Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Li Qingkai looked at the construction captain.
âArenât you guys from Kanglai Countyâs drilling team? How did is this your familyâs land?â
The construction captain pointed at the other two men.
âWe originally came from this village. Back then, my second uncle had been working in Kanglai County. Over the years, farming and raising chickens were not profitable, so I followed my second uncle to learn how to dig wells. 1 didnât expect such a coincidence to occur this year. I received a job right on my own doorstep.â The construction team leader smiled honestly.
âThe well Iâm building now will be our land in the future. Even if you donât give me money, I have to do this job well, donât you think so, Boss?â
Li Qingkai also felt that this was quite a coincidence.
âIn that case, Iâm relieved. This task is equivalent to giving your families job. I donât think you guys will be lazy.â
âThatâs for sure. Donât worry.â
After saying that, the construction team leader called the others to work together and did not slack off at all.
âYoung man, youâre now working in Kanglai Countyâs drilling team. Howâs your income?â In his free time, Li Qingkai chatted about family matters.
âThe income is alright. I can just about support my family.â The construction team leader said,
âNext year, 1â11 bring my wife to Kanglai County. Iâll rent out the land at home and weâll barely make ends meet.â
âIf you leave, youâll suffer a huge loss. Donât say that 1 didnât warn you,â Li Qingkai said.
âWhatâs wrong? Is the village going to be relocated?â
âForget about relocation, but the town has attracted a lot of big enterprises for investment. Dongsan County will get better and better in the future. I canât say for sure about other aspects, but at the very least, it will be better off than Kanglai County,â Li Qingkai explained.
âAlso, the county is preparing to develop the livestock industry. Baiye Town will be the pilot for this. Farmers like you are sure to benefit in the future.â
âThese are all nationalistic promises. Boss, donât try to trick us.â
âDo I look like Iâm bluffing?â Li Qingkai said.
âThe county has approved all the money. They want to organize a group of people to go to the Northeast to study. Young and strong people like you meet the requirements. Didnât anyone from your family sign up?â
âOh? Is there really such a good program?â
The construction team leader and the two people from the same village exchanged glances.
âI didnât hear my wife talk about it.â
The other two also shook their heads, indicating that they did not know about this matter.
âThatâs impossible. This has been going on for a few days. Almost everyone has already been chosen. Baiye Town is a place that the higher-ups are paying attention to. Itâs impossible for you not to know of it.â
âIâve really never heard of it,â said the construction captain.
âThe people in our village have a group chat. Usually, they will talk about both big and small matters in the group chat. Iâve never heard anyone mention this.â âIf such a good thing really happened, the village would have exploded with news long ago. It wouldnât be so quiet.â
Li Qingkai touched his chin, unable to understand this matter.
âSomething must have happened midway,â Lin Yi said.
âMidway?â
Lin Yi nodded, âAs the saying goes, thereâs a policy from above, but there are countermeasures from below. The intentions from higher-ups are good, but sometimes issues can arise during implementation.â
With that, Lin Yi stood up and looked into the distance. He said to the construction team leader,
âBailing Village should be up ahead.â
âYeah, thatâs where we live.â
âPut aside what youâre doing and come with us to Bailing Village. Itâll be easier for us to understand the situation there.â
âSure.â
The construction team leader put down his work and followed Lin Yi and Li Qingkai into the car, heading towards Bailing Village.
As soon as they arrived at the village entrance, they could hear the crowing of chickens and dogs inside.
On the way here, Lin Yi learned that the construction team leaderâs name was Song Changxi.
In the past, every family in town bred livestock. They mainly had chickens, ducks, and geese, with each household having no fewer than loo of them.
However, because the market had not been doing well over the years, there were fewer people raising animals now.
âCan we go to your house to take a look?â Lin Yi asked after entering the village.
âWhy not? As long as you donât mind.â
âThen letâs go.â
Under Song Changxiâs lead, Lin Yi and Li Qingkai arrived at his house.
The house was not bad. It was a red brick house with a small courtyard filled with vegetables.
In Bailing Village, this could already be considered a big house.
There was an empty space in front of Song Changxiâs house. There were more than ten men and women gathered there, chatting.
In a sense, this empty space was the CBD of Bailing Village. It was the leisure cultural and entertainment center of the village. It had the same importance as Yanjingâs Wangfujing, Zhonghaiâs Lujiazui, and Newyoâs Mattaten in Meiguo.
âAh, Changxi, why are you back? Itâs not even noon yet.â
The womanâs name was Li Jing, and she was Song Changxiâs wife.
âThese two are the leaders of the county. They are trying to understand the situation here, so I brought them here.â
After knowing Lin Yi and Li Qingkaiâs identities, the person chatting on the empty ground hurriedly stood up.
âBoss, please sit here.â
âDonât be so nervous. Weâre here to inquire about something. You just have to answer truthfully,â Li Qingkai said.
Everyone nodded and expressed their willingness to cooperate.
âThe county has a policy to develop the livestock industry. Your Baiye County and the villages below are all going to pilot this. We will select a portion of the young and strong from amongst your villages to send on educational trips. Do you know about this?â
Hearing this, everyone looked at each other in confusion. They had no idea what was going on.
âThis news has been spreading for a few days. Donât you know anything about it?â
Li Jing shook her head. âI really donât know. No one told us about this.â
âAlright, I understand.â
After a simple chat, Lin Yi and Li Qingkai left. The former said,
âItâs obvious that the policy hasnât been implemented.â
âLetâs go find the village chief,â Li Qingkai said.
The two of them drove to the village chiefâs office, which was a newly renovated activity house.
Inside the room were three people, one of whom was a middle-aged man in his forties. He sat at a desk, holding a Zhonghua brand cigarette.
The other two were sitting on the sofa. There was a sea of tea on the coffee table. They were drinking while chatting.
âWhich one of you is Han Jinwu?â Li Qingkai asked.
âI am,â said the middle-aged man with the cigarette. âAnd you are?â
âIâm Li Qingkai, the director of the countyâs Office of Poverty Alleviation. This is Deputy Director Lin Yi. Iâm here today to understand the situation.â
After knowing their identities, Han Jinwu and the other two quickly stood up.
âSo you are Director Li and Director Lin. Sit, sit.â
After saying that, Han Jinwu handed over a cigarette, but the two of them refused.
âThereâs no need to be so polite. Weâre just here to understand the situation.â âWhat do you want to know?â Han Jinwu said cooperatively.
âRegarding the matter of sending people to study in the Northeast, have you received the notification? How is the implementation going?â