The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 257 The Commando Team Expands and Standardizes; Enterprises Providing Services for Spiritual Civilization Establish a Framework
After the signing is completed, there will be a celebratory cocktail party.

Qian Jin was too busy to attend the reception. He took a commemorative photo with the team members and then returned to the Municipal Supply and Marketing Cooperative to continue his work.

Both the Foreign Investment Office and the Taishan Road Labor Commando Team needed him.

As early as the 15th of last month, the State approved and forwarded a report from the leadership teams of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces regarding the implementation of special policies and flexible measures for foreign economic activities.

The state decided to first pilot export special zones in Shenzhen and Zhuhai, and then consider setting up special zones in other coastal cities after gaining experience.

The importance of foreign trade in the national economic system has risen to a new level.

A rumor began circulating in Haibin City that the central government also intended to designate Haibin City as a special export zone in the north and would soon establish a new foreign trade unit in the city.

The seaside city was very hot in August. The month passed quietly while we were sweating profusely, and before we knew it, it was September 1979.

In September, the seaside city had already shed the sweltering heat of summer.

The sea breeze blows in from the vast ocean, bringing a cool feeling in the mornings and evenings.

The edges of the plane tree leaves along Taishan Road are starting to turn yellow, rustling softly and conveying the message of the changing seasons.

An indescribable atmosphere permeated the air, like the scent of fresh oxygen that had finally appeared in a long-dormant, ancient world.

Qian Jin observed that the pace of ordinary people was becoming lighter and lighter, and the topics of conversation among the people queuing in front of state-run grocery stores were no longer just about the rations on their food ration books. Occasionally, unfamiliar new terms would pop up, such as "special economic zone" and "modernization".

An important speech was delivered on September 29.

The speech initially summarized the experiences and lessons learned over the past 30 years since the founding of the country, and clearly proposed that we should proceed from my country's realities and find a path to modernization that suits our country's conditions and characteristics, and that we should develop socialist democracy and the rule of law, and build socialist material and spiritual civilization.

On the same day that Qian Jin saw the speech published in the newspaper, he made a phone call from his office in the Foreign Affairs Office to the Labor Commando Team Office:
"Notify all team leaders, key personnel, and Party representatives that we will have a short meeting after get off work today in our conference room."

Rooms 204 and 205 of the tenement building were turned into offices for the labor shock brigade. Room 204 became the office for the leadership team, while room 205 was furnished with tables and chairs and became a meeting room.

After get off work, Qian Jin rode his motorcycle back to Taishan Road and headed straight for the tenement building.

The long-time residents were delighted to see him return and chatted with him about everyday matters.

Qian Jin had a headache, so he made up an excuse to slip away and quickly went into the office.

Rooms 204 and 205 have the same layout, with a wall separating the two rooms. However, the wall in the middle of room 205 has been knocked down, making the space more open and suitable for use as a meeting room.

Room 204 has two rooms; the outer room is a shared office space, while the inner room is the accountant's office.

Their current office conditions are still limited. In a small room, a few worn-out desks are pieced together to form the command post for their assault team.

Space is also limited; after the desks and chairs are arranged, there's hardly any room to stand.

Even the space on the walls is very limited; firstly, a row of certificates of merit are hung on the walls.

These are all the awards that the Taishan Road Labor Commando Team has received over the past two years. Now, whenever the Labor Commando Team holds an awards ceremony, Taishan Road will definitely be among the recipients of their award.

Then there are rows of small iron plates nailed to wooden boards, marked with numbers in red paint—these are the "work numbers" of the more than 300 assault team members on Taishan Road.

Near the window in the room stood two large blackboards. One of them was covered with chalk writing, which was the production schedule for each work group.

The other area was rather empty, with only a few lines of recent work priorities written on it, one of which, “Study the latest spirit,” was drawn with a thick circle.

As Qian Jin entered his office, the door to the conference room next door opened, and General Secretary Pang Gongbing poked his head out to him:

"Chief Qian, all the comrades are here, waiting for you."

Qian Jin went inside.

There were more than twenty people sitting inside.

Although the windows were open, it's likely that many people came directly from their workplaces, making the room smell messy.

