The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 184 Growing Vegetables in Yamada: A Path to Poverty Alleviation

It was already noon before the entire brigade had finished its visits.

Qian Jin was so engrossed in walking that he could hardly move.

It's not that he's physically weak.

Of course, his physical strength has indeed declined since he got married.

The main reason is that the mountain roads are difficult to travel, especially after rain when they are muddy everywhere.

"To get rich, build roads first" is an absolutely true saying.

Qian Jin's cloth shoes were covered in mud, and even muddy water had seeped into them. His trouser legs were also covered in muddy water.

Looking at the time, it's almost 12 o'clock.

He stood on the hillside, looking down at the scattered houses below, all of them low thatched huts.

His trouser legs were still dripping wet, and the collar of his blue work clothes was stained with dark sweat.

Zhou Tiezhen squatted to the side, smoking a pipe. His mouth looked like a small chimney as he smoked one cigarette after another.

"Director Qian, let's go back," Old Zhou said.

His cloth shoes even had cracks, making a "squeak squeak" sound when he walked.

Qian Jin didn't move, but teased him, "You're wearing Lacoste shoes."

Zhou Tiezhen looked down at his feet.

He pushed hard with his toes, and both shoes popped open: "Hehe, I'm wearing a pair of Crocodile brand shoes."

The production team's whistle signaling the end of the workday echoed from the mountains; its sharp sound startled a flock of sparrows, which flew away in a flurry.

Wang Xiaoying also reminded them: "Leader, it's getting late, the commune members should eat, and we should eat too."

"Yes, the midday sun is so hot it's making your scalp burn. Boss, please don't stand here in the sun," the others advised.

Qian Jin wiped the sweat from his brow, looked at the winding mountain path ahead, and walked slowly until he finally stopped beside a flat bluestone by the roadside:
"This place is great, with trees and stone benches, a natural dining table. Come on, comrades, let's eat here."

As he spoke, he gently placed the half-bag of flour he was carrying on his shoulder onto the stone.

Old Zhou hurriedly said, "No way! My wife has already killed the chicken when we get back to the brigade headquarters..."

Before he could finish speaking, Qian Jin beckoned to Zhou Tiezhen: "Go to the tractor and get my bag."

Zhou Tiezhen shook his head and said, "We need to go to the tractor to catch a ride back for dinner."

Qian Jin said, "This place is great, I'll eat here, everyone wait for me!"

He went to the tractor to find his bag.

Seeing this, Zhou Tiezhen stamped his foot: "He's even more stubborn than me. Director Qian is really something."

Others were used to his logic and instead echoed his sentiments.

In the end, it was Zhou Tiezhen who went and brought the bag back.

Wang Xiaoying discussed with Lao Zhou, "What can we eat here? I'll go ask Brother Gui; his family is better off, maybe he can cook us lunch..."

"Lunch is here," Qian Jin called out. "Stop busying yourselves."

“I will not eat at your house today, and I will not eat at anyone’s house when I go to other brigades in the future. I bring my own food, and I can even treat you to a meal.”

As he spoke, he untied his satchel and pulled out a bulging cloth bag.

When the blue and white floral cloth was unfolded, it revealed plump, white steamed buns:
"My wife steamed some big buns for me last night. You guys can try them today. What do you think? We're eating white flour buns. Isn't this a decent standard of living?"

As he spoke, he reached out and patted the steamed bun, his fingers sinking into the fluffy dough and bouncing back up: "Come on, who's going to light a fire so we can roast these steamed buns? I mixed in some cornmeal, they're sweet."

Zhou Tiezhen said enthusiastically, "I'll start the fire, that'll be easy."

"Old Zhou, go break off some branches. You can carry the roasted buns later. Xiao Ying, what are you glaring at me for? You look like an old sow. Go get a thermos."

Wang Xiaoying: "You're the pig! Captain, are you really going to let Director Qian eat his own steamed bun?"

Zhou Tiezhen said, "Director Qian requested it himself. Besides, can't we have plain steamed buns?"

"Not just white steamed buns, you can all benefit from my treat today." Qian Jin magically pulled out several more glass jars from his bag. In the sunlight, the red, green, and brown pickled vegetables inside glistened with oil.

