Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 629 Preparing Some Things

September 15th, Friday, the 9th day of the eighth lunar month.

With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, the river's water level has receded by almost half from its peak, and the current is gentle, far less turbulent than in the summer.

Not far from the riverbank, the small boat dropped its anchor and came to a steady stop on the water. At the stern was a small wooden bucket filled with dried mud, with a hole in the middle through which a homemade parasol was inserted to block the still somewhat scorching sun.

Chen Fan sat on a bamboo chair with a small table beside him, on which sat a large teapot and a teacup.

Of course, his pipe is indispensable.

Leaning back in his chair, Chen Fan shook the bamboo pole, a hint of disdain in his eyes.

Another tiny fish, no bigger than the palm of your hand. Bad luck today.

Use a clever trick to fling the fish away, pull up the fishing line, re-bait, and cast it back into the river.

There were already two large buckets of fish in the hold behind us.

To be honest, once your fishing skill reaches LV5, fishing loses a lot of its fun.

But what other fun is there besides fishing?

He inserted his fishing rod into a bamboo tube with its slanted opening pointing upwards, picked up a pipe, pinched a wad of tobacco into the bowl, lit it, took a puff, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and lazily stretched.

I've stolen half a month of leisure from my busy life.

Since returning on the 2nd, he has basically entered a semi-retired state.

After getting up in the morning and having breakfast, I take a walk around the small earthen slope where the house is located, taking advantage of the cool morning air.

The small earthen mound now has a dozen or so fruit trees of varying heights on the south side. Underneath the fruit trees was originally a meadow, with the turf shoveled back from below the dike. Later, flowers bought from Chongming Farm in Shanghai were also planted here. In the golden autumn season, chrysanthemums, roses, orchids, morning glories, and other flowers are in full bloom.

It is estimated that there will be even more next year.

Below the south slope is a spacious flat area, which is right next to the former educated youth compound. Because the land was also cleared when the houses were built, it is now just a compacted dirt ground that can be used as a small square.

As for the former educated youth compound next to the flat land, it is now completely silent. The roof tiles inside are intact, but it is unknown whether anyone will still live there.

Crossing the flat land to the west leads to the West Slope.

The original miscellaneous trees on the west slope were mostly preserved, with only the weeds cleared away. Because the terrain here was rugged and uneven, Chen Fan transformed it into a medicinal herb garden, where all the medicinal herbs that could be found in Lujiawan were planted.

Now it has also become a place for bayberry winemaking and orioles to cook and collect medicinal herbs. Of course, they don't need so many, but they still collect most of them, process them, and put them together with the hundreds of medicinal herbs that Chen Fan bought from the prefectural health bureau in a medicine cabinet that was built later.

Unfortunately, Chen Fan doesn't usually see a doctor here. If the villagers get sick, they will go to Zhang Juemin, the health worker of Team 5, or at the very least, the health center in the commune town.

Because from the small team to the brigade, the leaders had all told the members that Teacher Chen was very busy, so they shouldn't bother him with every little thing, and that they should wait until the health center couldn't treat him.

And to this day, no one has contacted him.

To the west of the herb garden were the team's rice paddies. After pretending to look at them, Chen Fan continued his walk.

Beyond the medicinal herb garden lies the rice paddy below the back slope, a deep pit that has been transformed.

On the bank next to the rice paddies was his livestock shed, where three pigs, two horses, and two sheep lived.

The two dogs live in a kennel right next to the back wall of the house, which also serves as their night watch room, keeping an eye on the safety of the house at all times.

Those that can fly make nests for them under the eaves, so the pandas naturally live in the panda enclosure.

Actually, the most pitiful ones are them. Apart from the pigs that are kept in captivity, all the other animals have time to go out and roam. There is even a snake that is kept free-range. Only they have never been out.

Chen Fan had taken them out to play once, but the village children couldn't move when they saw the pandas. The pandas were so scared that they clung to Chen Fan and wouldn't let go, while the two little ones buried their heads in their mother's arms and refused to look up.

In the end, Chen Fan found a flatbed cart and hauled them back, and they were never released again after that.

As for the back slope, apart from a path being carved out in the forest leading down the slope, the other plants have remained largely untouched.

Even on the eastern slope adjacent to the dike, dozens of transplanted dawn redwoods were planted, while the original mixed vegetation was preserved.

These trees, big and small, worked together to block 99% of the sand and dust blowing in from the dike, making an outstanding contribution to keeping our home clean.

After circling back to the top of the hill, besides the houses and the panda enclosure, there are four camphor trees in different locations.

Camphor trees can repel insects and provide shade, blocking the afternoon sun from reaching the house.