The strongest smells are sweat, cigarette smoke, and foot odor, along with a strong smell of engine oil, lubricating oil, barbecue, and braised soup. Of course, there's also the dusty smell from the streets outside.

As Qian Jin entered, Xu Weidong raised his eyebrows at him.

This made him chuckle: "Did you work the night shift yesterday?"

Xu Weidong nodded: "Yes, so when I heard you had a meeting, I came too."

At the same time, the creaking sound of dragging benches could be heard incessantly, and everyone stood up.

Upon seeing this, Qian Jin waved his hand and said, "Sit down, there's no need for so much formality."

Qian Jin and the others sat down, glanced around, and got straight to the point.

He picked up today's newspaper and handed it to Pang Gongbing: "One for each of you, read the front page news."

"I called everyone here in such a hurry today just for this, you all saw it, right?"

He now places great emphasis on the learning abilities of his key subordinates.

These people would later become the core members of his large-scale integrated commercial complex.

Of course, many of them were not capable of great things, but Qian Jin saw that Liu Bang could conquer the world with the help of his old friends from Pei County, so he felt that he should have no problem building a group with the old friends from just one street.

As for their lack of ability?

That's alright, keep studying!
Reading books and newspapers was the daily learning plan he devised for his key subordinates.

After a quick glance at the newspaper headline, Zhou Shanhu said, "I saw it. I noticed it. I even heard it being broadcast over the loudspeaker when I went to set up my stall today."

Qian Jin nodded: "Okay, the leader's speech this time is very important. It summarized the gains and losses of the past thirty years and proposed a new path for development."

"What is the core of the new path? It's about starting from reality and pursuing modernization. Then, the leaders made it clear in the newspapers that we need to walk on two legs: material civilization and spiritual civilization must be developed simultaneously!"

Qian Jin emphasized the words "two legs" and "grasp together" as his gaze slowly swept over each of the team leaders present.

The crowd's expressions shifted from initial bewilderment to solemnity.

Zhu Tao said, "We all understand material civilization, but Chief Qian, you're emphasizing spiritual civilization this time, right?"

Qian Jin was quite pleased with his understanding and nodded, saying, "That's right."

"We have been working on material civilization, cleaning up, repairing dilapidated buildings, ensuring water and electricity supply, unclogging pipes, cleaning toilets, and urgently transporting supplies. Even our mobile canteens and clothing factories are all providing services in terms of material civilization for the people."

"And what about spiritual civilization?"

Su Changshun said, "Singing, dancing, and watching movies? Chief Qian, our labor commando team can't handle that, can we?"

"We have no problem providing material services, but how do we provide spiritual services? Should we organize the team members to sing?"

"You know, that's a good starting point. We could organize a singing competition or get everyone dancing," Zhou Shanhu grinned. "You guys know about the new 'four big items' that young people in Haibin City are saving up for these days, right?"

Qian Jin asked, "What are the new four major items?"

Zhou Shanhu counted on his fingers: "Half of them are related to us: sunglasses, bell-bottoms, trench coats, and tape recorders!"

"The first two items are cheap, while the last two are expensive, especially the tape recorder. But young people are all into it these days. I'm even thinking of suggesting that you get a tape recorder for our barbecue stand to play music."

Qian Jin said, "This suggestion doesn't need to be mentioned; it's approved."

Zhou Shanhu was overjoyed: "Then our business will definitely be even better. Chief Qian, you are too busy with your work. You don't know what young people like to do after work these days."

"What they like most now is to find a place to dance. They'll put on a tape recorder, find a spot, and start dancing..."

Qian Jin slammed his hand on the table: "We've gone off on a tangent. That's not what I wanted to talk about. Let's get back to the leader's speech."

"I've decided to use our Taishan Road Labor Commando Team as the core framework to set up a new operation, to establish a new collective economic unit, and we'll call it—"

"Taishan Road People's Spiritual Civilization Service Enterprise!"

When they heard that another new small collective enterprise was going to be opened, everyone was used to it, but when they heard the name, they were completely confused.

Zhou Shanhu muttered, "Isn't this exactly what I was saying? We're providing services for the people's spiritual and cultural development, finding a place to play music on a tape recorder, and letting them go dancing..."

