The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 304 The Qian family celebrates while disaster strikes in the countryside.

Amidst the busy work, time moved from March to April.

In early April, the coastal city had already begun to warm up. In the evening, the sea breeze blew, carrying only a trace of the lingering chill of winter, and mostly the warmth of spring.

The Qingming Festival is just a few days away on April 4th, and Qian Jin felt that the weather should be getting warmer.

However, last winter didn't snow much and wasn't as cold as usual; for example, it rained in Haibin City just a couple of days ago.

In fact, it used to snow in Haibin City in March, after all, it is a famous snow-covered area in the Central Plains.

The roar of motorcycles told the residents of Taishan Road that the head of the labor commando team had returned.

Qian Jin now enjoys considerable influence in Taishan, having appeared in newspapers multiple times and participated in commendation ceremonies at the city, provincial, and even national levels. He is now a true local celebrity.

In addition, he holds the banner of the Taishan Road Labor Commando Team, which means he is capable and energetic, so many people wait for him on the roadside to greet him.

Qian Jin was aware of this, so he slowed down after entering Taishan Road, and nodded in response when someone greeted him.

As the motorcycle entered the cadre building, a rich aroma of stewed meat assaulted his nostrils even before he went upstairs.

He sniffed it.

Hmm, whose family is stewing chicken?

These days, the aroma of cooking is very strong. It's not so bad in the closed-off cadre buildings where every household has its own kitchen. But in the old-fashioned tenement buildings where everyone cooked in a communal kitchen, the aroma of one family's cooking filled the whole building.

As he climbed the stairs, the aroma grew stronger, and the chicken flavor was mixed with the fresh scent of wild mushrooms.

That's how he realized that his family was cooking.

"Hey! What kind of hearty Northeastern dish is Second Sister making this time? The aroma is wafting for miles!" Qian Jin shouted with a laugh as he pushed open the door, casually placing his briefcase on the dresser in the foyer.

They all have large families and businesses, but the overall productivity of society is what it is now, and even the leaders' families don't have surplus grain.

On a typical day, their family usually has one meat dish and several vegetable dishes for each meal.

However, thanks to the connections of the Liu family production team in Hongxing, his family could always add some seafood to their meals.

Tonight there will obviously be stewed chicken, which is a special dish that his family only eats once every ten days or so.

There was no one in the living room, except for a Sanyo transistor radio playing Li Guyi's "Hometown Love".

The kitchen was filled with the sounds of spatulas and the rising steam.

Hearing the sound, Qian Xi poked her head out, flicked her hands, and wiped them on her blue apron: "Fourth brother's back? Come and see, your third brother really showed off today!"

Qian Jin was taken aback: "Oh, Third Brother is back too? That's rare, he's even more elusive than me."

Qian Xi opened the window and shouted down.

Qian Lie returned, but he wasn't home. He was outside looking after the children, playing with his son and daughter.

Hearing his second sister's loud voice, Qian Lie returned first.

He was wearing the chicken farm's signature blue overalls, and his face was unusually bright and cheerful.

Seeing Qian Jin, he rubbed his rough hands and said, "Did Second Sister tell you everything?"

Qian Xi poked her head out of the kitchen again and shouted, "Third brother, hurry up, hurry up, tell your fourth brother about your success and make him happy for you."

Qian Jin asked, "What exactly happened? Why are you keeping me in suspense?"

“I’ve been researching chicken feed formulation these days and have made some progress. Our farm manager is quite happy. He thinks highly of me and made me the technical supervisor. Moreover, I will be in charge of the farm’s key breeding project, the Rock Chicken…” Qian Lie said with a smile.

"Oh, my third brother!" Qian stepped forward and slapped Qian Lie's broad shoulder hard, so hard that Qian Lie's body swayed.

"I knew it! No wonder my second sister was stewing chicken at home—chicken stew with mushrooms, right?"

Qian Jin pointed at Qian Xi, but deep down he was happy for Qian Lie.

At the same time, he was happy with his own plan.

Qian Lie has finally become a cadre, which brings him one step closer to becoming the field manager.

