Chapter Seventeen: A Serendipitous Discovery

Zhao Lijun summoned the heads of the Machinery Bureau and the Economic Commission to the Municipal Committee, officially designating the oil mill's innovation project as a key government initiative. Liu Weidong gained new connections with the leadership of these bureaus, starting from a favorable position due to Zhao Lijun’s high praise.

After the meeting, Liu did not return to the oil mill with Zhao Tie, opting instead to go back to the guesthouse. Upon entering his room, he heard the transistor radio broadcasting a Xinhua News Agency editorial, which focused on the shifting of ideological paradigms and the correction of past grievances.

Lou Yanru sat on the bed, her eyes brimming with tears. She hugged him the moment he stepped inside. "Xinhua is once again emphasizing policy implementation and changing perspectives. It seems spring is truly coming; my father’s case might finally be reviewed."

Liu Weidong patted her back comfortingly. "Don’t worry, your father will be exonerated within two months. How did it go at the First High School?"

Lou Yanru pulled away and pointed to a stack of books wrapped in kraft paper on the table. "Teacher Sun not only gave me the textbooks but also allowed me to audit classes. However, I have to attend every day, and I’m worried about what people will think if I stop going to work right after becoming a permanent employee."

Liu thought for a moment and said, "We’ll go back and discuss it with Uncle Jianguo. Since the whole commune is undergoing post-disaster reconstruction, we can use that as a reason to start summer break early and organize the students for work-study programs. That way, you can focus on your studies without worry."

"You always have such clever ideas," she said, her furrowed brow finally relaxing.

Leaving Lou to study, Liu went downstairs to the telegraph office on Henan Street and called the Agricultural Research Institute. He let out a long sigh of relief after hanging up. Secretary Zhang was very interested in his castor bean project, stating it aligned perfectly with their research agenda for the year. The institute immediately integrated the Qingshan Elementary School experimental plot into their official plan, providing full support in both technology and seeds, much of it free of charge. With this, the project had technical backing, and the projected profits were significantly higher than anticipated. When Secretary Zhang learned about the disaster at Qianjin Commune, he suggested planting mung beans as a secondary crop, which came as an unexpected delight to Liu.

Liu immediately called the Second Brigade and explained the situation to Wang Jianguo. Wang laughed at first, but then began to sigh heavily. "Your idea is good, Weidong, but buying seeds and fertilizer costs money. Besides, mung beans are a coarse grain; the granary won't take them, and the members can't eat them as their primary food."

"Uncle Jianguo, your thinking needs to change. What year do you think this is? Are you still clinging to the old ways of a planned economy? If the granary won't take them, can't we find our own sales channels? I'll handle the seeds and fertilizer; you just arrange for the ridges to be plowed. I’ll bring the seeds back together."

As he walked back, Liu calculated. He had seven thousand yuan, but that needed to cover the castor project and the school's expenses for the next few months. He didn't have enough left for the mung bean seeds and fertilizer, so he decided to withdraw the remaining balance from the oil mill project early.

He bought four fried cakes for Lou Yanru as lunch and took a car to the oil mill. In the drafting room, Song Yi’s team had finished the blueprints for the polymerization separator. Song’s eyes were bloodshot from a sleepless night. "Weidong, we’ve finished the drawings. It’s a perfect scaled-up copy of your sketch. I really don’t understand how your sketches could be so precise; it’s truly magical."

Liu smiled without explanation. "Engineer Song, I’m here to discuss withdrawing the remaining eight thousand yuan with the leadership. The grain I bought last time won't last long, and the members will go hungry without more."

Song Yi looked at him with admiration. "Your sense of altruism is beyond compare. Based on my understanding of the current situation in the countryside, the money you’re pouring in is essentially a loss. That’s ten thousand yuan; most people never earn that much in a lifetime."

"I can't worry about that now. I can't just watch the folks go hungry. Let’s solve the immediate crisis first."

After settling the accounts, Liu borrowed a large Jiefang truck from the factory and headed toward Xiguan, where the Economic Commission’s seed store was located in Fengjiatun. As they needed a large quantity for over two hundred mu, and the specific castor seeds he wanted—Ke-Zuo No. 1—were out of stock, he had to call Director Miao of the Economic Commission. Soon, Station Chief Ding arrived.

"I apologize; I didn't realize this was a key research project for the Economic Commission. We have instructions to provide full cooperation. Take the mung bean seeds and fertilizer now, and I’ll have someone order the castor seeds from the provincial level and deliver them to your village directly. The accounting department mentioned you have some funding difficulties; Director Miao instructed that you can pay for the seeds after the autumn harvest. Consider it support from the Economic Commission for the farmers' research efforts."

Liu was pleased. While the driver loaded the supplies, Liu lit a cigarette for Station Chief Li Yan and struck up a conversation.

"Station Chief, we are planting mung beans out of necessity. The floods destroyed hundreds of mu of corn. If we don't plant mung beans, we'd have to plant potatoes or cabbage, but we have no market for the beans. The granary doesn't really take them."

Li laughed. "It seems you don't visit the city often. While the demand for coarse grains is lower, it’s not non-existent. With such a large volume, you should contact the Municipal Food Factory. They use a significant amount of mung beans."

Liu could have kicked himself. Of course! The Binjiang Food Factory used massive quantities of mung beans for their mooncakes and soups—how could he have forgotten?

When the truck, fully loaded with seeds and fertilizer, arrived at the village, children ran alongside it. At the brigade office, only Accountant Xu was there. "Uncle Xu, please call some people to unload the truck; I need to head back to the city with the driver."

Xu was stunned. How did he manage to bring back a whole truckload of supplies so quickly, and without asking the brigade for a single cent? By the time they finished unloading, Wang Jianguo had arrived, his expression a mix of joy and concern. "Weidong, we don't have a cent in the account, and we're already in debt. The supplies are great, but the money..."

"Uncle Jianguo, I bought these on credit. Please write me an IOU so I can take it to the seed station. How are the two plots of land? Don't let the planting season slip by."

Upon hearing he didn't need immediate cash, Wang relaxed. "Don't worry about the land. Your uncle may not be good at much, but I’m an expert at farming. The school’s fields are leveled and ready. We can plant the mung beans in the next two days; the timing is perfect."

After discussing the fields, Liu pulled Wang aside. "There’s one more thing. Yanru needs to attend remedial classes in the city for a while. Since there’s so much work in the fields, can we start the school’s summer break early? It’ll stop people from gossiping."

Wang nodded. "That can be done. The school’s experimental plot is a perfect excuse. Once you bring the seeds, we’ll arrange for the students to plant them as a work-study program and give them work points. No one will be able to complain. But Weidong, the village’s grain supply is still running low. The folks are still counting on you for that."

Liu chuckled. "The members are all cursing me for 'undermining the foundation of socialism,' but when they get hungry, they think of me again? I know the brigade has no money, but you’ll have to give me an IOU for the grain."