Era: I was a farmer at the foot of Yaoling Mountain

"Haha, I was wrong. Third brother, you're right. No matter what, we must not lose our traditions and characteristics."

Grandpa quickly understood the reasoning behind it, and was very pleased.

He felt that he had not misjudged Fang Wei; making Fang Wei the head of the Yao village was absolutely the right decision.

"Are they all inside? Lotus, I need to make a set of clothes for your older brother and niece later. I have the measurements here, could you help me cut them out?"

As the two were talking, Tian Guihua suddenly walked in from outside.

She can sew, but her cutting skills aren't very good, so she came to ask Pan Lianhua for help.

"No problem, just give me the size. Sister-in-law, do you have any preferences regarding the style of the clothes?"

Yes, I'll tell you.

The three women went to the room where the sewing machine was kept while they were talking. After a while, the older sister remembered that it was time to make dinner.

After dinner, Fang Wei strolled over to Grandpa Guan's house.

"Grandpa, I'm planning to accompany my elder brother and sister-in-law to the provincial capital soon. Could you help me think of some things we should be aware of?"

Nowadays, it's not common to propose marriage in the city, but in reality, the meeting between the two sets of parents is almost the same as a marriage proposal.

Fang Wei didn't know much about etiquette in this matter, so he came specifically to ask Grandpa Guan for advice.

"It's just a meeting between the two sets of parents, so there aren't many formalities. Of course, it's the first time visiting, so we should still pick out some gifts."

First, two bottles of liquor and two cartons of cigarettes are essential. Also, bring plenty of cured meat, as well as soybeans, millet, and peanuts.

The groom's side needs to prepare a list of wedding items, such as watches, sewing machines, bicycles, and a complete set of furniture.

Guan Chongyang also took this matter very seriously, so he explained it to Fang Wei in detail.

Fang Wei wrote it down and started preparing after returning home.

three days later.

Fang Wei and Pan Lianhua accompanied their elder brother and sister-in-law to the provincial capital. As soon as the train stopped, they saw Fang Tao on the platform.

"Dad, Mom, Manman, Auntie, you must be tired from the journey?"

Fang Tao ran over and took the travel bags from Tian Guihua and Pan Lianhua, carrying one in each hand, and then greeted everyone.

Before they set off, the group called Tao Tao. At that time, the staff on duty at the company's gatehouse went to call them, but Fang Tao was not in the office yet.

Fang Wei left a message for Tao Tao, and it seems that the message was delivered.

"This short walk isn't tiring at all. Let's go and settle in at the guesthouse first."

Fang Wei responded, and then everyone followed the flow of people out of the train station.

After leaving the station, the group boarded a public bus and went directly to the vicinity of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

The Academy of Agricultural Sciences has its own guesthouse, so everyone booked two rooms: one for Fang Wei and one for Pan Lianhua, and one for Fang Ping and Tian Guihua, making a total of four people.

Before leaving home, Fang Wei went to the commune to get a letter of introduction, just to make it easier to find accommodation and handle matters.

But it's not actually that complicated. Since Fang Tao is an employee of the company, there won't be any problem as long as he provides the guarantee.

Their train arrived early, so Fang Wei and the others took a shower and even slept until Fang Wei came to call them for lunch.

Trains these days travel very slowly, and a whole night of travel can be quite tiring.

We had lunch at Tao Tao's company cafeteria; the food was so-so, but it was quite affordable. After lunch, we all went back to the guesthouse to discuss our trip to Wen Xiaoya's house the next day.

Tomorrow is Sunday, and Fang Tao has already informed his next client that they will visit Xiaoya's family in the morning.

After chatting at the guesthouse for about an hour, Fang Tao hurried off to work.

in the afternoon.

Fang Wei and Pan Lianhua took their elder brother and sister-in-law shopping. Fang Wei was quite familiar with the provincial capital, and Pan Lianhua had been there before, but this was the first time for Fang Ping and Tian Guihua.

The two found everything fascinating, and when they passed a furniture store, Fang Ping even went in for a quick look.

"Brother, what do you think of their furniture?"

After leaving the store, Fang Wei asked with a smile.

"It's not very good. The design is ugly, the materials are poor, and it's still so expensive."

Fang Ping rolled his eyes, completely disliking the furniture in the store.