Xu Weidong clapped vigorously to draw attention to himself, and then responded to Qian Jin's call:

"Great idea, Chief Qian!"

“Our commando team is renowned for its competence, but if we only have the strength to move mountains and the spirit to overwhelm the world, without a bit of cultural refinement, we really can’t keep up with the new situation.”

"Setting up this new setup not only responds to the national call but also fundamentally improves the quality and image of us rough and idle guys in the commando team. I wholeheartedly support it!"

Zhu Tao teased him, "So you're trying to improve your manners and image, aren't you? How about it, your teacher Su doesn't like you anymore, does she?"

Xu Weidong gritted his teeth and glared at him angrily: "You're lucky you're in a meeting right now, otherwise I would have kicked you in the face and let you taste the saltiness of my socks!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Bo immediately started to stir up trouble.

Qian Jin frowned.

The commotion below quickly subsided.

Zhao Bo coughed and put on a serious expression, saying, "Chief Qian, I naturally agree with your proposal. Your proposal is definitely a good one."

"But this spiritual civilization service enterprise is putting us in a difficult position. We are all rough people with oily hands and muddy feet. We are afraid we don't know how to handle this 'spiritual' thing!"

His words drew laughter and agreement.

Qian Jin said, "So don't rush into any random discussions. Every time I find a way out for our commando team, it's always after careful planning."

"Enterprises providing services for spiritual civilization are not what you think they are. I'll explain the specifics later. Now, let's talk about the second important topic: expanding the workforce!"

Upon hearing this, many team leaders looked up and stared at him.

The small collective enterprises run by the labor shock brigade were thriving, making many educated youths around Taishan Road envious.

This year, there are especially many educated youth returning to the city, and it can be said that almost every household has an extra mouth to feed.

They didn't even have a proper job, and they had long wanted to join the Taishan Road Labor Commando Team.

Countless people tried to reach these team leaders through connections, but they couldn't do anything about it.

Qian Jin holds the reins of personnel management.

Qian Jin is indeed not someone that ordinary people can find.

He's so busy with his work at the city's supply and marketing cooperative that he's constantly surrounded by leaders and factory directors; most people can't even find his doorstep.

Upon learning that the labor shock brigades could be expanded, all the team leaders perked up their ears.

Without him.

They all have several spots saved up, filled with relatives and friends who want to join the labor shock brigade but haven't been able to get in.

Qian Jin understood their expectations, so he didn't keep them in suspense or give them a chance to complain, and immediately continued from where he left off:

"Yes, a team needs to absorb fresh blood to expand and grow stronger, but it's not enough to just expand the team; it's also important to ensure the team's integrity and combat effectiveness."

"We cannot be just for show or to put on a good show. We must not allow lazy people, slackers, or people whose minds are not on the right path to infiltrate our painstakingly built team under the guise of a new name."

This is something Qian Jin has been emphasizing.

Since last year, the commando team has expanded too much. While the main force of the current commando team is certainly tough, it also includes some marginal personnel left over from a special era or those who are just there to make a living.

If the new small collective enterprise is expanded again without proper screening, the mixed quality of personnel could backfire and ruin the reputation of the "Taishan Road Labor Commando Team".

"Therefore, before formally establishing the framework of this 'spiritual civilization service enterprise,' my idea is that we must first expand the task force! Inject fresh, reliable, and promising forces!"

"But the prerequisite is—there must be a strict set of hard standards, like the rating system for factory technicians!"

"What we need are truly elite troops who can fight well on both fronts: the battlefield of material production and the battlefield of spiritual civilization! In short: take the essence and discard the dross!"

Xu Weidong realized what was happening and said, "So the core task of today's second topic is for you to establish rules for team member selection for everyone?"

Qian Jin chuckled: "No, it's about everyone working together to establish rules. Everyone should use their brains, don't hold back, and speak out whatever ideas you have!"

The crowd looked at each other in bewilderment, but the atmosphere quickly became lively.

They are all on the front lines leading teams, and they know exactly who their subordinates are and who their associates are.

Therefore, when Qian Jin asked them to set the criteria for selecting team members, they all had something to say. Shi Zhentao, who had always been in charge of leading the security task force, quickly said, "Hey, comrades, listen to me first. The most important thing is that they must be politically reliable."

