Chapter 65 (Catching Bugs)
Zhang Baosheng rode his bike to the commune, and Zhou Jiani walked towards the experimental field.
The experimental field was also bustling with activity. Several farmers were making adobe bricks nearby, and several farmers like Sheng Hongshan had picked a small plot of land, about two meters long. They had scattered some cucumber seeds, watered it, and were trying to build a simple shed and apply mulch.
I used some tattered plastic sheeting I collected from the village, and I was reluctant to use the new plastic sheeting I bought a few days ago.
Qiu Zeming was flipping through his notes, reminding people of the key points and writing down a few words from time to time. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Comrade Xiao Zhou coming over. He was reading a book while walking. He didn't know what important content he saw in the book, but he stopped and looked down at it seriously.
Zhou Jiani held a book under her left hand, held it in place with four fingers of her right hand, and used her thumb to swipe a few times on the "screen". She then grabbed three 1kg bottles of dishwashing liquid.
He glanced ahead and saw Comrade Xiao Qiu looking sideways. He pretended to turn a page in a book, then walked over and said seriously, "Information sent from the provincial capital."
Qiu Zeming took it and flipped through it.
Zhou Jiani helped the other farmers with their work. They all worked together to finish the mulch and set up the shed. Sheng Hongshan walked around, nodded with satisfaction, lit his pipe, and carefully checked the details. "It looks good. Let's see how the seedlings are emerging in a couple of days."
Another farmer, Liu Xiaowu, looked up at the sky and said, "Maybe it'll rain in the next two days. It'll be a good time to test whether the crops are ripe."
Zhou Jiani and Qiu Zeming summarized the key points directly from the book and notes. Considering that several elderly men were illiterate, the two translated it into popular language and explained it to them, and then discussed it in light of the actual situation.
They also wrote down any questions raised by the uncles and grandpas, and then summarized them at the end.
A few people were having a lively discussion about farming issues.
Around 4 p.m., a group leader in the group chat suddenly launched a group for monocrystalline silicon solar charging panels, which were slightly different from what she had requested. However, he reminded her in the post that the solar charging function on the model she was looking for was essentially just for show, charging very slowly. In comparison, foldable solar charging panels were more practical.
The price is more expensive than charging, ranging from over one hundred to over three hundred.
In fact, Zhou Jiani had never used a solar power bank in her previous life, so she didn’t know how its performance was. She just considered the inconvenience of charging when she was preparing to buy an anti-wolf artifact, and thought of something that could be charged with solar power, so she posted it in the group.
But after reading the instructions, Zhou Jiani felt that this should be what she needed.
She bought the Supreme Edition for over 300 yuan, which has four extra-large panels. However, the charging plate does not store electricity. So next time she will buy an ordinary power bank and use the charging plate to charge the mobile power bank. In the future, when she buys something that needs to be charged, she can just use the power bank.
It might not be used many times a year, but in the 1970s when everything was inconvenient, Zhou Jiani felt it was necessary to have one.
The goods are temporarily stored on the shelves. I will try again after I buy some charging appliances.
Zhang Baosheng also returned from the commune, followed by Li Jingdang.
Zhou Jiani found it amusing that the smile on her captain's face was a little stiff, and he was trying hard to suppress the disgust in his heart.
"Secretary Li will be transferred to work in our team in a few days. Today, let's learn about the working mode of our processing workshop." Zhang Baosheng said.
Zhou Jiani stepped forward and shook hands with Li Jingdang, saying with a smile, "Welcome Secretary Li to guide our work."
Li Jingdang said modestly: "No, no, I'm here to learn."
Zhou Jiani really guessed it. What Director Zhai said at that time was not a joke. Li Jingdang was indeed going to be transferred over. The new secretary had already been decided. Li Jingdang was familiarizing himself with the work flow and would officially report to the Qianjin Brigade after the handover was completed.
Director Zhai has not mentioned the specific position yet.
Zhou Jiani took Li Jingdang to the processing workshop.
Comrade Xiao Li had seen the processing workshop before and was not unfamiliar with it, but he used to be a commune cadre, and now that he was transferred here to work, the meaning of this place was different.
And the popularity also varies.
Before, everyone was a little respectful towards the commune cadres and was very polite.
This time, when they heard that he would report in a few days and would be stationed in their brigade, Zhang Laosi and the others felt a sense of crisis and rejected him. They couldn't smile at all, buried their heads in their work, and pretended not to hear Comrade Xiao Li's greeting to them.