The bamboo furniture factory has developed a wide variety of furniture styles, which are selling very well, especially the latest bamboo furniture, which is in high demand and short supply.

This set of furniture includes two bamboo chairs and a small bamboo tea table. It is beautiful, durable, and has been very popular since its launch.

Fang Wei hadn't been paying much attention to the bamboo ware factory lately, but after hearing what his older brother said, he immediately understood that this was the effect of the "+1 Bestseller".

Of course, he would never say that, and he even praised the bamboo ware factory a few times.

They then passed a pastry shop, went in and bought some pastries to take with them the next day.

Dinner was eaten on the street, with Fang Wei paying for a nice meal for his older brother and sister-in-law at a state-run restaurant.

As for Tao Tao, we don't need to worry about him. The other party said they wanted to discuss tomorrow's matters with Xiao Ya tonight.

After finishing their meal, Fang Wei and the others returned to the guesthouse to rest.

The next day.

Fang Tao called everyone to have breakfast early in the morning. After breakfast, everyone went back to their rooms to prepare, and then followed him to Wen Xiaoya's house.

Wen Xiaoya's parents were ordinary employees of the Third Machinery Factory. Their housing conditions were decent; it was a tiled house with a small yard.

The house isn't very spacious, certainly not as nice as the countryside, but it's still pretty good for the city.

"Uncle Wen, Aunt Liao, these are my parents, and this is Manman and her aunt."

Fang Tao must come here often and is very familiar with Wen Xiaoya's parents.

As soon as he entered, he introduced both sides. Xiaoya's parents were very polite and invited everyone into the main room to sit down, and then served tea.

"There's nothing fancy in the countryside, so we brought some local specialties with us. Please don't mind them. Xiaoya visited our brigade before, and everyone had a very good impression of her. You've done a great job educating her."

After the guests and hosts were seated, Fang Wei took a few sips of tea and broke the silence.

He handed the things he brought to Wen Xiaoya's mother, saying they were just local specialties, but in fact he had put a lot of thought into them.

"Look at what you're saying, such an expensive gift makes us feel embarrassed."

Wen Xiaoya's parents are discerning people; they only buy high-end cigarettes and alcohol, and their cured meats are rare finds on the market.

After exchanging a few polite words, they began to talk about other topics.

In reality, they were probing each other's secrets. Wen Xiaoya, the supervisor, had visited the Xiatang Brigade once, but there were still many things she didn't understand.

“Secretary Fang has been to the provincial capital before, right? This shop’s pastries are very famous around here, but it’s not easy to find; usually only locals can find it.”

“I used to come to the provincial capital for meetings often, so I’m quite familiar with the city.”

"Oh? Did Xiaoya not explain things clearly to me? He said you are the brigade secretary. Is there some misunderstanding?"

At this point, Fang Wei turned and glanced at Fang Tao.

This guy is something else. He keeps his mouth shut so well in front of his fiancée, not telling her about his other identity at all.

No wonder Xiaoya's father was puzzled. No one would believe that a brigade secretary would frequently travel to the provincial capital for meetings.

“Written by: Manman, I used to be a provincial representative, and now I’m a national representative, so I used to come to the provincial capital for meetings quite often.”

Fang Tao picked up the conversation and explained something to Wen's father.

Wen's father couldn't help but glare at the other person and said, "Then why didn't you tell Xiaoya before?"

“I told her about my parents’ situation, but she didn’t ask me about Manman’s specific situation.”

Fang Tao spread his hands, indicating that he was innocent.

Xiaoya was standing right behind him when she couldn't help but secretly pinch him, realizing that he had done it on purpose.

If it were someone else, they would have already brought this up to show off.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, we didn't know that Secretary Fang had another identity."

Wen Xiaoya's parents couldn't help but feel a sense of awe; Fang Wei's representative status was somewhat intimidating to them. They were just ordinary people who rarely came into contact with people at this level. In reality, the representative's position wasn't as mysterious as it seemed; he didn't actually wield any real power.

"This is Tao Tao's fault. He didn't explain things clearly to you beforehand. Of course, the positions he holds are just nominal. I'm just the Party Secretary of the brigade."

Fang Wei was well aware of Fang Tao's cunning; he knew Fang Tao was planning to reveal his true identity at a crucial moment.

