longer. He tucked his pipe into his waistband and said, "Siya, you're so quick-witted! You're right, this shows how much the higher-ups value our Tuanjie Brigade! Sending so many people down here for reform is also a test for our Tuanjie Brigade! We have to seize this opportunity! I need to go talk to the secretary. Siya, since you're staying here for a long time this time, come over for dinner sometime—"
After saying that, he headed straight for the brigade headquarters without even touching the ground.
Just then, the brigade leader's son washed the bamboo bed clean and carried it back, placing it in the yard to dry.
The captain's son was always a man of few words. Seeing his father leave, he didn't want to stay, so he turned and left as well.
Xu Ningyan pulled him down the bowl of warm malted milk powder, then stuffed a handful of candy into his hands, telling him to take it back for Tiezhu and the other children before finally sending him away.
Once everyone had left, Aunt Xie felt even more relaxed.
Unable to resist, she pulled Xu Ningyan aside and began to complain, "Siya, you're so smart. You only had to say a few words to the brigade leader about something that was troubling him, and he was already busy doing it. Can you give your aunt some advice too?"
Xu Ningyan smiled wryly; she had only been making empty promises to the brigade leader.
Are you suggesting we also give Aunt Xie a pie in the sky?
But Aunt Xie was already complaining.
It turns out that although Xu Changfeng stayed at home after returning this time, he was not much closer to Aunt Xie and her son than before.
Speaking of this, Aunt Xie sadly wiped away her tears: "I'm almost buried myself, and who knows when I'll be going to meet his father! How will I face him then? This child, how can he be so heartless? What happened back then—"
At this point, Aunt Xie seemed to realize something, quickly stopped talking, and glanced at Xu Ningyan with an unnatural expression.
Xu Ningyan immediately sensed a story behind this, and it was almost certainly the real reason why Xu Changfeng and Aunt Xie had become estranged.
Otherwise, after so many years of relying on each other, would it really be possible for the sake of Xiong Mingxia, her older sister, to cause such a rift between them, resulting in them not returning to each other for so many years?
However, Xu Ningyan felt that there was something fishy about it. Now it seems that Aunt Xie must have been hiding something.
However, she didn't want to pry into other people's private affairs.
Seeing Aunt Xie's uncomfortable look, she could only comfort her: "Uncle Changfeng is back now, isn't he? He must have been thinking of you, Aunt Xie. How can a mother and son hold a grudge overnight? It's best to clear things up now!"
Aunt Xie gave a wry smile. If only things were that simple.
Because she said the wrong thing, Aunt Xie became somewhat unsettled. After sitting for a short while, she said she had something to do at home and got up to leave.
Xu Ningyan watched Aunt Xie's retreating figure, shook her head, and continued tidying up the house.
I didn't really want to cook dinner, but since some people already knew she was back, and there was no smoke coming out of the kitchen at night, I was afraid someone would get suspicious.
It's hot, so I'd like to make some cold noodles or something.
While boiling water, Xu Ningyan strolled over to her private plot to pick a few tomatoes and cucumbers to use as side dishes.
As I walked to my plot of land and picked out a few plump pink tomatoes, I saw a dozen or so people walking heavily towards the cowshed from the hillside.
There were old and young, men and women, all dressed in rags and thin.
They walked to the cowshed, some went straight inside, and others washed their hands and feet by the river.
They then saw Xu Ningyan in their private plot. She was a stranger to them, and her clothes and appearance clearly indicated that she was not from the village.
Although they were somewhat curious, they all restrained themselves, glancing at the cowshed only once before looking away and silently bowing their heads to enter.
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