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

Chapter 293 State-Owned Factory: Education Changes Destiny

Fang Wei chatted with his nephew for a while. Fang Tao said that the previous research project had not been going very smoothly, and his situation at work was just so-so, which was only because Director Li occasionally took care of him.

It's normal for young people to have a hard time getting by in the workplace; some things require time to accumulate experience.

"I'm planning to research a new type of hybrid rice. Talk to your unit about it, and I'd like to collaborate with you. Ultimately, it's to get you involved, understand?"

After thinking about it, Fang Wei decided to help his nephew.

He already has too many honors, and those honors don't mean much to him anymore. But Fang Tao is different. In the future, promotions, salary adjustments, and housing allocations at his workplace will all be linked to significant achievements.

Fang Tao, who comes from a worker-peasant-soldier background, probably still has a long way to go if he wants to make a name for himself in his profession.

But with Fang Wei's help, this child's path will become wider and smoother.

"Understood, understood, thank you for your guidance, Uncle."

Upon hearing this, Fang Tao was overjoyed.

He didn't have that kind of arrogance, at least not in front of his uncle.

Since his uncle wants to promote him, he will definitely do his best. He won't turn down any opportunities that come his way; he's not stupid.

"You smooth talker! Alright, your aunt and I are leaving now. Take good care of Xiaoya."

Fang Wei finished his cup of tea and then got up to say goodbye.

He was naturally happy to see his nephew and niece-in-law, but the room was too cramped and he felt very oppressed.

He just had a sudden idea to help his nephew, mainly because of this house.

After Xiaoya gives birth, how will the family of three live?

Afterwards, Fang Tao and Xiao Ya treated their uncle and aunt to a meal outside. It didn't cost much, but it was a sincere gesture.

Fang Wei didn't rush to pay at the time; he could accept the filial piety of his nephew and niece-in-law.

Had a meal.

He didn't ask Fang Tao to stay, and he and Pan Lianhua went to find a guesthouse to stay in.

The two then went to the design institute, where they were warmly received. Jiang Yicheng and the institute's leaders even treated the couple to a meal, showing great courtesy.

It wasn't because of the small design fee Fang Wei brought, but because Fang Wei's current fame was too great, and he was vaguely poised to become the number one expert in rice breeding. Coupled with his status as a national representative, it was normal for him to be respected.

"Secretary Fang, don't worry, the design plan will be ready within a month, and we will send it to you then."

"Thank you! Thank you!"

After the meal, the institute leaders gave a definite timeframe: the design proposal would be delivered within a month.

Fang Wei expressed his gratitude and then took his leave.

the next day.

Fang Wei accompanied Pan Lianhua to the Xiangyang Furniture Factory in the province.

The bamboo ware factory had no prior contact with Xiangyang Furniture Factory. It was because the bamboo ware factory's products were selling very well that the factory proactively called Fang Ping to seek cooperation.

When the two arrived at the factory gate, the first thing they saw was the impressive gate.

This is a state-owned enterprise, and it's quite large. The two of them waited for quite a while at the gate before they were allowed to enter the factory area.

They were received by Director Wang from the factory office, and later two colleagues from the technical department and the sales department came over. They all sat down and chatted.

Previously, the people who contacted them were from the factory's sales department. They saw that the bamboo ware factory's products were good, but they couldn't make them themselves, so they wanted to seek cooperation.

The factory agreed to the cooperation plan, but it wasn't very enthusiastic; otherwise, it wouldn't have only sent the factory office director to deal with the two of them.

"So, what exactly does your company want to achieve in terms of cooperation?"

"Here's our plan: you can put our factory's brand on your products, and we'll send people to supervise. You'll have to hand over a portion of the profits to us."

"Secretary Fang, this is a mutually beneficial cooperation, after all, we are a large state-owned factory. If you agree to these conditions, I estimate your profits and taxes will soon double."

The factory director discussed the terms, and the technicians added some specific details.

The sales staff said that both sides could strengthen cooperation in sales in the future, and in short, they were full of a sense of superiority during the conversation.

It's no wonder, since the former was a large state-owned factory, while the bamboo ware factory was just a team-run enterprise. In today's context, the two do have a huge difference in status.

But that's all there is to it.

Fang Wei had done his homework before coming. The sales staff at the bamboo ware factory all knew about Xiangyang Furniture Factory. The factory was indeed very large, but its profits were only so-so.

In other words, aside from having a convincing identity, his actual abilities are not that great.

