The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 297 Giving Gifts and Building a Team

On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, after seeing off the blacksmiths and their families who had been happily waiting, Qian went into the empty training school to begin his trial run of the "golden house."

With more space, everything becomes more convenient.

We buy rice and flour by the ton.

Buy the grain, use a smearing pen to cover up the production information, and you can easily harvest a huge amount of grain.

In addition, as agreed, Qian Jin also prepared various supplies such as pressure cookers, bicycles, radios, and sewing machines for this trip.

He borrowed two trucks and arranged for a 20-person task force to move the supplies, finally getting all the goods loaded onto the trucks.

Next, we headed to the Xiping Production Brigade.

The weather was dry and there was no snow, but it was very cold.

The biting northwest wind swept across the rolling loess plateaus of Xiping Mountain like a knife, stirring up dry dust, and there was a hint of spring in the air.

It's not the smell of spring when flowers are in bloom, but the smell of dry, windy, dusty weather in spring.

Today, even though there's no snow, the sky is gloomy and leaden, with not a ray of sunshine in sight.

A cold wind blew by, and the bare old locust tree shivered in the wind.

Because they still had to move goods, they set off a little late, and it was almost noon by the time the truck drove into the valley.

Xiping Production Brigade is nearby.

The courtyard walls are made of adobe and mountain stones, and the roofs are covered with dry thatch. The houses are low and nestled on the hillside, and smoke is rising from the chimneys of every household.

The mountain wind swept the cooking smoke onto the road, adding a faint touch of warmth to this desolate winter day.

It was still early in the year, and the Xiping Production Brigade was quite lively.

Compared to the past, the marks of poverty have faded considerably.

Unlike workers who have holidays during the first month of the lunar calendar, farmers have to go back to the fields after the second day of the Lunar New Year.

Some commune members were walking home after work, their faces showing the leisure of the holiday, and their clothes were different from those of previous years.

His face turned red, and his cotton-padded jacket and trousers billowed out.

After two years of rapid development in vegetable production, the conditions in Xiping Production Brigade have improved significantly. In previous years, the cotton-padded jackets and trousers worn by the commune members were mostly tattered clothes that had been worn for many years.

Even if the cotton-padded jackets worn by the commune members weren't made from newly cut cotton cloth, they were at least taken apart in the twelfth lunar month and the old cotton was taken out and re-fluffed, making the jackets and trousers fuller and warmer.

As the truck drove by, commune members carrying shovels and hoes stood by the roadside watching.

Upon seeing Qian Jin and the truckload of supplies, they became excited and rushed to the brigade headquarters to report the news.

On this bumpy mountain road, the trucks couldn't keep up with the speed of the villagers.

So when the car arrived at the brigade headquarters and hadn't even come to a complete stop, Zhou Tiezhen, along with several team cadres and villagers who had run over to see what was going on, had already gathered around:

"Oh, it's Director Qian."

"Director Qian, is it cold? Come inside and warm up..."

"Here, offer cigarettes to the drivers..."

Qian Jin felt a chill run through his body as he sat in the car.

He jumped out of the car, stamped his feet, rubbed his hands together, and breathed out a puff of white mist that instantly disappeared into the cold air: "Captain Zhou, Uncle Nian, comrades, Happy New Year, Happy New Year..."

"Happy Chinese New Year..." Laughter immediately followed.

Zhou Tiezhen went to pay New Year's greetings to Chen Shoujiang again.

Chen Shoujiang gave a shout and quickly went around to the back of the truck to untie the ropes binding the truck bed.

As the ropes were untied, the tarpaulin was pulled back and lifted with a whoosh, revealing the scene inside the carriage as if a magician's curtain had been suddenly drawn back—

Instantly, the eyes of the onlookers, young and old, widened in astonishment.

Daily necessities!

Supplies piled up like small mountains!

These are all rare and sought-after items that are hard to find on the market, and even supply and marketing cooperatives can't get them with coupons!
What first caught their eye was a stack of clean white bags, all of them bulging and labeled with words like "Northeast Rice" or "Special Grade Rich Flour".

This made many members unconsciously swallow their saliva.

It should be noted that even during the Spring Festival, the commune members in Xiping received very limited amounts of refined grains, and their staple food was usually cornmeal and dried sweet potatoes.

Behind the grain bags were neatly stacked cardboard boxes labeled "edible vegetable oil," dozens of boxes in total.

