As for the production team leader, it’s a tiny position with no real authority, but small officials tend to have a lot of perks!
Not to mention that there are fourteen work points whether you show up or not, and they manage everything from distributing money and tickets to calculating work points and delivering public grain. Just the task of issuing certificates and letters of introduction comes with constant small benefits flowing their way, doesn’t it?
Previously, Lin Yuanzhi had Dai Weiguo’s backing; no matter how eager everyone was, it was pointless.
With Liu Shuzhen, a woman who got divorced and remarried, stepping up, which smaller team leader with a bit of ambition would tolerate being directed by a woman?
Since the day Shuzhen was announced as the production team leader for the Liu family village, several team leaders below her have been preparing to make their move, ready to force her out of the team leader position and replace her.
Unfortunately, the spring plowing has already ended, and it’ll be a while before the weeding and ridging. Otherwise, everyone would show this new team leader just what it means to be stuck in a bind!
Women are supposed to stay home, cook, and take care of the kids. Being able to earn six points in the fields is already quite something.
Playing at being a team leader—that’s just nonsense, right?
Knowing that the team leaders below her don’t accept her, Shuzhen didn’t plan on taming or persuading them from the start.
Instead, she thought of starting with the most basic members. As long as she delivers tangible results and significantly improves everyone’s living standards, she could quickly garner the support of the vast majority.
As long as more than 80% of the members support her, a few rebellious team leaders are irrelevant, aren’t they?
If they’re really not convinced, we’d just hold a village-wide meeting and dismiss them.
After all, they’re just small team leaders. Talking about dismissal is just a matter of informing the chief accountant as well.
And with her brother being an overprotective accountant, would he ever go against her?
"You mean to mobilize the members to go up the mountains to dig for wild herbs, gather medicinal materials, and make wicker and rattan baskets, even rattan furniture to sell?" Liu Shouren was taken aback, surprised that his little sister would propose this.
"Not only that, we can group the members into smaller teams. Women and children could dig wild herbs and gather medicinal materials; the skillful ones could try weaving baskets and even furniture; the remaining young and strong can take care of the hills our village owns. Pruning, cutting grass, planting seedlings—all need proper management. Even if the wild fruits are hard to sell, they can be processed into dried fruit or fruit wine!"
"We gather wild herbs in spring, make fruit wine in summer, and in autumn, we harvest mushrooms, collect black fungus, and handle some pine nuts and hazelnuts..."
Shuzhen laughed lightly, listing her wealth creation strategies one by one.
"My little sister’s mind is smart, I didn’t even think of that much." While Shouren praised his sister’s cleverness and saw her reply with unhumble confidence, he shook his head with a sigh and hesitantly said, "These are good ideas, but I fear they might say we are taking a capitalist route!"
Shuzhen stared wide-eyed: "How could it be? We’re not speculating, so there’s no question of profiteering. Everything we harvest, whether wild herbs, black fungus, mushrooms, or wicker baskets, will be sold to purchase stations. Even if someone with ulterior motives notices, we still frame it as supporting national construction, right?"
As they say, it’s not about having a good plan, but the fear lies in not having good people! With his little sister being a woman and becoming the team leader, many with a mind to make trouble and remove her from her position for themselves are lurking in the shadows.
If possible, Liu Shouren certainly doesn’t want to let her take even a bit of risk.
But with such a promising future ahead, giving up without trying is not Shuzhen’s style.
Upon returning, she quickly wrote a grand declaration of her determination to improve the village construction, allowing villagers to live better, thus actively contributing to national development.
She carefully checked it repeatedly to ensure there were no sensitive words that could be used against her by anyone. Additionally, Shuzhen took pains to make a fair copy and asked Lianshan to deliver it to Uncle Wu and others for some honest opinions on its feasibility.
Uncle Wu praised the plan enthusiastically, commending her ideas, diligent and willing attitude to serve the motherland. Without even needing Lianshan’s facilitation, he took it upon himself to find someone to forward what was essentially a plan rather than a declaration.
Within just a couple of days, the new team leader of the Liu family village production team, Liu Shuzhen, received praise and affirmation from city leaders.
It even sparked a trend to learn from Comrade Liu Shuzhen and actively contribute to socialist construction.
Even though she became a citywide symbol among production teams, Shuzhen didn’t show undue excitement.
All she thought was that with everything being above board now, having become a task ordered from above, she needn’t have too many concerns.
She hurriedly led all the members to work hard and fast, to achieve some good results as soon as possible.
With the government document being issued, even if the team leaders felt displeased in their hearts, they didn’t dare defy it. All they thought was how they could soon have a break, only to find out all vacations were canceled. The members sure must resent this, and them adding a bit of trouble and difficulty, they needn’t fear that the new leader’s initial burst of enthusiasm wouldn’t be quenched early on!
However, when Shuzhen said that regardless of whether they were digging wild herbs, gathering medicinal materials, weaving baskets or picking fruits for wine, payments would be made based on the amount and quality of work done, and that it would be immediate cash rather than having to wait until the end of the year, the members got excited and willing to accept.
Everyone rushed to inquire from Shuzhen about when and how the work was to be done.
Right now, during the lean season, there’s hardly any such opportunity to earn money, so who wouldn’t want to earn some to alleviate their home’s difficulties?
Shuzhen found work for everyone and beautifully handled the sales, ensuring this source of income was possible. The members were overjoyed at finding work, so how could they oppose her?
Adults and children worked together, those who could dig wild herbs and medicinal materials did so. Those skilled in weaving baskets worked on that, while the young men took care of the hill management.
Even those who had secretly plotted to sabotage Shuzhen and force her out of her team leader position temporarily forgot their schemes and actively joined in working to make money.
These days, life was difficult for every household.
Rare opportunities to earn cash revenue shouldn’t be missed by anyone.
What about trouble for the new team leader?
Hmm, we’ll wait until we’ve earned this round of money before thinking about that!