Fang Wei and Pan Lianhua exchanged a glance, but neither of them said anything. Instead, they asked to go to the workshop to take a look.

The other party naturally wouldn't refuse; they were clearly there to inspect, so what was the point of not letting them see anything? Therefore, the factory office director had someone from the technical department take them to the production workshop.

After walking around once, the two of them basically had a good idea of ​​what to expect.

"Thank you, Director Wang! We've been very kind to you today. Let's go back and discuss it first. We can talk about the specifics of our cooperation later."

Fang Wei and Pan Lianhua bid farewell to Director Wang of the factory office and then left Xiangyang Furniture Factory.

On the way back to the guesthouse, Pan Lianhua couldn't help but complain.

"Their factory has outdated equipment and furniture styles that are also out of fashion. What good is there for us to do with them?"

"If we can't cooperate, then we can't cooperate. It doesn't matter."

Fang Wei also felt that cooperation was impossible, and that he could simply call back to let them know when he got back.

The two then strolled around the provincial capital and bought quite a few things. Before leaving, they had a meal with their nephew and niece-in-law and returned to their unit.

"Third brother, how did the talks go this time?"

That evening, Fang Ping invited his third brother's family to come over for dinner.

As the person in charge of the bamboo ware factory, he was naturally very concerned about the situation of his visit to Xiangyang Furniture Factory.

“The situation is not good. Xiangyang Furniture Factory itself is facing great problems, but it can’t let go of the airs of a state-owned enterprise. There is basically no room for cooperation between us and them.”

Fang Wei spoke frankly and denied the so-called cooperation.

Pan Lianhua then added some more details, showing that women are more observant and therefore more comprehensive in their observations.

"Their machinery and equipment are outdated, and their products are still old models from many years ago, so they have no competitiveness at all."

Besides, their brand isn't good anymore, yet they want us to use their brand and charge us a huge sum of money. There's absolutely no need for us to do that.

Fang Wei understood and made it clear that she would no longer consider cooperating with the other party.

This kind of cooperation is actually a step backward for bamboo ware factories, and it will also damage the reputation they have worked so hard to build, so it's not worth the loss.

After dinner, Fang Wei and Pan Lianhua began distributing the gifts they had brought back. The eldest brother and sister-in-law each received one, and even Tingting received one. Speaking of Tingting, Tian Guihua had something to say.

"This child rarely comes home these days. He either says he's busy with work or that he needs to study. I just don't understand. What's the point of him studying all day when he's already working?"

Tian Guihua was somewhat dissatisfied with Tingting. The county town wasn't far from the village, so if she couldn't come back every day, she should at least come back once a week.

But Tingting only comes back once every two weeks or once a month. She feels that her child is growing up and starting to distance himself from his parents, which makes her very angry.

"You woman, shut up! Isn't it good that the child loves to study? If Tao Tao hadn't loved studying, would he have been able to go to university?"

Fang Ping glared at Tian Guihua, feeling that his wife was ultimately short-sighted.

The educated youth in the factory also used their spare time to study. Although they weren't as diligent as Tingting, it was clear that their studies were useful.

Whether it's hiring workers, recruiting cadres, or even going to university, the higher the level of education, the better.

He himself suffered from his low level of education, and now he has to work hard to make up for it. Tingting is a high school student, and he also hopes that his daughter can have a recommendation to go to university.

Tian Guihua remained silent, then took the gifts and went home.

Fang Ping also got up and followed, but who knows if the couple will argue when they get back.

Fang Wei and Pan Lianhua couldn't help but smile. Tian Guihua's idea wasn't necessarily wrong. After all, many people lose their motivation to move forward once they have a stable job.

Most people don't have Fang Tingting's self-discipline.

From now on, it will be about a year before the college entrance examination is reinstated.

Tingting has never given up on her academic studies. Ever since Fang Wei talked to her last time, she has started to put in more effort, clearly preparing for the resumption of the college entrance examination.

As for the specific time she could take the exam, she didn't know, but in any case, being prepared was definitely better than being unprepared or cramming at the last minute.

Sometimes Fang Wei couldn't help but envy her older brother and sister-in-law's good fortune; they had two children who were both naturally studious. Learning is actually a very subjective thing; for someone who doesn't love learning, nothing anyone says will matter.

Moreover, this thing requires a lot of talent; if you encounter a blockhead who doesn't understand, it's a waste of time to learn.

Fang Wei always believed that his niece would definitely get into university; it was just a matter of which university she would be admitted to.

the next day.

