162 Do You Deserve It?
While others didn't recognize the group, Su Changjiu and Wang Xianghua did.
Weren't these the commune leaders?
"Oh, Director Qian, Director Liu, why have you all come?" Su Changjiu hurried forward to shake hands.
Hearing Su Changjiu, Grandpa Su, Su Laosan, and the others also remembered. They had seen these people before, just not closely.
"We've come to see off our university students," Director Qian said, still catching his breath.
Su Xiaotian stared at them, finding it strange. If they were here to see the university students, why hadn't they come earlier?
If they had been a little later, everyone would have already left.
Little did Su Xiaotian know, they hadn't planned to come at all. But they received news that morning that the county would be commending the Su family's children.
The commune leaders discussed it and decided that since the county was commending them, the commune couldn't be without a gesture.
Thus, they rushed over.
Grandpa Su asked Su Shouwen and the others to greet Director Qian and the others.
The leaders had cycled very fast to catch up. Upon seeing the people, they were too breathless to speak and focused on catching their breath.
After a long while, they finally managed to catch their breath.
"Good, good, all promising young talents! Old Man Su, you are truly blessed to have such outstanding grandchildren!" Director Qian said with emotion.
The other leaders chimed in with words of praise.
Grandpa Su thanked them.
"Isn't this Su Xiaomei? A woman as capable as any man, and she did well too," Director Qian said to Su Xiaomei at the end.
Su Xiaomei lowered her eyes, fiddling with the corner of her clothes, not daring to speak.
"Thank you, Director Qian. My daughter is a bit shy!" Shen Zizhen stepped forward with a smile.
Director Qian recognized this as Shen Zizhen, Su Xiaomei's stepfather, who had lived in Hongxin Brigade.
Now that he had returned to be a university professor, if they hadn't caught him today, they wouldn't have even had the chance to meet such a person.
"Professor Shen, hello, hello. I've heard that you've been very concerned about education in Hongxin Brigade during your two years there. It's a pity you have to return to the university campus, otherwise, I would definitely ask you to give lectures to all the children in our commune!"
Shen Zizhen smiled and said a few words, then fell silent.
Director Qian then turned his gaze to Su Changjiu and said, "Captain Su, I heard your youngest daughter also got into university?"
"Just a university in the provincial capital, it's nothing much," Su Changjiu said humbly.
"That's still very good. Not everyone can get into a university in the provincial capital," Director Qian said with a smile.
"Are you a commune leader?"
Suddenly, someone emerged from the side and stood before Director Qian, startling everyone.
Director Qian said sternly, "I am from the commune. What business do you have?"
However, this person seemed out of place with the surroundings. Although the clothes of the people around were patched and re-patched, they were washed clean.
This person's clothes probably hadn't been washed in three to five years.
Before Director Qian could speak further, the person knelt down with a thud and began to cry out.
"Leader, you must uphold justice for us common folk!"
"Qi Huzhi, stand up! What is this?" Su Changjiu reprimanded in a low voice.
What was this Qi Huzhi doing? Kneeling in front of so many people, who was he trying to implicate?
Qi Huzhi glared at Su Changjiu and said, "Commune leaders, look! In front of you, our captain, Su Changjiu, dares to scold me, a poor and lower-middle peasant. When you are not here, he treats us like dirt!"
As he spoke, this person named Qi Huzhi even shed tears.
Su Changjiu looked at him with disgust.
This Qi Huzhi, after so many years, had only gotten worse.
"How do we not treat you like a person?" Director Qian looked at the filthy Qi Huzhi before him. "Get up first. If you kneel like this, and others see it, they might say I don't treat you like a person!"
Someone who doesn't even treat himself like a person, how can he expect others to treat him like one?
Qi Huzhi finally realized that his kneeling and begging might displease the leader.
He proved to be quite clever this time and immediately stood up.
"Leader, please don't blame me. I was just too agitated!"
Of course, he was agitated. They had just been discussing going to the commune to find the leaders, and who knew the leaders would show up themselves.
Perhaps this was a god-given opportunity!
"He doesn't treat us poor and lower-middle peasants like people and always scolds us. That's one thing. But he actually privately gives away collective property to others. That is collective assets, and we cannot tolerate someone fleecing the collective."
Qi Huzhi was actually a very timid person. As he spoke, he kept glancing at Su Changjiu.
Su Changjiu was so angry he almost didn't want to speak to Qi Huzhi.
"Qi Huzhi, speak with a conscience!" In the end, he could only say this resentfully.
However, Su Changjiu's words made Qi Huzhi put on an even more fearful appearance.
"Leader, you must uphold justice for us common folk! You are here now, but if you weren't, he would use his authority as captain to oppress common folk like me."
Su Changjiu was speechless and turned away, no longer looking at Qi Huzhi.
"Oh? Is there such a thing?"
Director Qian said this while giving Su Changjiu a look with an unreadable expression.
Su Changjiu understood Director Qian's look and didn't know what to say.