"Within three generations, one's family background and personal history must be clear and transparent; this is the foundation! We are engaged in a new cause that responds to the call of the nation, and the foundation cannot be crooked!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Shanhu rolled his eyes: "Then someone like me will definitely have to be removed from the team."

Shi Zhentao was not good with words, and in his haste, he did indeed touch Zhou Shanhu's sore spot.

This made him feel a little embarrassed.

Zhou Shanhu is good at navigating social circles; he's quite popular in the labor shock brigade now.

Firstly, the barbecue stall he managed was one of the most profitable businesses; secondly, his family was well-off, and he was generous with his money.

Furthermore, he has friends from all walks of life, so if anyone encounters a problem, he can usually find a convenient solution.

Through this process, despite his dark past, he rose through the ranks in the labor shock brigade.

However, Shi Zhentao and Zhou Shanhu did not have a good relationship.

Because Shi Zhentao was leading a security task force, the nature of his work was inherently at odds with Zhou Shanhu's dark past.

Therefore, the two usually try to avoid each other, and if they do bump into each other, they only nod to each other.

At this moment, Shi Zhentao unintentionally offended Zhou Shanhu, and for a moment he was at a loss for words and dumbfounded.

As his close friend, Su Changshun immediately picked up the conversation smoothly: "Shi Tou's suggestion makes sense but also has problems. Now it's a new era with new policies, and we also need to see how it performs in reality."

"We need to investigate their reputation during their time in the countryside or at their previous workplace. If the neighbors say they are good, then they are truly good."

"We need to do our own thorough research on this matter and eliminate any bad apples as much as possible!"

The new team leader, Cao Youzhi, hesitated for a moment before saying, "Team Leader Su is right. I think we need to look at the character and family values ​​of our team members. Their reputation among their neighbors is very important, and the conduct of their elders and roommates is also important. The saying 'If the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam will be crooked' is definitely true."

Mi Gang nodded.

Qian Jin then gestured to him: "Team Leader Mi is a veteran captain, let's hear his opinion."

Mi Gang laughed and said, "Let the brothers speak first, and I'll organize my thoughts."

Zhou Shanhu said, "Then let me say a few words?"

Qian Jin nodded at him.

Zhou Shanhu stood up formally and said sincerely, "I owe my success today to the tolerance and trust of Chief Qian and Teacher Wei. I won't say thank you now, because I've said it too many times during the New Year's greetings."

"Getting back to the main point, Captain Shi and Captain Su just raised two hard benchmarks. I would like to propose three soft benchmarks based on my experience and insights gained during my work."

"The first rule is that people must be able to endure hardship and have a solid work ethic!"

“Even those who run service businesses inevitably have to run errands and get tired. They can’t be like the ‘patients’ assigned by the street offices in the past, who would complain after only half a day of work.”

"Secondly, you need to be quick-witted. Just by hearing the name 'spiritual civilization' service, you know it's definitely different from swinging a sledgehammer. You're dealing with neighbors, so you need to be good at talking, know how to handle things, and have a service-oriented mindset. You can't act like a big shot, nor can you have a deadpan expression."

"Thirdly, you have to be ambitious! We don't expect everyone to be a scholar, but at least you have to be willing to learn. Both Chief Qian and Teacher Wei have always emphasized this point: you have to learn until you die. We all have to learn."

"This is very important; it will make it easier to organize learning sessions on new policies and carry out promotional activities in the future."

Qian Jin was quite surprised.

It was by chance that Zhou Shanhu was able to join the labor shock brigade, but he was indeed a talented person.

His proposal was very forward-thinking, introducing requirements such as "service awareness," "communication skills," and "learning ability."

It's likely that even in the early 21st century, some small businesses didn't realize the importance of these three points when recruiting employees.

Taking advantage of the situation, Mi Gang added, "Yes, yes, Lao Zhou's addition is excellent."

"The worst thing about people is going down a dead end and being stubborn. To do our job, especially in the service industry in the future, you need to be eloquent, good at promoting and reasoning."

"You can't be cold to people, and you can't be glib or cunning. You have to learn from the sales clerks of state-owned stores. They have a good attitude, a patient temper, can explain things clearly, and can keep customers engaged."

