Chapter 105: Sharing the burden
"Shouldn't I think about it? If this project is successful, it can save a lot of money and can also serve as a long-term development project for the commune. However, I only know the general process. When it comes to implementation, I have no idea." An Zhixia sighed in distress. There was relevant information in the e-book library, but it was more difficult to operate than raising free-range chickens. It didn't seem like something her brain could understand.
Men should be better at setting up brick kilns, selecting soil, beating and drying bricks, controlling temperature, firing, etc.
"Think about it, everyone who starts a business is a layman. It's just making bricks, right? We can hire one or two technicians and experts to do it." Fang Yuan said immediately, "If we buy glove blank making machinery, we can get it done quickly!"
An Zhixia's eyes sparkled as she looked at him hopefully, "Brother Yuan, do you know any experts?"
Fang Yuan bent his lips and smiled faintly, "I don't know him." Seeing her face fall immediately, he continued, "But you have to believe that our Xiahua country has a long history and has produced many talented people. There are many masters who make blue bricks. I asked someone to visit more and I can always find a few experts. Blue bricks are much more difficult to make than red bricks. I will go to the brick factory to see how they operate, and then I can get things done."
"If the commune really builds a brick factory, regardless of how much money it makes, just the fact that every household in the commune has a brick house is a great benefit to the people! However," An Zhixia frowned slightly, "burning bricks is a good thing, but the big chimneys are spewing black smoke, which has a great impact on the rural environment, right?"
"Yes, but human development is here. We can't stop just because we're afraid of causing adverse effects on the environment, right? It's great that you can think of this aspect," Fang Yuan raised his eyebrows in surprise. "We can visit more experts and spend more time on chimney design to remove particulate dust, convert harmful gases and dioxide, and reduce the harm to the air to the lowest level we can control."
An Zhixia's eyes curved into a smile. The boss had quite advanced environmental awareness and she nodded repeatedly to show her agreement.
"After the soil is excavated, follow-up work must be done in a timely manner, whether it is turned into a pond for aquaculture or planted with green plants again." Fang Yuan said again.
An Zhixia couldn't help but take out a small notebook from her bag and wrote down the slander carefully.
"Let's go, your brother is worried and has come out to pick you up," Fang Yuan said as he took the bike and pushed it forward.
She waved at An Zhiqiu who was jogging over to her, "Brother, I, I'm going to the county town and I'm back late. I won't do it again!" Seeing that he looked unhappy, she quickly begged for mercy.
"There must not be a next time, otherwise we will lose our jobs in the commune," An Zhiqiu said in a rare show of strength.
An Zhixia naturally had no choice but to say, "Yeah, I'll let my colleagues accompany me next time."
"Brother Yuan, have you eaten yet? Call the kids to go eat together! The two people next door are coming too."
Fang Yuan wanted to refuse, but when he heard this, he changed his mind and nodded, saying, "Okay, the children are all talking about Sister Xiao An."
"They're here to eat for free again," An Zhixia grumbled in dissatisfaction.
An Zhiqiu hooked his arm around her neck and said, "They are indeed trying to make peace. Let's just treat them as neighbors and have a normal relationship."
Fang Yuan also said: "If you are going to build a brick factory and learn the technology, you should really let a few male educated youth take the lead. This is a major event in building a commune. You can't be the only female comrade to shoulder it all, running around every day while everyone else sits at home and waits for bricks to be built."
An Zhixia thought about the workers and technicians who were covered in dust and sweat when the brick kiln was introduced on TV, and she couldn't help but feel a little guilty gloating. She nodded seriously and said, "Yes, there are many details in brick making that need to be strictly controlled. One wrong place can affect the quality of the bricks. We need to study and improve it carefully."
Since it was decided that all the male educated youths would be involved, An Zhiqiu called Qin Dapeng, Shan Teng, Yang Jiong, and Zheng Lizhi and his wife also shamelessly came with their children. Of course, Fei Zheng couldn't be the only female comrade left in the educated youth courtyard, so An Zhiqiu invited them to come over for dinner.
In the evening, the women ate in the kitchen with their children, while the men set up a table in the yard and talked about building a brick factory.
"I will go to town tomorrow and call home to ask them to help find technicians and related books. If we all work together, we will definitely be able to produce qualified red bricks." Hang Xianglei glanced in the direction of the kitchen and raised his voice slightly.
The other educated youth were so excited that they were speechless. After so many years, they went to the countryside to Hetang Village. Seeing the backward and poor place, it was so different from what they had imagined. They had a lot of passion and didn't know where to vent it. Like all the other farmers, they carried hoes and shovels to work in the fields, but they were still looked down upon for getting more food and less work.
With no hope of returning to the city, most of them held their breath and did not marry or have children, just waiting for a miracle.
Now, this brick kiln, which has no sign of existence yet, has given them a glimmer of hope. Finally, there is a place for them to realize their own value. They can hold their heads high and say to the villagers that they are not here just to share food to reduce the burden on the city!
"Comrade Fang, we will always be ready!" Big brother Qin Dapeng clenched his fists and took a long time to utter these words.
The others nodded vigorously, patting their bodies that had been trained from farm work, "We can do any job now!"
"Okay, Wuqi Commune will be our starting point. I believe that in a few years, everyone will return to the city with good files and find a job that suits their wishes," Fang Yuan said, holding up the glass.
Everyone couldn't help but stand up and clink their bowls together, then they drank the wine in one gulp, wiped off the wine stains with their hands, and all the depression in their hearts seemed to be released, and they laughed.
Nie Yichang did the same, except that he threw the bowl to the ground very quickly, accompanied by a pleasant cracking sound, and laughed and said, "Great!"
An Zhixia stood at the kitchen door holding a fire stick and said sinisterly, "Why did you smash my bowl?"
Nie Yichang felt a chill on his back, and looked around. Everyone else had their bowls in their hands or on the table, except Hang Xianglei, who had raised his hand high, and was now quietly lowering it. He stammered, "Well, isn't that what's played on TV? When the meeting is done, they drink and smash the bowl to show their determination..."
"You are a three-year-old kid, and you are still imitating TV! If they act out a scene of crying, making a fuss, and then hanging themselves, would you imitate them? And then you put a dagger around your neck and end up making things worse?"
"No, it's just a broken bowl, why are you cursing at me?"
"Isn't it just a broken bowl? If I cut your clothes into pieces for no reason, would you be happy?"
(End of this chapter)
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