Lu Jiefang drove the tractor, and the group of six happily returned to the village.
When the tractor drove back to the village, no one reacted much. But when the tractor stopped in front of the brigade leader's house, everyone felt something was strange. After asking around, they found out that the five of them had gone to the brick factory for an interview. Lu Jiefang was already a tractor driver at the brick factory.
The village was immediately in an uproar. This was a job for a tractor driver, and also at a brick and tile factory. Everyone was incredibly envious.
Knowing that Lu Yuan refused the job, the brick factory picked one of the five of them, and everyone thought Lu Yuan was stupid.
Lu Guoqing, in particular, was furious and cursed his stupid son Lu Yuan in his mind.
Besides those who envy, there are also those who are jealous.
"That kid Lu Yuan is so lazy, he doesn't want to do such a good job."
"I think he gave up his job to curry favor with the brigade leader's family. He's incredibly stupid to give up such a good job."
"Exactly. With such a good job, why bother currying favor with the brigade leader? As a tractor driver at the brick factory, he's the only one who gets to fawn over the brigade leader."
"Who can argue with that!"
Since returning, Sun Maodou has been wandering around the village, chatting with people about what happened that day. When he heard someone say such unpleasant things, he immediately became unhappy.
“What do you know? A Yuan doesn’t go to work at the commune not to curry favor with the brigade leader, but for the sake of the whole village.”
He then repeated what Lu Yuan had said at the agricultural machinery station, which silenced everyone and deeply moved them; some villagers even shed tears.
“Ah Yuan is a good kid. I wronged him before. I thought he was a lazy good-for-nothing. When he’s not doing anything, he’s definitely thinking about how to help our village develop.”
“He wasn’t lazy before. He was just abused by that bitch Zhang Yuping and had no choice. Look how capable he was during the harvest. He cut the wheat faster than anyone else and didn’t slack off.”
After thinking about it, everyone realized that it was indeed true. He modified the handle of the sickle, which increased his wheat-cutting speed, making him work faster than anyone else.
Sun Maodou looked smug as everyone spoke highly of Lu Yuan.
“If A Yuan doesn’t go to work at the brick and tile factory, there are plenty of places that want him. Zhang, the station chief of the agricultural machinery station, wants him to be a truck driver and said he would pay him 88 yuan a month.”
The crowd erupted in uproar.
"Oh, Yuan is a truck driver now. No wonder he didn't go to the brick factory. This job is definitely better than being a tractor driver."
Sun Maodou waved his hand, "Didn't I say? A Yuan's ambition is not outside, but in our village. He wants to stay in the village to develop it, increase grain production, make sure everyone has enough to eat, and make sure every household earns money to build a brick house. He didn't agree to become a truck driver."
Everyone was deeply moved once again, and some continued to wipe away tears.
"Ah Yuan is really great, it's all of us who have dragged him down."
Zhang Guoqing could no longer curse in his heart; all that remained was a silent sigh.
While everyone was moved, some raised a question: "Can A-Yuan drive a big truck?"
Sun Maodou snorted coldly, "How could A Yuan not know how to drive? The truck driver from the agricultural machinery station took him around in one go, and he learned how."
Everyone stared wide-eyed.
"Is A-Yuan that amazing?"
Sun Maodou was very proud, "A Yuan is just that amazing!"
Then, raising his chin, he continued, "Station Chief Zhang of the agricultural machinery station said that A Yuan is a talented person. In order to keep him, he made him a technical consultant. He doesn't have to go to work every day. He only goes to handle things when there is a problem. He gets a salary of 18 yuan a month, and he gets a bonus of at least 50 yuan every time he handles a problem."
"My God, such a huge bonus?"
"I only go to work twice a month, and I still make 100 yuan!"
"Wrong, didn't you hear that there's also a 18 yuan salary? Going to work twice will earn you 118 yuan."
"Wow, this salary is really high! Ah Yuan is rich!"
Someone thought for a moment and asked, "What is a technical consultant, and how can there be such a high bonus?"
This position sounds very prestigious, but the bonus is indeed shockingly high.
Sun Maodou replied, "If there's any problem with the tractors or vehicles at the agricultural machinery station, just ask A Yuan to fix them." Everyone suddenly realized that this was the repairman.
"Ah Yuan can fix cars?"
"Of course he can, he learned it by reading books himself."
Trumpet Flower slapped her thigh in the crowd, "Wow, this A Yuan is... he's a genius."
She originally wanted to say that the God of Literature had descended to earth, but the words were sensitive, so she swallowed them back.
"If I had studied more in the past, I might be a high-ranking leader in a big company now."
"Yes, yes, I remember that A Yuan went to primary school. I didn't expect that he would secretly read books to learn skills and he could learn them in no time."
"I told you he wasn't lazy before. He never worked in the fields to earn work points; he must have been secretly studying and learning skills."
"Yes, yes, that must be it."
Everyone found a perfectly legitimate and reasonable reason for Lu Yuan's previous refusal to work in the fields, and everyone believed it without a doubt.
Lu Yuan was unaware that his image among the villagers had become very tall and imposing. At this moment, he returned home, ate the sumptuous meal prepared by his wife, and then lay down on the kang (a heated brick bed) with his wife in his arms and took a nice afternoon nap.
Sleeping in broad daylight, this is probably unique in the village.
In fact, many people who heard about Lu Yuan really wanted to come to his house to meet him and praise him, but everyone tacitly refrained from coming.
Because someone said, "Don't bother A Yuan unless it's absolutely necessary. He's probably hiding at home studying and learning new skills."
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