He continued with delight, "I knew you could do it. You have the talent and ability to put in the effort in veterinary medicine and poultry and livestock farming."

"You went from technician to technical supervisor in just a few months? You've done a great job! Third Brother, your farm is a large state-owned farm, so being a supervisor is like being an official, right?"

Qian Lie smiled sheepishly: "What kind of official?"

"Can't the supervisor be a section-level cadre?" Qian Jin asked immediately.

Qian Lie nodded reservedly.

This is true.

Qian Jin subconsciously clapped his hands: "A section chief is still an official. There's an old saying in Northeast China: 'Don't underestimate a bean bun, and don't underestimate a section chief.'"

Qian Xi, who was in a good mood, blinked upon hearing this.

what?
There's an old saying in Northeast China, isn't there?

She didn't care about that; she was only happy to have two younger brothers who were cadres: "Anyway, our Qian family's ancestral graves are emitting auspicious smoke!"

Seeing his older sister and younger brother so happy for his achievement, Qian Lie felt warm and happy inside, and unusually, he stopped stern-faced and started chuckling.

"What do you mean by ancestral graves emitting smoke? I have to thank my fourth brother for this. He found me the job and gave me the books. Without the books on technology and feed science that he brought me, and without Brother Wei coming over time to help me with those data, how could I have figured out this new approach with my limited knowledge?"

Qian Lie spoke frankly and looked at Qian Jin with gratitude.

He was genuinely grateful to have such a capable brother.

"We're family, why are you being so formal!" Qian Jin waved his hand, exuding a heroic air. "You're my own brother! And Teacher Wei is a real relative too, he's my brother-in-law, haha!"

"We're more than happy to be able to help you!"

He sniffed, the irresistible aroma of chicken stew with mushrooms becoming even more enticing: "Perfect timing, we have a momentous occasion at home today, we must celebrate properly."

"Second sister, this meal has to be substantial today."

"Do you need to tell me?" Chen Shoujiang's loud voice boomed from the kitchen.

He was drawn out by the three people's words and showed his face behind Qian Xi with a smile: "You guys can eat tonight. These are genuine hazel mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms picked from the old forest by my old buddies at the forest farm."

"I'm not bragging, but this stuff smells amazing when paired with this little rooster. Your second sister was planning to eat this during the Qingming Festival, but since the third brother is pregnant today, we have to have it."

"Your second sister just got some money, so she went to the market and bought two chicks. She stewed them with mushrooms, so we can eat as much as we want tonight. Oh, and we also have sweet and sour pork tonight, so you can try my cooking."

Nowadays, everyone's stomachs are pretty empty, and both children and adults are craving food.

Qian Lie couldn't help but ask, "What is 'Guo Bao Rou'?"

Chen Shoujiang winked at him and grinned, "No need to ask, just start eating later. I guarantee you've never tasted anything this good before."

Sweet and sour pork is definitely a must-have dish these days.

Meat and sugar are things that families only dare to eat during festivals and holidays.

The couple went out and had some fun for a while, then went back to their work.

Qian Jin stood at the kitchen doorway and looked around.

Qian Xi was putting wide rice noodles into the bubbling iron pot, while Chen Shoujiang was sliding slices of pork tenderloin coated in cornstarch into the boiling oil.

There was a 'sizzling' sound.

Thick white steam instantly rose from the pot, releasing a sweet aroma that made one's mouth water.

Qian Cheng was the last to leave work, while Wei Qinghuan and Wei Xiongtu went to the training school to supervise the work.

They returned one after the other, and Qian Xi shouted from the window, "Meat is ready! Meat is ready!"

The restaurant's large round table was already completely filled.

In the center is a heavy enamel basin, with golden and glistening chicken pieces floating in a thick, oily, dark brown broth. The glass noodles, soaked in the broth, are crystal clear, and the dried mountain mushrooms, having absorbed the meat juices, have stretched out their plump and plump forms again.

Next to it was a large plate of sweet and sour pork.

The slices of meat, coated in batter and fried until golden and crispy, are topped with a sweet and sour sauce that makes them look glistening and beautiful.