There were also some boxes that, when unloaded and opened, were full of good things like white sugar, brown sugar, hard fruit sugar, and soft milk candy.

Another box was opened, and inside were packets of tea.

In rural areas, these are treasures that only a very few families can afford to buy when they are doing something important.

This is not over yet.

Two trucks went into the mountains. After the canvas tarpaulin on the back truck was completely lifted, military cotton overcoats were found tied up deep inside the truck bed.

It's entirely emerald green with a gray-black fur collar, all thick and cozy-looking.

After taking off the military green cotton coat, there were thick cotton shoes, fragrant soap, and even some exquisite cardboard boxes containing shiny wall clocks.

As for flashlights, enamel basins, and thermos bottle casings, there were plenty, filling the entire truck.

For the Zhou family, who had never been to the county department store and at most visited the commune supply and marketing cooperative on weekdays, these two trucks were like two huge treasures, exuding an unprecedented sense of prosperity in this mountain village!
"Good heavens... what... what are they trying to do?" A young woman holding her child asked, her voice trembling.

Her eyes were fixed on an open burlap sack containing small packets of coarse white flour, but when the wind blew, these things emitted a floral fragrance.

Curious, she asked, "What kind of noodles are these? Why do they smell so good?"

"They must have added something with a special formula," an elderly man with gray hair said with great insight.

Qian Jin glanced at it and smiled: "That's laundry detergent. It can be used to wash clothes, brush shoes, and also to wash hands, face, and hair."

These days, using laundry detergent to wash hair is extremely common. Even in the city, many companies give laundry detergent to their workers so that they can wash their hair.

Women are interested in soap and laundry detergent, while men are interested in liquor, spirits, and sturdy cured meat.

Once the cotton-padded clothes and shoes were taken off, the women excitedly crowded around.

They tentatively touched the brand-new, thick cotton-padded coats with their hands, and compared them to the rough cotton clothes they wore. The difference in warmth was enormous.

More manpower was deployed to unload the cargo.

With the arrival of various supplies, the entire team headquarters began to buzz with excitement.

The murmurs of surprise, elation, and disbelief nearly drove away the cold wind.

The children were overjoyed; seeing the adults happy made them happy too, and they squealed and weaved between the adults' legs.

Once the sewing machines and bicycles at the innermost edge had been unloaded, some families, hearing the commotion, came and excitedly pushed their way forward.

“There must be one of my cars here. The brigade leader said that whoever gives away an old item will get a new one…”

"I need to get a sewing machine for my wife; all I got from my family was a silver dollar..."

"What is that square box? Is it a television set?"

The appearance of the 15-inch black and white television set caused an immediate sensation:
"Ha, that's a TV. Yesterday I took my child to the county town to pay New Year's respects to his uncle, and we went to a friend's house to watch TV together..."

"Such a big TV? Let me see, let me see, I've never watched TV before..."

"Wait, TV, TV! This needs electricity, but where in our brigade do we have electricity?"

This one sentence dampened the enthusiasm of many people.

Not bad.

Without electricity, the television is just for show!

Zhou Tiezhen was grinning when he saw the TV, but he stopped laughing after he realized what was going on: "This thing is useless to our brigade. Our brigade is a poor, remote place. Who knows when we'll get electricity?"

Qian Jin said, "How could I not know about this? Don't worry, Captain Zhou, I've prepared a generator for you, a diesel generator."

Overjoyed, Zhou Tiezhen exclaimed, "Is that the diesel generator that the county film projection station used when they came to show movies?"

Qian Jin nodded.

Zhou Tiezhen clapped his hands happily: "Good, good, good!"

"By the way, why did you bring so much stuff this time? It's all high-quality stuff."

Qian Jin said, "We agreed last time that we can't just take the old things from the villagers for nothing. We not only have to give them money, but also give them the things they need."

"However, these rice, flour, oil, meat, cigarettes, alcohol, sugar, tea, new cotton clothes, new cotton shoes, soap, matches, and the like are all New Year's goods purchased for all members of our Xiping Brigade. Every household will receive a share. The specific distribution method is up to you brigade cadres to discuss."

"All of them? This...this can work?" Zhou Tiezhen's lips trembled with excitement.

He served as the brigade leader for more than ten years, leading the whole village to work hard to earn work points. The biggest gain he ever saw was when there was a bumper harvest, and he could go to the county to buy salted fish to share with the villagers.

