Chapter 120: Breaking Iron Shoes in a Fruitless Search

At the rooster's crow, Lu Qingshan opened his eyes, and the bundle of Handcrafted Flower that Xiao Xue had tied on the kang's edge stood out vividly in the hazy morning light.

He carefully moved the flower onto the windowsill, fearing he might damage his daughter's sentiment.

The heroic ambition of last night swirled in his mind; he hadn't slept a wink, repeatedly rehearsing the upcoming itinerary and his explanations.

His first planned stop was the provincial capital Changchun, where many large factories and concentrated technical talent reside.

If all goes well, he would then head to industrial hubs like Shenyang and Dalian, confident he could find a few willing talents to relocate.

From the kitchen came Lin Yue'e's bustling sounds, the soft clatter of pots and pans, and the faint "sizzle" as flour met hot oil—the familiar aroma of Scallion Pancakes.

Lu Qingshan slipped his coat off the kang, entered the kitchen, where Lin Yue'e was fastening her apron, fine beads of sweat glistening at her temples, lifting golden, fragrant Scallion Pancakes from the wok and laying them on a nearby cloth to cool.

Beside her, several packets of Dried Meat and Sausage, carefully wrapped in oil paper and cut into uniform pieces, lay on the cutting board, clearly the result of careful effort.

"Awake? Hurry and wash your face; the pancakes will be ready soon," Lin Yue'e said, turning back, seeing him at the doorway, and smiling gently.

"Getting up this early, won't you get a bit more sleep?" Lu Qingshan felt a warmth in his heart.

"When you're away, I can't sleep soundly," Lin Yue'e wrapped the freshly cooked pancakes in a clean cloth, then placed the dried meat and sausage into a cloth bag. "Take these to eat on the road, and let others taste them. Our food is good; there's no need to compare."

Lu Qingshan took the heavy cloth bag, nodded, "You're always so thoughtful."

Xiao Xue rubbed her drowsy eyes, drawn by the scent, and mumbled sleepily, "Daddy, Mommy, eat pancakes."

The three of them gathered around the small kang table, eating hot Scallion Pancakes with salty vegetable dumplings—simple yet warm.

Lu Qingshan looked at his wife and daughter, feeling his heart fill with strength.

After breakfast, Lu Qingshan changed into clean clothes, slung a cloth bag filled with dry provisions and "gifts," and tucked away most of the family's savings, ready to set out.

"Dad, come back early!"

Xiao Xue clutched his leg, her little face tilted upward, full of reluctance.

"Be good, listen to Mom; Daddy will be back soon."

Lu Qingshan patted his daughter's head, then looked at Lin Yue'e.

Lin Yue'e's eyes were a little red, but she forced herself to smile and said, "Out there, eat well and dress warmly; don't shortchange yourself. I'm here at home, so you can rest easy."

"Mm."

Lu Qingshan gave a deep nod, turned, and strode out of the courtyard gate.

He didn't go straight to the train station; instead, he took a vehicle to the county seat first.

The first stop was the Public Security Bureau, where he found Chen Zhiguo.

Chen Zhiguo was sorting files in his office when he saw Lu Qingshan and was a bit surprised: "You kid, why do you have time to come to me today? Didn't you just beat some big guy again?"

"Brother Chen, you always know how to tease me."

Lu Qingshan smiled, pulled two pieces of Dried Meat wrapped in oil paper from his bag, and said, "Try them, they're the new ones from our factory."

Chen Zhiguo didn't hesitate, took them, sniffed, and praised, "Hey, this flavor is authentic! Speak up—no one visits Sanbao Hall without a reason. What do you need?"

Lu Qingshan explained his plan to recruit talent abroad and asked Chen Zhiguo to help draft a few Introduction Letters, since having official letters could save a lot of trouble while traveling.

"Recruit talent? Go elsewhere?"

Chen Zhiguo raised an eyebrow, then understood.

"Your village's factories are about to get going? Alright, kid, you've got guts!"

He immediately fetched paper and pen, scribbled several Introduction Letters, and sealed them with the Public Security Bureau's Official Seal.

"Take these. I'm not familiar with the routes to the provincial capital, but these Introduction Letters should be of some use. Stay safe; the outside isn't like home."

"Thanks, Brother Chen!"

Lu Qingshan carefully put them away.

After leaving the Public Security Bureau, he went to the County Committee to greet Secretary Zhang Xincheng.

Zhang Xincheng, hearing his purpose, praised highly: "Comrade Qingshan, your thinking is correct! Enterprises need talent to develop. Go ahead; the county is your strong backing!"

After a pause, Zhang Xincheng smiled again: "Actually, I have good news. The province is running a 'Rural Reform Pilot Advanced Model' selection, and the city has already nominated your Shanwan Village. If you win, there's not only honor but also policy and financial support. Your trip counts as bringing glory to Shanwan Village and Jiangyuan County!"

This unexpected joy lifted Lu Qingshan's spirits, giving him even more confidence.

With the Introduction Letters and the leaders' expectations, Lu Qingshan boarded the train bound for the provincial capital Changchun.

The green‑painted 1980s train clacked along, carrying all sorts of people—and Lu Qingshan's hopes.

