Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 298 Bringing Glory to Lujiawan
As for whether Chen Fan still has money, and how much money he has, only he himself probably knows the answer.

Ye Shubao, however, seemed a bit worried. He smoked a cigarette and said, "It's fine if you don't want it. I don't have much money here anyway, and all the other brigades are watching me. It's not good to give it to anyone."

Chen Fan blinked. "What do you mean?"

Anquan chuckled from the side, "What does it mean? It means I owe money, of course!"

Ye Shubao exhaled a puff of smoke and said with emotion, "This time, Lujiawan has also staked everything they have."

As he spoke, he counted on his fingers, "We searched all the villages in Ganjiacun, Shengli, Hongxing, and Bailanghu, as well as several nearby hatcheries, and ordered more than 10000 chicks, more than 2000 ducklings, and more than 1000 goslings. We practically bought up all their production for this year. In addition, we also ordered 37 mules, horses, donkeys, and calves, and we also ordered quite a few pigs and sheep."

He looked at Chen Fan with a sullen gaze, "You say you owe money, but compared to the brigade headquarters, isn't it far less?!"

Chen Fan was stunned for a moment, then immediately picked up the abacus on the table to do the accounting.

The wholesale price of chicks is 14 to 16 cents. On average, more than 10000 chicks would cost 1500 yuan. The remaining 3000 ducklings and goslings would be slightly more expensive, say 600 yuan, bringing the total to over 2,000 yuan. Cattle and horse calves would cost around 50 yuan each, so 37 would cost 1850 yuan. There are also quite a few piglets and lambs.

A simple calculation like that would amount to a whole house for Chen Fan!
And this doesn't even include the money he made selling rabbits to the team.

Don't assume that a production team is rich just because it has abundant produce. As I said before, the price difference between industrial and agricultural products is too great. A warehouse full of grain can't even buy a cartload of cloth. For example, Chen Fan can exchange twenty or thirty charcoal stoves for more than a thousand catties of rice and several hundred catties of rice, as well as many other supplies.

So even with a bumper harvest, you can only make ends meet; if you have no money, you have no money.

Otherwise, Secretary Yang and his colleagues wouldn't have gone to such lengths to start side businesses.

Looking at the brigade headquarters and then at himself, Chen Fan suddenly felt quite wealthy. He glanced sideways at Ye Shubao, silently wary. Would Captain Ye ask him for money?
Although I still have more than 800 yuan in my pocket, that's money I've been saving up, so it's not easy to take it out.

Ye Shubao had no idea what was going on in his mind. When Chen Fan didn't want to pay the bill in advance, he readily agreed and then discussed with An Quan how to arrange the poultry and livestock that were being delivered one after another.

Chickens, ducks, and geese definitely need to be distributed, but there needs to be a set of rules for how to distribute them.

Whether to distribute it equally, according to the proportion of the population, or according to the contribution of last year, these factors need to be carefully considered, otherwise disputes are inevitable.

How should large livestock like mules, horses, donkeys, and cattle be distributed? There are also rules about how much the brigade keeps for itself and how much to distribute to the smaller teams.

Then there's the rabbit Chen Fan bought—when to pick it up, and how to settle it afterward. Finally, there's the wasteland fodder within the production team's boundaries—how to harvest the public land and how to harvest the land allocated to individual households…

Each and every matter had to be discussed and agreed upon by the two of them before they could consult with Secretary Yang, Captain Zhang, and Captain Xiao.

The two of them discussed it seriously, with Chen Fan adding encouragement from the sidelines, gradually filling in the details. Before long, Anquan had written several pages.

After writing down the charter that the three of them had just discussed, Anquan folded the paper and said, "When Secretary Yang and the others come back later, we'll ask them to take a look. If there are no problems, we'll do it this way. The sooner it's implemented, the sooner it will generate benefits."

Efficiency isn't something only market economies prioritize; it's valued these days, and even highly. This year's newspapers have repeatedly emphasized getting economic development back on track, so prioritizing efficiency in safety is perfectly normal.

Upon hearing that it was safe, Ye Shubao nodded and was about to speak when the phone on the table suddenly rang.

He paused for a moment, then straightened his posture and picked up the microphone with utmost seriousness and care, holding it to his ear with both hands. "Hello, this is Lujiawan Production Brigade. Who are you looking for?"

Chen Fan leaned back in his chair, leisurely sipping his tea, watching Ye Shubao's expression shift from a smile to astonishment, then to surprise mixed with doubt, and finally to overwhelming joy.

If this scene were made into a movie, I can't guarantee a Best Actor award, but it would at least secure a Best Actor nomination!