As a result, the supplies allocated to the brigade were all scarce commodities that even the commune's supply and marketing cooperative couldn't find. This January was going to be quite eventful.

It's still the Spring Festival, and Qian Jin has brought a lot of supplies, making the whole brigade even more lively than during the Spring Festival.

Under Zhou Tiezhen's command, the able-bodied young men unloaded the dazzling array of scarce goods from the truck one by one, like ants carrying food, and piled them into the largest warehouse in the production team.

Every single one of the commune members wore unprecedented enthusiasm and smiles. Whether moving grain, sewing machines, or bicycles, they were both careful and incredibly fast.

The women gathered together to count and exclaim in admiration, while the children chased after the person carrying the candy box, and everywhere there were joyful shouts.

Finally, the last bag of flour was moved into the warehouse, and the cargo compartments of the two Jiefang trucks were empty.

The noise was even louder.

Members from several production teams were arriving after hearing the news. They gathered in small groups, talking enthusiastically and expectantly about what they had just seen and heard.

Biaozi and Zhuzi participated in moving the goods and were giving a serious introduction in the crowd:
"It's all refined grains, hardly any whole grains. Hey, I even saw glutinous rice flour! Just wait, we'll definitely be able to eat tangyuan this Mid-Autumn Festival..."

"I didn't count the sewing machines, but I counted the bicycles—at least forty! All of them are brand names like Phoenix and Forever. I don't know who they're for; I'm not the brigade leader..."

"From what I heard from the leader, it seems that each family will get one watch. The leader said, 'We can't just rely on the weather for our livelihood...'"

Qian Jin took two heavy shoulder bags from the driver's seat and slung them on either side of his body, just like the old lady with the double guns carried her Mauser pistol.

He winked at Zhou Tiezhen, and seeing that Zhou Gu hadn't gone to work at the commune's cooperative store yet, he winked at him again:

"Brigade Leader Zhou, Accountant Zhou, Director Wang, please call over a few team leaders from each production team. Let's talk inside."

Old Nian, the carpenter, was also there, but he was an honest man who knew perfectly well that there were some things he shouldn't hear. So he chuckled twice and said, "I'll go keep an eye on the storeroom. We just bought so many valuable things; we can't afford any mishaps."

Zhou Tiezhen patted him on the shoulder, he nodded and smiled, then turned and strode towards the warehouse, urging the children who were crawling inside to come out quickly.

Qian Jin and several leading cadres entered the brigade headquarters, where a red-hot iron stove was radiating heat.

A captain closed the door, instantly shutting out the cold and noise from outside.

Qian Jin glanced at the sturdy wooden door and couldn't help but exclaim, "It's a good door."

“Our brigade has no shortage of wood,” Zhou Tiezhen laughed.

Qian Jin took off one of the bags he was carrying and placed it on the table, then opened it to show everyone.

Inside were several long strips wrapped thickly in old newspapers. Unwrapping the newspapers revealed two large bundles of neatly tied "Great Unity" (a symbol of unity in China).

Zhou Tiezhen subconsciously took a deep breath.

He's experienced now. These 100-yuan notes are bundled together, and there are ten bundles in a row. These two bundles—a total of 20,000 yuan!

"Another twenty thousand yuan." Zhou Gu swallowed subconsciously, his voice trembling.

Faced with such a large sum of money, he couldn't help but feel a bit greedy. His fingers unconsciously reached out to touch it, but before he could even touch the money, others noticed and he pulled back as if he had been burned.

Zhou Tiezhen had 20,000 yuan locked in his drawer, and now another 20,000 yuan has arrived, making it 40,000 yuan!
It should be noted that the Xiping Production Brigade usually doesn't have more than four figures in cash on hand.

Qian Jin seemed oblivious to their lapse in composure, and slowly took out another bag from his shoulder, emptying out several large kraft paper envelopes.

Upon opening the seal, one finds a variety of colorful tickets and certificates inside.

He threw the envelopes in front of everyone, introducing each one as he went:
"This is the national grain coupon, this is the special grain coupon for our province and city, and this is the oil coupon and cloth coupon, sugar coupon and meat coupon together, industrial product coupons and foreign exchange coupons, and all sorts of other things are packed in an envelope."

Everyone stared in disbelief, dazzled by the sight.

