Chapter 26
Seeing Zhou Jiani coming over, Aunt Zhang smiled and said to Liu Chenglu, "Chenglu, go and get busy. I'll take Comrade Zhou to the vegetable garden to pick some. The three of us will meet at our private plot."
Liu Chenglu was a little worried, but Aunt Zhang patted her chest and assured him, "Don't worry, the scale is guaranteed to be high. If we shortchange someone and ruin the deal, we won't be able to explain ourselves to the entire team."
Zhou Jiani felt that it didn't matter whether the team leader was there or not. She was responsible for her own affairs and wasn't afraid of anyone embarrassing her. So she said, "Captain Liu, you still have to go to the fields to lead the work. I can handle this myself."
Liu Chenglu said, "Okay, Aunt Zhang, please help me. We can't change the rules we've set. No one can make things difficult for Comrade Zhou. If Comrade Zhou has any requests, you must fully cooperate."
After repeated instructions, Liu Chenglu returned to the team.
As soon as he left, Aunt Zhang hurriedly dragged Zhou Jiani into the house and brought over a bowl of brown sugar water with two eggs in it.
Liu Chenglu: ???
Zhou Jiani held her forehead. Just now she had helped persuade Liu Chenglu to leave, but now... She said with a mixture of laughter and tears, "Auntie, you are truly my dearest auntie. Can the money from selling vegetables buy this bowl?"
"That's not it." Aunt Zhang whispered with a smile, "The supply and marketing cooperative has bought over twenty baskets from us. They're the new kind."
"So good?" Zhou Jiani was also happy to hear it and said, "This is a happy event!"
"Of course I will. Auntie knows that your idea is good." Auntie Zhang urged her, "Drink it, and your sister-in-law will calculate the time to lay the eggs."
Zhou Jiani said helplessly: "Auntie, don't do this anymore. No matter what, your cooking skills are still the best. I ate four eggs and two bowls of brown sugar water from your house just by moving my mouth."
Over there, Uncle Zhang was already weaving a basket and said cheerfully, "It's time to eat, it's time to eat!"
It was hard to refuse such a kind offer. Thinking that she still had to go harvest vegetables, Zhou Jiani didn't hesitate any longer. While eating, she asked, "Uncle, now that the autumn harvest is over, you guys should return to the collective, right?"
Zhang Laosi took a puff from the pipe beside him, nodded, and said, "In previous years, we would gather everyone together to collect the goods after we finished planting the wheat."
The process of putting together goods is a bit like an assembly line. Several craftsmen are responsible for one step each to make a batch of woven products. The team then contacts stores to sell them and generate income for the team.
In their first year here in their previous life, they were very new to this and even went to the team to take a look.
"Girl, what do you think?"
Zhou Jiani helped the old educated youth sell vegetables and also brought about this cooperation for the village. Zhang Laosi felt that this girl was capable and that asking this question was not just idle chat.
Zhou Jiani said with a smile, "Uncle Si, would it be okay if we asked everyone to make a batch of woven products for the team in advance?"
"Okay, why not?" Zhang Laosi said, "The team always helps us a lot. If the team needs us, we old guys will do it without hesitation."
Aunt Zhang asked, "Jiani, did you bring this deal to the team?"
Zhou Jiani shook her head and said, "It's hard to say yet. Let's wait for the team meeting to discuss it. Time is a bit tight right now. I'll come back from town and talk to Uncle Si about new styles. Even if the team can't do it, you can probably make them yourself and sell them to the supply and marketing cooperative."
She can also sell new varieties.
Aunt Zhang was so happy that she thought it was a big deal. No matter whether it belonged to the collective or to an individual, the style would be given to their family. It would not be a loss at all. How could this girl be so nice?
"Jiani, come to my house for lunch at noon. We agreed that you shouldn't be polite to me."
Zhang Laosi was also full of anticipation and reminded him, "Ride slowly when you get to town."
I followed Aunt Zhang to the second team's private plot, where the other two families were already waiting.
It wasn't just these three families, there were also several unemployed grandmothers who came to visit.
I can only say that there are too few entertainment activities these days, and even collecting food can make everyone enjoy watching it.
The fellow villagers greeted her warmly, and the two families who drew the lot were even smiling.
In fact, it was only a little over a dime, but the smiles from the heart on everyone's faces were touching.
Fresh eggplant, loofah, cucumber, and leek, four kinds of vegetables weighed a total of 20 kilograms. Zhou Jiani rode her bike straight to the town amid everyone's earnest instructions.
The lady at the hotel reception was the same one from yesterday, named Wang Liping.
