Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 204 contains the supply and marketing cooperative.

Once the horse was sold, the onlookers stopped watching and dispersed.

Before leaving, however, they all made a point of saying goodbye to Chen Fan.

"Master Chen, I'm so-and-so from the Victory Brigade. Come visit us sometime when you're free."

"Master Chen, my house is right next door. Shall we go grab some lunch later?"

"Master Chen..."

Chen Fan smiled and politely declined each offer, wiping the sweat from his brow as he led the still listless mare forward.

After the crowd finally dispersed, Chen Fan let out a long sigh of relief. "They weren't this enthusiastic last time I came. Why are they acting so strangely today?"

Ye Shubao whispered, "Because you weren't a veterinarian last time we came!"

Ok?
Upon hearing this, Chen Fan immediately realized what was going on and asked in surprise, "So, they were speaking up for me earlier because of this?"

"Or else?"

Secretary Yang puffed on his pipe and smiled meaningfully, “Nanhu Commune has five production brigades. Although intermarriage within the brigades is the most common, there are also quite a few intermarriages between them. Our brigade set up a veterinary class, and before even going to the veterinary station for further training, they can already treat livestock. This news has already spread throughout the Nanhu brigades, and maybe even people in the neighboring communes know about it. Do you think people from other brigades aren’t envious?”

Captain Zhang chuckled and chimed in, “In the past, there were few veterinarians in Nanhu Commune, mainly because there were no good teachers. The old doctors at the commune's veterinary station sometimes didn't even understand things themselves, so of course they couldn't teach others well.”

You've set up a veterinary class and immediately trained 12 students who can treat livestock. Even if only two or three of them eventually get veterinary certificates, when people seek medical treatment, they don't care whether you have a certificate or not; they only care about whether the treatment is effective.

Just wait and see, there will be no shortage of people seeking medical help from your students later.

Xiao Liewen chuckled, "Hmph, still looking back? Today I ran into one of my cousins ​​from the Red Star Brigade. He wanted to ask Xiao Yimin to come and treat a water buffalo. He's got a good plan. If we treat it, not only will it come to your home, but it will also cost less. It's more cost-effective than going to the veterinary station."

Chen Fan's lips twitched slightly as he said helplessly, "But they haven't graduated yet. They can only treat some simple, common illnesses. They can't treat anything more complicated."

Xiao Yimin is from Team 5. He is Captain Xiao's nephew, who is not too far removed from Captain Xiao, and also Captain Xiao's cousin. They can be related in some way.

These days, once a relative asks, there's almost no chance of refusing, so Xiao Yimin will most likely go to see them.

They might even be out making house calls right now.

However, these students who have only been learning for less than a month do have limited skill levels!

Hearing his words, Xiao Liewen glanced at him and said irritably, "Their skill level is not high, but how high can the skill level of the doctors at the commune's veterinary station be? Yesterday, during the veterinary exam, didn't Station Chief Zhou say that these 12 people have almost all reached the graduation level of a two-month veterinary training course? They are just doing things like reading prescriptions and dispensing medicine. What higher requirements do you expect?"

He paused for a moment, then chuckled and said, "Besides, if Xiao Yimin really couldn't figure it out, wouldn't he come and ask you?!"

Chen Fan clicked his tongue, realizing he had become their support, and then said, "I don't make house calls."

Xiao Liewen laughed and nodded, "When it really comes down to you taking action, they'll be the ones bringing the livestock over."

Captain Zhang nodded in agreement, "That makes sense. You're our team's 'trump card.' What if something happens when you're not around? We definitely can't make house calls."

After chatting for a while, Xiao Liewen looked at the mare that Chen Fan was leading and asked softly, "What do you plan to do with this horse?"

Chen Fan turned to look at the horse, patted its head, and chuckled softly, "Keep it, it'll keep the little horse company."

"Isn't that a waste?"

Ye Shubao said from the side, "Such a fine horse, it's such a waste to just keep it around." Chen Fan turned to look at him, "So what do you mean?"

Ye Shubao leaned closer and whispered, "Why don't I go out and find a horse to breed with? It can produce another foal next year. By the way, our brigade should also try to buy a few mules, horses, and donkeys to start a small breeding farm. We have so many veterinarians in our brigade, they're just sitting around doing nothing. Starting a breeding farm and raising more livestock can also generate income for the brigade, right?"

Chen Fan was somewhat surprised, not expecting that he had the same idea as him.

That's true. Unless someone has an intellectual disability, nobody's a fool; they're just limited by their perspective. And within a production brigade, the people with the broadest perspective are undoubtedly the brigade's cadres. They didn't have the resources before, but now that they have so many more veterinarians, they'll definitely find a way to utilize them, and the most suitable option is definitely to set up a livestock farm.

At this moment, Xiao Liewen also said from the side, "The farmland in Lujiawan is uneven, with ditches, ridges and mounds everywhere. These places are not suitable for farming. In the past, they could only be used as firewood or for growing vegetables or rapeseed. But there are still many places that are not easy to utilize. It would be perfectly fine to use these places to grow alfalfa or other edible grasses."

Secretary Yang turned to look at Chen Fan and asked softly, "Little Chen, do you think this method will work?"

Captain Zhang and Zhang Wenliang were also looking at him expectantly; clearly, they had discussed it beforehand.

Chen Fan chuckled and said, "Of course."

He paused for a moment, then asked, "So you were just advising me not to buy horses?"

Ye Shubao chuckled and said with a smug look on his face, "At first, we really wanted to advise you not to buy it, after all, buying a good horse and a sick horse are two different things. But later, seeing that you insisted on buying it, we all guessed that you must have a way to cure the horse, so the advice we gave you was actually to help you lower the price."

Captain Zhang shook his head regretfully, "Sigh... It should have cost at most 7 or 80 yuan, but you paid more than 20 yuan more, and you got the price for nothing."

Upon hearing this, Chen Fan couldn't help but chuckle.

As expected, these old foxes are cunning and shrewd; none of them are simpletons.

The group chatted as they walked, and soon arrived at the entrance to the market. Secretary Yang and his group had already finished their stroll and were now planning to go home.

Before leaving, he pulled Chen Fan aside and said, "You're quick-witted. Help me think about building the farm. We can discuss the terms and conditions when you start work."

Xiao Liewen trained Chen Fan in kung fu for a month and got to know his "disciple" better. He immediately lowered his voice and said, "As long as you can come up with a good idea and run the farm well, you'll definitely get your share of the benefits!"

Chen Fan declared righteously, "Am I that kind of person?!"

He then coughed lightly, "Is it work points or supplies? Do you have a gun?"

Xiao Liewen's face darkened. "No."

After saying that, he shook his hand and left.

Zhang Wenliang grinned and chuckled, patted him on the shoulder, and leaned close to him, whispering, "Have you been to the commune's supply and marketing cooperative?"

Chen Fan nodded. "I've been there several times. What's wrong?"

Zhang Wenliang: "The supply and marketing cooperative sells hunting rifles, but you have to tell them before they'll bring them out."

However, the Nanhu Supply and Marketing Cooperative sells air rifles. If you want to buy a real gun, you can go to the county's cultural and sports stores or department stores. They have single-shot and double-shot hunting rifles, as well as revolvers. If you have time, go to the county town; you can buy one for a few dozen yuan. When you get back, just register it at the police station and get a license. The Nanhu Supply and Marketing Cooperative sells hunting rifle ammunition.

After saying that, he patted his arm and left.

Chen Fan was already dumbfounded.

Supply and marketing cooperatives selling guns?
(End of this chapter)