“These are the pickled vegetables my wife made,” he said, unscrewing the tin lid with his increasingly rough fingers. “This is pickled mustard tuber shreds, this is pickled cowpeas, and this jar is pickled radishes…”

As soon as the lid was opened, a burst of tangy, spicy, and savory aroma wafted out.

The steamed buns were indeed steamed by Wei Qinghuan.

No, the pickled vegetables were something he had bought in advance from the mall; he mainly ate pickled vegetables when he came to the commune.

The weather is getting warmer, and hot steamed buns with cold pickled vegetables are quite delicious.

The pickled vegetables he buys are all from famous brands.

After the lid was unscrewed, the smell caused two nearby officials to take a deep breath.

Qian Jin also subconsciously twitched his nose.

This contains his favorite pickled pork skin with Sichuan peppercorns. The numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, the mellowness of aged vinegar, and the aroma of sesame oil make it an appetizer just by smelling it.

Of course, it was also because he was genuinely hungry.

Other pickled vegetables may look ordinary, but they have an extraordinary appearance.

The pickled mustard tuber shreds are finely cut and coated with bright red chili oil.

The cowpeas were a vibrant green, interspersed with bright red chili rings.

The pickled radish slices are so thin they can be seen through. When the jar is shaken, the sauce mixed with oil and water slowly slides down the glass jar.

"Whoa!" Zhou Tiezhen, who was starting a fire, couldn't resist picking up a cowpea with his hand. The moment he bit down, there was a crisp "crunch" sound, and the sour juice burst in his mouth, making him squint his eyes.

Old Zhou exclaimed, "Captain, you're really something! The leaders haven't even started yet!"

Zhou Tiezhen squatted on the rock, chuckling, revealing his teeth yellowed from smoking tobacco.

Some cadres found some dry tree branches and started a fire on the spot.

The steamed buns were roasted on tree branches until golden brown, with tiny cracks appearing on their surfaces, and the aroma of wheat mixed with the smell of smoke wafted through the air.

Qian Jin broke open a steaming hot bun, and steam billowed onto his face.

Seeing that everyone else was taking a bite of steamed bun and picking up some pickled vegetables with their chopsticks, he shook his head and said, "That's not how you eat it, comrades."

"Like me, break the steamed bun in half..."

He picked up some pickled mustard greens with his chopsticks and stuffed them in; the chili oil immediately seeped into the snow-white steamed bun.

"Do you know the roujiamo (meat sandwich) of Shaanxi people? We call it 'salted vegetable sandwich'."

After saying that, he took a bite and couldn't help but give himself a thumbs up: "Awesome!"

"Director Qian, please have some water." Wang Xiaoying handed him a military water bottle.

There were only two military water bottles, and everyone took turns drinking from them.

These days, brigade cadres don't care about personal hygiene at all.

One of the deputy captains was criticized for picking at pig skin: "Are you the only one who likes to eat meat?"

After hearing this, Qian Jin remembered that there was something else. He reached into his bag and pulled out a green-shelled salted duck egg: "Layed by ducks from my hometown, pickled by my wife. You guys try it, it's oozing oil."

He handed out salted duck eggs to everyone, and took one for himself as well.

When the pale blue-white eggshell is gently tapped on a stone, the egg white becomes as smooth and lustrous as solidified fat. When poked with chopsticks, the golden-red egg yolk oil oozes out, resembling melted honey in the sunlight.

Zhou Tiezhen asked enviously, "Director Qian, how come your wife is so amazing? She's such a good cook!"

Upon hearing this, Lao Zhou immediately boasted, "I can vouch for this; Director Qian's girlfriend is amazing."

"You're not lucky enough to meet her. She's prettier than any of the girls in the calendar. Oh my, her whole demeanor—no wonder she's a teacher; she just has that scholarly air about her."

"Normally, a scholarly air isn't something to be appreciated, but her scholarly air is different; it's not detached from us working people, making you want to give her a thumbs up..."

Wang Xiaoying said leisurely, "Old Zhou, you've observed the leader's wife quite carefully."

The others chuckled.

Old Zhou remained calm and composed: "There's nothing I can do, the leader's wife is just too outstanding, I was impressed at first glance."

"I was even more impressed by her cooking skills. Xiao Lei and Xiao Wen came with me for a meal. The boss's wife stewed pork ribs, stir-fried chicken, sliced ​​pig's head meat, and cooked pig offal. The most impressive thing was her dumplings!"

