The laughter grew louder as it approached, and then a burly man, leading a bandit-like group of militiamen, swaggered into the threshing ground.
He glanced around with amusement, then slapped his forehead and laughed, "Looks like I've come at the wrong time?"
The villagers, both obsequious and wary, voluntarily made way for Han Li and his men, allowing them to pass through.
"Minister Han." After handing the money to the accountant, the captain greeted the newcomer and introduced him to Ruan Xianxian beside him:
"This is Han Li, the head of the armed forces department of our commune."
Pointing to Ruan Xianxian, he said, "Minister Han, she is..."
Han Li raised his hand, his unrestrained gaze sweeping over Ruan Xianxian, looking her up and down. There was nothing lewd about him, but he wasn't exactly friendly either.
"I know you, a capable young educated youth. With great ability comes less discipline. You brought the machines back to the village on your own without applying to the commune for factory qualifications. What were you thinking?"
Ruan Xianxian curled her lips, her gaze unwavering. "There's no need to apply for the factory permit anymore. Just now, the team members returned the oil press."
I'm planning to switch to a different brigade and start from scratch. What do you think, Minister Han?
Han Li was stunned for a moment, his bandit-like face twitched, and then he suddenly burst into laughter: "Hahaha, Xiang Hongjun, you are a fucking genius."
Three oil presses that cost 900 yuan were returned? Those things would be worth more than 900 yuan even if sold as scrap metal.
Haha, what did I think? I thought it was fantastic!
The statement, "Scrap metal sells for more than 900," slowly wiped the smiles off the villagers who had just been gloating over recovering public funds.
A sense of panic crept into Han Li's heart. The squad leader of the first team lit a cigarette for him. "Old Han, are you serious? Those few lumps of iron are worth more than 900?"
"Is this even true?" Han Li took a deep breath and then spat out. "Last year, the county machinery factory scrapped a milling machine."
They offered 3,000, and the commune tried its best to win them over, but in the end, it couldn't outmaneuver those bastards from the Red Flag Commune.
Mentioning milling machines, Han Li's face darkened, revealing that it was a rather unpleasant memory.
Then, the gloom on his face was replaced by a smile, and his gaze towards Ruan Xianxian softened unconsciously.
"You don't need to look for other brigades. The commune will take these three oil presses. Once the factory is built, I'll arrange a position for you there. How about that?"
They no longer have to toil in the fields, facing the soil with their backs to the sky, farming that drudgery.
"Minister Han, this isn't appropriate. We've already agreed to give you the oil press; isn't this blatant robbery?" A team member, who had a vague understanding of the oil press's value, tried to salvage the situation.
Han Li's fierce gaze locked onto the person who spoke. Even if the oil press hadn't been taken back, he was still planning to rob it openly since he had brought his men.
Before he could even make a move, internal conflicts had already arisen, which was perfect, saving him the trouble.
He snatched the voucher from Ruan Xianxian's hand and suddenly chuckled, "Come on, let me see what this is."
Oh dear, wasn't the transaction settled? What are you talking about? Oh, I see, you regretted it after realizing its value!
What can we do? It's too late!
In everything, things that are rushed are not worth buying; once there is competition, the importance immediately changes.
Do you regret it?
Most of the team members present were already secretly regretting their decision.
Han Li ignored her completely, turned his gaze to Ruan Xianxian, and said in a half-threatening, half-joking tone, "Your household registration is here, what brigade are you looking for?"
I've already taken the machine; my terms with you remain unchanged.
Ruan Xianxian finally understood what Xiang Hongjun meant by "a scoundrel who gets paid," and clicked her tongue inwardly, raising her hand to interrupt Han Li's self-talk.
"Put the oil press business aside for now. I have a piecework job packaging candy at the factory. If you don't come today, I'll have to go to the commune tomorrow."
Before Han Li could react, Ruan Xianxian glanced at Zhao Di, who, as usual, knew it was time for her to set up the stage.
She coughed twice with superb acting skills, lowered her voice so that everyone nearby could hear, and said, "The piecework sugar factory isn't asking us to visit more communes?"
That's $200,000 per piece; don't just assume your own people will mess it up in the end.
2...200,000 dollars!
Han Li swallowed hard. Even if the oil mill was completed tomorrow, how long would it take for the commune to generate 200,000 dollars in revenue?
His face changed in an instant.
Turning to the team members, she angrily rebuked them, "You ungrateful wretch! Comrade Ruan has done her best to find a way out for you all, yet you suspect her of embezzling a few hundred yuan? Whose heart are you trying to break?"
The team members were confused; they had been scolded. What happened?
Turning his head, Han Li smiled at Ruan Xianxian and said, "You're right, the oil press isn't urgent. I'll help you vent your anger today."
Knowing that she had a falling out with the villagers, Han Li initially felt like he was watching a spectacle, hoping that the two sides would break up and Ruan Xianxian would have no choice but to rely on the commune.
But after getting a piece-rate job at the candy factory worth $200,000, Ruan's status in his heart is completely different now.
Forget about standing up for women, I'd pierce their ears right after they get married, and I'd even treat her like my ancestor!
Han Li waved his hand, speaking righteously, "Investigate! Where did the rumors come from? The commune will never tolerate such bad elements who undermine organizational unity."
At the order, the militia he brought immediately sprang into action.
The team members standing at the front were the first to suffer; Li Dazui was so frightened that he lost one of his shoes.
"Don't chase me! Don't chase me! I didn't spread any rumors. It's just that Li Gou Dan's mom is the loudest chatterer these days. Go find her!"
The militiamen quickly found Li Gou Dan's mother, a small woman with dark skin and very thin lips. When she saw the fierce-looking militiamen with weapons, she was terrified.
She sold her own man without even thinking, with her eyes closed.
"Don't arrest me, it was my husband who said it on the kang (heated brick bed) after he blew out the lamp."
Dog Egg's Dad: ? ? ?
It almost landed on that woman's face.
A little scared, he decided to be blunt: "Ask the Pei and Hu families; they were the ones who first started spreading the rumors in the fields."
Soon, the militia traced their origins back to Pei Lanhua and the Hu family.
Even husband and wife will flee for their own lives when disaster strikes, let alone those from the same clan. Within half an hour, the old village chief was dragged out.
Faced with Han Li's firm stance of standing up for Ruan Xianxian, he cursed inwardly, "Damn it, he's always been so generous to me."
Hu Bin remained relatively calm at this point, and he defended himself, saying, "I was just suggesting a possibility and making a guess; I don't know how the story got distorted like that."
I personally support and believe in Comrade Ruan.
At this point, some people are still confused, while others are already puzzled.
Zhang Musen threw a stool at him and cursed, "Are you using us as pawns to take over the position of the captain yourself?"
Hu Bin, you're so cunning!
Now everyone understood completely. Someone said, "No wonder there's this constant talk of dismissing the brigade leader. He hasn't done anything wrong. It turns out someone's been sabotaging us!"
It was at this point that the villagers, having learned the whole story, finally began to regret their actions, thinking about the three oil presses that had been confiscated and that the commune had fought over so fiercely…
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
