Chapter 692
Everyone finally turned their attention to the list.
The first item is that after the factory expansion, 10 new jobs will be created, with priority given to recruiting workers from the village, and salaries will be paid according to the factory's existing wage system.
Second, the factory pays the village committee an additional 200 yuan each year as funds for the village’s public infrastructure construction.
The third item is that elderly people over 70 years old who settle in Sujia Village can receive a living allowance of 5 yuan per month.
After reading these three items, everyone couldn't sit still anymore. These are all real benefits.
Uncle Ba was the first to stand up, slapping his thigh, his cloudy eyes shining:
"That's great! The treatment in the factory is good, and it's much more stable than working in the fields!"
His words acted as a fuse, and several villagers whose families had working-age workers echoed him, and a buzz of discussion rose in the meeting room.
Uncle Wang Er suddenly stood up, his knees hitting the table legs with a loud bang, and he said excitedly:
"200 yuan in public funds is a lot. I've only earned a little over 200 yuan in over two months of working. This is more than my rent. You're so thoughtful!"
"Yes, as a businessman, even if they want to take care of the village, it's not good for them to raise the rent above the market price. Now it's like they're subsidizing the village."
"Are you really giving subsidies to the elderly? Giving them money for free? And giving them every month?"
"It's already written here, how could it be false? My parents are already over 70! So we can get ten yuan a month! We can buy several kilograms of meat with that."
…
Zhang Laosan, who originally held an opposing view, was also moved at this moment and asked hesitantly:
"How do we sign it then? What are your conditions?"
Su Yuanzheng laid out several documents and said:
“Since it’s a long-term lease, it’s best to complete all the formalities. This is not only a guarantee for the factory, but also a commitment to everyone, so as to avoid delays and damaged relationships due to unclear negotiations after a few years.
Rights and obligations are shared by both parties, and a breach of contract clause must also be included in the contract.
Regardless of which party breaches the contract, they must pay the other party two years' rent as liquidated damages.
The villagers' representative meeting was held today. If the resolution is passed, a voting form and a contract will need to be signed.
We have already obtained approval from the township government and the township enterprise office. When the time comes, we will also need to go to the county land administration bureau to file a record. Both of these documents are essential."
"Why... do we have to pay compensation?" Uncle Wang Wu said hesitantly.
"Brother Wang Wu, this breach of contract clause is binding on both the factory and the village committee. As long as the factory is built properly and no one causes trouble or breaches the contract, no one will need to pay compensation." Su Yuanzheng explained.
As the night deepens, the cicadas' chirping becomes clearer and clearer.
A daughter-in-law from an unknown family brought in a basket of watermelons soaked in well water. The bright red flesh was steaming in the enamel plate.
Uncle Su Wu took a bite of the watermelon, cleared his throat, and said, "Now let's vote by raising our hands. Those who agree to rent the land, raise your hands!"
Dark arms were raised in unison, like new bamboo shoots emerging after the rain.
Under the light, Zhang Laosan looked left and right, and finally raised his right hand slowly.
I don't know who started the applause, but the enthusiastic applause startled the sparrows perched outside the window.
When the meeting ended, the sky was full of stars.
Su Miao stood at the door of the village committee, watching the villagers leaving in groups of three or two.
The moonlight stretched their shadows very long, and the discussions about the processing plant, children's schooling, and elderly care drifted away with the fragrance of the rice waves.
Suddenly she heard Xibo humming a tea-picking tune. The cheerful melody mixed with the croaking of frogs echoed far away in the summer night.
A few days later, all the procedures were finalized and the factory officially began its expansion.
Xiaopangge’s company has a construction team, so as to keep the benefits within the family, this expansion project was naturally contracted to their company.
When working for the shareholders, the construction team did not slack off and did the work quickly and well, and the wasteland soon changed its appearance.
On the seventh day after the construction team entered the village, Su Miao was checking the progress beside the foundation of the new factory when he suddenly heard a loud noise.
Zhang Laosan came over with a few villagers, looking aggressive and holding a hoe in his hand.
"Su girl! What are you doing?"
Zhang Laosan pointed at the foundation he was digging, his face livid: "They've dug right up to my ancestral grave!"
Su Yuanzheng, who was standing by, quickly ran over, shielded his daughter behind him, and said to Zhang Laosan:
"Zhang San, don't worry. Let's talk about it. We are strictly following the measurements and we won't take up any extra space."
At this time, the foreman, Lao Li, also wiped his sweat and came over with the blueprint:
"We did start construction according to the land we had measured previously. This is the blueprint, and it's clearly marked."
Zhang Laosan pushed the blueprint aside and said, "Don't try to trick me! My great-grandfather was buried thirty steps east of that old locust tree, and the ditch you're digging is less than ten steps away!"
The quarrel attracted many villagers to watch, and everyone started whispering.
Su Miao took a deep breath and said, "Okay, let's go over there and measure it first."
When they arrived at the disputed area, Su Miao asked the workers to bring a tape measure.
Sure enough, thirty steps east of the old locust tree was only eight meters away from the construction boundary.
Zhang Laosan raised his chin proudly: "Well? Was I right?"
Su Miao squatted down, parted the grass, and revealed an inconspicuous little mound of earth:
"Uncle Zhang, are you sure this is your family's ancestral tomb? If I remember correctly, the cemeteries in our village are all on the hills, right? Are there any on flat land in the village? And... this size... an ancestral tomb?"
Zhang Laosan's expression changed: "This... this is the cenotaph I built for my grandfather!"
The crowd burst into laughter:
"Zhang Laosan, you are so shameless! Your grandfather is on the mountain. You go there to worship him every year. Why do you still want to build a cenotaph?"
"Why haven't you ever come to pay your respects at your cenotaph? You just popped up as soon as others started working on it."
Seventh Uncle walked out of the crowd with a cane, poked the mound of earth, and the dirt fell down. There was nothing inside:
"I've lived in the village for most of my life, and I never knew there was a grave here. To me, this is a field mouse's nest! Do you want to recognize field mice as your ancestors?"
Zhang Laosan was rebuked and his face turned very ugly, and even his family members who came with him blushed.
He could still scold the villagers in front of him and tell them to mind their own business, but now the person he was talking to was the most respected old man in the village. He really didn't dare to say anything arrogant, so he could only say:
"Uncle Su Qi! What are you talking about! I... this is the grave site I just occupied not long ago. Is that not okay? Doesn't everyone have one?"
"Bah! Why do you come to occupy the site at this time instead of earlier? Moreover, we are not even out of the village yet. Who here would put a grave in the village? You're ruining the feng shui of the village. In my opinion, you just want to sabotage the factory expansion!" said the Seventh Uncle angrily.
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