As he spoke, he closed his eyes and swallowed hard: "It's so delicious. It's all chives and eggs, but the way they make it tastes so much better..."

His words whetted everyone's appetite.

They already had a good appetite, and now they can eat even more.

Zhou Tiezhen ate in silence.

He scooped the egg yolk into the steamed bun, and the oil immediately seeped into a golden circle on the bun.

He took a big bite with a piece of pickled mustard greens on his chopsticks.

The crispness of the pickled mustard greens, the aroma of the egg yolk, and the crispness of the steamed bun blended together in his mouth, making him eat heartily.

"This pickled radish is really delicious. I think it's just as good as dumplings." Wang Xiaoying's mouth was glistening with oil as she ate, and the radish slices in her hand crunched loudly.

The radish was pickled just right, retaining its crisp texture while absorbing the rich flavor of soy sauce and spices.

Someone held up a slice of radish to look at the sun, and could vaguely see the sunlight.

Old Zhou held a steamed bun, the pickled cowpeas inside dripping juice.

He tilted his head back to catch it, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down: "Director Qian, do you think there's a chance for our team to learn how to pickle vegetables from your wife?"

"Look, the yield of grain in our team's farmland isn't good; growing cash crops like vegetables is much better..."

Upon hearing this, Qian Jin immediately slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Great idea! Great idea!"

"Old Zhou, you've done a great service to your production brigade!"

Old Zhou: "Huh? Me?"

Qian Jin said, "Yes, it was you. You reminded me."

"I'll have my wife write out a recipe for pickled vegetables for you guys later. It's getting hot soon, and pickled vegetables will definitely be very popular in the city."

“You specialize in pickling vegetables, and our supply and marketing cooperative will help your brigade ensure the supply of seasonings.”

"After you've finished pickling your vegetables, I'll have our small collective enterprise on Taishan Road send someone to collect them. Then we'll sell them in Haibin City. Who knows, maybe even the city leaders will have to eat your pickled vegetables!"

That's definitely a good idea.

Pickled vegetables don't spoil easily.

Xiping Production Brigade also produces specialty vegetables and berries, which can be used to make pickled vegetables and seasonal jams.

Qian Jin enthusiastically told the group about his plan, and they listened with great interest, scratching their ears and making excited noises.

A cigarette after a meal, and you're as happy as an immortal.

Qian Jin offered each of them a cigarette and personally lit a match for them.

As the matchstick was passed among the people, he saw large flames in everyone's eyes.

Old Zhou said excitedly, "Director Qian, if this deal goes through, our brigade will be able to shed its label as an extremely poor production brigade!"

Qian Jin said with great interest, "It's sure to work."

"Don't underestimate these pickled vegetables. How much do you think would be a suitable price for a jar of these pickled radishes?"

"Two cents?" someone asked tentatively, then explained, "Radishes aren't worth much. Even though our team is poor, a lot of these rot every year."

"There's no way around it, eating too much of this stuff makes my stomach upset, and sometimes I don't dare to eat it even when I'm hungry."

Qian Jin said dismissively, "Two cents? Who do you think you are?"

"One yuan! In the city, it has to be one yuan as the starting price!"

"This jar of pickled radishes is enough for a family of three for ten to fifteen days. Is one yuan too expensive?"

"And look at the seasonings inside. Soy sauce and MSG aside, look how much oil is used here—vegetable oil, sesame oil. Did I charge an extra penny?"

Everyone gasped in surprise, then burst into ecstatic joy upon hearing this.

Zhou Tiezhen said directly, "Director Qian, if this matter is settled, our brigade will build a shrine for you in the future!"

Qian Jin was speechless: "This is the new society!"

"Then I'll burn incense for you!"

"Forget it, I'm afraid you'll have to set up a memorial tablet for me next."

"That's not impossible!"

The discussion was so enthusiastic that Qian Jin rattled off the names of more than twenty kinds of pickled vegetables, which got them all fired up.

The shadows of the trees sway gently, and the mountain breeze carries the fragrance of rapeseed flowers from afar.

Bees buzzed in.

Old Zhou helped him drive them away: "They're all wild bees. There are many flowers blooming here in spring and summer, so there are many bees too."