Zhou Gu opened the envelope and began to read.

The sheer variety and quantity of tickets and passes inside is truly dizzying.

In this era where ration coupons are king, these coupons are more valuable than money itself!
Finally, Qian Jin took out a neatly folded piece of paper and pushed it in front of Zhou Tiezhen: "Captain Zhou, this is the valuation list of the old items we brought back last time."

“I consulted several experts and master craftsmen from the provincial capital and other provinces repeatedly. Some of these items are indeed quite old, and some are made of special materials. They gave me an estimate, and the price is written on it.”

“You can take a look on behalf of the members. If you have any objections, please raise them in person. If you don’t have any objections, you can discuss it and return the money and vouchers to those members based on the names and corresponding amounts of money and vouchers on this list.”

He gestured to the two bundles of cash and the pile of bills on the table: "Besides the money on the list, I've also prepared some extra items. Depending on the size and condition of the items provided by each family, I'll add some extra as appropriate..."

"Those things outside?" a captain asked.

Qian Jin said, "It's just a part of the outside."

"By the way, there are a few particularly valuable old items, so I prepared a few extra 'gifts' for them. This is a small token of my appreciation and that of our labor commando team to thank them for their trust."

As he spoke, he pulled out a folded small list from his military overcoat and handed it to Zhou Tiezhen.

Zhou Tiezhen quickly took it and saw that it contained several lines of text, corresponding to several names.

The "Gifts" section prominently displays items such as "One Forever 28-inch Heavy-Duty Bicycle", "One Shanghai 7120 All-Steel Shockproof Watch", "One Bee Brand Simple Sewing Machine", and "One Red Lantern 753 Semiconductor Radio".

"Good heavens, the three turns and one sound are all here." Zhou Tiezhen couldn't help but flick the paper with his finger to show the people around him.

The "three turns and one sound" (referring to a sewing machine, a watch, a radio, and a microphone) are high-end consumer goods that countless people dream of owning. Nowadays, people in rural areas don't even dare to dream of these items when they get married; they are the kind of precious things that city people are willing to buy for their weddings.

Throughout the entire Xiping Production Brigade, no matter which household tightened their belts and saved money their whole lives, they might not be able to afford the "three turns and one sound" (a traditional Chinese house, a sewing machine, a watch, a radio, and a telephone).

Let alone their poor production brigade, even in the entire commune, if any family had just one of these items, it would be enough to make the whole family proud for several years!
Now, Qian Jin has delivered everything to them.

One of the team leaders' families is on the list.

When he saw that his family would receive a bicycle and a watch, he couldn't help but grab Qian Jin's hand and shake it: "My eldest son always complained that walking to school in the commune was inconvenient. Now that he has a bicycle, it will be much easier for him to go to and from school!"

“Hey, can you give me your watch?” another team leader said enviously. “Xiaofeng is getting married this year, and the bride’s family specifically asked for a watch…”

"Let her call the roll," Zhou Tiezhen interrupted the team leader, his face full of indignation. "Damn it, whose daughter is this so arrogant?"

"Do they still think we're the poorest people in the county? Do they still dare to pick and choose between guys from Xiping? They must be blind!"

"With Director Qian's support, Xiping will soon be the richest place in the county. Xiaofeng should have some backbone. In a couple of years, I'll find him a wife in the city!"

The captains laughed.

Qian Jin stood up for Zhou Tiezhen: "What Brigade Zhou said is absolutely right. Your brigade started building greenhouses this fall."

"With vegetable greenhouses, Xiping Production Brigade will definitely become the wealthiest production brigade in Yuezhou County!"

"Good!" the team leaders cheered in unison. "We may not believe what others say, but we cannot disbelieve Director Qian's words!"

Qian Jin instructed Zhou Tiezhen: "Make sure the supplies are distributed properly. The old saying is very true: people are not worried about scarcity but about inequality."

“Some families only get rice, flour, oil, and sugar, while others have money, bicycles, and sewing machines. Be careful not to cause conflicts among the commune members.”

"Don't worry, I will definitely handle this well! I will definitely handle it well!" Zhou Tiezhen excitedly assured him repeatedly.

The others immediately expressed their full support for his work. After dealing with the most important matter of money and vouchers, Qian Jin breathed a sigh of relief and a slightly more relaxed smile appeared on his face.

