Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

Lou Xiao'e: "I dare not say that I have any great abilities. It's all because the regional leaders think highly of me and are willing to lend a hand. Otherwise, how could we have made any progress today?"

Huang Tao: "Let's go to the conference room—this time I've brought an appointment letter with the official seal of the Organization Department."

Lou Xiao'e led the way, with He Yuzhu close behind Huang Tao. The group walked briskly through the factory area and headed straight for the conference room. Su Qiao had already received a look from Lou Xiao'e and turned to hurry towards the canteen to prepare the meal.

Huang Tao went straight to the head seat and waited until He Yuzhu and several other cadres were seated before clearing his throat and speaking:

"Following a decision made at a regional Party committee meeting, Comrade Lou Xiao'e has been officially appointed as the director of the furniture factory and elected as a representative to the regional People's Congress. She has done a solid job in our county—starting from scratch, she built the Hongxing Commune and transformed an insignificant brick kiln into a medium-sized backbone enterprise; she has a clear vision, is diligent, and is dedicated to serving the people—a model of true dedication and success. We hope she will continue her efforts, leverage local resources, extend the industrial chain, and create more renowned factories, so that the people's pockets will bulge!"

Lou Xiao'e stood up, her voice steady: "Thank you for the trust of the regional leaders and for the support of my colleagues! I will definitely shoulder this responsibility, put my efforts into practical work, and do things that truly benefit the people."

Huang Tao personally handed over the letter of appointment. Just as he got up to leave, Lou Xiao'e stopped him with a smile and said, "Minister Huang rarely comes to our factory. If you don't taste the food that the workers eat every day, we, the leaders, really can't explain it to you. Please do us the honor of having a taste of the hot food."

Huang Tao readily agreed: "Great! Let's taste the smoky aroma from our factory's stoves!"

The crowd escorted Minister Huang toward the canteen. Lou Xiao'e's dishes were indeed simple: home-style cooking ladled from a large iron pot—cabbage stew with vermicelli, braised pork with radish, and a few seasonal stir-fries, all served in enamel basins. Since it was workers' food, it was absolutely authentic and unadulterated.

Huang Tao picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks, chewed it carefully, and nodded slightly: The food was plentiful, oily, and steaming hot, even better than the canteen of the regional government offices, which showed that the factory had truly gained a foothold and that life was getting better day by day.

Several county leaders surrounded Huang Tao, their words filled with respect and warmth, not a single word of pretense.

After the meal, Huang Tao stood up and gestured to He Yuzhu, "Come on, let's get in the car and chat for a bit." The two walked side by side to the jeep parked at the factory gate, talking as they went. Seeing that Minister Huang was about to leave, the other cadres also said their goodbyes and returned to their posts.

He Yuzhu sat with Huang Tao in the car for a while.

Huang Tao lowered his voice: "Secretary Yan asked me to pass on a message."

He Yuzhu immediately listened attentively: "Please speak."

Huang Tao: "Our region has many mountains and forests, and abundant timber resources. Could we allocate some to furniture factories? Also, could we ask the provincial technicians to take some time to go over and teach the villagers how to scientifically cultivate and manage forests?"

He Yuzhu laughed: "We were just thinking about this! Xiao'e originally planned to personally go to the region next month to finalize it with Secretary Yan in person, but we didn't expect the Secretary to be even more anxious than us."

Huang Tao nodded: "The people are eagerly waiting for their income to increase, so we can't afford to be slow."

He Yuzhu followed up, "When will Secretary Yan send someone to the tractor factory to learn from their experience? The factory is operating at full capacity now, and training, maintenance, and scheduling are all on track."

Huang Tao: "Okay, I'll pass on the message when I get back. Alright, I have to rush back to the region for a meeting. We'll have a proper chat next time you come to report on your work."

He Yuzhu said sincerely, "I'm really sorry to have troubled Minister Huang today."

Huang Tao waved his hand: "I hope our eight counties will have such good news every day! I'm happy to go, but I'm afraid some comrades won't learn it thoroughly or implement it effectively—alright, meeting adjourned, I'll leave first!"

He Yuzhu: "Minister Huang, take care!"

After seeing Huang Tao off, He Yuzhu turned and headed towards the office building, heading straight for Lou Xiao'e's office. He knocked lightly twice on the door, and only after hearing a "Come in" from inside did he push the door open and enter.

He Yuzhu asked, "Xiao'e, are orders tight right now?"

Lou Xiao'e put down the ledger in her hand: "There aren't many orders, but this batch of work is urgent, and it needs to be loaded onto the truck in three days."

He Yuzhu then asked, "What are your next steps?"

Lou Xiao'e answered readily: "Su Qiao just met with me yesterday. She wants to use your connections to promote her new furniture in the provincial capital. She'll need you to personally visit the textile and steel mills; otherwise, they won't even bother opening their doors."

He Yuzhu nodded: "Yes, I think we can also set up pilot sites in a few neighboring cities to showcase our factory's new style—but you'll have to make the decisions yourselves."

Lou Xiao'e shook her head and smiled: "No rush. First, secure the orders in the provincial capital, take advantage of the situation to expand recruitment and production, and once production increases, then expand outwards."

He Yuzhu readily agreed, "Then you go ahead with your work. Just let me know when you need my help."

Lou Xiao'e flipped through her schedule: "The day after tomorrow, you take Su Qiao to the provincial capital. I have to go to the region to report on my work."

He Yuzhu: "Okay, then you go ahead and get busy, I'll go take a look around the tractor factory."

He turned and went out, walking briskly towards the tractor factory.

