Chapter 431 Equivalent Exchange 1
Facing the old face of Shao Jiandang, the secretary of the Huoguang Brigade, Wang Zhengguo squatted under the eaves of the office, smoking a cigarette and remaining silent.
A little further away from them stood a dozen strong laborers from the Firelight Brigade.
Although they are said to be strong laborers, they do not look as energetic as the old people from Wanglou Brigade. Some of them are skinny, some are swollen all over, and they all have pale faces and confused eyes.
The people next door had no food to eat and were starving to death. Wang Zhengguo was a man of flesh and blood, so he could not just sit back and watch. But once there was a chance, there would be a second chance. Which production brigade would not be eyeing this piece of fat meat? Wanglou Brigade had only a small amount of reserve grain. Could it stop you from borrowing from me? Their land was barren and their labor value was low. If they lent out their reserve grain, it would be like throwing meat buns at a dog. It would never come back.
So many people are just watching and unwilling to be the first to take action.
Shao Jiandang, the first to speak out, wiped his face and said, "Old Wang, just say something. Don't keep silent all the time."
"Zhi!" Wang Zhengguo spoke with particularly clear and loud voice.
Shao Jiandang was both angry and amused. "I told you to squeak and you squeaked. I asked you to lend me food, so at least lend me the food! Look at you, wearing an old sheepskin coat and smoking a Daqianmen cigarette. Look at us, we are all tightening our belts. Patting your chest, don't you feel pity for us? Please have pity on us, Lao Wang."
"Brother Jiandang, you are making things difficult for me!" Wang Zhengguo put out his cigarette.
"If I hadn't really had no other choice, why would I have come to you with such a shameless face? I'm really desperate." Shao Jiandang sighed deeply, "More than half of the households in the brigade have only enough food to give each of them 30 kilograms of dried sweet potatoes after paying the public grain, which is not even enough to eat half full. The old Shao at the east end of the village... I haven't seen him for a few days. When people from the next door came to ask him to tell them about Mao's story, they found that he had been dead for several days. It was cold and the body didn't rot, so no one found it. In the twelfth month of last year, it was not customary to borrow food on New Year's Eve. Everyone stayed at home, and most of them were hungry. I had no choice but to ask people to carry out the animal feed and share it with everyone. We relied on that to survive the new year so that we could go begging."
Shao Jiandang's eyes were filled with sorrow and tears as he continued, "Our brigade originally had ten production teams with a total of 110 households, but now there are only 58 left, with more than 200 people, including adults, the elderly and children. Although the past two years have been better than the first few years, the public grain standard has been raised. There is not enough seeds, not enough labor, and productivity cannot keep up... Alas!"
The few strong laborers who followed over looked up with their faces raised. Lu Jiang and Wang Dachun, who were taller, could vaguely see tears on their faces. Some of them even squatted on the ground, holding their heads, and let out suppressed sobs.
Asking for help is inherently inferior.
A poor man has low aspirations.
Wang Zhengguo knew that what Shao Jiandang said was true. The extinct Xingguang Production Brigade was right next door to them.
"Brother Jiandang, you know what I'm worried about. Besides, the reserve grain is reserved in accordance with national standards, and the amount is not allowed to exceed one percent of the total harvest." Wang Zhengguo felt the same way and could no longer refuse the request for help from the Huoguang Brigade.
Seeing that he was a little bit relaxed, Shao Jiandang hurriedly said, "Just help us get through this winter, Lao Wang. After the first month of the year, the trees will sprout, and wild vegetables and weeds will also sprout. Be diligent then, at least you won't starve to death. We can't lose more than 200 lives. We can't lose any more. If we lose any more, I don't know how to face the dead and living folks!"
(End of this chapter)