In addition, it is garnished with finely shredded ginger, scallions, and carrots. Qian Jin had eaten this in his previous life, but he did not remember that it was garnished with carrots or other such things.

There was also a large plate of glistening, oily stir-fried dried tofu with dried chilies, a vibrant mix of red and yellow, steaming hot.

Chen Shoujiang said with a hint of regret, "This dried tofu skin is best stir-fried with green peppers, green peppers are so fresh. But there's nowhere to find green peppers at this time of year. Well, dried chili peppers will do too, the flavor is different, even more fragrant, hehe!"

Qian Jin handed Wei Qinghuan a towel to wipe her face: "Brother-in-law, don't worry, this time next year, we'll definitely have green peppers to eat at home."

"Don't even mention green peppers, we can eat cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, green beans, and more!"

Chen Shoujiang had accompanied him to the Xiping Production Brigade several times and knew what he meant.

Ma Hongxia, unaware of this, said while setting down the bowls and chopsticks, "That won't do. Late winter and early spring is precisely the time when vegetables are scarce. Where would we find such fresh vegetables?"

"But now the shepherd's purse should be growing in the fields. If only I could go to the countryside and dig up some shepherd's purse, I'm sure I could find a lot."

Qian Xi shook her head upon hearing this: "Sister-in-law, it's unlikely. The wild vegetables aren't growing well this year. Not to mention wild vegetables, even the wheat for overwintering isn't doing well."

"What's wrong?" Qian Jin asked.

Qian Xi casually said, "I don't know, it seems like there's been an insect infestation. I only heard about it from a former educated youth who just returned to the city."

Qian Cheng was equally excited upon learning of his third brother's promotion: "Then let the third brother go and earn more merits. Third brother, you take your chickens to the fields to eat insects..."

It was a joke, everyone laughed.

Qian Xi went to the kitchen and brought out a large bowl of brightly colored cold noodles.

Shredded cabbage hearts, carrots, and thinly sliced ​​egg crepes are piled up like a small mountain along with cold noodles, topped with a thick layer of sesame sauce, minced garlic, and a little fried shredded meat.

Qian Jin was surprised: "Hey, brother-in-law, your buddy even mailed you a facelift!"

"The farmers' market happens to have this today, how can it be mailed?" Qian Xi explained with a smile.

"Sit down, everyone, let's get ready to eat!" Chen Shoujiang brought out the last dish and invited everyone to sit down.

Upon seeing the table full of delicious food, the children excitedly ran to wash their hands.

Qian Jin urged everyone to start eating: "Don't wait for the kids, they're all garbage cans, they open their mouths as if they want to eat the plates too. Let's eat first, otherwise we won't have any to eat later."

Wei Qinghuan poured them wine.

Qian Jin first picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork and put it in her bowl.

This sweet and sour pork is fried well.

He took a bite himself, and as soon as his teeth touched, there was a crisp "crack" sound, and the sensation came instantly.

The outer crust is cracked, but the tenderloin inside remains piping hot and tender.

The piping hot, sweet and sour sauce bursts in your mouth, coating the meat with aroma and bringing you a pure and delicious culinary experience.

Qian Jin couldn't help but grunt and nod repeatedly: "Brother-in-law, I didn't expect you to have this skill."

Chen Shoujiang said smugly, "Are you kidding me, brother? How did I win over your second sister? I just cooked for her."

Qian Xi said, "This time your brother-in-law wasn't bragging. When I first went to the forest farm, I wasn't used to the food, and your brother-in-law tried all sorts of ways to coax me. I thought he was taking care of a fellow educated youth..."

"Actually, it's taking care of my wife," Qian Cheng blurted out, then suddenly realized he'd said the wrong thing.

Ma Hongxia slapped him twice on the back: "Have you no shame? What nonsense are you talking about? There are still babies here!"

Qian Cheng was extremely embarrassed: "I... I was so happy that I just blurted something out."

Qian Jin didn't think there was anything wrong with what he said: "What my eldest brother said is true. My brother-in-law must have had a crush on my second sister back then, and he deliberately went to curry favor with her."

