Everyone was talking at once, and Zhou Chunrong was very satisfied; he wrote down each and every one of their comments.
"Good suggestions, we've adopted them all. Anything else?"
"Anything else? Aren't these rewards enough? This is already a lot."
Everyone was puzzled. A thermos alone costs more than ten yuan, and a pair would cost more than thirty yuan. The quilt is also very valuable. Moreover, it's not just a matter of money; you also need all sorts of receipts, which are not easy to obtain.
Zhou Chunrong was displeased. He pushed up his glasses and questioned Zhou Chunrong vehemently.
"Those are so many lives, can this little bit of money erase them? You guys are too stingy! Moreover, the production team leader of Beitang risked his life to save a team member. At that time, his girlfriend thought he had sacrificed himself. She cried her heart out and said she would never marry and would remain a widow for Xu Zijiang!"
They've sacrificed so much, almost breaking up a couple, and this is all you're giving them? Aren't you afraid they'll be heartbroken? Because of Xu Zijiang, their team saved us so much time and money! And this is all we're rewarding them with? Is that really fair?!
He was practically slamming his fist on the table; his voice was so loud it could carry far.
····
It seemed illogical. After a long silence, someone asked cautiously.
"How about we give them some more money as a reward? They'll need money for weddings and having kids in the future, so what do you think, Secretary?"
"That's more like it! Otherwise, it makes us leaders look stingy. It's not like we're spending your money, so why are you being so stingy!"
Zhou Chunrong was barely satisfied and let them set their own amount.
Good heavens, this is truly putting Xu Zijiang's interests first without holding back at all! He's definitely a good comrade-in-arms!
"So, the reward for each person is fifty yuan?"
Fifty yuan?
Zhou Chunrong's voice rose again.
"Then let's give each person 100 yuan, plus the things needed for the wedding, and some receipts. That'll add up to at least 300 or 400 yuan. We really don't have any more money. We also need to give money to each team as a subsidy to the team members. We really can't give them any more."
Everyone looked distressed, hoping that Zhou Chunrong wouldn't be too generous.
Although it wasn't their money that was being spent—it was funds allocated from above—there are still many other places where money needs to be spent. If all the money is spent, what will they get? Wouldn't that mean they've worked for nothing? Everyone has their own ulterior motives.
"Alright, one hundred each, that's fine. It's your decision, so don't say Xu Zijiang got the credit because of my connections. Sigh, this is to avoid suspicion. Otherwise, if someone from another team is this brave and resourceful and can lead their team to safety from this disaster, I'll definitely fight for a bigger reward for them."
"Forget it, what can I do? He's related to me, so it's only right that I make him suffer a little. Just consider it as him cooperating with my work."
Zhou Chunrong closed the notebook and waved to signal everyone that they could leave.
····
Everyone felt as if they'd eaten shit. "Dude, if he weren't someone you knew, would you go to such lengths to get him this reward? That's three or four hundred yuan! Not thirty or forty! Three or four hundred yuan is several years' salary! And you still think it's not enough!"
That old fox always manages to achieve his goals and then shift the blame and complain; he's incredibly cunning!
Everyone was angry but dared not speak out, and could only get up and leave in silence.
On the other side, Xu Zijiang and Yu Jiu had a short meal and then left. Thanks to everyone's efforts over the past few days, Xu Zijiang and his team had cleaned up all the trash floating on the road, and the team had returned to its former cleanliness. He had also led his team to demolish the collapsed houses to prevent the remaining scattered structures from collapsing and injuring people.
However, there's no time to rebuild the house yet. After finishing his work with the team, he still needs to take people to check the fields to see if there's any way to save the team's crops.
Fortunately, the field was not submerged for long. The rice is relatively resistant to waterlogging, and the leaves were still alive and well, so there was basically no major problem. As soon as the floodwaters receded, Xu Zijiang sent Gouzi and others to check on the rice. After observing it for several days, they found that the rice was fine, with only a few plants dying occasionally, but it was not a big problem.
The situation in the sweet potato field is not very optimistic. Even though Xu Zijiang had people divert the excess water from the field in time, the sweet potato seedlings are still a bit wilted, which may affect the yield. But there is nothing that can be done. The most important thing is that the rice is not affected.
If there's a good harvest, we won't go hungry; at most, we'll just eat less.
Xu Zijiang spent half a month busy resolving the problems caused by the flood. Before he could even catch his breath and go find Yu Jiu to enjoy his time together, the people whose houses had been destroyed by the flood came knocking on his door.
"Captain, has the commune said whether they will provide subsidies? We can't just not build a house, can we? It's not good for our whole family to keep living in a shack."
"Yes, and it's sunny and hot outside. Living in those makeshift sheds is nowhere near as comfortable as a thatched hut. Whether we're rich or poor, we have to build a house. We can't put it off any longer!"
"Won't there be subsidies? If there aren't any subsidies, where are we going to get the money to build houses? They have the money to build, but I don't!"
"Captain, although our house was washed away by the rain, not by the flood, it's almost like that. Captain, if there's any subsidy, you can't leave us out. We're even poorer. Our children are crying from hunger. How can we afford to build a new house?"
Everyone started talking at once, complaining all at once. Xu Zijiang was experienced in dealing with these kinds of situations, so he raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.
“There will definitely be subsidies. I’ve already submitted the application. Seven houses in our team have collapsed. Don’t worry, everyone will get some. I’m going to the commune to ask about this. Don’t rush me. Rushing me won’t help. It’s not like I’m the one giving you the money.”
"Just bear with it for a few more days, make a plan first. Even if the higher-ups provide subsidies, they won't fully cover the cost of building the houses. You need to be prepared for that. If you don't have the money, be prepared to borrow from someone. The houses do need to be built, even if it's just one room at a time. You definitely can't live outside right away."
Xu Zijiang calmly analyzed that everyone already knew this would be the outcome, so they didn't say anything, only hoping for some compensation so they wouldn't be so indebted. After receiving Xu Zijiang's confirmation, no one dared to press him further, and they all dispersed.
"Phew, at least I can finally go see my wife!"
Xu Zijiang twisted his neck, stretched his long arms and legs, and went to find Yu Jiu at the educated youth settlement with a smile on his face.
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