"Okay, okay, okay, I understand. I'll definitely pass it on to him and make sure I complete the mission. Goodbye!"

Ye Shubao nodded as he spoke, and after he finished, he forgot to gently put the receiver down and slammed it onto the phone.

Hearing the voice, he felt a pang of heartache, but he couldn't care less at the moment. He immediately stood up and said to Chen Fan, "Little Chen, you've done another great service!"

Chen Fan, holding the teacup, blinked and looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

What did I do this time? Did I really do something amazing?!
Anquan looked at Chen Fan with curiosity, then at Ye Shubao, and asked, "What is he doing?"

Ye Shubao gestured with his hands, his face full of excitement, "The Prefectural Committee's Health Department is going to publish a book about you, don't you think you've done a great service!"

What the hell?

Chen Fan's mouth gradually widened, his eyes were blurry, and his mind was a complete mess. "The health department is going to publish a book for me?"

What? The leaders of the health department also like to read my book, "On the Fields of Hope"?
But the first article isn't even finished yet, and they're already going to publish a book for me?
The key issue is that it's too short; it won't fetch a good price...

While Chen Fan was lost in his own thoughts, Ye Shubao slammed his hand on the table across from him, exclaiming excitedly, "You forgot about first aid!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Fan was even more bewildered.

First aid knowledge?

Besides teaching 12 veterinarians and Zhang Juemin, a barefoot doctor, I didn't tell anyone else, let alone alarm the prefectural committee's health department. Who reported it to them?

At this point, Anquan also became anxious and pointed at Ye Shubao, saying, "Calm down first. Who was on the phone just now? What did he say? Tell me in detail again."

Ye Shubao immediately pointed to the phone and said, "That was Director Wang Hai of the commune's health center. He said that just 10 days ago, Zhang Juemin, the barefoot doctor in our team, came to him and gave him a notebook..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Fan understood what was going on, and he also confirmed it with Ye Shubao.

Zhang Juemin wrote down the first aid knowledge he had shared, partly to verify it with the health center, and partly perhaps to promote this first aid knowledge. So he went to see Dean Wang Hai.

Then, Dean Wang used the notebook submitted by Zhang Juemin as material to quickly reorganize the information and submitted it to the Gufeng County Health Department. The leaders of the county health department thought it was a good thing. If it was submitted and promoted, it would be a very good resume for everyone. So it was sent to the prefectural health department almost that same day.

Upon receiving the submitted materials, the leaders of the Prefectural Committee's Health Department immediately attached great importance to them and conducted verification tests on some previously unused emergency treatment methods in the emergency departments of various prefectural health centers and hospital outpatient clinics. Among them, the "airway foreign body removal method" proved remarkably effective in just a few days of practice, saving many critically ill patients and bringing them back from the brink of death, demonstrating its high potential for widespread application.

Other first aid methods were also verified and confirmed to be "real and effective".

After receiving the results, the leaders of the health department couldn't sit still. They immediately made calls at each level, and the task finally fell to Director Wang of Nanhu Health Center, who was asked to immediately invite Chen Fan, the "founder" of this first aid method, to the prefectural committee.

Firstly, I wanted to personally teach them specific first aid methods to ensure the techniques were flawless and every step was correct. Secondly, I wanted to invite him and experts from major hospitals in the prefecture to compile this first aid manual into a book, which would be more conducive to its dissemination.

After recounting the whole story, Ye Shubao, his face beaming with excitement, clenched his fists and paced back and forth in the open space behind his desk. "Oh my, this is incredible! Not only are we going to teach first aid at the prefectural committee, but we're also going to publish a book. Little Chen, Little Chen, our Lujiawan production team has been established for decades, and you're the first one to do this!"

Chen Fan blinked, his lips twitched a few times, and he spat out the tea leaves he had accidentally swallowed. He looked at him and said, "So, I'm going to the prefectural committee right now? Doesn't that seem a bit unbelievable?"

Upon hearing his words, Ye Shubao immediately turned around, put her hands on the table, glared at him, and said, "Don't tell me you're not going?"

Anquan was also anxious and immediately said to Chen Fan, "Now is not the time to be willful, and you can't not go for any other reason. As Captain Ye just said, this matter has been approved by Secretary Qian of the commune and has received the collective attention of the commune leaders. There will definitely be no obstacles in the itinerary."

The key is your book; it heals and saves lives. If you can actually publish this book and let more people see it, learn the knowledge inside, and save more people, that would be an immeasurable act of merit.

You absolutely must do this, without hesitation!

