Chapter 418 The Courtyard at Night
After the news of broom making was spread to the company by the Women's Federation staff, many people who knew the craft started making them in their spare time.
While Song Lubai was inspecting a newly delivered batch of shoes in the courtyard, Wei Yang and Wu Jianying, along with several regimental leaders, were inspecting the company with leaders from the division headquarters.
After visiting several companies throughout the day, the division leaders clearly felt that the irrigation canals of the 16th Regiment were more "developed" than those of other regiments, and the crops in the fields looked denser than those of other regiments, indicating that the yield would not be low.
While observing the situation in the fields, Wei Yang and the others discussed the progress of the irrigation canal's completion and the situation of each company.
The division leaders nodded repeatedly, and finally praised Wei Yang, saying that he didn't seem like someone who knew how to farm, but he could farm the land in the regiment and company well, and that he was a good comrade.
Wei Yang humbly said, "I didn't cultivate the land; it was the hard work of the company's employees. And the management wasn't just my achievement; everyone put in the effort, which is why we have such a good harvest."
He didn't participate in the labor, but he read a lot of books and materials about agriculture, and now his mind is full of knowledge about land and planting.
The business office made a lot of money this year, and he plans to raise salaries for employees and educated youth next year, but the amount will need to be discussed at a meeting.
The sky was ablaze with crimson clouds, like a raging fire. As the day's inspection came to an end, the trucks of the division leaders kicked up clouds of dust on the dirt road.
The car stopped in front of a large patch of reeds, and everyone got out with their mouths full of dust.
Wei Yang and the others sitting in the back of the truck were already covered in dirt, and they had no idea why the driver had stopped the truck there.
After coughing for a while, the division leaders walked to the high slope opposite the reeds, facing the orange-red sunset and the vast expanse of golden reeds, and said with smiles: "I have been to many places, but really no place can compare to our Xinjiang province. Everywhere you look is a scenic spot."
Wei Yang had long been tired of the scenery along the road. He would walk this road at least twenty or thirty times a year. When he rode his bicycle, he would only kick up loose soil, dirty his trousers and make people's throats choke.
If this dirt road could be transformed into a dust-free asphalt road, the scenery on both sides would definitely be much more beautiful.
The leader took a stroll around the area, admired the view, and then returned to his car with a smile on his face.
Upon entering the regimental headquarters, the leader saw many men sitting at their doorways making brooms. Recalling the scene of broom-making he had witnessed in the company at noon, he smiled and said, "The people in your regiment are quite good at managing their lives; every household knows how to make their own brooms."
Wei Yang explained, "The commercial office is now collecting brooms and sending them to the city. Each broom can be exchanged for 2.5 cents. Now is the best season for making brooms, and everyone is eager to earn some money to supplement their household income."
The leader was surprised. "Oh? Your business office is collecting brooms again? Not bad, you have a lot of ideas, and they're quite practical."
To curry favor with Wei Yang, Yu Fu said with a smile, "Wei Yang's wife is capable. The Commercial Office's excellent performance this year is largely thanks to her. Making brooms was also Wei Yang's wife Xiao Song's idea. I heard that we collect two and a half cents per broom, and give them away for a maximum of three cents. We can only earn fifty cents for a hundred brooms. For the group, this income is definitely not as good as shoes and sweet potato noodles, but the main consideration is to let everyone earn some money."
Wei Yang felt it was inconvenient for him to praise his wife, so he appreciated Yu Fu's suggestion.
He said modestly, "She didn't do anything, she just came up with an idea."
The leader said, "I've heard Yu Lin mention Comrade Song before. I'll go to the workshop to see her tomorrow."
Originally, the leaders had planned to visit the workshops in the 16th Regiment, but since it was already late, they had to rest in the dormitory of the Armed Forces Department.
After standing in front of his superiors all day, his mouth was practically foaming at the mouth. When he got home, Wei Yang first drank a ladle of cold boiled water.
He skipped over today's events and said to Song Lubai, "The division leaders are going to visit the food workshop tomorrow."
While feeding her baby porridge, Song Lubai's hands kept moving as she asked, "So, do I have to leave the baby at home tomorrow?"
If her boss sees her with her child, will he think she has a bad work attitude?
Wei Yang said, "It's alright, just do what needs to be done. Let's focus on our work. Deputy Political Commissar Qin and the others aren't the type to nitpick or be difficult to talk to."
She just finished sorting the goods the day before yesterday, and there's no work left in the yard. She's not planning to go to the workshop tomorrow.
When the leader arrived, what did she show him?
Hearing her question, Wei Yang sensed that she was a little nervous.
"You don't need to think too much. The leader is just going to see what the courtyard looks like and hear you introduce the work of the business office. You don't need to prepare anything special."
Song Lubai felt uneasy, thinking that Wei Yang was truly an honest person.
When leaders come to inspect, how can we not make some special preparations? At the very least, we should tidy up the cleanliness and furnishings in the yard.
After finishing her meal and putting the child to sleep, she said, "Come with me to the courtyard to take a look. I'm afraid I won't have enough time tomorrow morning."
Although Wei Yang felt she was too nervous, he still went with her.
At this hour, everyone was still awake. Passing by Pang Juan's house, I saw Tang Xuewen sitting on the threshold, making a broom by the candlelight inside.
The house was only a seven or eight-minute walk from the courtyard. When the two arrived at the gate, Song Lubai was about to use her key to open the door to the shoemaking workshop when the gate to the food workshop next door opened a crack, and Old Wang peeked inside.
The shoemaking workshop occupies a small area, while the food workshop occupies a large area. Although it was built as a large courtyard, there are two gates outside.
Just then, something fell to the ground in the shoemaking workshop's yard with a "thud".
Both of them suspected that a thief had broken into the yard.
Wei Yang shouted, "Who's in there?"
Old Wang hurriedly came out from next door and whispered, "Commander, what brings you two here?"
Song Lubai looked at him suspiciously and asked, "What's going on next door?"
Old Wang looked embarrassed and didn't know how to start the conversation.
"Comrade Song, these words are not pleasant for you to hear. I won't talk to you about them; I'll talk to the regimental commander instead."
Old Wang and Wei Yang went to the side and whispered what they had just heard.
To put it bluntly, someone in there is having an affair.
Recently, Lao Wang has been staying in the workshop's duty room every night. When he's not busy, he weaves straw mats and makes brooms. He goes to sleep as soon as it gets dark, saving money on candles.
Who would have thought that I would hear some unusual noises while I was half asleep tonight?
Old Wang didn't intend to interrupt the other person's good time; he just wanted to listen to the commotion and, incidentally, guess who the other person was by their voice.
But the two people were speaking so softly that he couldn't guess who they were.
When he climbed onto the wall, he saw people coming from outside the courtyard, so he quickly jumped down from the wall, opened the courtyard gate, and poked his head out.
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