Reborn in 1977

Zhang Wenliang originally wanted to play hard to get with Chen Fan, but one sentence ruined his plan. His old face turned black, and he snorted coldly, not wanting to talk to him.

Seeing that he didn't take the cigarette, Chen Fan directly turned the cigarette butt around, stuffed it into his mouth, and then took out a lighter to light it. He chuckled and said, "Isn't it just being fined? If you're wrong, just correct it. Come on, I'm optimistic about you."

Zhang Wenliang rolled his eyes and spat out a puff of smoke, "You went to the provincial capital, and all I get is one cigarette?"

He held the cigarette in his hand and looked at it, "What kind of cigarette is this? The taste is better than the Zhonghua you gave me last time?"

Chen Fan hummed twice, "It's not better than Zhonghua, it's more choking than Zhonghua."

He turned his head and glanced at the other old smokers in the room who were looking intoxicated. Before Lujiawan became wealthy, these people smoked home-grown coarse tobacco. In the early years, they even smoked tree leaves.

Now that they have a little money in their pockets, they're starting to be picky.

He casually picked up the bag he had just thrown on the table, reached in and took out a few things, and placed them in front of each person, "Leaders, don't say I'm stingy. These things cost me a lot of money."

The items were all different, and each person also received a pack of Golden Dragon cigarettes.

Captain Zhang picked up the pack of cigarettes and the notebook, looked at them, and then opened the notebook, looking up at him, "The Writers Association issued souvenirs, and you still have to spend money to buy them yourself?"

Director Yang tugged at the black briefcase, "Wow, it's still leather, not bad."

Then he stretched out his arm to look at the words on the briefcase, "Commemorative of the Reconstruction Conference of the Jiangnan Provincial Writers Association?"

Needless to say, his gaze had already shifted to Chen Fan.

Synchronized with them were Ye Shubao, holding an umbrella, and Xiao Liwen, holding a travel mug.

Chen Fan coughed dryly, "This is a commemorative edition, very rare. You can't buy it outside. Here, if you don't want it, that's fine. I have other things there, and they're not cheap either. Do you want to exchange them?"

Zhang Wenliang was the first to stuff the box containing toiletries and tableware into his pocket, pretending to be indifferent as he said, "Forget it, forget it. It's not easy for you to earn some money. Leave those things for others. I'll just take this."

While he was speaking, the others quickly hid their souvenirs as well.

Just kidding, no matter how good ordinary souvenirs are, what can they do?

Can they be as high-end as something printed with the words 'Jiangnan Provincial Writers Association'?!

This is a souvenir from the Writers Association. Go get one back and try!

At the very least, they have someone from the Writers Association around them.

That's face!

Sure enough, although they complained, as soon as they heard that Chen Fan was going to take them back, they quickly hid them, afraid of being snatched away.

Director Yang closed the drawer, coughed dryly, and looked up at Chen Fan, "Last time you went to send Xiao An and didn't come back, I asked the transportation team to inquire about your situation. I found Xiao Jiang at the Education Department and learned that you went to the provincial capital to attend the Writers Association meeting and had the opportunity to join the Writers Association and become a member."

His eyes were shining, and he stared at Chen Fan, "Did you make it?"

Chen Fan nodded and smiled, "I made it."

Then he took out a few certificates from his pocket and threw them over from a distance, "Not only did I make it, but I also changed units. I came back yesterday and caught up with the correspondence exam, and I also got a bachelor's degree."

That expression, that tone, was as if he had gone to the village entrance to buy a bottle of soy sauce, not worth mentioning at all!

But the few people holding the certificates were stunned.

Xiao Liwen looked left and right at the Writers Association membership certificate, "This is how you become a member?"

Captain Zhang pushed away Ye Shubao's head that was getting too close, "Don't get too close."

He frowned tightly and muttered, "Isn't it said that college is very difficult to get into? You got your diploma in one day?"

Ye Shubao pretended to understand, "It's difficult for others to get into, but Xiao Chen will definitely pass the exam every time."

At the same time, he glanced at Chen Fan, thinking that he would have to ask him later if this correspondence bachelor's degree was very simple. He signed up a few months ago, didn't attend a single class, and got his diploma after one exam yesterday. Could we also take one?

When we talk about it later, we're also college students!

Director Yang held the work permit and looked at it repeatedly, "Director of the European and American Division of the Foreign Liaison Department of the Jiangnan Provincial Writers Association? What level is that?"

Chen Fan smiled slightly, "Deputy director level."

Including Zhang Wenliang, who was sitting on the chair with restraint, everyone quickly turned to look at Chen Fan when they heard Chen Fan's words.

Deputy director level?

Are you kidding me?!