Upon hearing this, Qian Jin patted him on the shoulder and said, "Isn't this another way to make money? Your team is raising bees collectively. Bees produce honey, which is a good thing."

Old Zhou said, "Honey is indeed a good thing, but how would we know how to raise bees?"

"Besides, where are we going to buy bee colonies?"

Qian Jin said, "Leave this to me. Have you forgotten who I am?"

"Director of the supply and marketing cooperative," Wang Xiaoying said hurriedly.

Qian Jin smiled and nodded: "Leave the security work to me. You are in charge of the development work."

"Good!" Zhou Tiezhen shouted, then stood up and yelled towards the gorge:

"Director Qian is a good cadre. I wish him a smooth career and a long life! I wish him to make many more contributions to the people!"

Qian Jin laughed heartily: "Your brigade leader is really not like a brigade leader."

Zhou Tiezhen nodded in agreement: "I was the best of a bad bunch, so they chose me."

Surprisingly, the others nodded in agreement.

Qian Jin laughed even harder.

Does this mean they all agree they're a bunch of dwarfs?

What an amazing matching mechanism.

The bright future inspired them to work even harder.

After the group had eaten and drunk their fill, they continued to deliver gifts.

After delivering the goods, Lao Zhou was in a hurry to go back and choose a location to open a dual-agency store.

Qian Jin waved his hand: "No rush. We'll check on the farmland along the way. I'll arrange for someone to deliver a large quantity of high-quality vegetable seeds by the end of the month at the latest. You should grow your vegetables well."

The store sells all kinds of vegetable seeds.

The Xiping Production Brigade happened to be located deep in the mountains, a poor and remote place with inconvenient transportation, so the vegetables they grew were kept largely secret.

Once the vegetables mature and become pickled, even if they are sent to the capital, no one will be able to tell that the variety is special.

When it comes to growing vegetables, the people here are experts.

Zhou Tiezhen is a master grower!

Another deputy captain named Zhou De is also skilled at managing vegetables.

He told Qian Jin, "Our brigade is suitable for growing vegetables. This is not self-praise, but a real problem."

At this moment, Qian Jin squatted on a terraced field ridge, inserted his fingers into the soil, and dug out a handful of brown soil.

Fine particles of soil slipped through his fingers, gleaming oily in the morning sun. "This is top-quality garden soil," Zhou Tiezhen said, tapping the edge of the field with his toe. "It's composted with straw last autumn, and we mixed in livestock manure this spring."

As he spoke, the pipe hanging from his waist swayed back and forth, like a pointer.

When he started working in the fields and talking about crops, he transformed from a rough and impetuous man into a teacher.

Qian Jin rubbed the soil in his hands, the fine particles mixed with not fully decomposed grass stems.

Then Zhou Tiezhen led him down to the next terraced field.

The stone-paved ridges were covered with moss, making them a bit slippery to walk on.

“Watch out for the steps,” Zhou Tiezhen said, brushing aside the brambles blocking the way. “We need to come here and take a look; this is sandy soil.”

Qian Jin didn't know much about farming, but he could tell that the soil in the terraced fields was clearly golden under the sunlight.

He bent down and grabbed a handful; the sand immediately slipped through his fingers.

It's definitely different from the farmland we just saw.

“This kind of soil is best for growing radishes, watermelons, and cantaloupes,” Zhou De squatted down and dug away the topsoil. “Don’t think that sandy soil doesn’t retain water. Look, it’s still damp underneath.”

Sure enough, digging down two inches revealed dampness.

The sand shimmered with tiny golden light under the sunlight, as if it were mixed with gold dust.

A few ants hurriedly crawled by, leaving tiny footprints.

Zhou Tiezhen continued to lead the way, while the other cadres chattered about what to plant next.

When we moved to a terraced field on the shady side, the soil turned dark brown.

Qian Jin's shoe sank half an inch as soon as he stepped on it, and when he pulled it out, it brought up sticky mud strands.

“This is clay soil,” Zhou Tiezhen poked the ground with his pipe, “It’s an excellent place to grow potatoes.”

Piles of potato vines left over from last year lay on the edge of the field, now rotted into dark brown fertilizer.

Several earthworms emerged from the soil turned over by the hoe, their plump bodies gleaming a purplish-copper color in the sunlight.

"Director Qian, do you find this strange?" Zhou De asked with a smile.

