The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 195 Is Director Qian Going to Get a Promotion?
As he walked out of the supply and marketing cooperative, Secretary Sun seemed to be deep in thought: "From accounting to safekeeping to sales, Qianjin has established a complete management system."

"Section Chief Feng, it's amazing that your unit has such a talented person."

Feng Changfan was extremely satisfied with Qian Jin's work, and couldn't stop smiling.

"He really is a remarkable guy. So before Comrade Yang Shengli left our unit, he specifically mentioned him at the leadership meeting, saying that it was a waste of talent to put Qian Jin in the porter team, and that a talent like him must be placed in a more important position."

"Where else should we go? Should we go to the commune to hear the grassroots leaders' evaluation of his work?" Officer Sun asked.

Team Leader Zheng said, "Send me to the commune's junior high school; the information they provide is the most important."

As they were getting into their car to leave, someone ran over and shouted, "Leaders, leaders, wait a minute! Don't go yet, our Secretary Wang is coming right away."

"Is your Party Secretary back?" Officer Sun asked.

The young man nodded hurriedly: "Yes, yes, what a coincidence, he's only been back for less than ten minutes."

"On his way back, he saw a jeep with a provincial capital license plate parked in front of the supply and marketing cooperative, and he knew that a leader had arrived."

"So he told me to wait for you. He originally wanted to wait for you himself, but he had just returned, travel-worn and smelling of smoke from a day of meetings. He wanted to change his clothes before coming over..."

Wang Zhenshan had just changed his clothes, and upon learning that the leaders were about to get into their cars and leave, he came over without even washing his face.

Feng Changfan introduced him to the research team.

Upon learning the purpose of the research team's visit to the commune, Wang Zhenshan immediately perked up, gesturing repeatedly with his hand:

"Leaders, please come with me to our office, sit down and have some water."

"Comrade Qian Jin's situation is complicated, I need to give the leaders a proper report!"

He led a small meeting room.

The walls of the meeting room were covered with banners and certificates of merit. Wang Zhenshan pointed to one of them: "Look at this one, 'Caring for farmers, connecting with the masses.' This is a gift that the five-guarantee households of Qingshan Production Brigade collectively entrusted the commune to give to Qian Jin."

"But Comrade Qian Jin is humble and refused to accept the banner no matter what. I tried to persuade him, but in the end, it was hung in our conference room. Leaders, please help me talk to him and get him to accept the banner."

He poured everyone a cup of tea, sat down, and explained in detail: "Comrade Qian Jin is not only in charge of the supply and marketing cooperative. As soon as he took office this year, he went to the street where he was located and managed to get a large amount of sponsorship from the small collective enterprises in the street, which was all given to the elderly living alone and the families of martyrs and soldiers."

Section Chief Li noted: "This is work that is beyond the scope of the supply and marketing cooperative's responsibilities."

“That’s right!” Wang Zhenshan slapped his thigh. “He also solved a major problem for the educated youth settlement.”

“There were over a hundred educated youth in our commune, and they had nowhere to study. So Qian Jin vacated a warehouse from the supply and marketing cooperative and, together with another unused warehouse in our commune, converted it into a study room.”

"No books? He contacted county and city libraries and some units in the city to organize a joint borrowing activity."

"No paper and pens? He brought in sponsorship from the city, and most importantly, he got study materials and exam questions for the educated youth."

"Speaking of which, I have to tell you what I went to the city for today. Hehe, actually I went to receive an award from the county."

"Of the 19 communes in the county, our commune had the most educated youth and students who were admitted to universities, a total of 26!"

He couldn't help but repeat, "There are 26 of them!"

Feng Changfan asked, "What about the other communes?"

Wang Zhenshan was waiting for these words, and said smugly, "They're all single digits!"

"I've been thinking about it ever since the admission notices arrived. The fact that our commune's educated youth and students were able to achieve this result must have been thanks to the study room. The educated youth could concentrate on their studies there, discuss and learn from each other, and there were also test papers and questions that were only available in city schools."