They were already acquaintances, and their conversation was somewhat cordial. When they saw her, they smiled and greeted her, "Comrade Xiao Zhou is here."
Zhou Jiani also said sweetly: "Sister Liping!"
Zou Kai poked his head out of the kitchen window and called out to her, "Comrade Zhou is here."
The two aunts also called her "Master Xiao Zhou".
Zhou Jiani greeted everyone in turn and carried the dishes into the kitchen to weigh them.
Zou Kai took a look and said, "The food is good and fresh."
They are still covered with dew.
Then he pointed to a table outside and said, "Comrade Zhou, please come sit outside. I'll make you a dish of steamed pork with loofah." He added, "It's a free sample."
Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "Master Zou, I won't be polite then."
Zou Kai waved his hand: "You're welcome, you're welcome."
He still has this power.
We tried the dishes yesterday and they were very satisfied with them. The leaders also gave them good reviews.
The restaurant hasn't had any new dishes for a long time. Even though there are quite a few variations, they're all the same old dishes over and over again.
The addition of new dishes and new variations on pasta were all recognized and verbally praised by the leaders, and the entire kitchen was very happy.
So I am even more enthusiastic about Zhou Jiani.
The two aunts even pulled her over to look at the freshly-cooked flower buns.
I learned it yesterday and started making it today. It is one cent more expensive than ordinary steamed buns. After all, it is a little more complicated to make than steamed buns, which increases the time cost.
But when they released new products, they found them pleasing to the eye and they sold very quickly.
Zhou Jiani praised him generously, saying that he was a professional pastry chef after all, and his work was more exquisite than hers.
I also made another small suggestion, asking them to use red food coloring to decorate it with a few red dots to make it more exquisite.
After a while, Zou Kai personally brought up steamed meat with loofah, and also gave her a flower bun and a bowl of soy milk.
She had been fed all morning.
Zou Kai's filling is made with pork, black fungus, chopped shrimp, and a bit of carrot. He then cuts the loofah into pieces, hollows it out, fills it with the filling, and steams it until cooked. After removing it from the pot, he thickens the sauce with the remaining broth and pours it over the steamed loofah and pork. He then sprinkles it with chopped green onions and garlic, and drizzles it with hot oil to bring out the aroma.
As soon as the dish is served, the whole room is filled with fragrance.
Especially the aroma of garlic drizzled with hot oil, which makes people's mouths water.
Many customers who were having breakfast stretched their necks to look and asked the waiter.
Wang Liping raised her hand and knocked on the blackboard behind the counter. She said, "New dish: Steamed pork with loofah."
Zhou Jiani has already tasted it.
Needless to say, the meat filling prepared by professional chefs is fresh, fragrant and delicious.
The steamed loofah is wrapped in meat filling soup and starch sauce. It is smooth and tender when eaten, and just enough to relieve the greasiness of the filling.
After finishing one piece, Zhou Jiani gave a thumbs-up and said sincerely: "It's delicious, it's really delicious!"
Zou Kai breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "So I've passed the test, right?"
Zhou Jiani blushed and said, "Master Zou, you don't have to be so modest. You should believe in your professional level!"
After eating the steamed meat with loofah and drinking the soy milk, he wrapped the half-eaten steamed bun in paper and asked for two steamed buns made of two-grain flour, two steamed buns made of white flour, and two meat buns to take away.
I went to Zhang Laosi's house for lunch at noon, but it would be a bad idea to go empty-handed.
After settling the bill with the hotel, I took the note and left.
Zhou Jiani rode her bike around the town and passed by a straw hat workshop. She went in and bought ten straw hats, five with prints and five without prints.
I went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some peppercorns, dried chili peppers, and coarse salt, and rode my bike back to the village.
First go to the team to drop off the bicycle and report on your work.
When she finished her report and was about to go settle accounts with the villagers, Zhang Baosheng said, "Girl, come to the team for a meeting at 7 o'clock this afternoon. I have also notified Comrade Xiao Qiu and the team leaders. Let's discuss the plastic greenhouse issue in detail."
He was a little unsure about this matter, but yesterday Comrade Xiao Zhou said that they wanted the commune to see their efforts, which seemed to make a lot of sense to him. He couldn't sleep the whole night, just thinking about the development of the team.
I think we should hold more meetings to discuss and get everyone’s opinions.
Zhou Jiani responded with a smile.
Zhang Baosheng nodded: "Go back and rest!"
Zhou Jiani didn't hesitate and went back to clean up the cucumbers. After washing them, she layered them with coarse salt, then covered them with a lid and put a jar full of water on top to kill the moisture.
