Chapter Thirty-three: The Power of Example

Before heading back, Liu Weidong made a special trip to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy two cartons of "Big Production" brand cigarettes.

The technician from the Agricultural Research Institute had been stationed at the Second Production Team for half a month; he couldn't afford to play dumb.

Upon returning to the Second Team, Liu first went home to check on his father. To his surprise, his father was actually out in the fields working with the other commune members. The fact that he was able to work proved that the medicine his wife had prescribed was indeed effective, which left Liu Weidong pleasantly surprised.

He didn't see Wang Jianguo or Accountant Xu at the village committee office, so he followed the South River toward Great Green Mountain. He hadn't gone far when he saw Sun Wang driving a horse cart toward him, the smell of manure wafting toward him from a distance.

"You're back, Weidong! Are you heading to the experimental field? Let me give you a ride."

Liu Weidong’s new military uniform hadn't even been washed yet. He scanned the area but couldn't find a clean spot to sit, so he had to perch gingerly on the edge of the cart frame.

"Did you just finish hauling manure to the fields? Is Uncle Jianguo and the others out there?"

Sun Wang nodded. "You bet. This morning, the leaders of several nearby production teams came over to learn the ropes. Seeing us planting mung beans and castor beans, they kept pestering Uncle Jianguo about our methods, but he wouldn't let a single word slip."

Liu Weidong laughed. "Old men are cunning and old horses are wily indeed. It’s true, we really shouldn't talk too freely about this yet. I’m already worried about how to sell our own village's mung beans. I haven't seen a soul on the road; are all the commune members out in the fields?"

"Hardly. Didn't you say you could help sell medicinal herbs? All the women in our village have gone up the mountain with Old Guan. You really set a precedent; now everyone in the village, young and old, is racking their brains, focused entirely on earning extra money."

Liu Weidong laughed heartily. "That’s the spirit! A person won't get rich without extra income; relying solely on work points just won't cut it."

As they chatted, they soon arrived at the experimental field. Even from a distance, they could see many older children weeding the crops.

Liu Weidong walked around the field. In less than half a month, the castor beans had sprouted, the small, green seedlings looking quite sturdy.

From a distance, a man wearing a straw hat waved at him. "Back already, Weidong? I called my office this morning to report the progress. The castor beans are growing well. I’ve already briefed Teacher Zhang on the pesticide and fertilizer application, so I’m heading back to the city tomorrow."

The man was Xiao Wang, the technician from the Agricultural Research Institute. His face had been tanned so dark by the sun over the past two weeks that Liu Weidong almost didn't recognize him.

"You’ve really worked hard these days. We’ll head back together tomorrow. If the castor bean experiment is a success, you’ll deserve the most credit. I must thank you on behalf of all the members of the Second Team."

As he spoke, Liu Weidong accompanied the technician back to the schoolhouse and placed the two cartons of cigarettes on the kang.

"Weidong, promoting castor bean cultivation is a key project for our institute for this year and the next. If you really succeed here, I hope your village can expand the planting area. The era of 'digging deep tunnels and storing grain' is over. While ensuring the national grain reserve, rural areas need to tap into the value of the land and grow more cash crops. Only then can villages shake off poverty quickly."

Liu Weidong nodded. "I understand what you're saying, of course, but what we plant isn't entirely up to the team; there's still the commune above us. However, I will pass your ideas on to Uncle Jianguo."

After chatting for a while, Liu Weidong headed back.

The grain that Wang Jianguo had hauled back was indeed enough to eat, but in Liu Weidong’s view, mere subsistence wasn't the goal.

This year, he intended to renovate his family's mud house. He wanted to show all the villagers that a good life is built by using one's brains and working hard; relying on work points alone made it difficult even to get by.

When he reached the riverbank, he saw many members applying fertilizer. Wang Jianguo and Accountant Xu were standing at the edge of the field, whispering to each other.

"What are you two plotting, Uncle Jianguo? The cornmeal is enough to eat now; are the two leaders trying to figure out how to get everyone on refined grain?"

"Holy cow, Weidong, where did you pop out from? You scared me! We were just discussing the tree-felling with Uncle Xu. The wood from last time was all provided by the members, and after the grain we brought back was distributed, the team office is still empty-handed."

Liu Weidong smiled. "I told you long ago: keep a red heart but prepare with two hands. Only when the leadership changes their mindset can the members below show initiative. I’m going to set an example for everyone this year by renovating my house into a brick-and-tile structure to stir things up among our villagers."

Wang Jianguo and Accountant Xu looked at each other, both looking helpless.

"Weidong, stirring things up is fine, but if everyone runs off like you do every day, who’s going to work the fields? Do you think everyone is as capable as you, not needing to rely on work points for their meals?"

Liu Weidong laughed. "I never said they should all follow my lead. You can prosper just as well by staying home and tending the land. Our village doesn't actually need that many people to farm; hasn't this experimental field already absorbed some of our surplus labor? I’ll keep finding ways to increase our village's side businesses. The key depends on whether you leaders can withstand the pressure from above."

Wang Jianguo’s expression became even more awkward. After a long silence, he suddenly said, "Did you know Li Baotian got hurt? He’s been back for a few days, and Liu Xiufen has been crying her eyes out, claiming Li Baotian is crippled."

Liu Weidong scoffed. "I just came from the commune, and Director Ma didn't mention he was that badly hurt. This troublemaker coming back is nothing but bad news. Keep him out of the loop on the tree-felling and timber sales."

Wang Jianguo and Accountant Xu exchanged glances, looking like they had more to say but were holding back.

Liu Weidong looked at Wang Jianguo.

"Uncle Jianguo, why do I get the feeling you're hiding something from me? I didn't cause any trouble for you, did I?"

"Well... Liu Xiufen said you were the one who beat up Li Baotian. What’s that all about?"

"Damn... Liu Xiufen said that? Then I really should go pay him a visit. Since both of you leaders are here, why don't you come with me?"

Li Baotian had not spent his years as a village cadre in vain; his home was the only brick-and-tile house in the Second Team, while even Wang Jianguo and Accountant Xu lived in mud houses.

As soon as the three of them reached the gate, the dog in the courtyard began barking wildly. The inner door opened, and Liu Xiufen pulled back the curtain to step out. Her face turned pale the moment she saw Liu Weidong.

"What's the matter, Auntie? I heard Team Leader Li wasn't feeling well, so I came to check on him. Are you not welcoming me?" Liu Weidong called out over the wooden fence.

"Oh, is that you, Weidong? My old eyes didn't recognize you. What a rare guest! Come on in; your uncle talks about you every day."

Liu Weidong couldn't help but chuckle.

Li Baotian probably *was* talking about him every day—likely cursing him while lying on the kang.

"Oh... oh..."

As soon as Liu Weidong and Wang Jianguo entered the room, Li Baotian began groaning.

Liu Weidong nearly burst out laughing.

He had indeed beaten him black and blue back then, but after so many days, he should have recovered long ago. Yet, at this moment, Li Baotian’s head was not only wrapped in bandages but also tied with a flowery handkerchief. In such hot weather, he wasn't even worried about getting heat rash.

"What happened to Director Li? I heard you're using a cane? It really doesn't work without my auntie around to watch over you. Thank goodness it was just a case of falling into a ditch while drunk. If you had stumbled into the wrong bed while drunk, wouldn't that positive image you worked so hard to build be ruined?"