……

As soon as they arrived at the factory gate, Gu Yun came out to greet them.

He Yuzhu asked with a smile, "Why did you wait here so precisely at that moment?"

Gu Yun pointed to the gatehouse: "The old man spotted you from afar and ran straight to my office to tell him, his shoes are almost worn through!"

As He Yuzhu approached the gate, the old gatekeeper immediately straightened his back and snapped to attention with a crisp military salute. He Yuzhu smiled and returned the salute, his gesture natural and friendly.

Upon entering the factory, He Yuzhu immediately asked, "How many people have graduated from driver training so far?"

Gu Yun answered crisply: "Seventy-eight people, all graduated! The tractors that were supplied to the commune on credit will be off the production line tomorrow—if County Magistrate Yu hadn't temporarily transferred ten of them to participate in the provincial exhibition, we could have delivered them all today."

He Yuzhu pressed further, "You've really mastered it all?"

Gu Yun patted his chest confidently: "Not only can I drive independently, but I can also change tires, adjust the clutch, and check the fuel system—I can do it all!"

As He Yuzhu toured the workshop, he saw machines humming in an orderly fashion, and machine tools gleaming like new; steam rising from the canteen windows, with a balanced mix of meat and vegetables; and bright, clean dormitories with neatly folded bedding. He nodded frequently, his face full of approval.

Before leaving, he specifically instructed: "The region may send a group of trainees to learn the technology. You must take good care of them and teach them step by step. This factory is a result of the region's real investment. The technology cannot be kept secret; it must become a skill for the entire county and region."

Gu Yun solemnly replied, "Understood, I will not hold anything back."

He Yuzhu patted him on the shoulder: "Okay, I'm relieved to have you here. Let's go!"

He strode out of the factory gate, got into his car, and headed straight for the county town.

That evening, Gu Yun stepped into her home.

As Wang Xiulan served him soup, she muttered, "Old Gu, have you heard? Factory Director Lou has become a regional people's congress representative! She's the first among all the factory directors in our county to do so!"

Gu Yun took the bowl and slowly blew on it: "Think about it, who else can build a commune from scratch and turn a brick kiln into a large factory like her? She's got that title firmly in her grasp!"

Wang Xiulan: "I really have to thank Director Lou—this trust is incredibly weighty! Entrusting the brick factory to Ting'er wasn't something I decided on a whim. Now the county has directly given Ting'er the treatment of a full section chief. She's only twenty years old! In all my life, I've never heard of such a young full section chief! It seems that this brick factory will be a tough nut to crack in our county's economic landscape for the next few years."

Gu Yun: "Director Lou has a good sense of justice. She trusts Ting'er and has personally witnessed Ting'er start from scratch and gradually build up her business. She taught her hand-in-hand for several months, and even the handwriting on the blueprints felt warm. Only then did she dare to entrust the entire factory to her."

Wang Xiulan: "I'll come to thank you first thing tomorrow morning! By the way, what's the big event at your factory's ribbon-cutting ceremony tomorrow?"

Gu Yun: "The tractors have been officially delivered to each commune—all seventy-eight have arrived, with County Head Yu personally overseeing the process."

Just after four o'clock in the morning, the tractor factory gate was already brightly lit. Seventy-eight brand-new tractors, adorned with bright red ribbons, were lined up in more than thirty rows at the factory gate, their front ends facing outwards, like a fully equipped armored team ready to go, dazzlingly red, and also reassuringly red.

Yu Bo drove back from the provincial capital and stepped into the factory area before dawn, his steps light and his eyebrows smiling—good news had just come from the province, and the weight on his heart had finally been lifted.

People from various communes crowded the factory's open space, their eyes all fixed on the direction of the tractors. The timber had been prepared long ago, just waiting to be hauled back to the factory to be cashed out; who wouldn't want to start the machines as soon as possible, run the fields as soon as possible, and fill their pockets as soon as possible?

The drivers, now dressed in crisp, starched blue overalls, stood ramrod straight, their eyes fixed intently on the podium. Yu Bo stepped onto the stage, tested the microphone, and spoke in a loud, clear voice:

"Today, our county has taken a historic step—starting from scratch, we have created a four-wheel drive tractor that is unique in the country! The first credit goes to the strong support of the regional leaders; the second credit goes to the tireless efforts of the technicians from the provincial capital who worked day and night. This machine is not picky about roads, it is not delicate, it plows the land efficiently, and it hauls goods steadily. It is truly a reliable and affordable helper for the people!"

The applause surged like a tide and lasted for a long time.

Yu Bo paused slightly, then his tone softened: "We also want to express our special thanks to Secretary He—who ran around tirelessly, connecting people and laying the strongest foundation for the factory's construction. Although he was absent today due to urgent matters, we will remember his kindness; and we must never forget the calloused hands in the workshop, and the backs glistening with sweat as they welded!"

Before he finished speaking, applause erupted again, so loud it made the eaves of the factory building vibrate. Only when Gu Yun picked up the roster and clearly announced the name of the first commune did the crowd gradually quiet down.

Firecrackers suddenly exploded, and the first row of tractors roared to life, their exhaust pipes spewing out puffs of white mist as they steadily drove toward their respective communes; the vehicles behind followed closely behind, their wheels kicking up fine dust as they drove off into the distance.

The commune was already waiting—the drum team was beating their drums and gongs, the folk dance was in full swing, and firecrackers were piled up like small mountains. As the sound of motors approached from afar, the crowd suddenly erupted in excitement, standing on tiptoe, waving, shouting at the top of their lungs, their eyes fixed on the horizon.