Women's Director Wang Xiaoying said apologetically, "Director Qian, I didn't mean anything by it, it's just about that pressure cooker you mentioned before the New Year..."

Qian Jin said, "You don't need to be embarrassed. I know you don't mean anything by it. This is something I promised to do, and I will definitely keep my word."

“I’ve brought the pressure cookers with me. There are six production teams in total, right? I brought eight pressure cookers. Two will be kept at the brigade headquarters, and each production team can get one.”

Zhou Tiezhen and the others had never seen this strange thing before, and their curiosity was piqued: "Where is it?"

Qian Jin described what the pressure cooker looked like, and two team leaders hurriedly ran out and soon returned, each carrying a pressure cooker.

Qian Jin took the pressure cooker and showed it to them: "This thing is very popular in the provincial capital now. They call it a pressure cooker. It stews meat and boils bones very quickly, saving firewood and time."

Seeing the group's curiosity, and knowing that the wild boar meat from the last hunt hadn't been eaten yet, Qian Jin asked Zhou Gu to bring over the wild boar meat and ribs to demonstrate the power of the pressure cooker.

The office stove can be used to heat this pressure cooker.

Qian Jin skillfully demonstrated the operation while explaining:
"The key to this pot is the sealing ring and the pressure device. Put the meat in, add some water, ginger, scallions, and salt, cover it tightly, and make sure the pressure valve is in the correct position..."

As the fire in the stove grew stronger, a hissing sound soon filled the pot.

Everyone was startled, but Qian Jin smiled and said, "It's alright. Once the pressure relief valve starts making a 'whooshing' sound, just turn the flame down a bit and keep it at this intensity."

As he spoke, he shrunk the flames in the stove.

Qian Jin looked up at his watch and said, "It usually takes twenty to thirty minutes. Wild boar meat takes a long time to cook, so we'll stew it for half an hour."

Several team leaders and a few curious members who had come to see the new pot craned their necks to watch the peculiar pot making a slight but continuous hissing sound on the stove.

The sound was completely unfamiliar to them, and someone muttered worriedly, "Won't this pot explode?"

Qian Jin originally had more important matters to discuss with several cadres, but when he saw that the pressure cooker was attracting more and more commune members to come and watch the excitement, he didn't say anything and sat down to rest.

The fire roared in the stove, and time ticked by.

Half an hour later, Qian Jin took the pressure cooker down and gestured for everyone to step back.

It would actually be better to let the high temperature and high pressure continue to operate for a while, but everyone is eagerly waiting and very anxiously waiting.

So he carefully released the pressure inside the pot according to the procedure, and then slowly unscrewed the lid.

"hiss--"

A mouthwatering aroma of meat, accompanied by rising steam, instantly filled the entire simple office.

The thick white vapor seemed impossible to dissolve, and it was filled with fragrance.

Everyone stared wide-eyed; those in the back stood on tiptoe, while those in the front stared so intently their eyes almost popped out.

Qian Jin asked Wang Xiaoying to check on the situation.

Wang Xiaoying didn't care about hygiene either. She went out and randomly picked a thin, withered branch from a locust tree to use to poke pork and pork ribs.

The pork ribs, which were tough and thick just a moment ago, are now stewed until they are tender and soft. When you stir them with a twig, the meat falls off the bone!
She forcefully jabbed the branch into the meat, and instantly, a piece of wild boar meat appeared tremblingly on it before everyone's eyes.

The oil and juices in the meat were pressed out, and the originally dry meat now has a shiny and glossy surface.

Wang Xiaoying took a bite and immediately bit off half of the meat.

There's no need to say anything more.

The facts are before our eyes.

The members, their eyes wide open in amazement, began to clamor.

According to their experience using the earthen stoves in their village, such large pieces of ribs and meat would need to be stewed for at least three or four hours to become tender!

"This must be high-tech stuff, right? It's amazing, truly incredible." Zhou Gu also went to find a tree branch.

He carefully picked up a small piece of meat, which was so tender that it melted in his mouth after a few chews.

"It's cooked so quickly? Think of all the firewood we saved!" a middle-aged commune member exclaimed, his simple feeling of being concerned about wasting firewood was his most basic sentiment.

"Delicious, so tender! It's like it's been stewed all afternoon!" The eyes of the people who tasted the meat first lit up.

Qian Jin said with a smile, "This stuff saves time and firewood, and it stews things very quickly, especially suitable for hard-to-cook things like bones and beans."