After being stunned for a few seconds, Xiao Liwen suddenly hummed twice, "Wow, does that mean we also have a deputy director level person under us?"

Chen Fan smacked his lips, feeling that there was nothing wrong with this statement, so he nodded very seriously, "All the members of Lujiawan are soldiers under the leadership of you leaders, so I must be too!"

As soon as these words came out, the office burst into laughter.

The uneasy mood of Director Yang and the others was also swept away.

They were really a little scared just now. Although Chen Fan was previously a deputy section-level cadre in the Health Department, everyone knew that it was just a nominal position, without even a proper department. He usually still worked in Lujiawan.

But now this work permit, look: first of all, it's the Writers Association, secondly, it's the Foreign Liaison Department, and then it's the European and American Division!

What does this mean?

It means that this is a serious department, and he, Chen Fan, is the director and the top leader of this department!

And he is also a deputy director-level official with real power, equivalent to the county leader.

Is this the same?

The few of them are said to be leaders of the production team, but strictly speaking, even the lowest-level clerk in the commune is higher than them. At least they have an administrative salary, do they?

But now, seeing Chen Fan's appearance, and thinking about his eccentricity after entering the door just now, they knew that everything was as usual!

Only Director Yang was still a little uneasy. After pondering for two seconds, he stared at Chen Fan and asked, "Xiao Chen, if you become this director, then will you still be in Lujiawan in the future...?"

The words were not finished, but the meaning was obvious.

Will you still stay in Lujiawan in the future?

Chen Fan naturally told the story of the provincial capital again and again.

Health Department, two sisters, Education Department, Machinery Factory, this is already the fifth time.

However, the content of the lecture is not the same now. This lecture is so eloquent, what hardships he has gone through along the way, how he finally arrived at the Writers Association, and was supported by the stars and unanimously elected as a member. When the organization is rebuilt, but talents are hard to find, he has to accept Chairman He's repeated requests and take on the heavy responsibility of the Foreign Liaison Department's European and American Division that no one can bear,...

In short, it highlights an ups and downs and is highly valued.

"But."

Chen Fan threw the cigarette butt into the ashtray, his face full of determination, "For the unfinished business of Lujiawan, I have to discuss with Chairman He to temporarily put aside the work of the Provincial Writers Association and return to Lujiawan. As for the work there, if a decision needs to be made, contact me by letter."

Zhang Wenliang pondered for two seconds, quickly grasping the main point, "So it's the same as before, right? Just a nominal position over there, but still working in the village."

Chen Fan glanced at him, "I'm getting close to life for creative purposes."

Anyway, by this time everyone else had understood.

Secretary Yang gathered the three certificates and tossed them back to Chen Fan, "Since it's still the same, then nothing changes, everything remains as it was. Oh, right,"

He pointed to the certificates in Chen Fan's hand, "Don't you have a camera? Take a photo of each one later, get the photos enlarged, and hang them on the wall."

Chen Fan's eyes widened, "These are mine!"

"We know they're yours, no one's trying to take them from you."

Secretary Yang took out his pipe, filled it with tobacco, and said, "It's still an honor, hanging them on the wall for outsiders to see, it's also an achievement for our Lujiawan."

Chen Fan's lips twitched slightly, fine then.

He poured himself a cup of tea, sat on the edge of the table, and picked up the pack of cigarettes in front of Zhang Wenliang.

Zhang Wenliang's eyes widened, "Those are my cigarettes!"

He just gave them out, and now he's taking them to smoke? Is there such a person?

Chen Fan tore open the pack, took out a cigarette, and threw the pack back, "We know they're yours, no one's trying to take them from you."

Saying that, he took out a lighter and lit it.

Zhang Wenliang's forehead was covered in black lines, he's already lit it, isn't that stealing?

The others lowered their eyes and silently put away the cigarettes they had received.

Chen Fan exhaled a puff of smoke, "Were things going smoothly these past few days I was gone?"

Ye Shubao, who was in charge of production, was the most involved in the team's affairs, so he said, "What could have happened? The dike reinforcement is finished, the Water Conservancy Bureau passed the inspection, and even said it was the sturdiest project they'd ever seen. As for other things..."

He glanced upwards, thought for a moment, and said, "The water tower is almost finished, water should be flowing in a few days, before the New Year, definitely before New Year's Eve, the entire brigade will have running water.

Also, the optimized centralized breeding you mentioned, the expansion of the breeding farm is also on the agenda, but it's definitely too late for this year (lunar calendar), we'll have to wait until after the Spring Festival to build it."

After speaking, he looked at Team Leader Zhang, "Old Zhang, is there anything else?"

Team Leader Zhang also started smoking his pipe, took a couple of puffs, and said, "Also, the year-end bonus distribution, each team has finished calculating, the brigade will also be able to calculate it clearly in the next few days, and we can settle accounts in a few days."