Chen Fan looked at him and said blankly, "I didn't say I wouldn't go, it's just that I didn't expect..."

He stopped there.

Anquan and Ye Shubao stared at him together, "Didn't expect anything?"

Chen Fan pursed his lips. "It's nothing."

In his heart, he thought, of course, he never expected that the opportunity to go to the prefectural committee would suddenly appear before him.

Just a couple of days ago, he was thinking about when he would have the chance to go to the county, and preferably also to the prefectural committee, instead of staying cooped up in the village and not even knowing what was going on outside.

Before he could even come up with an excuse, the opportunity presented itself to him. What a coincidence!
Hearing Chen Fan's words, An Quan curled his lip in disdain, "I hate people who only say half of what they mean."

Ye Shubao didn't care about anything else; as long as Chen Fan agreed to go, that was enough. He immediately said, "Dean Wang just said that the Prefectural Committee's Health Department hopes you can go there as soon as possible."

He picked up the alarm clock on the table, looked at it, put it down, and said, "You won't make it on the morning bus. You can only take the 2 p.m. bus. Go to the health center to get the certificate first, then take a bus to the county and see if there are any buses to the prefectural committee. If there are, go directly there. If not, stay overnight in the county and buy a ticket for the first bus tomorrow morning to go directly to the prefectural committee."

Chen Fan was startled, chuckled awkwardly twice, and said, "Leaving today? Isn't that a bit too much of a rush?"

Ye Shubao immediately straightened his face, "Why wouldn't you use it? Do you know what this is? This is a political task directly assigned by higher-ups! Political tasks cannot be delayed!"

Anquan pointed at him and said, "Moreover, it's a good thing that benefits the country and its people; you must take it seriously!"

Ye Shubao nodded vigorously, "Yes, we must take this seriously!"

Chen Fan was quite helpless, but he couldn't persuade them otherwise. "Well, you have to let me prepare. Once we go out, we'll need money for food and lodging, as well as letters of introduction and food coupons. Do you expect me to pay for all of that myself?"

Without hesitation, Ye Shubao immediately stated, "Regardless of whether the health department provides food and lodging, I will approve 50 jin of local grain coupons for you, and give you 20 yuan in funding. I will issue you a letter of introduction right away."

He reached for the company seal, but then slapped his forehead. "Damn it, the company seal is with Lao Yang, and the key is with him too."

Anquan immediately asked, "Where did Secretary Yang go? I'll go find him right now."

Ye Shubao, anxious, put his hands on his hips and said, "Where else could he have gone? He must have gone to patrol the team. Who knows which squad he's in right now?"

Anquan was stunned for a moment, but then a brilliant idea struck him. He pointed to the phone and said, "Call all the squads and tell them to go look for it."

Chen Fan slowly stood up, pointed to the backyard, and laughed, "Why bother with all that? You can just go to the broadcasting station, shout it out over the loudspeaker, and then have the team leader of Secretary Yang's squad call back. Isn't that easier than you making calls one by one?"

Ye Shubao thought it made sense, so he got up and walked out. "You go home and pack your things first. I'll go upstairs and call for help. Be quick."

Chen Fan pursed his lips, twirled the wooden staff in his hand, slung it over his shoulder, and walked out.

Well, I guess I won't be able to go to work again today.

No, it should be that they won't be able to go to work for the next few days.

It's not that I didn't try hard enough, it's just that fate is unavoidable!

Riding back triumphantly, he then heard the radio news broadcast over the loudspeaker fade, followed by Zhang Cuie's voice: "Now, a brief announcement! Now, a brief announcement! We have just received news from the commune health center that our team's teacher, Mr. Chen, will be invited by the prefectural committee's health department to teach first aid knowledge and publish a book."

Now, because a letter of introduction is needed, Secretary Yang, please hear this broadcast and immediately return to the brigade headquarters to issue a letter of introduction for Teacher Chen.

Attention, squad leader of Secretary Yang's team: If Secretary Yang returns, please immediately notify Captain Ye of the brigade headquarters by phone.

"Now, a brief announcement... Now, a brief announcement..."

Chen Fan, still on his horse, watched the mare walk back, his face already filled with astonishment.

Seriously? I'm just on a business trip, why does it sound like I'm going to save the world?
Are you here to ask Secretary Yang to come back and get the lock and stamp, or to announce that I'm going to the prefectural committee?
Is it really that exaggerated?
Then, the excited members all showed Chen Fan with their actions that it really was that serious!

They were to teach at the prefectural committee and even publish books!
Teacher Chen has brought honor to Lujiawan!

(End of this chapter)