"Third Uncle, are you still busy calculating your petty sums?"
"Don't you know the fermented fish factory is hiring more people? If your two sons get jobs at the fermented fish factory, won't that be better than your stingy ways? Your year of meticulous saving can't even match a month's salary at the fermented fish factory."
The day after Chen Yang returned, the entire Shenjiaba village was abuzz because Chen Yang brought back a piece of earth-shattering good news: the fermented fish factory was expanding its workforce.
Shen Laosan, the third in his family, though only in his forties, held a high enough seniority that most villagers had to call him Third Uncle.
This Third Uncle was not skilled in much, but his stinginess was known throughout the village.
He was so frugal that he would even nickel-and-dime his own sons and daughters. If anyone ate a few extra grains of rice, he would lecture them and then decree they had to work overtime the next day to earn back the extra food.
This illiterate old man, who couldn't even string a few characters together, learned to use an abacus in a literacy class for the sake of meticulous calculation. His accounting of every cent was as precise as the village accountant's.
During festivals, even dogs were afraid to pass by his house, lest they be searched and, upon being found with no money, be slapped twice and thrown out.
As soon as the news of Chen Yang's fermented fish factory recruitment spread, every single person in the village rushed to sign up with the old village head and Old Master Tu.
"Alas, my pig brain, I was calculating accounts at home and forgot to go out and gather news. The ancients say a letter from home is worth ten thousand pieces of gold. Chen Yang's words are more valuable than a letter from home, worth a fortune! I missed it, a miscalculation, a miscalculation."
"Hey, grandson, wait for your Third Uncle, I'm going to the old village head's too."
Shen Laosan, who had learned some half-baked ancient poetry from somewhere, spoke in a refined manner, leaving the two young men completely bewildered.
Although their education was not high, they couldn't understand how "a letter from home is worth ten thousand pieces of gold" related to Chen Yang's words.
However, it wasn't the time to dwell on that. The priority was to hurry to the old village head's to sign up, lest they miss out on a spot!
Chen Yang had long established rules in the village: to enter the fermented fish factory, one had to be young and strong, diligent in work, and not lazy. Who was diligent in their work was something the old village head knew best.
It was useless to approach him with this matter; both the old village head and Old Master Tu had to personally vet candidates. No one could try to use personal connections with them.
Chen Yang just wanted some peace and quiet, otherwise, his doorstep would have been trampled flat.
While he was at ease, the old village head and Old Master Tu's doorsteps were nearly worn down.
Finally, it forced the two of them to gather at the brigade headquarters. After all, they were neighbors and couldn't refuse people entry. It was just that there were too many people, and their homes couldn't accommodate them; there was no space to even stand.
"This stinky brat Chen Yang is really giving us a hard time. Two old bones like us, and he's forced us into this thankless task."
They worked busily until noon. All the households in the village had basically come by, and this was just for the village itself; the brigade would come tomorrow.
"You old fellow, stop complaining. You're secretly happy, aren't you?"
"Just you wait and see, this Lunar New Year, how many new brides will join our village, and how many handsome young men from neighboring villages will come to propose marriage."
"With your skills, can you help all the village kids find a good wife?"
"You still complain about being tired. When good things happen, other village heads would be overjoyed if this fell upon them. They're not offending people; everyone who gets in will be grateful to us."
"Offending a few people is nothing. They are useless good-for-nothings, young and yet lazy. Even if Chen Yang didn't set this rule, I wouldn't let these rascals ruin the atmosphere of the fermented fish factory!"
Old Master Tu tapped his dry pipe. The old village head dared not retort; it was indeed the truth. Old Master Tu had lived so long, not for nothing; he saw things clearly.
"Yes, this isn't just recruiting people; it's helping our village's younger generation find spouses!"
"With the status of a worker at the fermented fish factory, their wages are almost comparable to city workers. City folk look down on our country girls, but marrying a young man from the fermented fish factory isn't bad."
"And for the girls in our village who get into the fermented fish factory, let's see who dares to say they are not capable anymore. Perhaps this year, city dwellers will be begging matchmakers to come to our village."
The old village head also took a puff of his dry pipe. His heart no longer felt wronged. Thinking of the bright future for the village's young people, and the increasingly prosperous lives of the villagers in Shenjiaba Village and Shenjia Brigade, he felt a surge of willingness.
Let alone being tired or offending people, he would gladly die from exhaustion.
At this time, grassroots cadres had a spirit of dedication. They genuinely wanted to do things for the villagers and lead them to a better life.
"We've agreed on this: this batch of workers must help build the factory. Those who know masonry will do masonry, and those who don't will dig soil and fire bricks. The factory must be built before they can officially join."
"Yangzi is good to our villagers, and we must also ensure quality. Building the factory is a test. Whoever works diligently and contributes to the factory's construction will not be shortchanged. Those who work will be well-fed."
"If anyone slacks off and doesn't treat the factory as their home, don't blame us for being unforgiving. We'll inform Director Liu and the other village heads. Regardless of whose relative, the lazy and good-for-nothing will not be hired."
"We cannot let one rotten rat spoil the whole pot of fermented fish stew!"
Old Master Tu stated resolutely. His eldest son had joined Chen Yang's father-in-law's wine workshop. If the fermented fish factory did well, the wine workshop would earn even more.
Chen Yang was giving him face, and he couldn't mess up the task Chen Yang had entrusted to him.
He also knew the character of his other sons. His third and fourth sons were efficient workers, so he approved their application to join the factory. His fifth son, pampered since childhood, he didn't even mention him joining the factory.
If he were to use his name to slack off at the factory, wouldn't that be an insult to him? He had lived his whole life and couldn't afford to lose face.
"Old Master, since you've said so, what more can I say? Your fifth son wasn't even considered for recruitment, so others can't say anything out of line."
"Yangzi has entrusted the factory to us to oversee. We don't understand accounting and treasury, but the people we send in must be managed well."
"Not only must we manage them well, but we also need to help Yangzi find capable and competent people. Our two old bones can't hold on for much longer."
"In the future, we need reliable people to help Yangzi vet candidates. We both need to put in more effort. This is the only opportunity for the entire village to have a good life. We cannot let it be ruined by us!"
Old Master Tu saw things clearly, and the old village head was also thinking long-term. He wasn't foolish and knew who the leader was who could lead Shenjiaba villagers to a good life.
All he could do now was help Chen Yang with the small, trivial matters. Chen Yang had great abilities but didn't have the inclination to quibble with his subordinates. Someone had to help him!