"But the meat stewed in it is not as good as the meat stewed in an old iron pot, so I only brought a few for you. In my opinion, this thing is not very useful."

Wang Xiaoying immediately shook her head: "No, no, no, Director Qian, I think you're wrong. I think the meat stewed in this high-tech pot is more fragrant!"

The meat and ribs in the pressure cooker were separated, and Qian Jin handed the pot to Zhu Zi, asking him to prepare the broth.

The villagers who had originally squeezed in to watch the excitement left with the pressure cooker.

Qian Jin then said to the remaining cadres, "Captain Zhou, the school will be recruiting students in the spring. The classrooms, dormitories, bunk beds, and furniture are almost finished, but they still need to be installed, painted, and put away."

“I mentioned before the Lunar New Year that I would come to pick people up today. I would appreciate it if you, Uncle Huai, Uncle Sixi, and Uncle Laonian could help me select some good, experienced carpenters and laborers to come to the city to work.”

"Just like before, meals and lodging are provided, new craftsmen are given a set of work clothes, and their daily wages are still paid in rice, flour, and cured meat!"

He thought that Zhou Tiezhen would be pleased if he stated these conditions.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Tiezhen's thick brows furrowed into a deep frown, and he became worried.
"Director Qian, is this the matter? I've been so worried about it lately that I haven't been able to sleep well. The terms you've offered us are too generous!"

He counted on his fingers, “Not only is food and lodging provided, but the daily wage is many times higher than our work points here. After the news spread, our brigade, along with a few people from the neighboring teams who knew a little about carpentry, regardless of their skill level, all wanted to go and join us.”

"On New Year's Eve and the first two days of the Lunar New Year, the threshold of my little courtyard was almost worn down by people. Every family was trying to use their connections to send people over, but this whole thing is so complicated, I can't just send people over randomly."

What Zhou Tiezhen said was something Qian Jin had already foreseen.

Limited spots available, this is a rare opportunity.

The conditions for working in the city are so good, the temptation is so great, it far exceeds the improvement of life itself. For some families, it can be said that working in the city for a few days can change their family's conditions.

But Qian Jin offered such good terms in order to create this sensational effect.

He had anticipated this, and then revealed his next plan: "Captain Zhou, your worries are valid."

"So I'm here not only for the things that happened before the new year, but also for a bigger idea that I'd like to discuss with you and the other cadres."

Zhou Tiezhen, Zhou Gu, and the others immediately perked up their ears.

“It’s true that the construction of the school requires a stable team of craftsmen,” Qian Jin said, “but the school is only so big, right? The workers will have to come back after working until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month at most.”

"But as you all know, we've now entered a period of reform and opening up. You may not feel it as much in the countryside, but I, especially since I'm in charge of a unit that deals with foreigners, feel it very deeply in the city!"

"Liberate our minds and liberate our productive forces—that's what the leaders said during the Spring Festival this year. I'm pretty sure that with the policy easing, there will be plenty of construction and building work in the city in the future!"

"Let me tell you, my school is just the beginning. There will be plenty of places that need carpenters, bricklayers, and masons. Our labor shock brigades have many such job opportunities waiting for us."

“Our task force lacks such skilled craftsmen. If the streets need craftsmen to do the work in the future, I will have to temporarily assemble people. Is that acceptable? No, that won’t do!”

"Therefore, I want to build a reliable and professional construction team from the ground up!"

"Build a construction team?!" Zhou Tiezhen and Zhou Gu both stared wide-eyed.

For them, the term "engineering team" itself carries a sense of authority associated with large state-owned enterprises.

"Yes!" Qian Jin said firmly.

"We need not only carpenters, but also good bricklayers, plasterers, scaffolders, and in the future, we will even need to find people who know how to read blueprints and are good at project budgeting."

“Relying solely on Xiping is definitely not enough to have enough elite troops. You can also select the best from the neighboring brigades you know.”

"I guarantee you, as long as you can join my construction team, I can find a way to get you a city household registration! Although you might not become a formal worker immediately, you can get a town collective household registration and receive a government-subsidized food ration!"

A brief silence fell over the scene.

Because everyone was stunned.

The opportunity to change from an agricultural household registration to an urban collective household registration and receive marketable grain is a condition that farmers cannot refuse in the current climate.