Fang Wei and Zheng Hu went to a meeting in the county. During their lunch break, he had lunch with Tingting.

"Manman, are my parents alright? I'll go home to visit them this weekend so they won't worry and ask me questions."

While eating, Tingting talked about her recent work and studies.

Fang Ping is quite busy with work, and Tian Guihua is also busy working at the nursery, so she has much less time to see her parents.

Tingting felt that she had a good grasp of the basic knowledge from junior high and high school, and she was sure she would get good grades if given the opportunity.

"Don't worry about your family, your parents are doing well. I estimate that the college entrance examination may be reinstated in the next year or two. Isn't it your dream to go to university? The opportunity is coming soon."

Fang Wei had to give Tingting a clear hope, because people are afraid of walking alone in the dark, unable to find their goal or direction.

Of course, he said it in an analytical and judgmental tone, but to Tingting's ears, it was an affirmative answer.

This made her even more enthusiastic about learning.

Had a meal.

Tingting returned to work, while Fang Wei continued his journey to the county for a meeting. This meeting was about next year's production plan, and the top priority for the Xiatang brigade was to focus on breeding.

After the meeting, Qi Haiyang also had a half-hour talk with Fang Wei, which also concerned breeding issues.

The area near Xiatang Brigade bears the heavy responsibility of supplying high-yield rice seeds to the entire province. If any problems arise, regardless of whether Fang Wei and the brigade cadres bear the responsibility, Qi Haiyang will also be held accountable.

"Please rest assured, Director Qi, our Xiatang Brigade guarantees to complete the mission."

Fang Wei is the Party Secretary of the brigade, and he can only make a promise on behalf of the Xiatang Brigade.

"It's not just your brigade; didn't the commune set up a coordination group? It's specifically responsible for coordinating agricultural production in Ling Commune."

As the team leader, you must take responsibility and ensure the smooth progress of breeding work in all 17 teams.

One brigade in Xiatang could not solve the fundamental problem. Qi Haiyang had already spoken with Zheng Xianfa beforehand and decided to hand over the decision-making and command authority for the breeding work to the [Mutual Assistance and Coordination Group].

To put it bluntly, it was about giving Fang Wei a formal title and letting him take charge of the breeding work in Yaoling Commune.

There was no other way; the county had been trying to get Fang Wei to serve as the commune director, but the other party firmly refused. They could only use some alternative methods to get Fang Wei to take charge of the breeding work.

"Okay, I think the coordination team will play its due role."

Fang Wei did not refuse. Since the coordination group was an officially recognized organization, it could assume the corresponding responsibilities.

He felt no burden.

"Excellent! I look forward to your continued success."

Qi Haiyang smiled and nodded, ending the conversation.

Subsequently, he approved several million yuan worth of agricultural machinery for Yaoling Commune to support Zheng Xianfa and Fang Wei's work with concrete actions. These things couldn't be given to the brigades; they were already quite wealthy, and if they were given to them, no one would listen to Zheng Xianfa anymore.

night.

Fang Wei sat at his older brother's house for a while and mentioned that he had met Tingting.

"I estimate that the college entrance examination will likely be reinstated in the next two years. During this time, let Tingting study hard and try to get into a university she likes when the opportunity comes."

He had to emphasize this again, lest Tian Guihua always feel that the child didn't want to come home.

"Third brother, we definitely believe what you say. Tingting doesn't come back often, and her father misses her a little, that's all."

Tian Guihua was a little embarrassed and quickly offered an explanation.

Fang Ping also expressed his support for his child's choice, saying that if the college entrance examination is reinstated and the child passes it, it would be a great honor for the Fang family.

Fang Wei didn't linger and immediately got up and went to the educated youth dormitory.

He is now paying close attention to the ideological trends of the educated youth and does not want anything to happen in the final stage.

By this time, the educated youth had already eaten dinner. Some were chatting and boasting, some were whispering sweet nothings, and others were reviewing their lessons. Now, many of the educated youth, though not married, had long since moved in together.

Not getting married is because they're afraid it will affect their return to the city; being together is naturally about finding a companion as a form of comfort.

The brigade didn't concern itself with such private matters. In reality, the educated youth were quite pitiful. After their initial enthusiasm cooled down, they were left with more confusion about the future.

"Secretary Fang!"

When they saw Fang Wei coming over, the educated youth stood up and greeted him.

Fang Wei simply called everyone out, moved some stools to the open space in front of the dormitory, and sat down to have a heart-to-heart talk with them.

(End of this chapter)