Chen Shoujiang chuckled: "You can't fool us men, I really did take a liking to your second sister at first sight."

Wei Xiongtu ate a piece of chicken and couldn't help but nod: "I must say, Old Chen, your cooking skills are really good. This chicken stew would put even the chefs at state-run restaurants to shame!"

“Of course, I won’t lie about that.” Chen Shoujiang took a sip of local bulk liquor with a smug look. “We Northeastern men all have our skills. When guests come over for holidays, we have to rely on the men to cook and keep things in order.”

Qian Jin said, "Then you should teach a few people this skill properly. I'm going to lead a team to open a restaurant later, and I'll be able to cook Northeastern cuisine."

Chen Shoujiang became interested upon hearing this: "Then where will you get the ingredients? For example, bear paws, deer placenta, grouse, tiger claws..."

Qian Jin waved his hand: "I'm not going to do that. I'm only going to make dishes like chicken stew with mushrooms and sauerkraut stew with pork, which are traditional dishes made after slaughtering pigs."

"We also need catfish stewed with eggplant," Chen Shoujiang said with great interest. "I'm good at that too. There's an old saying in my hometown: catfish stewed with eggplant, enough to make an old man burst with food."

Qian Xi muttered to herself, "We Northeasterners have so many old sayings!"

No one understood why she would say such a thing, except for Qian Jin, who laughed.

He picked up a piece of meat with the chicken skin still attached using his chopsticks.

This stewed rooster is truly excellent. The skin is trembling, rich in collagen, and melts in your mouth. Then, the rich aroma of oil mixed with the unique fragrance of mushrooms instantly fills your mouth.

The chicken was tender and fell off the bone, with the shredded meat soaked in the broth, making it very delicious.

"Try the wild mushrooms from my old forest; you really can't find these in Haibin City," Chen Shoujiang urged everyone to start eating.

Genuine Laolinzi mountain mushrooms are high-quality, possessing a unique mountain forest aroma and a delicate yet mellow flavor.

Several children scrambled to eat the rice noodles, slurping them up with beaming smiles as they did so.

Qian Lie and Zhao Xiaohong had spent too long in southern Yunnan and had become accustomed to spicy food.

So they dealt with the stir-fried dried tofu with dried chili peppers first.

The dried tofu is thin yet chewy, absorbing the essence of lard and chili peppers, making it savory, spicy, and incredibly delicious with rice.

Qian Lie shoveled a big mouthful of brown rice into his mouth, sweat beading on his forehead as he ate: "Delicious, Second Sister, this flavor is really great."

"Eat as much as you like, there's more in the pot." Qian Xi looked at her younger brothers wolfing down their food and felt even more satisfied than if she were eating herself. She then put a big mouthful of cold noodles on Qian Jin's plate.

The translucent rice noodle sheets are mixed with thick sesame paste, spicy minced garlic, and lard from fried meat, making for a very flavorful dish.

Qian Jin gestured for Wei Qinghuan to try it, but Wei Qinghuan waved her hand and said she didn't have much of an appetite and didn't want to eat anything too greasy like sesame paste. She then started eating the stir-fried dried bean curd sheets.

Upon seeing this, Chen Jianguo quickly shoveled cold noodles into his own bowl, saying, "Auntie, if you're not going to eat it, I will!"

"I'll have some too!" Tangyuan said defiantly, grabbing the food.

Then, the food preparation competition began...

Even the adults stopped talking and quickly started eating.

For a moment, the only sounds in the living room were the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks, the satisfied sighs of chewing food, and the occasional hiss of pain from burning oneself.

The pot of chicken stew with mushrooms was visibly decreasing, and the sweet and sour pork was also quickly disappearing by more than half.

Qian Cheng enjoyed the meal immensely, and seeing the whole family gathered together in harmony filled him with joy.

He unbuttoned the top button of his Zhongshan suit and felt warm all over.

The table full of Northeastern flavors was so satisfying, so intense and authentic, like a blazing fire that warmed his whole body.