Zhang Kaishan offered to help, and Zhou Jiani said, "Brother Zhang, please boil some more water for me and put it in a separate basin for me. I will rinse it with cold boiled water when I wash it last."
No contact with raw water, so it can be preserved longer.
After she finished her work, Zhao Mei came back to cook. Zhou Jiani didn't let her cook her own portion and went to Zhang Laosi's house.
Seeing her coming to buy things, Aunt Zhang scolded her.
When Zhou Jiani saw the dishes on the table, she was glad that she didn't go home empty-handed.
The Zhang family stewed a rabbit.
Zhang Laosi's eldest son caught them in the mountains, dried them, and stewed them today to entertain her.
Everyone ate and chatted, and Zhou Jiani described several styles of baskets to Zhang Laosi.
Zhang Laosi ate while thinking, and finally said: "I'll try it this afternoon. Does the basket need to be loose?"
Zhou Jiani nodded and said, "It's not made into a loose buckle for aesthetics, but so they can be stacked together for easy carrying. The one with the high legs is purely for looks. City people value these delicate things."
Zhang Laosi has already experienced it.
His wife took the two new baskets to the supply and marketing cooperative that day and accepted them as soon as she asked.
After coming out of Zhang Laosi's house and turning a corner, I ran into Liu Ailing.
Liu Ailing bit her lip, her eyes complicated.
This morning, the villagers who were originally very enthusiastic about her all avoided her, and some even came over to ask her about the matter, asking whether her mother really had any problems with Zhou Jiani.
She came over with a brave face and said with a smile: "Jiani, I have already written the letter yesterday. I will definitely let my parents give you an explanation."
"Should I be grateful?" Zhou Jiani sneered. "Ailing, there's no one here, no need to act, and no need to blame your family. I know it was you who did it! Also, do you think my mom, with her personality, would have hung up the phone instead of coming over to scold me? How do you think your family would explain it?"
Liu Ailing's expression changed suddenly.
A huge panic enveloped her. She didn't know whether this panic came from her family's sabotage or from Zhou Jiani's attitude which was very different from yesterday.
After Zhou Jiani finished speaking, she walked past her and walked straight away.
The evening meeting went very smoothly because Zhou Jiani suggested that they should do a "trial planting" first, not expand it, but try it out on half an acre of land. Everyone should cross the river by feeling the stones together. If it succeeds, they will go to the commune to report on their work at the end of the year, and their Qianjin Brigade will definitely be the most dazzling one.
Sheng Hongkai, the leader of the fourth team, said enthusiastically: "We don't have to spend the entire winter growing half an acre of land. In fact, after the first crop of vegetables comes out, we can expand the land."
Liu Tongdao: "Yes, if it really succeeds, we will strive to expand it to two mu by the end of the year. Not only will the team have income this winter, but we will also have something to report at the end of the year."
Lush green vegetables in winter are not just two cents per pound at most, how could the price not be several times higher?
Zhang Baosheng was also filled with enthusiasm, but he knew that this wasn't something that could be built tomorrow just by making a decision today. If it were that easy, this method would have been adopted nationwide long ago. He said, "Since everyone agrees, let's have Comrades Xiao Zhou and Xiao Qiu look up the information first. After all, we only know about this thing, but we don't know how to build the shed, right? Let's take it one step at a time."
Having said that, he looked at Qiu Zeming and Zhou Jiani, hoping they would say a few words.
Qiu Zeming turned to look at Zhou Jiani. He felt that Comrade Zhou had more than just a suggestion, and must have a plan in mind.
The project proposed by Comrade Xiao Zhou is of course Comrade Xiao Zhou’s home turf, so he just needs to cooperate well.
Everyone also started to make a fuss and asked Zhou Jiani to say a few words.
Zhou Jiani coughed lightly, stood up, and said, "Let me say a few words. First, thank you to the team leader, the accountant, the team leaders, and Comrade Qiu Zeming for your support of my work. You didn't treat my age as just a few nonsense. I'm very touched to see everyone discussing this matter so enthusiastically and taking it so seriously."
"Let me first talk about the structure of the greenhouse as far as I know..."
She even took out a notebook and showed the sketches on it to everyone.
"This is a sketch of a greenhouse structure I saw in a newspaper a few years ago. It should be the earliest design by the inventor, Mr. Zhao. I wonder if it has been significantly modified since then. We'll study it in detail once we find the information."
"How to build the frame is still under discussion, but since it's a plastic greenhouse, plastic is indispensable. I think we can prepare the materials and tools at the same time."
To buy large pieces of plastic sheeting, you have to go to a plastic factory. There is no plastic factory here, so you may have to go to the provincial capital.
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