Changchun is a long‑standing industrial base, dotted with state‑owned giants.

Following the information he gathered, Lu Qingshan first visited a Deputy Section Chief of the Technical Department at the First Automobile Manufacturing Plant, who was said to supervise many experienced senior workers.

However, reality quickly poured cold water on his hopes.

In the Technical Department office, the Deputy Section Chief named Wang, after hearing Lu Qingshan's request and the "sky‑high" salary he offered, pushed up his black‑rimmed glasses and said with a forced smile, "Comrade, our First Automobile technicians are national treasures, the most secure iron rice bowls. What can a mountain hamlet like yours achieve? A monthly salary of 120 yuan? Ha, sounds like you're selling a pipe dream, trying to get a white wolf with empty hands." He scanned Lu Qingshan up and down, his gaze dripping with contempt.

Mountain Wild Heart quietly activated; Lu Qingshan could feel the lofty arrogance in the man's words and a deep‑seated contempt for rural places.

A few young technicians nearby snickered and whispered to each other.

"Did you hear? Even a country bumpkin wants to hire technicians, offering only 120—dreaming of marrying a wife!"

"Exactly, here our wages aren't that high, but the benefits, social status, and the 'First Automobile person' identity are something their village can't match."

Lu Qingshan suppressed his anger, said in a deep voice, "Section Chief Wang, although Shanwan Village is remote, it enjoys national policy support and abundant forest resources. We sincerely want capable talent to come over and build something together. As for compensation, we make no false promises."

Deputy Section Chief Wang waved his hand impatiently, "Enough, enough. We're busy here, no time for this. If you need to recruit, go to the labor market; don't waste time with us."

Lu Qingshan hit a wall, but didn't lose heart.

He steadied himself and went to his second target—the Changchun Meat Union Factory.

This time he was looking for technical staff in food processing and quality control.

He was received by a workshop director in his fifties, hair meticulously combed, surnamed Liu.

After hearing Lu Qingshan's pitch, Director Liu didn't immediately show disdain, but furrowed his brows: "Young comrade, your village wants to run an enterprise with such high wages—do you have secure funding? Our factory's masters, though not paid as much, enjoy stability and guaranteed returns in good or bad years. If we go to your place and the factory fails, wouldn't both sides be left empty‑handed?"

Seeing Liu's relatively open attitude, Lu Qingshan quickly took out the oil‑paper‑wrapped Dried Meat and Sausage from his cloth bag: "Director Liu, these are produced by our Shanwan Village factory—please try. We genuinely want to run a good factory and lift our villagers out of poverty. As for compensation, the contract will be clear and unambiguous."

Director Liu glanced at the oil‑paper packet, didn't take it, and said lightly, "I appreciate the gesture. However, our masters are on established positions and won't move easily. Your matter looks doubtful."

At that moment, a younger technician passed by, curiously peered in, was attracted by the color of the Dried Meat in Lu Qingshan's hand, and couldn't help to glance at it a couple more times.

Liu Director coughed, and the young technician immediately pulled back his head and walked away.

Lu Qingshan felt a stir in his heart; the Mountain Wild Heart made him sense a flash of interest in the young technician's eyes.

Unfortunately, someone as seasoned and steady as Liu Director clearly valued stability even more.

In the following days, Lu Qingshan visited several more factories and mining enterprises, and the situation was much the same.

Either they ignored him, or they directly mocked him as an unrealistic "country bumpkin", or they regarded his high‑salary offer with great suspicion, and some even thought he was a fraud trying to swindle their technology.

Those core technicians clutching their iron rice bowls were full of distrust toward the obscure little place Shanwan Village.

The Dried Meat and Sausage they brought, aside from a few people who politely accepted them, were mostly not even given a chance to be delivered.

After a few days, Lu Qingshan had nearly run his legs to the breaking point, worn out his lips, yet gained nothing.

At dusk, dragging his weary body, Lu Qingshan walked the streets of Changchun with a hint of dejection.

As the bright lights flickered on, the city's bustle clashed with his current mood, and the sense of loss in his heart grew heavier.

Could it be that he was truly mistaken?

Do these people really only recognize the iron rice bowl and cannot see a broader world?

He found a small roadside eatery and haphazardly ordered the cheapest bowl of plain noodles.

The noodles were bland and tasteless, just like his mood at that moment.

Just as he felt a bit disheartened, pondering whether he should try another city, the moderate chatter of two middle‑aged men at the next table drifted over, instantly capturing his full attention.

"Lao Li, have you really thought this through? The deputy chief engineer position at the Meat Union Factory is coveted by so many; can you just say no? If you keep persisting with your new Low Temperature Curing Process, maybe the factory will adopt it someday?"

A slightly anxious voice urged.

Another voice, hoarse and weary, sounded up, laced with barely restrained anger: "Persist? I've been persisting for three damn years! The schematics have been revised over a dozen times, the experimental data sits there, and every time they say there's risk, demanding more study!"

"I think they're not afraid of risk; they're afraid that this old guy is blocking some people's path and stealing their limelight! I'm done with this factory! I've already submitted my resignation; approve it if you like, or not!"

Lu Qingshan's hand, holding the bowl, froze suddenly, and a flash of brilliance erupted in his eyes!