Zhou Jiani did not try to smooth things over. After all, she was the one who "instigated" the relationship. In fact, it was necessary to make Comrade Xiao Li a little nervous. However, although he was in the Qianjin Brigade, his heart was still in the commune, and he would favor other brigades in the future.
So I pretended not to notice the awkward situation and patiently explained the steps to him.
Finally, he raised his voice, "What do you think of Director Zhai's application to set up a factory proposed by our captain?"
Everyone stopped what they were doing and pricked up their ears.
Li Jingdang looked at Zhou Jiani helplessly. Although this female comrade looked smiling, she was actually not easy to talk to.
Director Zhai told him that the real main force of the processing workshop is Comrade Zhou. Zhang Baosheng does not have that ability, otherwise the Qianjin Brigade would not have been mediocre for so many years.
Before today, Director Zhai had already recalled Comrade Xiao Zhou's joking remark about 'opening a factory'. At the time, Director Zhai said, "You underestimated that young comrade's ability to react."
But would Director Zhai dare to boldly put the issue he had been thinking about recently on the agenda?
The formal contract with the provincial department store hasn't been signed yet. How can he have the nerve to dampen everyone's enthusiasm in advance?
So today, when Zhang Baosheng went to the commune and eagerly mentioned the idea of opening a factory, Director Zhai gave a helpless smile and asked unhappily, "Did Comrade Xiao Zhou urge you to come?"
Zhang Baosheng looked embarrassed and said through gritted teeth that the decision was made at a village meeting.
However, Zhang Baosheng took the initiative to ask when he would report to the Qianjin Brigade, which surprised Director Zhai.
They insisted on opening the factory and put it on the agenda in such a short time. This showed that the people in the Forward Brigade had realized the director's idea and wanted to quickly take over the final say. How could they agree to him arranging for the secretary to come and supervise?
Of course, there is no point in disagreeing. Director Zhai is indeed worried that such a good opportunity will be missed and development will not be possible.
However, the Qianjin Brigade expressed their attitude, and Director Zhai also said that he would respect their opinions and decide the next development of the Qianjin Brigade's organization industry based on the situation in the future.
Now, it's time for him to express his stance.
Whether he can express this attitude well will determine whether his next work will encounter more resistance or more support.
He had to express his opinion, so Comrade Xiao Zhou immediately put him in a difficult position.
Li Jingdang smiled and said, "Director Zhai and the public society fully support our Qianjin Brigade in setting up a weaving and processing factory. I will also do my best to help us set up the factory."
The villagers' attitude towards him instantly became friendly.
Li Jingdang smiled and said to Zhou Jiani, "Comrade Xiao Zhou, have you chosen a location for our factory?"
"I'll take Secretary Li to take a look."
After coming out of the processing workshop, Li Jingdang took out a stack of newspapers from the messenger bag he was carrying and said, "This is the relevant materials collected by the commune regarding the weaving industry."
Zhou Jiani took it and flipped through it. It was a newspaper from the first half of this year and last year, mostly from other regions.
Information on wicker export and foreign exchange earnings, exhibition information on woven artworks at the Canton Fair, wicker material exchange meetings, and product selection information for foreign trade exhibitions.
In addition to these, there are also reports on the development history of weaving in other regions.
It is not new for rural areas to set up factories as sideline businesses. As long as they can generate income, the higher authorities will support it. If they can go abroad and earn foreign exchange, it will be a great honor.
A small weaving industry can also shine.
Holding this document, Zhou Jiani also sighed that this is the difference between professional cadres in government departments and them.
"If we can develop the weaving industry and diversify our products, we can try it out at the Canton Fair next year. Director Zhai made it clear that the commune will keep an eye out for information about the willow weaving materials exchange fair and foreign trade exhibitions. When they open again, we can take our products to the fair and gain some experience."
It would be great if we could be noticed by a foreign trade company and sign a cooperation agreement.
Zhou Jiani glanced at him. This was somewhat similar to one of her ideas, which was the target group of the storage stool.
Before this, she really didn't know about the wicker material exchange meeting and foreign trade exhibition. She only thought of the Friendship Store.
The original plan was to take the storage stool to the provincial capital and ask Section Chief Wang of the department store to see if he knew the leaders of the Friendship Store and bring the storage stool into the Friendship Store.
Of course, it’s not a direct sale, she doesn’t have the ability to do it in one go.