If a family can obtain this condition, it means that they have the opportunity to completely get rid of the many restrictions brought about by rural household registration and enter a system with relatively good security and welfare.

"Commodity grain?! Urban...urban household registration?!"

Zhou Tiezhen stood up abruptly.

For the people of Xiping, who have toiled in the fields for generations, struggling to survive on work points and a few acres of meager land, these two words represent a golden road to success.

Its weight is ten or even a hundred times heavier than those four large items!
Even 20,000 yuan can't compare to these conditions.

Because money can only buy things, but changing to a non-agricultural household registration and being able to eat commercial grain means a complete change in the status of one's descendants.

For the farmers of Xiping, this is like a carp leaping over the dragon gate!
of course.

People today could never have imagined that the commodity grain and ration coupon system that has made them so deeply ingrained would begin to crumble in just a few years.

Not only would farmers not have thought of this, but even experts and officials in the city wouldn't have imagined it!
Seeing the intense reaction from the crowd, Qian Jin nodded solemnly: "This is difficult, but I'm confident. As long as the construction team is established and has the necessary qualifications for affiliation, I'll handle the connections."

"Then, then take me with you!" a team leader immediately raised his hand.

The team leader even recommended his own brother without hesitation: "My brother is great, he's an excellent bricklayer..."

Qian Jin looked at Zhou Tiezhen.

This matter still needs to be decided by Zhou Tiezhen.

He was overwhelmed with immense joy, but as a team leader, he quickly realized the enormous challenges and pressures that lay ahead after the initial excitement.

Having solved their household registration issues, moved to the city, and become construction workers, this was a dream come true for all the able-bodied men in the team.

Once this news is confirmed and released, Xiping and several nearby villages will likely be completely turned upside down.

It's no exaggeration to say that the fight was so fierce that people were practically fighting to the death!
Qian Jin naturally thought of this as well:

"So, Captain Zhou, my idea is: this time, we can't just recruit people randomly like before, or rely on personal connections. We must do it properly, openly, with strict assessments, and select the best candidates."

"Simply put, we need to establish rules and regulations!"

"Yes! We must establish rules! We must act according to the regulations!" Zhou Tiezhen said loudly, as if making a decision.

Then, he awkwardly asked, "But comrades, how should this charter be drafted? Should there be performance evaluations? The question is, what should be the evaluation criteria?"

Zhou Gu immediately chimed in: "The key is people. In our brigade, the family of Bo Hai from the second team has the best ancestral carpentry skills, and Sixi is the most skilled and meticulous."

"The bricklayers from Team Three are doing solid work..."

The team leader complained, "What's wrong? What's wrong with Tie Niu's skills? He's capable, and the team even needs him to clear land so he can't go to the city to work. He has a problem with that!"

The other team leaders joined in the commotion.

Zhou Tiezhen slammed his fist on the table: "Director Qian is still here, so stop nagging me."

"This was proposed by Director Qian, and he's the one who handled it afterwards, so we should listen to him."

The team leader hurriedly smiled obsequiously at Qian Jin: "Yes, Director Qian, just tell me, how should we do it?"

Qian Jin said, "I won't make decisions on this myself. You guys know the team members better than I do. Let's talk about the review criteria together."

"If you ask me, as long as you pass the political vetting," Zhou Tiezhen set the tone first, "having a clean family background and a clear history is the first requirement."

"They need to be quick and efficient, and honest and hardworking. We can't hire those who are cunning and have a history of petty theft. They can't go to the city and embarrass Xiping!"

“Technical assessment is the core, right?” Zhou Gu added.

"A carpenter can't just nail a stool leg; he has to be able to read simple furniture drawings, be precise with mortise and tenon joints, and be quick, steady, and accurate with cutting and planing."

"A bricklayer needs to know how to lay one-header-one-stretcher and three-header-one-stretcher, with straight joints and even mortar. A plasterer needs to be able to smooth and flat the wall surface, without any bumps or holes. This requires an on-site test, judged by an experienced craftsman. Director Qian, you will be here to supervise."

Wang Xiaoying said, "There should be an age limit, right?"

Zhou Gu pondered and nodded: "Yes, those who are too young lack experience and are not mentally stable. Those who are too old may not be able to handle the physical exertion and the hassle of going to the city."

"How about we set the age range as 20 to 45? That would mean fewer people."

