No sooner had he stepped out than Feng Kai and the others walked in!
“Uncle Feng, Uncle Zhang, what brings you here? Who are these gentlemen?”
Feng Kai replied immediately, “Yi, this is Director Yang and Deputy Director Guo from our Red Flag Commune. The leaders heard you were planning to fund the repair of that main county road, so they came over to meet you!”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Director Yang extended his hand and said, “Hello, Comrade Li Yi. My name is Yang Wenqi, and I’m the director of our Red Flag Commune. I heard you’re willing to fund the reconstruction of the main road leading to the county seat. Is that true?”
Li Yi glanced at the blazing sun overhead, then at his precious daughter, who couldn’t keep her eyes open because of the glare. He replied immediately, “Director Yang, Deputy Director Guo, this isn’t the place to talk. Let’s go inside and discuss this!”
“Alright!”
Led by Li Yi, the group entered the house.
While Jiang Xue was pouring water for them, Li Yi immediately said, “Comrades, the matter of funding the road repairs is true. I’ve already given the money to the village—a total of 100,000 yuan!”
Director Yang immediately replied with a look of gratitude, “Comrade Li Yi, I really can’t thank you enough. You have no idea how hard we’ve tried to fix this terrible road. I even got down on my knees before the county official in charge last year, but the problem still wasn’t resolved.”
“I never imagined you’d be the one to resolve this. You’re a benefactor to all the members and officials of our commune. I thank you on behalf of everyone!”
Li Yi could sense Director Yang’s genuine emotion. He quickly replied, “Director Yang, you’re too kind. I just wanted to make my commute home a little smoother—it’s nothing as grand as you’re making it out to be. Please don’t praise me like that!”
Director Yang replied immediately, “Comrade Li Yi, Old Feng, Old Zhang, and I have discussed it. The commune will take the lead on this road repair project, and we’ll start preparing right away.”
“Once the autumn harvest is over, we’ll mobilize all the commune members and cadres to work together. We’ll aim to use a month to completely repave the main roads connecting the county seat to every brigade in our Hongqi Commune. What do you think?”
Li Yi frowned and said, “That’s quite a big project. Will 100,000 yuan be enough?”
His original understanding was that 100,000 yuan would be sufficient for just the main road from the county seat to Nianzishan Village.
But from what Director Yang implied, he intended to use that 100,000 yuan to repair all the main and secondary roads throughout the entire commune—there was no way that amount of money would be enough.
After all, the entire Hongqi Commune comprised a full 16 production brigades. The closest ones were only one or two kilometers from the main road, while the farthest were over ten kilometers away. All told, the total distance was at least seventy or eighty kilometers, perhaps even a hundred.
Director Yang hurriedly explained, “Comrade Li Yi, our plan is to pave the main road leading to the county seat with cement, but to use gravel for the branch roads connecting the county road to the various production brigades.”
“Also, I’ll go to the county tomorrow to apply for some funding subsidies. If the commune chips in a bit, it should be enough.”
Li Yi thought for a moment and said, “Director Yang, go back and draw up a budget first. See how much it would cost if both the main road and the branch roads were paved with concrete. If the shortfall isn’t too large, I can cover that cost as well!”
Director Yang was taken aback at first, then exclaimed excitedly, “Comrade Li Yi, are you serious? You’re not pulling my leg?”
“It’s true. The roads in our commune are in such terrible shape. I’d be more than happy to do something good for the villagers!” Li Yi said with a smile.
“Well… to be honest, our commune has already prepared a budget for road construction. If we were to pave everything with concrete, the main road leading to the county seat is 35 kilometers long, and the secondary roads connecting the various production brigades total 112 kilometers!”
Director Yang continued, “If we paved them with asphalt, it would cost about 520,000 yuan; if we used concrete, it would be around 280,000 yuan!”
“So, if we pave the main road with asphalt and the secondary roads with concrete, how much would that cost?” Li Yi asked.
“It would be around 350,000 yuan,”
“350,000, is that right? I’ll cover the cost, but I expect the commune to strictly control the quality. I don’t want the roads to be barely passable by next year after they’ve just been repaired this year!” Li Yi said.