He was extremely satisfied with his two younger brothers' career advancements, the close bond between siblings, and the increasingly promising future they were living.

He couldn't help but exclaim, "Back when I was sent to the countryside, I would never have dared to dream of such a wonderful dream!"

I only slowed down a little after eating until I was about 80% full.

After finishing the remaining wine in his glass, Qian Jin looked at Qian Lie and said, "Third Brother, now that you've become the technical supervisor, and once you're good at raising those foreign chickens in the farm, have you ever thought about sharing your chicken-raising experience with others?"

Qian Lie looked at his younger brother in confusion: "Pass on what? Pass it on to whom? Those young guys in the stadium? Don't worry, I teach them every day, I never hold anything back..."

“No, broaden your horizons.” Qian Jin smiled at him. “You don’t know about my training school, do you? Let Teacher Wei—no, Principal Wei—tell you about it.”

Wei Qinghuan, understanding the implied meaning, explained, "Good idea, Third Brother. Our training school is in dire need of teachers with real skills and practical experience."

"Your scientific chicken-raising methods, from feed formulation and temperature control to disease prevention procedures and treatment of acute diseases, are all practical tips that are much more effective than the empty theories in books."

"If you have time, why don't you teach a class when the students from the Liu family production team in Hongxing arrive?"

Qian Lie listened, his face showing disbelief: "Me? Become a teacher? Give lessons to a bunch of kids?"

He subconsciously looked down at his rough hands, cracked nails, and thick calluses, realizing how worlds apart he was from the identity of a teacher on the podium.
"Fourth brother, Teacher Wei, stop making fun of your brother."

"Others may not know, but you all do, right? I'm the kind of person who just buries myself in my work. Standing on the podium lecturing? People would laugh their heads off! I'd probably be speechless by then..."

"Third Brother!" Qian Jin interrupted him, full of confidence in him, "You're not right!"

"Putting your skills to work in seclusion is definitely the best approach. It's also true that you're not good at lecturing right now."

"But now the country needs talent for reform and opening up. You are a technical talent, and you can also become a management talent."

"So if you feel you're not good at lecturing, then practice; if you're not good at dealing with people, then study. You have to improve because the country has expectations for you, expecting you to be able to lead a regional farm in the future!"

Qian Lie: "Huh? Me?"

When Wei Xiongtu learned that Qian Jin wanted to bring in teachers for the school, he was also very enthusiastic: "Third brother, what you said earlier was right. Others may not know you, but we do? We've been studying together all the time these past few days, how could I not know you?"

“You have something inside you that can genuinely increase the country’s production and revenue, much better than any fancy facade.”

"So what if you can't speak fluently? Don't worry about it. Just talk about how to feed chickens, how to mix feed, and how to treat chickens when they're not doing well. These are all practical things that students should learn."

His gaze was intense, and he couldn't help but stand up:
"Director Qian is right. What our country lacks right now is talent like you who understands technology and can get hands-on experience."

“Now that you’ve mastered it, you should teach what you know and train ten or a hundred technical backbones like yourself. I believe this is another real skill, and its contribution to society and the country is much greater than what you could achieve by working alone at the chicken farm!”

Others also began to persuade him.

Each word from his loved ones struck Qian Lie's heart like a heavy hammer.

He slowly frowned, and the dullness that life had worn down his face began to disappear.

A new expectation arose in my heart, but it was quickly overwhelmed by a huge lack of confidence and confusion.

He opened his mouth, his throat tightened, and he tried to speak, but only managed to utter a muffled syllable: "I..."

"Hey, third brother, what are you afraid of!" Qian Xi couldn't stand it anymore.

Having spent many years working in the countryside of Northeast China, she's practically become a typical Northeastern woman:
"What Lao Si and Teacher Wei said makes sense. Your talent is like gold; it's a pity to bury it in chicken manure."

"So what if I teach students? Does anyone know how to do it? Everyone starts from not knowing and then learns. I think it'll work! It'll definitely work!"

As she spoke, she picked up a large piece of meat with the chicken skin still attached and put it into Qian Lie's bowl: "Eat more, you'll have the energy to think about this when you're full."