The Xiping Production Brigade and several surrounding production teams and brigades have a large number of young and middle-aged people. They counted them up and found that there were a frighteningly many people in this age range who wanted to sign up.

Qian Jin said, "There are age requirements for construction teams, but I also need to recruit a few teachers for the school."

“People like Uncle Lao Huai and Uncle Sixi, who are skilled and eloquent, can become teachers at our school. They will be paid the same salary and receive the same welfare benefits as urban workers.”

Zhou Gu laughed: "Are you kidding me? They can be teachers?"

"Don't tell me, back in the 1950s when the production brigade set up agricultural schools, didn't they actually work as teachers?" said the oldest of the five team leaders.

Several people looked at Qian Jin in unison: "Boss, you're not joking, are you?"

Qian Jin said, "I'm not joking at all. I really want skilled old carpenters to be carpentry instructors and train carpenters for our construction team in an endless stream."

"If there are skilled masons or tilers, they can also become teachers. Our production team will definitely have a huge demand for such talents in the future!"

He was going to start his career in the construction industry from scratch, working his way up from a contractor to a real estate development company!
Seeing how serious he was, the group became genuinely excited.

"Should we assess their educational level?" Zhou Gu hesitated for a moment, looking troubled. "If we do, it'll be a problem. Our team doesn't even have a primary school. Being able to write your own name is already pretty good..."

Qian Jin shook his head: "Education level is not a hard and fast rule, but literacy is the best, because I will send them to training schools to learn."

"However, this time it mainly involves skilled craftsmen. In the early stages, they just need to be able to roughly understand the simple dimensions and instructions given in the drawings."

"Then let's make a statement on the recruitment exam notice that, under the same technical conditions, those who have graduated from primary or junior high school will be given priority," the team leader said enthusiastically.

"How are the quotas determined?" Zhou Tiezhen asked the most crucial question.

Qian Jin pondered for a moment: "The initial formation of this engineering team is mainly to lay the foundation for the school's construction and the next step."

"First, recruit twenty good carpenters, fifteen to twenty bricklayers and plasterers, and then select a few clever and courageous scaffolders. In total, we'll have a team of about fifty people to form a shift."

Fifty spots available!
This was an astonishing number for the several hundred able-bodied laborers in Xiping Brigade, but when considered within the labor force of Xiping and several surrounding brigades—such as Dong'ao Production Brigade and Shigou Production Brigade—it was definitely a case of too many cooks spoiling the broth.

Qian Jin concluded by emphasizing, "Don't spread the recruitment information too widely for now. Just stick to the list of people who are planning to come to the city to work after the New Year, plus those we think have real skills."

"We'll draft the recruitment standards and regulations first, and then post them out for a few days to let everyone give their opinions. The assessment process must be open, transparent, and impartial, and the list of successful candidates will also be posted publicly."

"Captain Zhou, you'll have to withstand immense pressure in this matter. Offending people is inevitable, but for the sake of your Zhou family's development, the foundation of the construction team, and its long-term future, this is the only way!"

Zhou Gu suddenly slapped his forehead: "Labor force moving to the city, this is a big deal, shouldn't we explain it to the higher authorities?"

The captains' faces immediately hardened.

The commune leaders probably can't run the business; they need the county leaders to give the orders.

But the county leaders...

That's a super high-ranking official!

Qian Jin waved his hand: "Don't worry, it's fine. We weren't aiming for city residency at first. We were just there to work according to the needs of our labor commando team."

"What's wrong with laborers coming to the city to work? Now that we've reformed and opened up, things are different from before. Everyone can rest assured. As long as we don't cause trouble or make a fuss when we come to the city, and we work honestly and conscientiously, there won't be any problems!"

Look how confidently he said that.

The team leaders breathed a sigh of relief.

Qian Jin continued to tell them, "What we have now is just a draft. Don't worry, things aren't that simple."

"The assessment technical standards, assessment procedures, discipline requirements for engineering teams, safety regulations, wages and benefits, and methods for handling violations all need to be defined in specific rules and regulations."

"So everyone must remain calm and not cause a huge uproar. If the news gets to the leaders' ears and they start investigating, then I'll be in trouble."

Zhou Tiezhen immediately pointed at the team leaders one by one: "Whoever leaked the news to me can get out of here and stop being a team leader. From now on, they won't get a penny of the team's profits!"

The captains immediately raised their hands and swore an oath.

(End of this chapter)