Go back to the past to plant trees

After Yu Zheng and Qu He came up, Feng Cheng's work became easier, even though he didn't have much work to do.

Meng Yue's revelation of her relationship with Qin Xuemei made Feng Cheng feel somewhat awkward, even embarrassed when he encountered Qin Xuemei. However, it seemed that Meng Yue hadn't mentioned this to Qin Xuemei, and Qin Xuemei treated him as usual, without any change, which relieved Feng Cheng.

"Feng Cheng, let me introduce you."

That day, Feng Cheng was sitting in his office reading the newspaper as usual when Yu Zhenglai suddenly brought someone in.

"This is Ma Yitai, the director of the Weichang County Agriculture Bureau. He has now been transferred to our Saihanba Forest Farm to serve as the Party Secretary and Director of the Third Township Forest Farm."

"Hello, Secretary Ma," Feng Cheng took two small steps forward, and Ma Yitai extended his hand and shook Feng Cheng's.

"Comrade Feng Cheng, I've heard of you. You're a hero of Saihanba!"

Ma Yitai is in his forties. He joined the revolution before liberation. Although he works in logistics and clerical positions, he has the decisive and efficient temperament of a soldier.

Feng Cheng lowered his head slightly and said modestly, "I dare not accept the title of meritorious official. It is the leadership's trust that allowed an outsider like me to mess around in Saihanba. Fortunately, I have managed to produce some results and have not let the Party down."

“The country needs people like you who dare to take risks. The country is in dire need of rebuilding, where are we going to find so many professionals? It’s us laymen who are left to take risks. Before I joined the revolution, I learned to slaughter pigs. Now I’m the director of the agricultural bureau, in charge of farming. And now I’ve been transferred to Saihanba to be in charge of planting trees.”

"To be honest, I'm not confident at all!"

Just as Feng Cheng was wondering why Ma Yitai was telling him this, Ma Yitai changed the subject and spoke directly to Yu Zheng, who was standing next to him.

"Old Yu, I know absolutely nothing about this kind of tree. I'm the secretary and director of the Third Township Forest Farm, so I'm completely clueless when it comes to professional matters."

"Here's what we'll do: transfer Feng Cheng to me and let him temporarily serve as the forest farm manager for a while. I don't need your personnel. Just have him mentor me and help me get familiar with the work at the forest farm. Once I'm up to the task, I'll bring him back."

"You rascal, I was wondering why you were talking so much. So that's what you were planning. Let me tell you, don't even think about it."

“I’ve already arranged Feng Cheng’s job. He’ll be the head of the forestry department. The appointment has been made. If you need someone with technical skills, go find them yourself. As long as you can find someone and they’re willing to come, I won’t hesitate to assign them any position.”

"If I could find someone, would I need to ask you?" Ma Yitai, who was also quite familiar with Yu Zhenglai, complained, "If you were asking me to find someone who knows how to farm, or even raise fish or pigs, I could find them, but I really don't know anyone who knows this kind of tree."

"Besides, even if we find someone, they might not be willing to come. Everyone knows what the situation is like in Saihanba. It's difficult to get people to come."

Yu Zhenglai looked helpless and said, "Then there's nothing I can do. Your forest farm is short of people, and so is our main farm. If I'm short of people, I'll find a way. If you're short of people, you'll have to find a way yourself."

"Well then, if Feng Cheng isn't an option, what about the others? I heard that more than twenty students from Northeast Forestry College have come. I don't need more, just give me ten."

Ma Yitai looked at Yu Zhenglai with an expression that said, "I've already conceded a step, so you have no choice but to agree."

Feng Cheng was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to laugh or not. This Secretary Ma was well-versed in the broken windows theory; he knew that Yu Zheng would not let him go, so his initial goal was to get the students.

"Sure, the directors and secretaries of the remaining forest farms will be arriving soon. If you can persuade them, I'll give you not just ten, but twenty-four of them. I won't stop you. How about that? Am I generous enough?"

Ma Yitai stared wide-eyed. "If I could convince them, would I need to come to you?"

Yu Zheng waved his hand, "Alright, stop talking nonsense. Let's talk about this after everyone is here."

Hearing this, Ma Yitai stopped talking. He actually knew this would be the outcome, but knowing it didn't mean he had to say it. What if Yu Zheng agreed? Then he would have gained something. It was just a matter of talking, so he wouldn't lose anything.

"Comrade Feng Cheng, you should visit my Third Township Forest Farm more often when you have time, and give us some guidance on our technical work. I'm a complete novice, and if you don't come to visit often, I won't be able to complete my afforestation task."

Ma Yitai turned around and started playing the emotional card with Feng Cheng again.

Feng Cheng nodded and said, "Yes, I will go whenever I have time."

"That's good."

"By the way, these students have been at the dam for several days now. Comrade Feng Cheng, how much do you know about them? Which student has better grades and is more diligent? Tell me."

Ma Yitai pulled up a stool and sat down, then asked Feng Cheng to introduce the specific situation of this group of students to him.

Feng Cheng glanced at Yu Zhenglai, who was drinking water from his glass, seemingly oblivious to what Ma Yitai had said.

Feng Cheng also admired Secretary Ma somewhat. He really came up with one trick after another. If one trick didn't work, he would come up with another. If the next trick didn't work, he would come up with yet another.

Indeed, comrades who have participated in revolutions and wars are people who can extract oil from stones; such small scenes are nothing to them.

Feng Cheng gave Ma Yiqian a detailed introduction to the students. Feng Cheng didn't know these students in detail, but through occasional contact, and because Qin Xuemei, Meng Yue, Zhao Jinquan, and Sui Zhichao often talked about these students in front of him, Feng Cheng had written down some information. It might not be accurate, but Ma Yitai was obviously just using it as a reference.

In the afternoon, Qin Xuemei, Meng Yue, Sui Zhichao and a few others came to Feng Cheng's office. As expected, Ma Yitai pulled them aside and talked for a long time. In the end, as usual, he extended an olive branch, drawing up one promise after another, saying that as long as they came, they would definitely be promoted to cadres. If that wasn't enough, they could be temporarily appointed and then officially promoted after a while.

Ma Yitai's actions also made Feng Cheng realize that several forest farms in Saihanba were about to start poaching people.

Although the department coordinated for dozens of students to come over, the students are not all the same. For example, the students from the School of Mechanical Engineering are there to repair and operate machines. Most of the machines are still at the main plant, so most of these students will stay at the main plant. There's no need to fight for them; it would be useless to fight for them, and you wouldn't be able to get them anyway.

As for the batch from Chengde Agricultural College, although they are also students, they are secondary vocational school students, and their professional knowledge is still much weaker than that of college students. Furthermore, although 47 students from Northeast Forestry College were assigned here, it is uncertain whether they will come or when they will come. Moreover, those who did not report for duty immediately showed some resistance to coming to Saihanba. Even if such students came, it would be difficult to say that they would wholeheartedly devote themselves to the construction of Saihanba.

Therefore, these twenty-odd students from Northeast Forestry College were particularly important. It could be said that these twenty-odd students were the backbone of Saihanba Forest Farm and the future of the forest farm. This is also why Ma Yitai was so eager to help, after all, he had participated in the revolution and knew how to build a team.

Of course, besides these twenty-odd students, Feng Cheng's advance team is also very important, but Yu Zhenglai will not release Feng Cheng and his group. The branch farm needs people, and the main farm also needs people. The main farm is also lacking backbone and reserve forces.