Tangyuan said timidly, "Second Aunt, I also want to think about things."

"Okay, Little Tangyuan, you should study hard and think it through. You can become a teacher at your dad's school in the future." Qian Xi smiled and picked out the last piece of chicken leg meat for her.

Upon seeing this, Chen Jianguo stood up excitedly: "Mom, I..."

"Sit down!" Qian Xi said fiercely, her brows furrowed and her expression like a demon descending upon the world.

Chen Jianguo immediately hung his head dejectedly: "I need to pee!"

"A lazy donkey has too much excrement and urine on the millstone, hurry up and go." Qian Xi said this, but gave the chicken wing in her bowl that she was reluctant to eat to her son.

Chen Jianguo grinned, lifted his buttocks, and ran towards the toilet.

After coming back.

The bowl was empty.

He was stunned: "Where are my wings?"

The younger brother, Chen Aiguo, grinned at him with the same wide grin as before: "Brother, you've grown wings now?"

That smile revealed that there was a bone in his mouth.

Chen Jianguo went up and decisively put his younger brother in a chokehold, dragging him off the stool.

Chen Aiguo neither cried nor made a fuss; he gritted his teeth, rolled over, and started fighting.

Wei Qinghuan quickly stepped forward to pull the two apart, but Qian Xi stopped her and winked at everyone, saying in a low voice, "Eat quickly, eat quickly, while they're not on the table, quickly divide the meat."

The two brothers stopped at the same time, but Chen Jianguo was still yelling at his younger brother, "This isn't over yet! I'm telling you, you're not going to get any juice later!"

Chen Aiguo roared, "You idiot! Your dad ate your chicken wings, what does that have to do with me?"

Chen Jianguo was stunned for a moment, then quickly realized: "The sins of the father are the sins of the son. Who told you to be his son? Don't blame me for being too ruthless. Blame him for being your father and you being his son!"

Qian Jin watched it like he was watching WWE.

This thing even has a storyline.

On the radio, Li Guyi's clear voice continued to sing tirelessly.

The melody was melodious and gentle, its delicate notes swirling around the steaming heat from the dining table, the glistening dishes, and the satisfied, radiant faces of everyone present.

Under the incandescent light, the stewed chicken and mushrooms in the pot still had a thin layer of tempting oily broth left, with a few pieces of mushrooms and vermicelli soaked in the essence sinking to the bottom, and it had almost been devoured.

Only a few crispy bits of the sweet and sour pork remained, and the plates of chili tofu and cold noodles were almost empty.

It's another beautiful night.

Qian Jin let out a small, satisfied burp.

Home is still the most comfortable and relaxing place.

Unfortunately, the next day everyone had to part ways and go to work.

Although the Qingming Festival is approaching, the weather is not warm in the early morning. The damp cold of late spring is beginning to show. The sea breeze crosses the harbor and comes to the streets to act like a rogue, trying to sneak into the necks of pedestrians, making young women and wives shrink their necks.

Qian Jin rode his motorcycle to work as usual.

He stopped the car and, as was his habit, stomped his feet and dusted off his navy blue polyester Zhongshan suit.

Actually, he had just changed into clean clothes; he was just showing off and giving his colleagues who came to work with him a chance to say hello.

As a result, no one greeted him today.

Something is wrong.

At this time on weekdays, commuters are usually rushing around.

Today is different.

When he entered the courtyard, he saw seven or eight people gathered at the entrance of the main building.

These people wore navy blue or black cotton jackets, and on their feet were worn-out yellow rubber-soled liberation shoes or heavy old cotton shoes, and without exception, their trouser legs were covered with yellowish-brown mud spots.

As a model of supporting agriculture, he was very familiar with this attire; it was typical of rural farmers.

Two or three of them were clutching cloth bags tightly in their hands. Someone took something out and looked at it, but Qian Jin couldn't see clearly what it was. It looked like grass.

These people had their heads down and shoulders slumped. They were alive, but when they were together, they exuded a suffocating aura of death.

Qian Jin's heart tightened.