"Especially this test paper and questions, I only found out after talking with comrades from other communes that none of them, whether they were educated youth or high school students in their second or third year, had this. But this is the most useful thing!"

"So Qian Jin did all of these things on his own initiative?" Sun asked in surprise.

“Of course!” Wang Zhenshan took a sip of tea. “Comrade Qian Jin told me that our supply and marketing cooperative not only does business, but also serves the people.”

"During the most intense period of spring plowing, he organized an agricultural supplies delivery activity, leading his employees to deliver fertilizers and pesticides directly to the fields, saving the commune members a lot of trouble!"

"When it was time to harvest the wheat, he borrowed a combine harvester and organized a joint harvesting activity between farmers and workers—it was truly remarkable!"

Ma Changming, the deputy secretary of the commune, also joined the conversation, and his evaluation of Qian Jin was more comprehensive:

"Comrade Qian Jin is educated and knowledgeable in his work. What is most commendable is that he has the masses in his heart, which is a remarkable thing!"

The commune government officials, both high and low, gave their evaluation, which was even higher than that of the commune members!
After declining Secretary Wang's invitation to dinner, the research team members returned to their jeep and shared their observations from the day.

"From the general public to the employees and then to the leaders, the evaluation is highly consistent," Feng Changfan remarked, flipping through his notes.

As Officer Sun gazed at the darkening fields outside the car window, he said, "This Qian Jin is quite remarkable. There aren't many young comrades in our supply and marketing system who are both knowledgeable in their work and genuinely dedicated to serving the people like him."

Others nodded.

Starting this month, they basically interviewed one member of the preparatory team every day, and Qian Jin received the highest evaluation.

It's frighteningly tall!

Xiao Jiang opened her mouth and then closed it again.

Team Leader Zheng nodded to him: "What are your thoughts, young comrade? Tell me, we're all part of the same working group."

Xiao Jiang solemnly said, "Distinguished leaders and comrades, what impressed me most about what I saw and heard today were some small details—the hot water prepared for the farmers, the fertilizer delivered to the production team's fields, oh, and those small measures to prevent moisture..."

He thought for a moment, then said a little embarrassedly, "Actually, I'm not feeling sentimental, I'm just a little moved."

"I think Comrade Qian Jin really puts his work and the people he serves into his heart."

“Young comrades are emotional and easily moved,” Officer Sun said, patting Xiao Jiang on the shoulder.

Xiao Jiang's face turned red.

Then, Officer Sun changed the subject, saying, "Actually, I was also moved by these things. I think that although I am a bit older, my heart is still that of a young comrade."

He asked Team Leader Zheng, "So what should we do? Go back to the county first? We still need to investigate a comrade named Peng Dashan tomorrow."

"Furthermore, the investigation into Comrade Qian Jin should be concluded. I believe his evaluation can be summarized as having a simple and honest work style, being close to the masses, working diligently, and being able to withstand surprise inspections!"

Team Leader Zheng said, "No rush. Here, give me your briefcase, and you guys go wait for me at the commune bridge. I need to take a stroll for a bit more."

The driver said, "Boss, it's quite hot outside. Why would you go through that? How about I drive you around for a bit? It's quite comfortable sitting in the car for a spin right now."

Team Leader Zheng waved his hand: "No need, just drop me off up ahead, I need to walk a few steps."

The commune was enveloped in the fragrance of wildflowers at dusk.

Team Leader Zheng carried his tattered handbag as he walked along the country dirt road, slowly arriving at the entrance of Zidian Junior High School.

School was about to let out, and the old man guarding the gate was unlocking the iron gate.

The rusty lock struck the door knocker, producing a dull, somewhat harsh sound.

Seeing this, Team Leader Zheng took the opportunity to walk over and wave: "Comrade Xie, it seems I've come at the right time, just in time to see you open the door."

