"Miss Zhou, we can procure fry from the aquatic products company for the experiment, but we are also preparing to clear out the commune's wild ponds for fish farming."
"While experimenting with rice-fish farming, perhaps we can also utilize some of the wild ponds to cultivate our own fry. This way, by the time spring plowing arrives, the cost of fry will be greatly reduced."
"Since Miss Zhou can contact the aquatic products company to purchase fry, the technology for cultivating them, hehe."
Chen Yang smiled faintly. Since Zhou Jingqiu dared to guarantee that she could get fry from the aquatic products company, it meant she had some connections there.
If they could replicate the fry cultivation technology readily available at the aquatic products company, it would save them a lot of trouble compared to figuring it out themselves.
Then, not only could they benefit the Wanli Commune, but they could also drive the entire Liuhe County towards nationwide aquaculture.
Based on Chen Yang's memories from his past life, the foreign exchange project of the Qinghe City Aquatic Products Company continued to acquire aquatic products in large quantities until the 1990s.
However, Qinghe City's aquaculture never really developed. Coupled with subsequent state-owned enterprise reforms, the severe shortage of supply meant that the city's aquatic products company, unable to increase output, was eventually acquired.
Later, the acquired and restructured aquatic products company, whose canned fish export business was hampered by the lack of development in Qinghe City's aquaculture, had to relocate to the coastal Zhejiang province to seek development.
The newly established Tianhai Fishery Company, relying on Zhejiang's robust aquaculture industry and its overseas sales channels established since the late 1970s, became a leading enterprise in the canned fish industry in Chen Yang's past life.
The departure of such an excellent enterprise has always been a pain for numerous leadership teams in Qinghe City!
It was also a pain for countless farmers in Qinghe City!
If Qinghe City's aquaculture had developed and could provide sufficient supply to the aquatic products company, such a large enterprise could have remained in Qinghe City, in Anhui province.
For a developed province like Zhejiang, such an enterprise might not mean much, but for Anhui province, an agricultural province, Tianhai Fishery Company could have been a leading enterprise ensuring increased income for countless farmers in related industries.
With such an enterprise, local livelihoods and the economy could have been stabilized, allowing many farmers to have a pillar industry to rely on, thus not having to leave their homes to work elsewhere.
In this life, if Chen Yang could lead the way in developing aquaculture in Liuhe County, perhaps Qinghe City could promote aquaculture comprehensively.
Then, with a sufficient supply for the city's aquatic products company, it might not have been forced to relocate to Zhejiang province, and all farmers in Qinghe City could have benefited.
"Comrade Chen Yang, no wonder Director Zou told me before you came that you were a businessman. Your calculations are indeed meticulous."
Hearing Chen Yang's words, Zhou Jingqiu rarely teased him.
In just this short while, the sense of distance that the technician, who initially seemed out of place in Shenjiaba Village, had felt was significantly reduced.
"Miss Zhou, the folks in the countryside are suffering, you have no idea. Not long ago, we were still figuring out how to have enough grain to last until the New Year."
"I must find a way for our villagers to have enough to eat, and I believe you feel the same."
"We cannot choose our birth, but I believe everyone is born equal. We cannot decide our family background, but we can realize our life's value through our own efforts."
Chen Yang sighed, a rare sentiment. He was born in the city, and truthfully, if it weren't for going to the countryside, he might never have known.
He wouldn't have known that in this world, many elderly people would choose to starve themselves to save a bit of grain for their children.
He wouldn't have known that a farmer, after a year of hard work, would eat so little of their own produce, and even have to pay planned grain rations while starving.
They are suffering!
Chen Yang felt that since he had been reborn, he must do something for these kind and simple people.
At the very least, help them achieve food security as soon as possible and prevent the tragedy of the elderly sacrificing themselves to save grain for their children.
"Chen Yang, call me Jingqiu from now on."
"You are absolutely right, we cannot choose our birth, but everyone is born equal!"
"No one can judge a person's worth based on their background. I have never harmed anyone since birth, nor have my parents harmed anyone. At least, in this world, we are kind."
"I will prove to everyone that the changes I bring to this world will be for the better."
Listening to Chen Yang's words, Zhou Jingqiu's eyes welled up.
She had experienced too much over the years. Even though everything was in the past, it was only today, through Chen Yang, that she found resonance.
Yes, birth doesn't represent anything; everyone is born equal!
"Jingqiu, I hope we can bring change to everyone, and through our efforts, the villagers can all have enough to eat and live good lives!"
A light flickered in Chen Yang's eyes. The people of this country possessed unimaginable resilience.
They worked tirelessly, enduring hunger and hardship, always contributing and striving for this country. He had to lead the villagers out of suffering and towards a better life!
That day, Zhou Jingqiu stayed in Shenjiaba Village. Shen Fuguo led the village carpenters to use some good lumber provided by the production team to build a wooden bed for Zhou Jingqiu.
The villagers, bit by bit, pooled together a stack of cloth coupons and cotton. In those days, no household had many cloth or cotton coupons.
In the countryside, many children wore hand-me-downs, the eldest's clothes passed to the second, the second to the third. New for three years, old for three years, patched and mended for another three years.
Everyone knew that this technician from the city was here to find a way for them to earn money, and no one disrespected Zhou Jingqiu.
Zhou Jingqiu looked at those simple, unadorned faces, and her heart was deeply shaken.
At this moment, she felt countless expectations and was honored.
But at the same time, she also felt immense pressure.
The more she interacted with the villagers, the more she realized how difficult their lives were.
In the small room prepared for her by the brigade, the villagers poured grain into her rice bin, a bowl here, a liter there, filling it to the brim.
Several dried fish hung from the ceiling beams, and even fresh wild berries picked by the children were in a ceramic cup on the table.
The old party secretary's wife, holding a pile of cloth and cotton coupons, was still asking her what color fabric she liked, planning to take her to the city tomorrow to buy cloth to make a quilt.
All of this deeply moved Zhou Jingqiu.
She hadn't even done anything for these villagers yet, but they had already brought out the best they had to entertain her.
At this moment, she seemed to understand why Chen Yang had said what he did.
These were all people worth helping; they were simple, kind, diligent, and brave.
Their demands were not high; they just wanted to eat their fill and live good lives.
Zhou Jingqiu felt that she absolutely had to summarize the experience of rice-fish farming and aquaculture, and she must help the villagers make money.
Only then would she be worthy of their earnest hopes!