These days, seeing a group of worried-looking farmers gathered in front of government offices makes it hard not to think the worst.

Someone is causing trouble?

He instinctively quickened his pace, wanting to go inside and find out what was going on.

Old Zhang from the gatehouse stood in front of these people, but this hot-tempered old man didn't get angry with them.

On the contrary, Old Zhang's weathered face was furrowed, and his expression was quite somber.

Qian Jin was surprised and went up to give Lao Zhang a wink.

Old Zhang followed him into the guardhouse, and he gestured towards the office building entrance with his chin: "Old Zhang, what's going on outside?"

Old Zhang sighed, his voice filled with obvious worry: "Alas, Director Qian, something terrible has happened, it's caused a huge uproar. It's several commune leaders from Anguo County."

"I was just talking to them, and they said that several communes had tens of thousands of acres of winter wheat combined, and it looks like it's all going to be ruined!"

"Wheat?" Qian Jin was taken aback, not reacting for a moment. "Wasn't the wheat just turning green again? How come it's all gone?"

He immediately thought of Qian Xi's casual remark last night and asked, "Could it be that there are bugs?"

"Yes, it's an insect infestation, a deadly insect infestation!" Old Zhang slammed his fist on the table, spitting as he spoke.

"They said it was strange last winter; there wasn't a single proper snowfall in Anguo County, and all the insect eggs in the fields were preserved."

"Right now, the wheat fields are turning green again, and those insects—which should be aphids—are crawling all over the wheat leaves in a dark mass, eating the seedlings black."

"What's even stranger is that none of the pesticides supplied by the supply and marketing cooperative work. Even if we spray more pesticides, it's like pouring plain water on them; they don't kill the insects at all."

"Watching the wheat seedlings turn from green to yellow, and then from yellow to black, I'm afraid they won't survive."

"And that's not the worst part. The real problem is that the insect infestation will spread, and who knows what it will end up like!"

Qian Jin took a breath of cold air.

He knew the insects were dangerous, but he didn't expect them to be this dangerous.

Then he remembered what someone had taken out of the cloth bag earlier; it was probably blackened, curled wheat seedlings.

"Look," Old Zhang gestured upstairs and continued explaining the situation, "the leaders came before dawn to keep watch and wait for President Wei to come to work."

"They insist on seeing the leader and asking him to come up with a solution. Look at those people outside, they're waiting for news, and there are a few more upstairs."

He shook his head and sighed deeply, "What a tragedy, such good wheat..."

Qian Jin asked, "Procedurally speaking, this shouldn't be the responsibility of the local agricultural and forestry bureau..."

“Procedures? This is the best time for spring plowing. Everyone in the countryside is working hard. The year’s plan starts in spring. If this spring is ruined, their year is over,” Old Zhang said seriously.

"The leaders of several affected communes have all come to the city today. Some of them have come to our unit, and others have gone to the municipal government with county officials."

“Our unit is in charge of pesticide supply, and they thought they would come over to inquire if there are any new pesticides available.”

Qian Jin asked, "Is there?"

Old Zhang chuckled awkwardly, "My goodness, Director Qian, you're the cultured cadres, and I'm just an old gatekeeper..."

Before he could finish speaking, Qian Jin knew he had asked a foolish question.

He then asked, "Has Wei She arrived?"

Old Zhang said, "Not yet, but Section Chief Cui Hu from the Labor and Wages Department called him, so he should be here soon."

Qian Jin nodded heavily.

Having understood the basic information, he quickly went upstairs.

It seems that this insect infestation in the countryside may be quite severe. There should be a record of it in the "Agricultural and Forestry Records". He needs to go and see what the situation is.

Before entering his office, he instructed Wei Xiaobo to hold the door: "I have urgent business to attend to. No one is allowed to open the door, not even Wei She. You should make him wait."

Wei Xiaobo solemnly replied, "Understood."

Qian Jin locked himself in his office, took out the second gold box, and bought another copy of "Haibin Agricultural and Forestry Chronicle".

It doesn't matter if you look at it.

It gave him quite a fright!

(End of this chapter)