Bonus distribution?

Chen Fan's eyes lit up instantly, "How much is one work point worth?"

Although he now relies on writing, with a monthly income of three to four thousand, plus various consulting fees, adding up to over four thousand, who would complain about having more money?

Moreover, his total income isn't much, calculating it yesterday, it was less than twenty thousand.

If the bonus distribution is enough, it should be able to break twenty thousand.

Team Leader Zhang couldn't help but grin when he saw Chen Fan's greedy look, "Not bad, not bad."

Chen Fan blinked, how much is not bad?

Xiao Lie Wen couldn't help but laugh and scold, "Can you be a little more restrained? You look so unsightly."

Chen Fan's face fell, "I call this pursuing a happy life, it's in line with the spirit of the higher-ups!"

To be honest, since last year, the direction has indeed changed. Although development was often mentioned before, the way of development had to meet various requirements.

For example, only three chickens and two pigs could be raised, and only vegetables could be grown in private plots, not grain. "Getting rich through hard work" had to be done under the leadership of the production team and the commune.

In fact, as early as three or four years ago, around 1974, many places, well, mainly the southern regions, had quietly undergone changes.

For example, on the first day of the reopening of the market at the beginning of the year, when Chen Fan bought chicks, the old man selling chicks said that many commune members in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Fujian were doing small businesses.

These commune members were all taking the introduction letters from the production team and making money openly.

But this method does not comply with the regulations!

In general, the way the higher-ups hoped for was for all commune members to participate in collective labor, and then collectively develop and take off, to obtain a good life.

Just last year, that is, in 1977, a leader told the higher-ups about the changes in some places in the south. The higher-ups paid attention to this trend and, after carefully listening to the consequences of this approach, decisively affirmed it.

That is, from this point in time, the pursuit of wealth is no longer a shameful thing to talk about.

That's why, a year later, in February 1979, there was the report of the "ten thousand yuan household".

It takes time to raise pigs, right? If it hadn't been liberalized, where would the ten thousand yuan household have come from a year later?

What's more, after this report, "ten thousand yuan households" sprung up all over the country!

Making money isn't that fast. It's just that people who had made money before didn't dare to show their faces and speak up, until the second-rate newspaper affirmed "getting rich through hard work", then they suddenly emerged.

For example, the current Chen Fan is the "leader in getting rich" in Lujiawan.

Team Leader Zhang chuckled twice and said to him, "You have two jobs in the brigade, so it's a total of 7300 work points. As for your salary in several sideline companies, it will be settled together when each company clears its accounts later."

Chen Fan doesn't really care about the salary of the sideline companies. In fact, he doesn't hold many positions, just the cooked food processing, Luwan Cooked Food Store, and the breeding farm. At first, the salary wasn't calculated, and it wasn't until they made money that they started calculating it, 100 yuan per month for each company, from September 1st to now, it's only been 4 months, a total of 1200 yuan.

Not worth mentioning!

The focus is still on the work points.

At this time, Team Leader Zhang finally talked about the value of work points, "This year, a lot of money has been reserved as development funds for next year, and only 30% can be taken out as bonus distribution. Finally, we calculated that this year's brigade's work points..."

His face flushed and he suddenly raised his voice, "One work point is 3 yuan. It's a little less, but we'll continue to work hard next year and strive to earn more!"

3 yuan?

Chen Fan's eyes widened instantly.

Then I can get 21,900?

Ah..., I heard that sitting for a long time hurts the waist, so Chen Fan decided to stand up and twist a bit.

Under everyone's eyes, he held a cigarette in his mouth and raised his hands high, "The 5th set of radio exercises, begin!"

Amidst a burst of laughter, Chen Fan finished twisting his butt, threw away the cigarette butt, turned to Zhang Wenliang and asked, "How are the wedding arrangements going?"

Zhang Wenliang restrained his smile, took a puff of cigarette, and nodded, "Everything is arranged."

Then he smiled and said, "Actually, there's not much to arrange. The new house is temporarily located in the room I currently live in. Clean it up, and just put on the wedding quilt on the wedding day. As for the banquet, I've already invited Liu Jujiang from your team, and he will be responsible for handling it at that time."

Chen Fan nodded, "The wedding car is arranged, right?"

Zhang Wenliang, "Yeah, it's just those dozen or so bicycles, could it be that we're going to get a horse-drawn carriage?"

Chen Fan coughed twice, "A horse-drawn carriage may not work, my little mare doesn't pull carriages, but, I have a jeep in the prefectural committee, if you..."

Zhang Wenliang stood up with a whoosh, "Good brother, let's use the jeep!"