Qian Jin asked, "I'm not an expert in this, what's so strange about it?"

Zhou De said, "Our mountain changes its soil type every time you turn a corner."

He pointed to the terraced fields in the distance, "The sunny slopes are sandy, the shady slopes are clay, and there are two acres of black loam halfway up the mountain."

"Anyway, that's how Xiping Mountain is. It's very strange, and no one can explain what's going on."

Qian Jin looked around and saw a pool of water.

He went over to take a look and found that the soil around the edge of the pond was particularly moist. It was only April and still a bit cold, but several clumps of wild celery were already growing exceptionally well.

"This is spring water seeping out from the mountains." Zhou Tiezhen scooped up a ladle of water and poured it into the vegetable patch next to him.

The water seeped in quickly, but the soil in the furrows always maintained its dark, glossy color.

“This is high-quality loam,” he said proudly. “Anything you plant here will thrive.”

Qian Jin squatted down to take a closer look. The soil particles in the vegetable patch were of uniform size, and when he squeezed them in his hand, they were neither compacted nor loose.

Next to a newly sprouted lettuce seedling, several woodlice were busy moving decaying leaves.

Wang Xiaoying lamented, "It's a pity that we have so little land here. It was all slowly reclaimed by our ancestors over thousands of years in the mountains. Otherwise, if it were connected with hundreds of acres of land at the foot of the mountain, our brigade would definitely be rich."

"You wish!" Old Zhou laughed heartily. "If our place were like the Middle East described in the newspapers, where you could just stick a pipe into the ground and oil would gush out, wouldn't we be rolling in oil?"

“We can’t even dream of getting rich in this area,” said Captain Zhou, sitting on the edge of the field as he stuffed tobacco into his copper pipe. “Growing grain would starve people, so we have to grow vegetables. We have all kinds of land, and we can grow any kind of vegetable.”

He struck a match, and the acrid aroma of burning tobacco mingled with the earthy smell of the ground.

Qian Jin gazed at the terraced fields, layer upon layer. The sandy soil on the sunny slopes shimmered with golden light, the clay soil on the shady side was tinged with brownish-red, and the loam on the mountainside was a heavy black.

Different colored fields are inlaid on the hillside like puzzle pieces, each shimmering with a unique luster.

He is now more confident in leading the Xiping production brigade to prosperity.

These patchwork-like plots of land gave him confidence.

"What kinds of vegetables did you grow before?" Qian Jin asked.

Zhou Tiezhen counted on his fingers: "There are only a few kinds, there's no way around it, we don't have any seeds."

"Anyway, sandy soil is great for growing radishes, carrots, spinach, ginger, and pumpkins. It's also suitable for growing fruits like watermelons and cantaloupes. I know that all too well, it's just a pity I don't have any seeds..."

Qian Jin said, "I'll say it again, I'll take care of the seeds."

Zhou Tiezhen was overjoyed and wanted to express his gratitude again.

Qian Jin waved his hand: "Go on."

Zhou Tiezhen said eloquently, "Clay soil has strong water retention properties, making it very suitable for growing some vegetables that require a lot of water."

"Look at this winter melon, broad beans, scallions, celery, spinach, and cucumber, there's nothing wrong with them."

"The loamy soil is easy to deal with; it's golden soil, you can plant anything and let anything grow."

He continued explaining to Qian Jin, doing so very professionally:

Some say lettuce should be planted in March, spinach is cold-resistant and suitable for winter, and cucumbers need trellises, etc.

Unfortunately, Qian Jin couldn't understand.

He asked, "Chili peppers and tomatoes are good things, aren't they grown?"

“There are no seeds,” Zhou De explained, leaning closer.

Qian Jin said, "We have them now. Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, green beans, kidney beans, and so on will be available soon."

"You can figure out the specifics of how to plant it yourselves, but I have connections in schools in the city. You know the situation in our society now; if you can't find teachers, I can find books."

“You select a few educated young people, and I will select a few vegetable planting guidebooks. You should study them carefully, and in the future, you should develop the vegetable and fruit planting industry here first.”

"We aim to develop a renowned vegetable production base in the coastal city within three to five years!"

Everyone was greatly encouraged and cheered.

He inspected the farmland.

The group finally returned to the brigade office by tractor.