“Comrade Li Yi, please rest assured. I pledge on my honor and integrity that we will ensure the highest quality standards and build this ‘Road of Love’ into a ‘Road of Conscience’ that will last a century!” Director Yang said with a serious expression.
Li Yi could tell that Director Yang was an official who genuinely wanted to do practical things for the people. Since an official like him was willing to stake his reputation on it, Li Yi was still willing to trust that he could get the job done.
“All right, then get started on the preparations. I’ll have all the funds delivered to the commune within a day or two!” Li Yi said.
“Excellent, excellent! When the time comes, I’ll hold a grand ceremony for this at the commune. I’ll also report the situation to the county and request that Comrade Li Yi be commended and honored!” Director Yang said.
Li Yi hurriedly interjected, “Please don’t do that. I’m not one for making a big show of things, so I’d appreciate it if Director Yang wouldn’t go through with these formalities.”
Before Director Yang could respond, Feng Kai chimed in from the side: “You’re a great guy in every way, but you’re just too modest. We’re doing good deeds—we’re not hurting anyone. What’s there to hide?”
Director Yang immediately chimed in, “Exactly! This is a good deed—it deserves to be publicized, and it’s something others should learn from, isn’t it?”
“Director Yang, Uncle Feng, Uncle Zhang, although the situation hasn’t been as tense as it was a few years ago, no one can be sure if there won’t be a relapse. By keeping a low profile, I’m protecting both myself and all of you.”
Li Yi continued, “Besides, our goal is to get the road fixed. As for all that empty fame, it really doesn’t matter. Don’t you agree?”
Feng Kai paused briefly, took a few deep puffs from his pipe, and said, “Yi’s right. The first bird to stick its head out gets shot—we really shouldn’t be too high-profile.”
Zhang Tongfu added, “That’s right. If people find out Yi-kid is footing the bill for the road, who knows how many will get jealous of him? We can’t put Yi-kid in danger!”
Director Yang nodded and said, “I didn’t think that through. After we report the situation to the county authorities, let’s just prepare for this quietly.”
“Alright!”
At that moment, Deputy Director Guo, who had remained silent until then, suddenly spoke up: “Comrade Li Yi, I heard from Secretary Feng and Captain Zhang that you’re quite skilled in business. I have something I’d like to ask your advice on—would that be okay?”
“Something business-related?”
Deputy Director Guo scratched his head and said, “It’s not exactly a business matter. I just want to ask: how can we get the people in our commune to earn as much as the villagers in your Nianzishan Village?”
“That’s a bit of a challenge,” Li Yi replied.
Deputy Director Guo’s eyes lit up instantly, and he immediately said, “It’s difficult, but not impossible—is that what you mean?”
“Yes. The reason Nianzi Mountain Village has the income it does now is mainly because I invested my own money in the villagers from the very beginning. Other villages don’t have those conditions, so if they want to develop, the first thing they lack is money!”
Li Yi continued, “Another key reason Nianzishan Village has such high incomes is that the villagers are united. But in other villages, the collective has already been dissolved; once the land was divided, the people’s unity fell apart!”
Hearing this, everyone in the room fell silent. Director Yang and Deputy Director Guo couldn’t help but let out a sigh!
But just then, Li Yi changed the subject and said, “However, there is an opportunity right now—it all depends on whether the villagers in the other villages can seize it!”
“What opportunity?” Deputy Director Guo asked urgently.
“The opportunity lies with the county sugar mill!”
Li Yi then explained the crisis the sugar factory was currently facing to everyone.
He continued, “The profit from growing sugar beets is between 90 and 120 yuan per mu—about three times that of wheat or barley. Plus, the sugar factory doesn’t take the beet leaves, so they can be used to feed pigs, chickens, cattle, and sheep.”
“As long as the commune can mobilize the villagers to sign cultivation and purchase contracts with the sugar factory, and then encourage them to vigorously develop animal husbandry alongside crop farming, I can’t promise much, but it shouldn’t be a problem for the villagers’ income to double or triple…”
The more Director Yang and Deputy Director Guo listened, the more convinced they became that this plan would work. The two immediately asked Li Yi to help contact the sugar factory. After receiving Li Yi’s affirmative response, they left the Li household with complete satisfaction.
However, just as Li Yi was busy in the village with these trivial matters, the capital was in an uproar over a diplomatic note involving him…
……….