This kid has become more cunning since starting college.

Of course, none of this was a big deal. As everyone got more and more into the conversation, Tian Guihua and Fang Ping started talking more, and Fang Wei gave them the initiative in the conversation.

After all, they are Fang Tao's parents, and he, as Fang Tao's uncle, is here to help, so he can't overstep his bounds.

As for Pan Lianhua, he basically doesn't say anything, treating himself completely as a decoration.

Around noon, Xiaoya's older sister and brother-in-law arrived. Her older sister helped their mother cook in the kitchen, while her brother-in-law and Fang Wei chatted quite amiably.

Xiaoya's older sister is a primary school teacher, and her brother-in-law is a grassroots police officer.

To be fair, Wen Xiaoya's family situation was better than Fang Tao's, but since Xiatang Brigade was a truly wealthy brigade, the difference wasn't that significant.

If the differences are too great, the two people may not necessarily end up together.

noon.

Everyone was having dinner at the Wen family's house. Wen Xiaoya's father brought out two bottles of good wine and asked his eldest son-in-law to have a few more drinks with Fang Wei and Fang Ping.

My brother-in-law must have a high alcohol tolerance, so he focused his attention on Fang Wei.

Wen Xiaoya's father drank slowly with Fang Ping, while Wen Xiaoya's mother and Tian Guihua chatted more and more congenially, and her eldest sister and Pan Lianhua took a liking to each other.

Only the eldest brother-in-law kept clinking glasses with Fang Wei, and before they knew it, two bottles of wine were gone.

Fang Ping and Wen's father together drank at most half a bottle of wine; the remaining bottle and a half was drunk by his brother-in-law and Fang Wei.

The brother-in-law's tongue became a little slurred, and he grabbed Fang Wei's hand and called him "brother".

Actually, in terms of age alone, the two are indeed of the same generation, but Fang Wei is Tao Tao's uncle, a generation older than his older sister and brother-in-law.

"If you can't drink, then drink less. It's embarrassing. Excuse me, I'll help him lie down for a while; he's had too much to drink."

Xiaoya's older sister was very embarrassed and quickly pulled the man into the house.

Fang Wei didn't mind at all; he had an exceptional alcohol tolerance and had never gotten drunk before. His brother-in-law had tried to get him drunk earlier, but ended up passing out himself.

"These two children are in love, and we, as parents, also hope they will be happy. When they get married, we will help them prepare some things for the house; we can't let Xiaoya suffer."

Now that the atmosphere was right, Fang Ping got down to business.

As he spoke, he took out a list of things he was going to buy for Tao Tao and Xiao Ya, and handed it to Wen's father.

Wen Xiaoya's mother also came over to take a look, and saw that it said:

A pair of SH brand men's and women's watches, a sewing machine, two bicycles, a desktop radio, a set of 48-legged wooden furniture, and a set of bamboo ware.

Wen Xiaoya's parents exchanged a glance; these things were somewhat beyond their expectations, so they were quite surprised.

However, considering Fang Wei's status, and the fact that Fang Ping is the factory manager of a commune-run enterprise, it doesn't seem exaggerated that he has such economic strength.

“You’ve really gone to great lengths. We’ll take care of all the daily necessities, bedding, and blankets the children will need for their wedding.”

With the two families making this arrangement, Fang Tao and Wen Xiaoya's marriage was practically settled.

These days, there's no such thing as a bride price. If both families are well-off, they will provide strong support. Otherwise, how would the couple, who have just started working, have the extra money to hold a wedding?
"How about we hold their wedding next year?"

Everything was agreed upon, but Fang Ping finally brought up the issue of the wedding date.

Wen Xiaoya's parents discussed it in hushed tones and finally decided to hold the wedding next autumn. By then, both of their children would have secured permanent positions, making it the perfect time for the celebration.

The first meeting between the two sets of parents was a success. Fang Wei and his wife spent a few days with his elder brother and sister-in-law in the provincial capital before returning to their team.

After arriving home, Fang Wei told Fang Ping and Tian Guihua that he had given his nephew 3000 yuan, so they wouldn't have to worry about the wedding arrangements.

“Tao Tao, he doesn’t tell us anything. Third brother, how can we take your money? It’s our responsibility to get the child married.”

Tian Guihua felt embarrassed, because actually buying those things for Tao Tao was a lot of pressure for them.