Xu Weidong scratched his head and said, "Comrades, I am terrified after hearing your demands."

"Why do I feel like if these requirements had existed before, someone like me wouldn't have even been allowed into our commando team?"

Qian Jin said without any mercy, "It's right that you can't get in. We want to set up a threshold to keep people like you out."

The crowd roared with laughter.

Xu Weidong chuckled: "No, my comrade, we must not forget the original intention of the labor shock brigade, which was to alleviate the survival burden of some families in difficulty."

"Therefore, I think we should also take family burdens into account. For those with families and those who are having a lot of difficulties in life, as long as they are willing to work hard, we should give them some slots."

Upon hearing this, Qian Jin realized it was indeed true.

It does matter.

He hurriedly said to Pang Gongbing, "What are you still laughing about? Comrade Xu Weidong's suggestion is excellent; remember it."

Pang Gongbing immediately picked up his pen.

"And discipline!" Shi Zhentao emphasized again, "Without rules, there can be no order. Newcomers must obey orders and abide by our commando team's old traditions and new regulations."

"Those who are undisciplined, who only work when they feel like it, and who slack off when they don't, are absolutely unacceptable..."

The discussion went deeper and deeper, and the ideas became clearer and clearer.

As you and I exchanged words, the previously ambiguous area gradually began to have clear boundaries.

Qian Jin listened attentively without interrupting. When everyone had finished speaking, he nodded and smiled:
"As the old saying goes, three cobblers are equal to one Zhuge Liang, right? Look, our meeting has yielded remarkable results."

"We've come up with the entry requirements for the labor shock brigades, and this is a great thing with programmatic significance."

He looked at Pang Gongbing:

"You wrote down everyone's opinions?"

Pang Gongbing nodded: "I've written it down, it's very clear."

Qian Jin said, "Then repeat it for us, so that all the comrades can hear it."

Pang Gongbing cleared his throat with a light cough and said, "Based on everyone's opinions, I have initially summarized a few 'provisional standards for the selection of members of the Taishan Road Labor Commando Team':"
A righteous family background and a clear history. A stable foundation and a solid reputation. Upright family values ​​and integrity. Hardworking and disciplined. Capable of running errands and physically fit. Sensible and articulate. Aspiring to learn and strive for improvement.

"Special Circumstances: For comrades who are truly in difficulty and meet the first 7 core criteria, the Qian Chief will select and employ them on a case-by-case basis."

After listening, Qian Jin laughed heartily and took the lead in clapping: "What are you all standing there for? Comrades, quickly give our Chief Secretary Pang a round of applause! Chief Secretary Pang is truly a talent, he's just right for this kind of writing job."

The others applauded.

Pang Gongbing did a really good job this time, summarizing their requirements concisely and clearly.

Qian Jin said, "Secretary Pang, after the meeting, please organize these points and put them into a clear and concise document. Then I will print it out and distribute it to all the team leaders."

"In the upcoming fourth quarter, our Taishan Road assault team will be greatly expanded and new members will be recruited!"

"I'm making this clear now. We'll recruit according to this standard. We'd rather have fewer but better candidates. Every single one of them must be a top-notch talent."

"So, all you captains, go back and open your eyes wide, and sift your subordinates as finely as possible!"

A group of people responded enthusiastically, with replies like "Understood!" and "Good!" echoing one after another.

Qian Jin picked up his teacup and took a sip of water, satisfied.

Today's meeting was very meaningful. The establishment of selection criteria is like clearing the foundation for a new building, and it also sets inviolable boundaries for the expansion of the military.

Engineer Pang asked him, "Chief Qian, is there anything you'd like to add?"

Qian Jin laughed and said, "I have something to add, but I won't add it now, lest I scare you."

Xu Weidong laughed too: "Go ahead and tell me, what could possibly scare us? Do we need to have perfectly proportioned features or something?"

Qian Jin shook his head: "Wrong, it's an exam!"

The last two words left many people speechless, with at least four or five people asking in unison:
"take an exam?"

Xu Weidong asked blankly, "Exam? Exam about what? University?"

