Reborn in 1981, the first to get rich start with dairy cows.

"You've started dating a girl?"

"Yes, it's just a guess. Liu Zhenghua wanted to follow him after get off work to see what he was doing, but when she chased after him, she couldn't find him anywhere. So that's what everyone's guessing."

"I remember he was...21 or 221?"

Shen Dong couldn't remember his age, but he thought he was a college student born in 80, one of the first batches after the resumption of the college entrance examination.

"He's 22, and he didn't date during college, which is making his family very anxious. When we asked him if his family had arranged any blind dates for him, he just smiled and didn't say anything, but he did say that he's currently single."

"That's normal. After all, he's getting on in years, it's time to find someone. Okay, Mr. Hu, you're busy now, I'm leaving. You should go home early too!"

Although he didn't run into Li Chenfeng, Shen Dong still believed that he must have found out and probably had spoken with Li Hu.

------

In January 1982, as the year drew to a close and a chill set in, the commune compound was bustling with activity, dispelling the winter cold.

Today is the day of the annual summary and evaluation of Baotashan Commune. Red ribbons have been hung on the old locust tree at the gate, rustling in the wind. A banner is also hanging at the gate of the courtyard, which reads, "Celebrating the successful convening of the 1981 annual evaluation of Baotashan Commune."

The commune didn't have a proper auditorium like the county, so events were usually held in the commune compound. Li Shangen arrived early.

The Hongqi Production Team has undergone many changes this year. He has been going to the commune to report to Yang Yujun on what has happened and what will be done in the team. He has received a lot of praise in the past two months.

He is confident that this time he can move up the second-to-last position.

Baotashan Commune oversees eight production teams. Gufeng Production Team has always been in the top position, while the others have been changing hands frequently. In the past two years, Hongqi Production Team has consistently held the second-to-last position, so Li Shangen is reluctant to participate in any evaluation process.

"Hey, isn't this Captain Li?" Wang Jianjun's voice wasn't loud, but he deliberately raised his voice, immediately attracting the attention of everyone else in the courtyard. Wang Jianjun seemed to ignore them and continued, "Didn't you tell me last year that you weren't coming this year, that you didn't want to be humiliated anymore? What, you want to come back and lose face again this year?"

Wang Jianjun, who was speaking, was the captain of the Xikou production team. Last year, he ranked second among the eight production teams and had always been at odds with Li Shangen.

However, due to the lack of information sharing, he was unaware of what had happened in the Hongqi Production Team over the past two months and assumed that, as usual, the fish couldn't turn the tables, which is why he made sarcastic remarks.

Li Shangen gave a cold laugh. Even though he was second to last in the rankings before, he wouldn't lose his arrogance. He immediately raised his eyes to meet him and said in a tough tone, "I thought it was some duck quacking that was making a racket. It turns out it's you! Wang Jianjun, don't be so sure of yourself. Mind your own business. I don't need you to worry about me."

"Oh, oh, oh, you're just being stubborn. I'll be waiting for you to continue sitting in the second-to-last place."

No matter how loud Wang Jianjun's voice was, Li Shangen stood tall with his chest held high.

"What's all this noise about!" Yang Yujun walked out from behind, glared at the two of them, and showed his dissatisfaction.

"It would be better to use that energy for arguing in the team. Fighting here won't increase the members' income." He said, sitting down at the front.

Deputy Director Zhang Daikui chuckled and sat down. "Old Wang, your team seems quite enthusiastic about contracting factories. You look very confident this year."

"That's for sure, it's more confident than some production team that's always second to last." Wang Jianjun still couldn't resist taking a jab at Li Shangen. The two had a long-standing conflict, and everyone present, being team leaders, knew about it, so no one tried to mediate.

Li Shangen sneered and stopped looking at him.

There weren't many people, so there were no microphones on the tables. Two tables were placed in a row, covered with a red cloth, and that was it.

"This year, our commune is generally stable. Hongqi, Hongxing, Gufeng, and Xikou have all completed the household responsibility system ahead of schedule. Hongqi and Gufeng even finished distributing their produce before the autumn planting season. Their willingness to change and their fearlessness in the face of change are commendable!"

As he spoke, Yang Yujun led the applause.

The remaining four production team leaders, who had not yet completed the household contract responsibility system, wore embarrassed expressions.

"There have been many changes in the commune this year. For example, Captain Pan of the Gufeng Production Team built a brick kiln in the first half of this year. On the basis of the textile factory last year, he continued to find ways to increase the income of the team members. This is something we should all learn from."

"And there's Old Li from the Red Flag Production Team. You might not know this, but the Red Flag Production Team did something that our commune had never accomplished before: they built vegetable greenhouses."

Seeing the puzzled looks on the faces of the people below, Yang Yujun explained, "It's a shed where you can grow vegetables in winter. These only exist in a few counties, and our commune is the first one."

"Old Li, I didn't expect you to be keeping this a secret. Teach us later, okay?" Pan Qingwen, sitting next to Li Shangen, immediately smiled and said, having heard about the promising future of the vegetable greenhouse.

"Hehe, no problem, no problem."

Yang Yujun then pointed out several other production teams, all of which had undergone significant changes in the past year.

However, there were also those who lacked ambition and made no progress throughout the year, and some even almost failed to deliver the grain this year, and they were criticized by him.

"See, I told you our team was going to get criticized. That old bastard, he's just sitting there taking up space and not doing anything, just trying to get by."

Since Yang Yujun became the commune director, all meetings were held in the commune compound, so commune members passing by the gate could see the scene inside, which naturally attracted people to come and listen.

"Exactly, look at Captain Pan, he's leading everyone to do side businesses and make more money. What girl wouldn't want to marry into Gufeng?"

"We've really been unlucky to be working with this team leader; even our children's marriages have become a problem."

Several team leaders showed anger on their faces, but dared not reprimand anyone. They had reprimanded others a couple of years ago, and Yang Yujun had reprimanded them.

All I can do now is feel awkwardly angry.

"Now, I will announce the ranking of the production teams of Baotashan Commune in 1981."

"Eighth place: Youai Production Team"

"Seventh place:..." Li Shangen nervously clenched his fist. He had been in this position for two consecutive years. He had to move up today.

Before long, Yang Yujun announced: "Seventh place: Yangshe Production Team."

Then five or six more names were announced, none of whom were from the Red Flag Production Team.

Li Shangen's heart was in his throat. This was probably the best ranking the production team had ever achieved, so he couldn't help but be nervous.

"Fourth place... Red Flag Production Team!"

Although the others were somewhat prepared, they were still quite shocked to hear that they came in fourth place, and they all turned around to congratulate them.

Li Shangen couldn't help but shout out, and suddenly stood up, his joy overflowing!

This huge improvement from being second to last in every year to fourth place is all thanks to Shen Dong!

On this day, Li Shangen felt triumphant.