"Director Qian, what do you think of this house as a grain depot?" Old Zhou pointed to a row of gray-tiled houses next to him as soon as he got out of the car. "It used to be a grain storage place. The walls are thick and it's warm in winter and cool in summer."

Qian Jin patted the bits of grass stuck to his backside from riding the tractor and said, "Let's go take a look."

The warehouse was more spacious than I had imagined. The mud floor was leveled, and although the red paint on the beams and pillars had peeled off, the wood was still sturdy.

Sunlight streamed in obliquely through the tall skylight, illuminating the piled-up farm tools, the shovel heads reflecting a cold light.

"Here's where we'll put the shelves," Old Zhou gestured, showing his research from last night. "Grains and oils against the wall, daily necessities in the middle..."

His worn-out shoes stepped on the muddy ground, raising fine dust that drifted around, adding a touch of life to the old building.

Qian Jin thought Lao Zhou's plan was fine.

He asked Zhou Tiezhen for a piece of chalk and drew the location of the shelves on the wall.

Old Zhou squatted on the ground, using a twig to calculate the area: "I need to set aside an area; I'll probably need to store vegetables later..."

Now that the venue has been chosen, the rest is simple.

After all, this is just a two-in-one store, not a department store.

Qian Jin was very familiar with this, and the plan was finalized under his guidance.

He dusted off his hands with chalk dust and suddenly noticed several earthenware jars piled up in the corner: "What are they for?"

Old Zhou glanced at it and casually said, "Oh, those are the pickling jars that the commune members used to use to exchange for grain. They haven't been used for years and are covered with a thick layer of dust."

“Once the Shuangdai store opens,” Qian Jin walked over to look at the jars, “we’ll set up a special counter for local specialties, and we’ll sell our pickled vegetables to the commune members too.”

"Furthermore, you have a long-standing tradition of pickling vegetables here, which is a good omen, indicating that God has already prepared this path of development for you."

Zhou Tiezhen frankly said, "Hey, which family in the countryside doesn't pickle vegetables? The main problem is that our pickles don't taste good. Let alone selling them, we can't even bring ourselves to eat them, hehe."

Qian Jin secretly said, "You really are straightforward and outspoken; you're a truly frank man."

He really likes this personality trait.

Actually, what he just said was nonsense; he just wanted to take the opportunity to study these forums.

Who knows, it might actually be an antique or cultural relic?
Reality doesn't offer that many surprises.

He examined the patterns and studied the details, and found that it was just an ordinary earthenware jar commonly seen today.

Old Zhou, who was standing beside him, asked, "Director Qian, what's wrong?"

He could see the disappointment on Qian Jin's face.

Qian Jin felt that their relationship had progressed, so he decided to be honest: "Personally, I like to collect old things. Does your brigade have any old things?"

“Old silver dollars, old copper coins, or old calligraphy, paintings, or porcelain.”

Old Zhou immediately said, "There is some, more or less. The abacus I usually use is an old object. It must have belonged to a salt merchant from Jiangnan during the Qing Dynasty. It was almost melted down when steel was being smelted. Luckily, it was made of copper, haha..."

Qian Jin was very interested: "Really?"

Old Zhou noticed his interest and immediately said, "Wait here, I'll get it for you."

He returned to his office and came back quickly, carrying a small abacus no bigger than the palm of his hand.

But it felt cold and heavy to the touch.

Its color is a dull yellow.

It's made of brass!
Qian Jin looked closely and saw that the abacus was rectangular in shape and had developed a warm patina over the years due to oxidation.

Since it's not a fake, you can tell just by looking at the patina that Old Zhou was right; this is at least an old artifact from the Qing Dynasty.

Don't underestimate this small abacus; it's exquisitely made.

Its main body is connected by twenty-four rods, with ten beads on each rod arranged neatly. The beads are round and full, and there are few signs of wear after many years.

The top and bottom borders of the abacus are engraved with cloud patterns in relief, with characters embedded in between.

Qian Jin couldn't recognize it at all, only recognizing the handwriting: "Is this seal script?"

Old Zhou said, "Yes, it's an inscription in seal script. The top part says 'weigh all profits,' and the bottom part says 'salt tax and trade.'"

Surrounding these characters are exquisitely carved auspicious beast patterns such as Pixiu and Qilin.

The carving is exquisite, the animal shape is agile and lively, and the mane and scales are very clear.