Old Xie, the gatekeeper, looked at him suspiciously, then suddenly clapped his hands and pointed at him, saying, "Aren't you that...that Zheng...you're Zheng something again? You're Principal Ai's classmate!"

“Zheng Chaoyang, he came here once three years ago,” Team Leader Zheng said with a hearty laugh.

Old Xie hurriedly opened the door: "Yes, Zheng Chaoyang, we drank together back then. You have a really good alcohol tolerance. You got me all drunk and I couldn't remember your name."

"What's wrong, Lao Zheng? You're here on a business trip to Yuezhou County again?"

Zheng Chaoyang nodded with a smile: "Yes, where is Principal Ai?"

Old Xie said, "Wait for me, it's time to go home. I'll let the students go home first, and Principal Ai will come out then. He'll definitely see you."

Zheng Chaoyang nodded again with a smile.

He happened to be looking around at the junior high school.

He discovered that the old school was quite different from what he remembered.

The school buildings, once low and dilapidated, are now painted white, the pits and bumps on the walls have been smoothed out, the doors and windows have been painted green, and the broken glass has been replaced instead of using plastic sheets as a substitute.

A nursery appeared by the roadside, with newly planted holly saplings lined up neatly, like a row of little guards standing straight.

"Clang—clang—" A clear and melodious gong sound suddenly rang out. Zheng Chaoyang turned around and saw that Old Xie was vigorously striking a gong.

The gong is made of solid materials and has a deep, resonant sound.

He nodded and said, "It's a fine gong. Where did it come from?"

Old Xie laughed and said, "This was sent by the director of our supply and marketing cooperative. Before, I used to shout to signal when classes started and ended. He said that schools should look like schools. City schools have electric bells, but we in the countryside don't have that, so we shouldn't have to shout. So he got this gong."

"I only found out last month when the labor task force from Taishan Road in Haibin City came to do some work that this gong belonged to their street security task force. Originally, the security task force used the gong to deter petty thieves, but Director Qian took it." "He told the city people that it was a waste to leave this gong in the street and that it should be sent to the countryside to shine and make a difference, haha!"

hula la...

As the sound of the gong echoed throughout the school, classroom doors were pushed open, and junior high students of all ages rushed out like wild dogs.

The students' appearance was quite surprising.

The boys all sported neat, short haircuts, while the red ribbons on the girls' braids bounced in the evening breeze, making their ponytails stand out vividly.

"Old Zheng!" Ai Shouye stepped out from behind the students, spotted Zheng Chaoyang by the roadside, and exclaimed in surprise, "You old rascal, you came without telling me, and you caught me off guard?"

Zheng Chaoyang looked at his old classmate.

My old classmates have also changed a bit.

His hair has turned gray, his face is covered with more wrinkles, and his eyes are more squinted than before, as if he can't open them at all. He looks much older than he did three years ago.

He strode up to his old classmate, with whom he had once shared everything and been inseparable since childhood, and patted him hard on the back: "It's been three years again, Lao Ai, it's been three years since we last met!"

Ai Shouye excitedly shouted to Lao Xie, "Go and inform our faculty and staff that we're having a good dinner tonight."

"Go to the supply and marketing cooperative and get two bottles of wine. Go to the food store and see if Chef Sun has any snacks to go with the wine. If he does, buy some. If not, go to the supply and marketing cooperative. Director Qian is sure to have some good stuff. Get me some."

Old Xie was happy to see his respected principal happy, and said repeatedly, "Okay, okay, I'll go right away."

Ai Shouye smiled and pulled Zheng Chaoyang into his office.

A quartz clock hung in the center of the east wall of the room, its second hand ticking with a crisp and clear sound.

A brocade banner hangs on the wall, with eight yellow characters on the red silk reading "Teaching and nurturing people silently" shining brightly.

