Chapter 131: Goodbye Xu Huizhen and Chen Xueru

Director Wang, after listening to Chen Hong's report, remained silent for a long time, then she said helplessly.

This kid has dug a big pit for me.

At that time I only thought his idea was good, and I was blinded by the scene he described.

I didn't think carefully about the implementation issues.

Now it seems I oversimplified things.

He's right; large-scale promotion can't be left to individuals; we also need the Jiedao to carry it out.

That's difficult; where are we going to get that much money?

Are we really supposed to borrow money from the public?

The government doesn't have such a policy either.

What if we lose money? That would still cause public resentment.

Chen Hong took the opportunity to say.

Auntie, Yang Qing said, rent is an important asset for our Jiedao.

We can use the rent as collateral.

If not, we can also use the houses as collateral.

Moreover, our Jiedao has a lot of vacant land; if necessary, we can use the vacant land as collateral.

Director Wang, upon hearing this, immediately shook her head firmly.

Houses and land are absolutely out of the question; this touches the national red line.

It would be fatal.

Only rent remains; there might still be room for maneuver in this regard.

This matter needs the district's approval; I'll go communicate about it.

It might not work.

If it really doesn't work, we can only proceed bit by bit.

A large estate wanting to recoup its costs would likely take a year.

Given our Jiedao's capacity, we might only be able to handle a dozen or so large estates at a time; to fully promote it, it could take over a decade.

What's the point of all that trouble? In over a decade, reform and opening up will have happened.

Moreover, family farms would be quickly destroyed by the burgeoning population.

People can't even find housing; how could they grow vegetables?

Yang Qing had already anticipated the outcome; he acted with the mindset of doing his best and leaving the rest to fate.

Don't be too anxious; public opinion can sometimes be fierce as well.

Watching others grow vegetables, thriving and prosperous, they could only look on; who could keep their inner balance?

By then, the Jiedao will have only two choices: either push forward with the implementation, or scrap the plan altogether—no one should play around.

This is also Yang Qing's kind of probe, to see whether the Jiedao has the resolve.

If not, his idea of spawning Jiedao enterprises would be considered a failure.

He'll have to think of other ways; there are still several years until 1966, and he can still do many things.

When Chen Hong went to the Jiedao, Yang Qing was invited to the new home of Xu Huizhen and Chen Xueru.

A single-unit small courtyard, barely enough for two families to live in.

Seeing Chen Xueru again, she had recovered a lot, her spirit inwardly gathered and steady.

This small courtyard, paired with the feeling Chen Xueru gave Yang Qing, was quite nice.

They were now hardly different from ordinary families.

Xu Huizhen welcomed Yang Qing into the house and asked.

How is it? Although the courtyard is small, the house is quite good in every aspect.

It also doesn't draw attention.

Because we voluntarily gave up and donated the courtyard, money, and property, the Jiedao now treats us well; our jobs have changed, and we all went to work as clerks at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative.

Clerks? One of the Eight Great Employees—others bitterly seek it in vain, yet these two became so easily.

Not to mention myself; I can't even find a job.

How enviable.

If things continue as they are, in a year or two no one will remember your backgrounds.

By then, when investigated, the chances of a safe outcome will greatly increase.

Congratulations in advance.

Xu Huizhen smiled, feeling sentimental.

To be honest, since we moved here, this period has been our most comfortable days.

No need to worry about this or that anymore.

We've donated everything, so fewer people have designs on us.

Peaceful, quiet days are more reassuring than anything else.

Chen Xueru also nodded, her steady face only occasionally flashing a hint of charm.

I like this place; it makes me feel at ease.

I really wish to live like this forever; I just don't know if this wish can come true.

She was somewhat stimulated, and her life also seemed tinged with pessimism.

She is always gaining and losing, worrying about gains and losses.

Yang Qing didn't know how to comfort her; this is a post-traumatic sequela, needing time to gradually fade.

"Don't worry, things will keep getting better."

Chen Xueru seemed not to have heard his consolation, suddenly grabbing his hand and rubbing it.

She pleaded.

"Yang Qing, when you leave, you must definitely take us with you."

Yang Qing was made flustered by her—men and women shouldn't be intimate—what are you doing? Are you taking advantage of me?

"Senior Sister Xueru, rest assured."

He said while trying to pull his hand away.

Chen Xueru, however, gripped him ever tighter.

Xu Huizhen saw Yang Qing's embarrassment and scolded.

"Alright, let go of Yang Qing—what does this look like?"

"If outsiders see this, will we even be able to go on living?"

After being rebuked by Xu Huizhen, Chen Xueru restrained herself considerably.

Yang Qing pulled his hand free, looking at her pleading gaze, and said helplessly.

"Let's take it step by step."

"If I get the chance, I will definitely bring you, but I make no guarantees."

Yang Qing thought of Lou Xiao'e.

If my chances of taking Lou Xiao'e's path are low, then people like Chen Xueru and Xu Huizhen taking Lou Bancheng's route should be fine, right?

Lou Bancheng, however, gave up most of his family estate in exchange for this chance to leave.

Bringing a few people along should count as an added bonus, right?

Upon hearing that, Chen Xueru's expression relaxed noticeably.

"Then I'll wait for your good news."

Yang Qing frowned—how could Chen Xueru be so certain she could run away?

He looked toward Xu Huizhen.

"Senior Sister Huizhen, is Senior Sister Xueru's mind messed up?"

"Why is she acting so strange today?"

Xu Huizhen glanced at Chen Xueru, her eye twitching slightly.

"Never mind her, she's crazy."

"What are your plans next? I heard your wife is running some kind of family farm?"

"Should we follow up on that?"

When the talk turned to serious matters, Yang Qing quickly forgot about the odd Chen Xueru.

"You can now inform the Jiedao office aunt about the situation of our compound."

"Being a shop assistant is fine, but if you could get a job with the Jiedao, it would be even better for you."

"Only by infiltrating the interior can many things be easily handled."

Xu Huizhen composed herself and listened attentively to Yang Qing's words.

Yang Qing handed over a sheet of data to Xu Huizhen.

Xu Huizhen took it, examined it carefully, and was quickly shocked by the data within.

"Growing vegetables in the compound yields such a good harvest?"

Yang Qing nodded.

"These are all fast-growing vegetables, and most can be harvested multiple times."

"A somewhat higher yield is normal, especially in summer with ample sunlight; as long as fertility is ensured, the vegetables' growth changes day by day."

"Besides, how much can people eat? Vegetables aren't staple food after all."

Holding those data, Xu Huizhen spoke excitedly.

"That wouldn't be simple either—if we could promote this, it would greatly help our current predicament."

Yang Qing poured a basin of cold water on her.

"In the face of the larger trend, what does this even amount to?"

"After all, doing this does raise a slight suspicion of ulterior motives."

"Besides, where would the money come from?"

Xu Huizhen froze in an instant.

Reality and imagination are often not the same; you think this should be done, most people think so too, but an unseen society will change.

Different positions consider different things, and generally, in many people's eyes, the opinions of the lower classes have no reference value.

"Then what do you mean by giving me all this?"