The house is well-ventilated from north to south, allowing for unobstructed airflow. It is sheltered from sand on the east and from the sun on the west. Everything has been calculated in the most reasonable way, making it perfect.

After their walk, Chen Fan fitted the foal with the reins, saddle, and other equipment he had made himself.

Then, leading a group of animals, he taught the ponies the correct running posture while swaggering through the city to find Captain Xiao and his group in Team 5 to chat.

He wasn't just talking nonsense; sometimes he would go to the winery managed by Yangmei to instruct her on winemaking techniques and processes, or go to the canteen in the brigade headquarters to teach Huangli a few dishes.

Since opening the brewery and canteen, their skills have greatly improved.

Whether it's brewing wine or cooking, repeated practice is necessary to master the skills and continue to improve.

Although they had learned a lot from Chen Fan before, they were still a bit rusty. It wasn't until they came to the brigade headquarters and had more opportunities to practice that they were able to gradually digest what their master had taught them.

As for Liu Lu, she certainly wouldn't be left out.

The day after returning from Shanghai, Chen Fan took her to the brigade headquarters. In just two minutes, all the leaders of the brigade headquarters collectively passed a resolution.

It was decided to establish the Lujiawan Clothing Training Class, which would recruit young women aged 12 to 20, with Liu Lu serving as the teacher and teaching them tailoring skills.

They also applied to the county commerce bureau to purchase 50 industrial sewing machines as teaching aids.

This clothing training course was naturally prepared for the future establishment of the Lujiawan Garment Factory.

Otherwise, if the factory is built in the future but we can't find suitable workers, wouldn't that be a joke?
These 50 industrial sewing machines are only for the training course; once the garment factory is established, a large number of them will be purchased.

For items like industrial sewing machines, the production volume is inherently low, and there aren't many manufacturers with the capability to produce them. Applications must be submitted at least three months in advance so that the Industrial Bureau has enough time to adjust or arrange production.

This is considered a fast response; if it were slower, even a year in advance, there might not be any stock available.

Lujiawan was a small production team, and its priority was put last... Chen Fan had already thought of a way out: if he couldn't make it in time, he would ask the machinery factory to cover his losses.

In any case, given the current conditions of the machinery factory, producing motors is not a difficult task. Moreover, they have been producing household sewing machines. With a little modification, it should be no problem to meet the needs of the Lujiawan Garment Factory.

As for the electricity needed for industrial sewing machines, this biggest problem will be solved once the small hydropower station jointly developed by Lujiawan and Qingshan Commune is completed.

Therefore, the Lujiawan Garment Factory is just around the corner. However, there's still no news about the down jacket fabric production line at the cotton mill; we don't know if it can be coordinated.
After wandering around the brigade headquarters for a while, sometimes chatting with Uncle Lu, and eating and drinking for free in the canteen, Chen Fan would take the animals home and herd them back to the livestock shed for a nap.

He then went to a small boat on the river to begin his fishing trip.

To make the fishing environment more comfortable, he also made his own sun umbrella, small bamboo chair, and fishing rod fixing device, and also made a small square table that was no bigger than a bed.

With such complete equipment, one can while away an afternoon with just a pot of tea.

After finishing his pipe, he was too lazy to add more. He poured himself a bowl of tea, took a slow sip, and the fishing float started bobbing again.

With quick reflexes, Chen Fan lifted the bamboo pole to feel its strength and couldn't help but grin.

The bamboo pole in his hand trembled slightly. His Tai Chi skills were superb, completely neutralizing the force transmitted from the fishing line. The big fish that took the bait wondered if it hadn't eaten enough, since it had no strength left.

Then his body was lifted into the air and dehydrated, and at the same time the hook in his mouth fell off, landing steadily in a crowded bucket, hitting the wooden wall hard, and he immediately passed out.

Chen Fan held the fishhook, lost in thought.

The big fish tank we built at home seems to be full, doesn't it?

Every day, Huangli carries two buckets of big fish to the brigade, but it still can't keep up with the speed at which he catches them. Maybe we should stop here today?
Okay, that's it. I'll have one more smoke before heading back.

He had just finished reeling in his fishing rod when a voice came from the dike, "Old Chen, how was your catch today?"

Chen Fan didn't even turn his head, plopping down in a chair. "Hmph, when have I ever missed a bet?!"

Zhang Wenliang dashed down the wooden boardwalk, and when he reached the water's edge, he called out helplessly, "I'm already down here, can't you just bring the boat over?"

Chen Fan glanced at his watch. "It's only a little past 4 o'clock. I want to fish a little longer."

Despite saying that, he still slowly began to tidy up, and after finally hoisting the anchor up, he started the boat handling machine and slowly moved towards the dock.