Zheng Chaoyang exclaimed, "Not bad, not bad, your office is finally doing properly! You even have desk lamps on your desks now? This will make it more comfortable for you to read and prepare lessons at night."

"How about it? Looks like you guys are benefiting from the resumption of the college entrance examination."

"Let me tell you, Lao Ai, our good days are coming. Just wait patiently for a while longer, at the latest this year, and you'll hear the spring thunder resounding throughout the country!"

Ai Shouye pointed to the wall clock and then to the brand-new desks and chairs: "We will definitely benefit from the college entrance examination. It's not so good in our rural area now. Parents and students still don't value studying. But it's said that it's different in the city. People in the city value students' studies a lot now."

"That's what the new director of our commune's supply and marketing cooperative said. He said that sooner or later, rural areas will have to pay more attention to the issue of learning."

"Children in the city can take over their parents' jobs in factories, but children in the countryside only have the college entrance examination as a way to change their fate."

"He helped us repair the classrooms, the desks and chairs for the faculty and students, and donated supplies to our school. Haha, our school has changed a lot, hasn't it?"

"Is it all thanks to Director Qian?" Zheng Chaoyang was surprised, but seemed to think it was quite normal.

Ai Shouye nodded subconsciously and handed him the teacup, then realized what he meant and asked, "You know him? How do you know his surname is Qian?"

Zheng Chaoyang didn't hide anything from his old classmate and told him about his mission.

Ai Shouye's expression froze after hearing this, then he sighed and said, "I knew this day would come."

"A small temple cannot contain a great Buddha, and a pond cannot keep a dragon. Director Qian will rise to prominence sooner or later!"

"Well, that's how it should be. Talented people like him should be shown on a bigger stage. It's a pity to keep him in our poor commune."

"But it's a pity, our commune finally got a good cadre, and he really was a good cadre..."

Zheng Chaoyang asked, "Is he that good? I know you're proud and look down on most people. I haven't heard of anyone in all these years who deserves your praise."

“Look at this.” Ai Shouye didn’t answer, but instead let the facts speak for themselves.

He took out a red silk cloth package from the drawer, and inside was a pair of Shuangjian brand hair clippers made in Shanghai: "Director Qian came to the school several times and couldn't stand seeing the students' messy hair and dirty hygiene."

He said that teenagers should have the vigor of teenagers and students should look like students. Now, on the first Sunday of every month, the teachers take turns giving the children haircuts.

The steel blade of the clipper gleamed coldly; it was a newly replaced clipper blade.

Zheng Chaoyang took the pusher and looked at it: "This is the latest semi-automatic pusher. It is a product developed by our country based on a German pusher. It has been in production for less than half a year, and the production capacity is very low now. Qian Jin must have put a lot of effort into getting this for you."

"Not just the clippers, but also that... can you see the pool from here?" Ai Shouye asked, pointing eastward.

Zheng Chaoyang shook his head.

Ai Shouye said, "I'll take you to wash your hands before we eat. There's a soap dish there. Every day before school, students have to wash their hands and faces."

"Director Qian applied to your unit to provide free sulfur soap to all primary and secondary schools in our commune, with one bar of soap allocated to each class every week based on the number of students."

He said the supply and marketing cooperative should pay for it, or the education bureau should pay for it, because students are the future of the country, and food and hygiene are the two major factors affecting students' health.

"We can't provide food for the students right now, so let's start with hygiene. We'll make sure the students wash their hands and faces thoroughly, because illness can enter through the mouth."

Zheng Chaoyang asked in surprise, "He applied for such a policy? I didn't know that. I don't have access to the policies implemented at the grassroots level in our counties and communes in the provincial capital."

Ai Shouye sighed softly, "Yes, this policy was orchestrated by Director Qian. He said that since city children use soap, we should at least ensure that rural children have access to soap."

Zheng Chaoyang sighed, "To be honest, today we went to the countryside to ask the commune members about Qian Jin and the current supply and marketing cooperative he leads, and all we heard were praises!"