Of course, if you grit your teeth and squeeze out the money, you can still get married, but life at home will be a bit tough.

Fang Wei gave Tao Tao 3000 yuan, which solved a big problem. She and Fang Ping were very touched, but they didn't know what to say.

"Don't say so much. We're all family. If I have the ability, I'll naturally help my nephew. This is also Lianhua's wish. Alright, everyone must be tired from the journey. Let's all get some rest."

Fang Wei waved his hand, got up and left, returning to his room.

As soon as I entered, I saw the two little ones clinging to the lotus flower, refusing to let go. Their parents had been gone for several days, and they had missed them terribly, afraid that if they let go, their parents would disappear again.

Fang Wei quickly went inside, opened her travel bag, and took out the gifts she had bought for the children.

Binbin received a toy bus, and Xiaojie received a doll. The two little ones were immediately delighted and played happily with their toys.

The next day.

Fang Wei took her grandfather to the construction site of the "new residential buildings". The site was bustling with people, all working hard. The foundations of 100 houses had already been revealed.

"Grandpa, four roads are planned to run vertically and four roads to run horizontally over here. In the future, the team will also build a waterworks and a sewage treatment pond over there."

As long as the brigade continues to develop properly, I believe our area will be no worse than the county seat. Let's see how the construction progresses next year; if conditions permit, the construction speed will be accelerated.

Fang Wei introduced the man to his grandfather, who nodded repeatedly as he listened.

This is a grand and attractive blueprint, but there is still a long way to go before it can be fully implemented.

He then took his grandfather back and spent some time at the brigade headquarters.

There weren't many backlogged documents. He sat down and flipped through them, but there wasn't anything of value.

After lunch, he rode his bicycle to the Yao village.

The mountain road was difficult to ride a bike on, mainly because it was too strenuous, but it wasn't a problem for Fang Wei, whose physical fitness far exceeded that of ordinary people.

When he met Wang Songlin, Wang Songlin reported on the autumn harvest.

This season, all 790 mu of paddy fields in the Yao village were planted with the [Nongyou 58] rice variety, with a total yield of 671500 jin.

Harvesting crops, points +671500, total points: 9585420.

The rice seeds were sold to the purchasing station, earning 92.67 yuan in cash, plus a quota of 80.58 jin of rice to be supplied at a fair price.

The village doesn't have much grain in stock. They just finished paying back the grain they borrowed for road construction, but they haven't used the grain supply quota from the previous season.

The total supply quota is approximately 180 million jin of rice.

"Third Brother, we need to buy some rice, otherwise we won't be able to distribute the food rations."

Wang Songlin suggested buying 50 jin of rice first, and after distributing the rations, some should be kept in reserve for unforeseen circumstances.

"Alright, get this done as soon as possible, and then distribute the rations to everyone according to the standard of 300 catties of rice per person."

Fang Wei agreed to the other party's suggestion, and then talked about the distribution of food rations.

Wang Songlin nodded, indicating that he would take care of it immediately.

the next day.

Wang Songlin led a group to the commune to buy rice, while Fang Wei rode his bicycle to the county town. The matter of getting electricity to the Yao village was dragging on for a long time, so he had to personally step in to find a solution.

Upon arriving in the county town, he first went to find Guo Yongqing.

Guo Yongqing happened to be in his office, and upon seeing Fang Wei, he smiled and said:
"Third brother, what brings you here? You turned down several interviews that were supposed to be arranged by the higher-ups, and in the end, I had to take the blame for you."

"Uncle Guo, you know me, I'm most afraid of meeting those reporters. I've come to see you today because I need your help with something. The Yao village applied for electricity, and we've been waiting for almost a year with no news. Do you know anyone in the power supply department?"

Guo Yongqing and Fang Wei had an unusual relationship, until Fang Wei refused to be interviewed and would try to avoid similar situations.

He was clearly joking when he said that.

Fang Wei knew the other party was joking, so she bypassed the topic and directly stated her purpose.

“You’ve come to the right person. Wait here, I’ll make a call right away.”

Guo Yongqing was delighted to hear this, as he had a good relationship with the person in charge of the power supply department, so he contacted them directly.

After the call connected, Guo Yongqing explained the Yao village's application for electricity. (End of Chapter)