Go back to the past to plant trees

The meal lasted for nearly two hours. Everyone talked about work-related matters and discussed potential difficulties they might encounter in the future.

After packing their things, Feng Cheng and Zhao Jinquan walked towards the camp in the dark.

"Brother Feng, do you think I should accept Secretary Ma's invitation?"

Zhao Jinquan asked hesitantly.

"what do you think?"

Just now at the table, Ma Yitai sincerely invited Zhao Jinquan to his forest farm and even offered him a position in the afforestation section. This invitation was made in front of everyone and was very formal.

"I do not know either."

To be honest, Zhao Jinquan was somewhat eager to go. This was a leader, and if he didn't go this time, he didn't know if he would ever have such an opportunity again.

But he wanted to stay at the nursery because Meng Yue was there, and so many students had come to the dam area. His chances were already slim, and if he left now, he would have no chance at all.

"Because of Meng Yue?"

Feng Cheng could roughly guess Zhao Jinquan's thoughts. Young people, especially those who fall in love at first sight, are bound to have trouble letting go.

"Ah."

Zhao Jinquan spoke in a low voice, somewhat embarrassed, afraid that Feng Cheng would say something to him.

Feng Cheng pondered for a moment and then slowly said, "If it's because of Meng Yue, I think you should go to Secretary Ma instead."

"what…"

Zhao Jinquan immediately raised his head, looking at Feng Cheng with some confusion.

Feng Cheng continued, "Meng Yue is a college student and a member of the advance team. She can be considered a veteran of the Saihanba Forest Farm. She has both education and experience. She is currently working in the nursery, but as the forest farm expands and the number of employees increases, she will definitely be promoted to a leadership position, next year or at the latest the year after."

"You're a worker now, in the same position as her, with little difference in status. But what about later? If Meng Yue really becomes a cadre, do you think you two will still be a good match?"

Zhao Jinquan shook his head silently; he understood somewhat.

After a pause, Feng Cheng continued, "You have a great opportunity right now. Secretary Ma values ​​you, and you can go from a worker to a cadre. Such opportunities are rare for you. It's only because Saihanba has just been established and there's a shortage of people everywhere that you have this chance. Once this period is over, it will be impossible for you to move up. There are so many college and vocational school graduates in Saihanba, they would never promote a worker from a rural background like you."

Zhao Jinquan hesitated and said, "But I'm not very good at managing people, I'm afraid I won't do a good job."

"You don't know how to manage people, and neither do others. No one is born to be a leader. Everyone is learning. The difference is that some people have strong learning abilities and adapt quickly, while others don't have such strong learning abilities and have to suffer some losses and make some mistakes."

"Your learning ability is quite good. I believe you can do a good job as a cadre. Also, the forest farm is currently preparing to recruit externally. Secretary Ma has more than 20 employees, and I estimate that half of them will be locals. You are also a local, so they will give you some face. With half of them supporting you, as long as there are no problems ahead, then you can basically secure your position."

Zhao Jinquan nodded seriously. He valued Feng Cheng's opinions highly, and these words had already tipped the scales in his mind.

It was dark, and Feng Cheng couldn't see Zhao Jinquan's expression or know what he was thinking. Feng Cheng could only offer a few more words of advice; as for what he would do, Feng Cheng couldn't decide for him.

"For a man, the most important thing is status and a job. Mengyue likes men who are upright and capable. You need to achieve something before she might even look at you. There are so many college graduates coming to Bashang now. What can a country bumpkin like you have to compare with them? Mengyue can't exactly write home saying that she married a worker from the countryside! If you become a cadre, at least she'll have some face when she tells people, right? Her family will also say, 'Even though he comes from the countryside, he's a cadre!'"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Jinquan nodded heavily: "I'll go see Secretary Ma tomorrow, go see him."

Feng Cheng smiled and didn't say anything more. As long as they were willing to go, that was fine.

When you're young, you value love and feel like you can't live without it. But as you get older, you realize that status, power, and money are more important than love. With these things, love will naturally come. But without them, even if you find love, it will leave you.

Feng Cheng didn't know if Zhao Jinquan could win Meng Yue's heart, but in Feng Cheng's opinion, it didn't matter whether he could win her over or not. If it were any other girl, Zhao Jinquan probably wouldn't dislike her either. All boys are the same. Don't be fooled by those years of being head over heels in love. That's because he hadn't met any other girls. If a girl with outstanding looks, no less beautiful than Meng Yue, took the initiative to pursue Zhao Jinquan, Feng Cheng believed that he wouldn't be able to resist either.

Speaking of Meng Yue, Feng Cheng thought of Qin Xuemei again. However, compared to Zhao Jinquan's unease, Feng Cheng was quite calm. Meng Yue was somewhat of a literary youth who valued romance, and feelings might be more important to her. But Qin Xuemei was different. She was a slow-burning person, but once she warmed up, she would be very persistent, and it was difficult for outsiders' words to affect her.

...

After Li Zhong arrived, Saihanba remained the same as usual. However, two days later, with the arrival of five Dongfanghong tracked tractors, the work on the dam began.

Although the ground is still frozen, some work can begin, such as tilling the nursery land and leveling the land suitable for large-scale mechanized afforestation. Before tractors, these tasks were difficult to carry out because the ground was too hard and it was difficult to turn the soil over by hand. But with tractors, it is simple. No matter how hard the ground is, the tractor can break it up.

"Rat-a-tat-tat..."

One tractor was used to till the nursery, three tractors were used to level the afforestation land, and another tractor was used to repair the road. The road conditions in Saihanba are very poor. With the constant traffic, the ground is getting worse and worse, so tractors are needed to repair it.

"Old Yu, after the spring afforestation is finished, we need to find a way to repair this road. The current road is too roundabout, and it takes too long to get up from the dam. I looked at the map and it seems that we can build a road down from the other side, which will shorten the journey a lot."

Qu He and Yu Zheng came to watch the tractor hauling soil to fill the road at the entrance of the forest farm, and then Qu He told them this story.

Yu Zhenglai said, "I have also considered this, but road construction is not that simple. It requires surveying and planning. The preliminary work alone will take three to five months to complete."

Building roads is no easy task. Some ground is hard enough for vehicles to travel on, while other ground is soft enough not to. There are also factors such as altitude, elevation differences, and road construction costs. All of these factors must be taken into account. Without extensive surveying and calculations, it is very difficult to build a road.

However difficult it may be, the road must be built, because it is not only related to the delivery of supplies, but also to the transport of timber downstream after the trees in Saihanba grow.