Looking at the four corners of the abacus's frame, it is reinforced with a meander pattern, and the hammer marks from the copper forging are visible on the side.

Qian Jin guessed that this thing had some value.

Old Zhou could tell he liked the abacus, and said directly, "If you can use it, take it!"

Qian Jin didn't put on any pretentious act and said, "I can't take it, but I can exchange it with you for something else."

"But let's get this straight first, a gentleman doesn't take what others cherish. Isn't this your family heirloom?"

Old Zhou laughed: "These days, who would dare to have a family heirloom?"

"However, my family has indeed kept these items for some years. They were brought back by my grandfather when he traveled to Jiangnan in his youth."

"I became the brigade accountant in 60, and my grandfather gave it to me. Actually, it wasn't very useful to me. It's something only an expert can use because it's so small and difficult to manipulate..."

Qian Jin said, "I'll replace it with a calculator for you!"

"What is a calculator?" Old Zhou asked, looking confused.

Qian Jin laughed and said, "You'll see what a modern abacus is like next time I come."

"Next time I will bring you a lot of things, and also a lot of things for your production brigade."

"If possible, please take these next two days to sort through the old items in the brigade. When I come back next time, I might be able to help you exchange them for some good things."

Captain Zhou readily agreed: "No problem, absolutely no problem."

"But you can skip the good stuff. You've brought enough good stuff today. Next time, just set up a double-deal store for our brigade. It would be best if you could also get some rapeseed, vegetable seeds, and pickling recipes!"

Qian Jin readily agreed: "No problem, absolutely no problem!"

It was getting late, and he had to hurry back.

The officials naturally tried their best to persuade him to stay overnight.

Qian Jin felt it was unnecessary; he only needed Zhou Tiezhen to arrange a tractor to take him back.
"It's perfect timing to bring back a batch of pesticides and fertilizers by tractor tomorrow."

"Vegetables are like flowers, and fertilizer is the key to their success."

"I'll give your brigade a special approval for some pesticides and fertilizers, let's get our vegetable planting business going in full swing!"

He is confident that he can lead the Xiping Production Brigade to prosperity.

Because the reform and opening up was just around the corner, the vegetable planting industry was a blue ocean market at that time.

There is a lot to do.

In particular, Qian Jin also plans to introduce winter greenhouse planting technology to the brigade.

The products produced then will be absolutely amazing!

I had too much work to do this afternoon.

He walked out of the warehouse, the setting sun casting a long shadow that stretched along the edge of the field into the wheat field.

The tractor started up with a loud rumble.

Just as Qian Jin was about to get into the car, the group of children from that morning suddenly appeared again: "Uncle Leader, here are your flowers!"

"Right, right, I almost forgot the gift for my wife!" Qian Jin quickly slapped his forehead.

However, the wildflowers should have withered by now.

He felt quite embarrassed.

Because he was in a hurry to visit the elderly living alone and families of martyrs and soldiers that morning, he casually placed the wildflowers somewhere in the office.

As a result, the two children each brought out a rusty enamel mug.

Each enamel mug contained a large bunch of wildflowers.

Their flower stalks were tied together with thatch and neatly inserted into enamel mugs.

The golden yellow of dandelions and the purple of February orchids, the snow-white of crane grass and the bluish-purple of purslane, remain vibrant.

Qian Jin exclaimed in surprise, "You guys kept it for me?"

One child said proudly, "We just picked them this afternoon. The team leader said they would wilt, so we picked fresh ones for the auntie. We also kept them in water, so the auntie will definitely see the flowers."

Qian Jin's eyes welled up with tears: "Good children, thank you. Uncle thanks you on behalf of Auntie!"

"Uncle will definitely bring Auntie to visit you in the future. Goodbye, we'll see each other again soon!"

"You must study hard. If you need any study materials, please tell your uncle. Your uncle supports all children's learning and work!"

The children jumped and shouted goodbye.

The officials waved goodbye.

They patted their bellies, the simple yet delicious lunch they had eaten at noon still lingering on their lips and teeth.

Tomorrow, a new life will begin here, and new things will emerge:

Everything about white steamed buns, counters and shelves, the availability of oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar that no longer require trekking over mountains, and even the various vegetables that will grow in the terraced fields in the future—everything is new and full of hope…

(End of this chapter)