Before he could even tie the ropes properly, Zhang Wenliang jumped onto the boat to look at the two large wooden buckets. "Wow, you catch quite a few fish every day. If you ask me, you shouldn't go to work anymore. Just stay in Lujiawan and fish. You'll make more money selling your fish than you earn a salary."

Chen Fan tied up the ropes, put away the parasol and stuffed it into the cabin, picked up two buckets and went ashore, saying, "Fishing doesn't stop me from getting paid."

Zhang Wenliang's face darkened. "I've said too much."

Chen Fan glanced back at him and said, "I must say, you're quite self-aware."

Zhang Wenliang followed him ashore and said, "I'm not going to talk to you anymore. I have something to tell you. According to the plan of our production team's security brigade, the militia will hold a field training exercise the day after tomorrow, which is the day after the Mid-Autumn Festival."

I forgot to tell you this morning. I happened to be passing by Team 6, so I came to find you. How about we hang out?

Chen Fan turned and glanced at him. "What, still not convinced? Want revenge?"

Zhang Wenliang chuckled dryly twice, "What revenge? We just learned a lot about hunting in the mountains from Uncle Peng, and then modified it into mountain tactics. We just wanted to invite you to come and observe and give us some pointers."

Chen Fan didn't even turn his head. "I'm busy. I'm leaving tomorrow to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with my girlfriend in Shanghai."

Hearing this, Zhang Wenliang couldn't help but sigh, "I never expected that you and Xiao Jiang would have something going on. We were all wondering if you and Xiao Jiang were actually having an affair."

"Hey, tell me, did you already know her parents would be fine, so you befriended her beforehand because you were interested in her family background?"

Chen Fan glanced back at him. "Me? Make an appointment beforehand? Is that necessary?"

Zhang Wenliang clicked his tongue. "That's right. Her father, Director Jiang, is only a division chief. You're a deputy division chief now, not much weaker than him. Besides, you're a cadre of the Provincial Writers Association. In terms of influence, you're probably even stronger than him."

He paused for a moment, then quickly ran two steps to Chen Fan's side and deliberately lowered his voice to ask, "So you just like her because she's pretty?"

Chen Fan hesitated for two seconds, then said, "Yes."

Zhang Wenliang's pupils dilated instantly. "Oh, I was just kidding, are you serious?"

Chen Fan remained expressionless. "Of course, besides her looks, there's also her personality. She's gentle and kind, and she never gets angry. This kind of woman is perfect to be a wife."

Zhang Wenliang's face immediately froze, because he thought of his wife.

There are actually gentle and kind women in this world who never get angry?

Looking across the entire Lujiawan village, whether they were adults or minors, who wouldn't be jumping up and down cursing from one end of the village to the other?

As the saying goes, good family traditions are passed down from generation to generation. If they didn't have some talent for being unreasonable and stubborn, they wouldn't have been able to survive those turbulent times.

"Ugh……."

Zhang Wenliang sighed and suddenly said, "Fine, I just want revenge."

Chen Fan turned to look at him, three question marks appearing above his head.

what happened?
A short while later, he returned home, poured all the fish into the fish tank in the kitchen, put down the bucket, washed his hands, and then took out a cigarette and handed it to him. After lighting it, he laughed and said, "You won't have a chance to get revenge. Don't forget, Uncle Peng taught me first."

"Besides, I just came out of the old forests of Changbai Mountain in Northeast China half a month ago. You've eaten the prey there. Think about it yourself, do you have the ability to stay in those old forests for a week?"

Zhang Wenliang, smoking a cigarette, was still being stubborn, "You're talking about hunting, I'm talking about jungle warfare, they're completely different."

Chen Fan thought for a moment and said, "I won't be leaving tomorrow..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Wenliang's eyes widened, his face beaming with joy, "Really?"

He was joking about revenge.

He is now very clear that Chen Fan's individual combat skills have far surpassed his own.

If even he, as the "King of Soldiers" of Lujiawan, is like this, one can only imagine what the quality of the others is like.

That's why I wanted to recruit Chen Fan and ask him to oversee the militia company, but I didn't expect this guy to go with his girlfriend. He's really not a decent person.

Fortunately, he had a change of heart and changed his ways...

Then Chen Fan said, "We're leaving the day after tomorrow."

We'll set off early the day after tomorrow, go to the provincial capital to catch a flight to Shanghai, and then spend the evening watching the moon with Lili.

Zhang Wenliang's face darkened, his eyes filled with speechlessness.

Chen Fan smiled and said, "I'll go to the machinery factory tomorrow to prepare some things for you."

(End of this chapter)