Lu Wanqing never guessed that it was Li Yulan, that troublemaker, who was behind it all.
Ever since Li Yulan saw Lu Wanqing and Wang Guangming come out of the brigade headquarters together, she had been plotting something. She happened to overhear Zhou Tianbao's wife saying that Lin Ye's crabs had made a lot of money from her family. Without thinking, she picked up a basin and went to the river.
The weather was already very cold, and very few people came to the river to wash clothes anymore. Li Yulan was not there to wash clothes, but rather to run into Zhou Ling.
Zhou Ling had been tormented by Wang Xiuqin recently, often being forced to wash bed sheets and blankets by the river, which is how Li Yulan happened to run into her.
Zhou Ling was so touched when she saw someone talking to her that she believed everything Li Yulan said.
In addition, Zhou Ling already harbored resentment towards Lin Ye and Lu Wanqing, and was just looking for something to do with them. She was probably feeling quite smug right now, thinking she had heard some amazing inside information.
After washing the clothes, she took advantage of Wang Xiuqin's inattention and rushed to the brigade headquarters to report Lin Ye for speculation and profiteering to Wang Guangming.
Wang Guangming was new to the job and didn't know about the grudges between Zhou Ling and Lin Ye. When he suddenly heard that Lin Ye's sister-in-law was going to report him, he took it very seriously.
"Comrade Zhou Ling, thank you for the clue. I will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly and give you an explanation," Wang Guangming said earnestly, though in his heart he was actually on Lin Ye's side.
Zhou Ling realized she had been dismissed and said with dissatisfaction, "Lin Ye is a speculator, you should arrest him now!"
Wang Guangming patiently explained, "Comrade Zhou Ling, you can't make such a characterization of Comrade Lin Ye before the matter is investigated clearly, otherwise you will be making a false accusation, and you will be held responsible for making a false accusation!"
Zhou Ling shuddered, muttering to herself, "Does false accusation also incur liability?"
She overheard a bit from Li Yulan and rushed over in a panic. Could she have been used as a pawn?
"Alright, alright, Captain Wang, I'm just reporting the situation. You can investigate!" After saying that, Zhou Ling quickly slipped away.
Wang Guangming didn't know whether he should take this matter to heart, so he went to Yang Hui to inquire about Zhou Ling's situation. He didn't know until he inquired that Zhou Ling was a nobody in the Shengli Brigade, and everyone avoided her like the plague!
“Zhou Ling is Zhou Changsheng’s daughter, and she has a terrible reputation. She’s always been jealous of how much money Lin Ye’s family makes, and she’s always looking for trouble with them.” Yang Hui naturally sided with Lu Wanqing.
After hearing what she said, Wang Guangming understood the situation.
In the evening, Du Wenbing and Lin Ye came to the brigade headquarters and explained the crab farming to him, which made him even more convinced that Zhou Ling was just jealous and deliberately causing trouble.
"Teacher Du, can your farm produce more crab seedlings?" Wang Guangming suddenly asked.
After hearing about the two men raising crabs, he had a new plan in mind.
Du Wenbing didn't understand what he meant and said, "Every year our farm raises tens of thousands more crab seedlings, just in case the survival rate is too low and we can't meet the order demand."
Wang Guangming then excitedly took out paper and pen, wrote and drew on them, and said, "Look, many of our brigade's fields are near the river, which can ensure sufficient water all year round, so we can raise rice field crabs."
Du Wenbing and Lin Ye immediately understood that Wang Guangming wanted to promote rice paddy crabs!
“No problem! It doesn’t matter where you raise them. If you can raise them as fat as Lin Ye, I, on behalf of my father, guarantee that we will buy them all back at a high price.” Du Wenbing stated.
Lin Ye also said, "I have no objection. Although my wife came up with the idea of raising rice paddy crabs, I believe she would also like to see the whole team create side income together."
"Then it's settled. I'll take the lead, and the team will handle all the purchasing and sales. It won't be considered undermining socialism." Wang Guangming couldn't be happier.
In those days, while individual business was discouraged, collective sideline businesses were permitted to increase the income of team members. Some brigades would collectively raise pigs, while others would clear mountains to plant fruit trees, with the income distributed collectively by the brigade.
This is why some brigades are relatively wealthy while others are relatively poor.
With abundant resources, capable leaders, and diligent team members, the brigade will be relatively wealthy.
Zhou Changsheng abused his position to give full work hours to his family members who didn't work, and he also stole grain from the warehouse. It's easy to see how unqualified he was as a cadre.
Besides growing grain, the Shengli Brigade had no other sideline businesses. Even the rule that each household could only raise two chickens was enforced.
Since Wang Guangming was valued and transferred here as team leader, he was given considerable authority, allowing him to implement some reforms.
He decided to take this opportunity to properly plan the future development direction of the Victory Brigade.
Two days later, which happened to be a weekend, Wang Guangming decided to go home to take a look.
He's been at the Shengli Brigade for almost a week, spending his days either in meetings or conducting investigations. He stays in a dormitory next to the brigade headquarters every night and hasn't been home yet.
Not far from the brigade headquarters, Zhou Ling came running over excitedly.
"Captain Wang, didn't you say you'd give me an answer? I've waited two days, and I haven't heard anything!" Zhou Ling said sharply, sounding quite accusatory.
Wang Guangming smiled good-naturedly: "Comrade Zhou Ling, I have investigated the matter you mentioned and will give everyone an explanation on Laba Festival when the old team leader makes a self-criticism."
"What? You want to beat up my dad?" Zhou Ling exclaimed in surprise.
I don't know what's so strange about her. As a team leader, if she does something that harms the group, she should definitely give an explanation. Just making a self-criticism is already a lenient treatment.
Seeing her loud and boisterous manner, Wang Guangming became a little impatient. "This is the commune's decision, and I'm just following it. As for the issues you raised, we will not only give you an explanation later, but also explain it to all the team members."
What? Explain to all team members?
Doesn't that mean the matter isn't serious and Lin Ye won't be punished at all?
Zhou Lingcai was unwilling to see that outcome and insisted that Lin Ye be severely punished!
Thinking this, she spread her arms and stood in front of Wang Guangming, saying in a contemptuous and threatening tone, "Captain Wang, you're so protective of Lin Ye, do you have some kind of shady relationship with Lu Wanqing?"
Wang Guangming was furious. He worked himself to the bone every day, trying to do something for the Victory Brigade, and this damned woman dared to slander him with such a thing.
"Comrade Zhou Ling, do you know what you're saying? You're slandering a state cadre, do you know that?" Wang Guangming was trembling with anger. He finally understood what Yang Hui meant when she said to stay away from people like that.
Zhou Ling seemed quite pleased with his reaction and continued with a sly smile, "If you teach Lin Ye a lesson, I won't tell anyone that you and Lu Wanqing are together."
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