"University entrance exams test Chinese, math, physics, and chemistry; our labor commando team doesn't need these things for now," Qian Jin explained with a smile.

"If we're going to test you, we'll test your basic interpersonal skills, your familiarity with the main streets, major stores, and important units in Haibin City, and how you'll handle situations like an old lady asking for directions, a young person inquiring about policies and newspapers, or an unreasonable person deliberately causing trouble."

"The questions can be asked or answered or simulated. The questions don't need to be too profound, but they must be able to filter out those who have no social experience or basic common sense, or who are slow to react."

Everyone scratched their heads, and Gong Guang said weakly, "Isn't this too difficult? Do we have to take an exam to join the labor shock brigade?"

Qian Jin said, "Actually, the threshold for this exam is lower than your seven criteria, but never mind, this is just a temporary idea of ​​mine, so we won't use it for now."

“However,” he smiled slightly, “our labor commando team will become larger and more standardized in the future, and there will be differences in rank. You will have to take an exam to be promoted.”

"So everyone, study hard! You'll have plenty to learn in the future!"

His move was simple: he managed the labor shock brigades as if they were future enterprises.

The same applies to recruitment by companies and labor task forces.

In fact, this workload is much smaller and more reliable than the seven major measures that were just released.

"Chief Qian, we can select people according to these high standards, but what exactly does this 'Taishan Road People's Spiritual Civilization Service Enterprise' do? We can't just sit there doing nothing, can we?" Xu Weidong changed the subject.

The others also looked up, their eyes filled with anticipation and confusion as they gazed at Qian Jin.

Yes, the direction is set, the standards are in place, and the people are coming soon. So, where is the "job" for the new "enterprise"?
So how do you make money?
In the early stages, Qian Jin did not expect this new company to make money, because the company's strength lay in the 1990s.

With the enrichment of the entertainment industry and the relaxation of regulations, he plans to use this as a base to enter the entertainment industry.

There really aren't many good ways to make money right now.

Qian Jinxian showed a path: "Spiritual civilization cannot exist without culture. And for culture, books, newspapers, and magazines are the sustenance!"

"I have received inside information that, given that newspaper and magazine distribution is now uniformly managed by the postal and telecommunications departments, the integrated postal and distribution system is too rigid and seriously affects the channels through which the people can access books and newspapers."

"The country is about to introduce similar experiences from abroad and set up newsstands to sell books and newspapers on some streets with high traffic. This hard advertising will not be done by the post and telecommunications department alone, but by soliciting capable and reputable units to cooperate in building it together."

Xu Weidong understood immediately: "You want to cooperate with the post and telecommunications department to build this?"

Qian Jin said, "Yes, let's see if we can get this opportunity. If we can, then our spiritual civilization service enterprise will be established, right?"

"I've already figured out the operating model. When the time comes, we'll set up a 'Taishan Road Mobile Newspaper and Magazine Service Point,' using flatbed carts and tricycles to push bookshelves and newspapers, displaying our 'Taishan Road Labor Commando Team Spiritual Civilization Service Point' big red flag, and going deep into every street intersection, in front of grocery stores, and among the crowds of people going to and from get off work."

"We will deliver the Party's voice, the country's new policies, the new changes in the outside world, and some pictorials and magazines that can broaden people's horizons to the people at the lowest possible price or even for free."

"If we can ensure that everyone has access to books and newspapers, wouldn't that be providing spiritual nourishment?"

Zhu Tao was intrigued: "Then will it be registered under the name of our People's Mobile Canteen?"

"Providing spiritual nourishment to the people is also providing food, after all."

Qian Jin laughed and said, "Then there's no need for that. When a new unit comes out, a batch of new people will definitely be promoted."

Several party representatives who hadn't spoken at the meeting became interested upon hearing this.

Another promotion channel has emerged.

Accountant Qu Yonghong saw the problem and asked hesitantly, "But, Chief Qian, can we make money this way?"

Qian Jin said, "We are responding to the central government's call to serve the spiritual and cultural development of the people. We can't just think about making money from every project."

"The focus is not on making money. We already have so many ways to make money. This new small collective enterprise focuses on serving the people!"

"Alright, the mission is clear. Everyone, please return. I haven't prepared dinner here!"

(End of this chapter)