?Chapter 32: 32 Pig Raising Task Chapter 32: 32 Pig Raising Task Fang Xiaoyun felt that even applying Snow Cream didn’t have this effect; she treasured the item, tucking it into her pocket carefully.
“Thank you, Tangtang, I super super like the gift you gave me.”
She valued Tangtang even more than her own family.
Because her family would only care about the things in her hands, not about her well-being.
Tangtang, on the other hand, would think of her and remember her whenever there were good things.
This was the most important reason why she was so generous to Lin Tang.
In a relationship between two people, being only takers would gradually lead them apart.
The affection between people, whatever kind it may be, needs to be cultivated with care.
“If you like it, that’s great. I should be the one thanking you; this thermos is really practical,” Lin Tang said.
She knew how effective her homemade whitening moisturizing cream was, but others didn’t.
Even though she had added many medicinal herbs to the cream making it much better than the commercial Snow Cream available.
In other people’s eyes, it probably still seemed like a worthless trinket.
It was human nature, nothing to be said about it.
And this thermos? Unless someone truly cared, who would part with it?
Fang Xiaoyun spoke, “Let’s not keep saying ‘thank you’ to each other, friends don’t need to be so formal.
“It’s getting late, you should head back. Be careful on your way home.”
“Alright, then I’m off. We’ll get together another day,” Lin Tang waved and left the supply and marketing co-op.
Fang Xiaoyun watched Lin Tang’s figure disappear.
Her hand tightened slightly around the little wooden box, her eyes filled with delight.
Tangtang hasn’t changed at all!
Seeing Lin Tang had left, her supervisor Huang Daxi approached with a smile and asked Fang Xiaoyun, “Xiaoyun, where is that girl from? Does she have a partner yet?”
Huang Daxi had a nephew who was discussing marriage prospects.
The young girl had met quite a few, but none really satisfied her.
Either she disliked the dark skin of a girl, or complained her eyes were too small…
She was very particular about looks.
Upon seeing Lin Tang’s fair complexion and attractive eyes, she had the idea of introducing her to her nephew.
Fang Xiaoyun glanced at Huang Daxi, noticing she seemed to have taken a liking to Tangtang.
Thinking of her nephew, ordinary beyond average, yet brimming with uncalled-for confidence, she felt speechless.
Ha, that toad doesn’t deserve her Tangtang.
But still—
Since she was her immediate superior, Fang Xiaoyun couldn’t just confront her straightforwardly.
She forced a smile on her face.
“My classmate is from the Shuangshan Brigade, only sixteen years old, not planning on dating.”
Once Huang Daxi heard she was from the village, her lips curled, and she grew disinterested.
No job either.
What use is good looks?
“Oh, then never mind, it’s not suitable,” she said dismissively.
Fang Xiaoyun saw the look of disdain on her face, felt a surge of anger rush to her head, right to the crown.
“It’s not quite suitable. My friend is a high school student.”
Huang Daxi, who just had an elementary school education, was speechless.
Hmph, what’s so great about a high school student?
In the end, they’re still farmers!
–
In the Shuangshan Brigade’s grain drying grounds,
Captain Lin Fu held a megaphone and announced this year’s production tasks for the brigade.
Upon hearing that each household was required to raise pigs, the looks on everyone’s faces changed.
Last year, the neighboring brigade raised nearly a thousand pigs that either died or became sick, and after almost half a year of toil, less than three hundred remained.
They became the ‘example’ for ten miles around, a source of great embarrassment.
In the eyes of the brigade members, raising pigs was big trouble; the mere mention of it caused dismay.
So, when they heard the task of raising pigs had come to their own brigade, everyone panicked.
“Captain, raising pigs is a good thing, but possibly a hard one to manage.
If by the end of the year we end up like the brigade next door, with a massive loss, that would look bad on us.”
“Right, we aren’t scared of hard work, just afraid that in the end we’ll have nothing and ruin the brigade’s reputation.”
“If we really have to raise pigs, where would we keep them? Who’s going to take care of them?”
“We don’t have enough food to begin with, how will we feed the pigs? If we feed them grass, they won’t get fat, and if we can’t complete the task, we will all look bad!”
…
The brigade members, thinking about the potential public criticism from the commune next year, all found it humiliating.
Without the technical know-how or experience, how could they raise pigs?
Lin Fu lowered his hand to calm the commotion on the drying grounds.
“Everyone, calm down first!”
“We can’t refuse the orders from above, so we might as well start thinking about how to do it,” he said.
“Every household must raise at least one pig; this is settled.”
“Thinking positively, if we do manage to raise them well, after handing over the pigs, each family could end up with some money and meat. Wouldn’t that be good?” Sёarch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
Deputy Captain Li Jiancai, seeing the brigade members had quieted down, also persuaded:
“The Captain’s right. It’s time our brigade found a new way forward.
We can’t rely solely on crop yield; we have to think of ways to generate income.
I’ve heard that some brigades engage in processing by-products. Their people are building new houses, wearing new clothes, and some even have their bicycles.”
Lin Fu continued, “We don’t hope for bicycles; being well-fed and clothed is enough for us.
We have no choice but to accept and complete the tasks assigned by the higher-ups.
Our brigade is located at the foot of Blue Mountain, where we never lack grass year-round, which should be adequate for pig farming.”
“It’s been said that our brigade is a pilot project.
If we do well, we might be honored as an advanced brigade.
Everybody, isn’t that a good thing?”
Lin Fu’s wife, Gao Ping, loudly supported her own family’s work, “It’s a good thing!”
Lin Qingshan and his brothers also supported their uncle’s effort, echoing loudly, “It’s a good thing!”
Thinking of the glory of being named an ‘advanced brigade,’ everyone beamed with joy, revealing their molars with wide grins.
“It’s a good thing!”
“Advanced brigade!”
Lin Fu raised his arm and proclaimed, “Alright, tomorrow, one person from each family should come to the brigade to collect their piglets. Now, let’s go to work!”
The brigade members answered in unison and headed to the fields with hoes, shovels, and other tools.
On the way—
Li Xiuli turned to her three sons, “What do you guys think about this pig-raising business? Any ideas?”
Raising pigs wasn’t hard, but raising them well was.
The failure of the neighboring brigade was a clear warning.
Though the members agreed just now, they were likely still uncertain deep down.
Lin Qingshan, ever calm, said, “We have a lot of space in our backyard; maybe Qingshui, Qingmu, and I can build a pigsty, and the younger ones at home can be in charge of gathering pig fodder.”
Raising pigs shouldn’t be too different from raising chickens and rabbits, right?
Feeding them regularly each day should do the trick.
The chickens and rabbits at home have been growing well, haven’t they?
Lin Qingmu added, “What’s so hard about pig farming? The main thing is to prevent the pigs from getting sick.
I’ve heard that the major reason for the neighboring brigade’s heavy losses was the sick pigs.
A whole litter would die off; the pigs hadn’t even grown big before half were gone.”
“Youngest brother, how do you know this?” Lin Qingshui asked skeptically.
Lin Qingmu smirked, pulling at the corner of his mouth, “Hey, I have my ways, what don’t I know?”
It was all just a matter of listening with one ear.