“When we went to the commune leaders to investigate, they all had the same attitude – nothing but praise!”

"I found it all rather unbelievable, so I specifically came here to ask you a few questions..."

"Then you won't get any praise or compliments from me, because I have to flatter Qian Jin," Ai Shouye interrupted him, making a joke.

"Come with me, I'll show you something amazing. But these are nothing compared to what's coming next."

One of the warehouses in the junior high school had been renovated in a lot of ways, and the walls were painted exceptionally white.

In the past, the main task of junior high school students was to learn agriculture and industry, while studying was a secondary task. Therefore, there were many warehouses on campus to store farm tools.

A warehouse has now been converted into a library.

As you push open the door, the unique fresh scent of new wood, mingled with the aroma of books and ink, wafts out.

Two rows of four shelves, eight brand-new bookshelves, stand against the wall, each piled high with books.

Each book had a newspaper cover, and the title was written on the newspaper with a brush.

Zheng Chaoyang randomly picked out a few books and looked at them: "Revolutionary Stories, Maritime Front, wow, there's even Geography and Geographical Knowledge? These are good books!"

"Old classmate, you haven't neglected your calligraphy. You even wrote the book title yourself. I can tell just by looking at your handwriting; the strength is so powerful it seems to penetrate the paper."

Ai Shouye laughed and said, "I wrote it, but I wrote it very lightly, so it doesn't deserve your praise for its penetrating force."

After making a joke, he stroked the book with deep affection: "Yes, they are good books, all of them are good books."

“Two thousand three hundred and sixty-eight books!” Ai Shouye said, like an old farmer showing off his treasures, his fingers brushing over the spines of the books. “The books, such as ‘100,000 Whys,’ ‘How the Steel Was Tempered,’ ‘Founding Fathers,’ and ‘Fun Mathematics,’ were all old books that Director Qian had collected from the city library and government offices.”

Zheng Chaoyang checked the magazine and confirmed it was indeed an old book.

He pulled out a thick book and saw that it was "Red Star Over China," with a blue seal on the title page that read "Collection of the No. 6 State-owned Cotton Mill in Haibin City."

Zheng Chaoyang's notebook fell to the ground.

As he bent down to pick it up, he saw that the bottom shelf of the bookshelf was neatly stacked with "People's Pictorial" magazines. The latest issue was actually from last month, and the cover featured a photo of Comrade Xi Xian inspecting a scientific research unit.

Zheng Chaoyang picked up the notebook and stuffed it into the large cloth pocket of his Zhongshan suit.

He said, "Before we left, our unit leaders held a farewell meeting for our research team. At the meeting, we were asked to focus on investigating the mass base of some comrades."

"Now it seems that Qian Jin's public support no longer needs to be assessed, right?"

Principal Ai said, "Of course not. I don't know what you found out in the production team. I'll just talk about my school's little corner of the land."

"Qian Jin's mass base here is the book you see now, the clean heads and faces of the students outside, and the gong that Lao Xie can bang instead of shouting."

"Actually, there are too many. If I were to count them one by one for you, we could count them until dinner time."

Zheng Chaoyang nodded: "I understand. The investigation into Qian Jin is over."

Ai Shouye said, "He passed the review, does that mean he's going to be promoted?"

Zheng Chaoyang said, "Our unit will establish a new department in each city called the Foreign Investment Office. In the future, the Foreign Investment Office will also be decentralized to the county-level units. This will be a very important department."

“Qian Jin will definitely be transferred there, but he may not be promoted. You don’t know the situation in Haibin City. In your words, it’s like a big temple or a deep sea. There are many gods and bodhisattvas in the Haibin Supply and Marketing Cooperative, and the fish and dragons are big and long.”

"Qian Jin is doing a good job in the countryside, but he's still far behind many others in terms of experience and education. I don't think his future is very promising..."

(End of this chapter)