"I have only hired two forest rangers who were already employed by the village as helpers. This is far below the standard of capitalists. If you must label me, I am at most a small proprietor. The state is currently vigorously developing agriculture, and I also wish to contribute my humble efforts towards the early realization of the Four Modernizations. All the facts are plain to see and observable by everyone. I don't understand what else Secretary Wang wishes to know?"
In the last sentence, Chen Lishu's voice grew heavier, almost speaking each word deliberately.
Wang Shengli looked up, and for the first time since entering, he took a serious look at the young girl before him.
To be honest, at first glance, beyond her pretty looks, he didn't think she possessed anything extraordinary. Perhaps contracting the mountains was a whim based on someone's words. But hearing her speak just now, the knowledge she displayed, even he would have to consult books to recall, yet she spoke it so easily, indicating her learning was far beyond the ordinary.
When he received the public denunciation, he truthfully didn't take it seriously. Since the policy of household contract responsibility was implemented, others had also proposed contracting land, with contracts signed in various forms.
Villagers contracting land for their own cultivation, he didn't interfere much. But contracting mountains, let alone in his jurisdiction's commune, perhaps it was the first in the entire county. This forced him to take it seriously.
His intentions before coming were quite simple; he thought he could find a few errors and invalidate the contract. He didn't expect that not only was there not a single mistake in the contract, but it was so meticulous that every household had signed and left their fingerprints.
You talk about hiring workers, the village says they are people employed by the village. Chen Lishu even presented a pile of lengthy arguments, leaving him speechless to refute.
"What you call 'small proprietor' and 'capitalist' are just your words. What I need to see is official red-文件 documents. If not, you are suspected of taking the capitalist road and exploiting others' labor. Our commune will definitely not recognize this so-called contract of yours."
Wang Shengli threw the contract in his hand onto the table, then stood up, picked up his briefcase by the table, and strode towards the door.
The other two staff members also stood up and followed.
Chen Lishu's complexion turned pale for a moment. If they didn't acknowledge it and even pinned such a huge label on her, her contracting venture would be ruined.
"Alright, it's finally over." Just as she was considering if she should think of some way to compensate, Zhang Changhe beside her suddenly sighed in relief and said in a relaxed tone.
"Uncle Zhang, what do you mean?" Chen Lishu looked up, asking confusedly.
"Yes, in-law, the commune secretary was angered and left, how is it over?" Gu Shoufu and others present were also as confused as monks touching a maze.
Zhang Changhe smiled and explained, "You still don't understand officialdom. Honestly, I was a bit stunned at first, as the commune secretary himself came to inquire. I thought he was here to find fault, and truthfully, he was here to find fault."
Sun Yuzhu couldn't help but urge, "Old Zhang, you keep mentioning finding fault, you're confusing me. Stop beating around the bush."
So, Zhang Changhe smiled and explained it to everyone.
"Secretary Wang came this time precisely to distance himself from the matter."
Chen Mantun: "Distance himself? What does that mean? What connection does our contract have with him?"
Chen Lishu, however, began to understand.
She was not wrong in contracting the mountains with the village, the contract was not wrong, and the matter of hiring workers could be explained. All her actions were reasonable and legal. The only mistake was that there was no explicit regulation from above clearly stating that these were permissible actions.
Therefore, Wang Shengli needed to avoid suspicion and shed responsibility.
If the higher-ups didn't inquire, it would be best. The village would increase its income, and the commune would also increase its tax revenue, which was political achievement. If the higher-ups did investigate, he could then say that he had come, had even expressed disapproval, and that the rest was completed behind his back by the village without his knowledge.
Although Zhang Changhe was only the village party secretary, he had experience in official circles and saw things more clearly than others.
As he explained, everyone suddenly understood, except for Chen Mantun, who was still half-comprehending, "Acknowledge it or not acknowledge it, why are there so many twists and turns in between?"
Regardless, the outcome was good, and everyone could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"Uncle Zhang, thank you so much for your help this time." Chen Lishu said, standing up and expressing her sincere gratitude.
If it weren't for Zhang Changhe taking the responsibility for the issue, Chen Lishu wouldn't have gotten through it so easily.
"It's all for the good of the village." Chen Lishu was able to accept his favor, and Zhang Changhe felt his help was not in vain.
The crowd waiting outside was bewildered. Seeing Secretary Wang leave with a grim face, they assumed they had angered him and thought they were in big trouble. Thus, when they saw them coming out, they rushed forward to inquire about the situation with concern.
Especially Li Xiulan and Gu Xingye, as this matter concerned their families, their anxiety was mingled with even more worry.
Chen Lishu and Gu Shoufu patiently explained to everyone. Upon learning that everything was completely fine, their hearts finally settled.
While everyone was happy for Chen Lishu and the village, only Widow Liu was extremely angry. But an arm couldn't twist a thigh; everyone was siding with that wretched Chen Lishu, and there was even Yue Hongmei, the traitor, by her side.
Seeing everyone's smiles felt exceptionally jarring. A cold gust of wind blew, making her shiver violently. Upon returning home, she felt a heaviness in her head and lightness in her feet. Her condition, which had not fully recovered, worsened.
The stone in her heart finally lifted. Chen Lishu specifically went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a large piece of meat. After instructing Zhang Xiaoju to go home early to make dumplings for dinner, Chen Lishu carried the meat back home.
The next day, she began organizing people to go to the mountain to build the road. However, before starting work, she called Hu Sizer and Lin Dazhong together for a meeting.
"How many people will it take to build a road from the foot of the mountain to the summit, and what is the fastest completion time?"
Hu Sizer: "It's winter now, the ground is frozen, and if it snows, the progress will surely be slow. It's hard to say for sure."
Chen Lishu: "If it's to be completed within a month, how many people would be needed?"
Lin Dazhong estimated, "Based on the village's past progress in digging ditches, it would take at least fifteen to twenty people."
Chen Lishu nodded. In the past, the production team worked in large groups, slacking off, and it was difficult for everyone to work diligently. Now, she was paying people to work, and she had other matters to attend to, so she couldn't supervise them every day. To prevent shirking, Chen Lishu thought for a moment and said, "Fourth Uncle, Uncle Lin, I have five hundred yuan on hand. You go and contact people from the village. No matter how many people you find, as long as they can guarantee the road is built within a month, this five hundred yuan will be allocated by the two of you."