Time Travel: Volume 1! Starting from a Small Mountain Village

In order not to disappoint the little girl, Qi Shishen taught her with extra care, explaining every detail clearly and thoroughly.

However, most of the commune members had never been in contact with a tractor before, and some were even afraid of damaging this precious machine, so they were hesitant to move and even starting it became a problem.

Three days have passed, and some people still can't even grasp the most basic startup steps, which makes Qi Shishen feel quite helpless.

However, it's gratifying that Lin Weibing and Han Feng demonstrated exceptional learning abilities. They not only quickly mastered the starting techniques but were also able to operate the tractor with relative proficiency in simple driving maneuvers.

Although their driving skills were not yet proficient, their progress was already quite significant compared to other members. Qi Shishen looked at the two of them, feeling somewhat relieved.

He knew that with these two around, he could at least alleviate some of his teaching pressure and complete the tasks the little girl had given him.

Several more days passed quickly, and Lin Weibing and Han Feng had mastered the tractor driving skills and officially become tractor drivers in the village.

Their jobs had different focuses. Han Feng was mainly responsible for driving tractors to transport the village's eggs and other agricultural products to the commune, ensuring smooth sales channels.

Lin Weibing, on the other hand, drove his tractor to even more distant places to promote the mill processing plant and explore new markets.

Thanks to the convenient transportation services provided by Lin Weibing, the previously hesitant commune members were now eager to send their grain to the mill for processing. As a result, the mill saw a surge in visitors, more than doubling its usual number.

To avoid overcrowding and long waits, Long Lifan cleverly had Lin Weibing create a detailed report, which rationally arranged the grain delivery times for each village member, ensuring the processing work proceeded in an orderly manner.

The mill processing plant thrived thanks to the introduction of tractors. The huge flow of people meant considerable profits, which made Lin Guodong and others extremely grateful for their decision to buy tractors. At the same time, they admired Long Zhiqing's foresight even more.

On this day, the village committee was having a heated discussion about future development plans when Old Man Chen suddenly walked in with a worried look on his face. Since the brigade acquired a tractor, his oxcart, which he used to rely on for survival, had become somewhat useless.

Now, he spends his days with only that cow, his workload has decreased drastically, and the change in his lifestyle has left him feeling quite lost.

"Old Chen, what's wrong with you today?" Lin Guodong asked with concern.

"Captain, Long Zhiqing, please find me some work to do. I'm feeling very anxious because I have nothing to do every day..." Old Chen's words revealed a hint of helplessness and longing.

"This..." Lin Guodong frowned slightly upon hearing this, unsure of what to do. He then turned to Long Lifan for help.

Long Lifan felt the sudden gaze and couldn't help but wonder: Is this asking me to make the decision? But she also understood that Old Man Chen's predicament was indeed caused by her.

While mechanization is an inevitable trend, for older generations like Old Man Chen, labor is not only a necessity of life but also a source of spiritual sustenance. Letting him be idle would be worse than killing him.

After a moment's thought, Long Lifan spoke up: "Captain, I have an idea. Grandpa Chen has a lot of experience in raising cattle, so why don't we buy some more cattle and sheep so he can continue to use his skills? This would not only solve Grandpa Chen's problem of being 'idle,' but also add some income to the village."

She knew that the environment behind Dongwan Village was suitable for raising livestock. However, she was also worried about Old Man Chen's health, "but Grandpa Chen is getting old, so we have to be careful when he's herding."

Upon hearing this, Old Chen's eyes immediately lit up: "Raising cattle and sheep, what a great idea! Don't worry, Long Zhiqing, I'm still in good health and will definitely not cause any trouble for the brigade!" His tone was full of expectation and confidence.

"Okay, that's a good idea!" Upon hearing Long Lifan's suggestion, Lin Guodong not only solved Old Chen's problem but also opened up a new way for the brigade to make money, and a smile instantly appeared on his face.

He had been pondering how to best utilize the considerable sum in the account—whether to pay off the tractor debt first or make other plans. Long Lifan's words, "No rush," coupled with this brilliant idea, gave him a sudden clarity. Yes, rather than letting money sit idle and cause worry, it's much more reassuring to turn it into live cattle and sheep!

Without hesitation, Lin Guodong acted swiftly, gathering the commune members that very afternoon to begin expanding the cattle shed. This time, he planned a large-scale investment, buying more cattle and sheep, since "it's all the same whether you herd one flock or two," and with a larger quantity, management costs would be relatively lower.

Long Lifan also agreed with this idea, believing that it would not only improve efficiency but also provide Old Man Chen with some helpers, since he was getting old and there would be someone to look after him in case of an emergency.

August arrived quietly, and the morning sun was already quite scorching. Early in the morning, Lin Guodong and his group, carrying heavy briefcases, set off on their journey to other communes to purchase cattle and sheep.

Long Lifan sat under a big tree at the entrance of the village. Even though there was a slight breeze, it only brought a more stifling heat. She suddenly felt a pang of anxiety, realizing that the climate in G Province had been unpredictable in the past two years, and this year's heat seemed particularly unbearable.

She stood up, her gaze piercing through the scorching sun to the cornfield, its leaves curled up as if telling the world of its thirst. Long Lifan was frantic. She immediately rushed to the brigade headquarters, summoned several production team leaders, and ordered them to organize the villagers to fetch water from the river for irrigation.

“Long Zhiqing, is this really necessary?” Lin Guowei frowned, his tone revealing his confusion. “We’ve encountered this situation before, but it always comes back to rain soon.” The other team leaders also looked hesitant, clearly sharing Lin Guowei’s opinion that Long Lifan’s actions were making a mountain out of a molehill.

Long Lifan knew that, based on past experience, summer was indeed the rainy season, so Lin Guowei's words weren't entirely wrong. However, as someone from a later era, she knew that the summers in G Province these past two years had been unusually dry, with practically no rain.

However, she couldn't say these things directly; she couldn't very well tell everyone that she had traveled from another time and predicted the weather. Seeing everyone's slow movements, Long Lifan raised her voice, her tone carrying an undeniable firmness: "What? Just because the brigade leader isn't here, does my word as the village secretary mean I have no authority?"

Lin Guowei and the others were taken aback by Long Lifan's firm tone and quickly replied, "Long, don't be angry, we'll get to work right away." Immediately, he quickly gathered the commune members, and everyone braved the scorching sun to fetch water from the river and irrigate the thirsty cornfields.

As noon approached, the sun grew increasingly scorching, but the villagers continued their busy work. Seeing that the brigade leader and the others were absent, and that she was the only village cadre present, Long Lifan felt she should set an example and joined in the work.

Seeing this, Lin Guowei said with concern, "Long Zhiqing, you should go back and rest. We can handle things here." Although he didn't quite agree with Long Zhiqing's suggestion, he was more worried that something might happen to Long Zhiqing while he was working.

"fine!"

Long Lifan wiped the sweat from her cheeks and replied with a smile, "I can manage." However, just as she turned around, she suddenly felt dizzy, her vision went black, and she involuntarily collapsed to the ground.

"Oh no! Long Zhiqing has fainted!" Lin Guowei's voice echoed through the space, instantly causing a commotion throughout the entire Dongwan Brigade.