Her idea was to provide the Friendship Store with a set of storage stools for foreign guests to rest on free of charge. She would then have the waiters find opportunities to mention the stools' functions, thereby creating opportunities for cooperation.
It's just a plan, and whether it will succeed is unknown. But now, even if it doesn't succeed, she doesn't have to feel any pressure. If she can't enter the Friendship Store, she can just wait for next year's Canton Fair or the Willow Weaving Materials Exchange Fair.
"Can I keep these newspapers?"
"sure."
"Thank you!"
In return, after Zhou Jiani took Li Jingdang to see the factory site, she let him look at the storage stool.
Facing Li Jingdang's shocked and delighted eyes, Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "I hope the leaders will have confidence in us. We will work hard to develop the weaving industry and lay a solid foundation first, then we can think about other things."
Li Jingdang smiled and said, "I'll convey this to the director, Comrade Xiao Zhou, don't worry!"
Li Jingdang rode away on his bicycle. Zhao Mei came out of her house and asked, "What's the commune secretary doing here?"
"Come and see my future workplace," Zhou Jiani said with a smile. "In a few days, I won't be the commune secretary anymore. I'll be a member of our Qianjin Brigade. But I don't know what position I'll be assigned to."
Zhou Jiani had just finished get off work and came in to eat.
Just as she put down her chopsticks, Zhang Baosheng came over and asked her how Secretary Li's visit was and whether he had any instructions.
Zhou Jiani fanned herself with a palm-leaf fan, swatting mosquitoes at her feet. She smiled and said, "There are no instructions for now, but Secretary Li is very serious and has collected a lot of relevant information during this period."
She went into the house, took the stack of newspapers, and gave them to Zhang Baosheng, saying, "Take them home and read them too."
Zhang Baosheng nodded. He admired Comrade Xiao Zhou very much. After all, he had asked Li Jingdang clearly on the way here, and they were indeed following the procedures.
"I don't know what position to assign me." Zhang Baosheng also muttered, his heart hanging in the air.
It rained heavily at noon the next day. Zhou Jiani wore a piece of plastic sheet and rain boots to go and see the shed. When she arrived, she found that Sheng Hongshan and Qiu Zeming had both come and were working on the shed.
"The shed collapsed?" The rain was quite heavy, and people had to speak louder. Zhou Jiani saw that they were tidying up the shed and asked loudly.
Sheng Hongshan, wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, shouted, "There's no support underneath, so it's sunken, but the ground film is protecting it, so the seeds haven't turned out." He said, "You guys go back, I'll tie another bundle and fix it."
He pointed at the plastic sheet on the ground and continued, "This thing is still useful. I'm just inexperienced, so my work is definitely not as good as that professional team you mentioned, but I think this thing is not bad."
Zhou Jiani smiled and said, "After the rain stops, we'll summarize everything and then send the letter out so that professionals can give us some advice."
Sheng Hongshan smiled and nodded.
Qiu Zeming said, "It's almost done. Go back first and don't get cold."
The temperature dropped significantly after the rain.
Zhou Jiani took a look and realized that she really couldn't help, so she turned around and went back.
The next morning, she came back. The reinforced shed was slightly tilted, but not collapsed. Qiu Zeming was writing notes. When he saw her coming, he quickly took a look at her clothes. Seeing that she had put on a thick coat, he smiled and said, "Good morning, Comrade Xiao Zhou!"
"Comrade Xiao Qiu, it's too early."
Zhou Jiani also walked around to observe, but the surroundings were a bit muddy, and it was a bit difficult to put down and lift each step.
After writing the last word, Qiu Zeming closed the notebook and said with a smile, "Uncle Hongshan and the others arrived earlier, so I told them to go back. Let's keep going and see if it rains or blows today."
Zhou Jiani squatted down, lifted the ground film and took a look. She reached out her hand to try it and found that it was warmer than outside.
"If you don't come, I'll go find you later." Qiu Zeming said with a smile, "The captain arranged for us to talk to everyone about farming."
Zhou Jiani was speechless: "Captain, are you serious?"
Qiu Zeming raised the notebook in his hand and said, "Uncle Hongshan and the others mentioned this to the team leader. They thought the information we compiled was very valuable and asked us not to just share it with them, but also with anyone else who was willing to listen so that we could discuss and learn from it together."
Zhou Jiani nodded, it was about sharing information, not asking them to learn how to farm.
The information was indeed very good. At first she was worried that the farmers in the village would look down on the information in the books, but unexpectedly they were very supportive of it. It seemed that their work was not in vain.
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