He understood Director Qian's meaning; they had often clashed with the commune leaders over the chicken and pig farms.
Because of this, Director Qian felt somewhat displeased.
"Yes!"
"Then tell me, how did your Captain Su fleece the collective?" Director Qian asked with a half-smile.
Seeing Director Qian's approachable demeanor, Qi Huzhi's fear disappeared.
"Just now, he took money from the brigade and gave five yuan to each of the babies. You don't know, but these babies are all his own nephews and nieces!"
"Is that so?"
"Leader, I wouldn't dare to lie. I just feel it's unfair. We common folk work hard all year, and I still owe the brigade three yuan and fifty-seven cents, yet these babies can each take away five yuan?"
The more he spoke, the more reasonable Qi Huzhi felt his argument was.
However, Director Qian understood that this person named Qi Huzhi was a "backward household," indicating he was indeed a very lazy person in normal times.
Hongxin Brigade was now the wealthiest brigade in the entire commune. It was said that there were basically no backward households left, and many families had received a good distribution of money at the end of the year.
"This matter? Do you know why he gave money to these children?"
Qi Huzhi certainly knew why, but even if he did, he absolutely wouldn't say it.
He hesitated for a moment, lowering his head slightly from his high posture, and said, "Why else? To benefit his own family."
Su Changjiu remained silent, but Su Lao Er could no longer suppress his anger. He clenched his fists, ready to rush up and beat Qi Huzhi, but was held back by Su Laoda.
"Look at you, when will you ever change your temper?"
Pulled back by his elder brother, Su Lao Er, though unwilling, said nothing more.
"However, the information I have seems to be different!" Director Qian's smile vanished, and he said sternly.
Qi Huzhi was stunned, not understanding the meaning behind Director Qian's words.
"Leader, what do you mean by that?"
"I am here today on behalf of the commune to see the children from your brigade!" Director Qian said, glancing at the children holding bags nearby.
Although he didn't know them, he could guess.
Qi Huzhi hadn't figured it out yet, but everyone else had.
Director Qian wasn't here for nothing today; he was here for the Su family's children.
This Qi Huzhi wouldn't get anything good today and would also offend people!
Indeed, Director Qian then spoke again.
"The children of Hongxin Brigade are all very capable. We have come today to represent the commune and offer our blessings, hoping that these children will all become talented individuals who contribute to the nation in the future!"
"Thank you, Director Qian!" Su Changjiu stepped forward to express his gratitude to Director Qian.
With Director Qian present, the money given out today was now legitimate.
Although Su Changjiu had given out the money earlier, he hadn't been entirely confident.
Hearing Director Qian say this and seeing him take out an envelope, Qi Huzhi understood that Director Qian was also here to give money.
He glanced at the Su family's children, his eyes filled with jealousy and hatred.
What luck had the Su family stumbled upon that everyone was giving them money?
Hmph, it must be to curry favor with Chen Zi'an, that county leader.
Not a single good one among them!
Qi Huzhi's mood soured considerably. Liu Xiuying, standing nearby, almost tore off all the bark from the tree in front of her.
How could this be? The commune leaders were also here to give money?
They were all Su family members, so why was money being given to the eldest branch, and not their side?
Liu Xiuying was tormented, wishing she could snatch the envelope from Director Qian's hand.
But she didn't dare!
"It's not for you, why are you thanking them?" Director Qian glared at Su Changjiu.
This Su Changjiu had a stubborn temper.
The pig and chicken farms were monopolized by one brigade. Before the New Year, when he asked him to pay a little more for the live pigs, he had objections, saying that's how it was agreed upon initially!
Hmph, was it easy for him to be the director of this commune? Wasn't it all for the sake of allowing the commune members to have a bit more meat in their meals?
These people, though called cadres and appearing glamorous, actually ate nothing but stir-fried cabbage with vermicelli or stir-fried potatoes, with no oil or fat at all.
Who knew that Su Changjiu not only didn't cooperate but also generously distributed meat to the people of Hongxin Brigade.
It was said that each person received several catties of meat. Did Su Changjiu feel guilty when eating that meat?
Thinking about it made him uncomfortable!
But despite his discomfort, Director Qian still took out a stack of envelopes from his pocket.
"Quickly get your brigade's university students over here. It looks like they're about to depart. Don't delay!"
Director Qian felt that if he stayed any longer in Hongxin Brigade, he would surely lose his temper.
Forget it, he'd express his good intentions quickly and leave!
Su Changjiu busied himself by calling Su Shouwen and the others over.
Director Qian looked at the three young men and one young woman before him and asked doubtfully, "Where is your daughter?"
"Director Qian, my daughter can be excused..."
Director Qian snorted, "Excused? What, is your daughter different from the others?"
Since the question had been asked, Su Changjiu didn't dare to say anything more and beckoned Su Xiaocao to come over as well.
Su Xiaocao lowered her head and stood beside Su Xiaomei.
"Good, good, they all look like outstanding children!"
Although Director Qian was not friendly towards Su Changjiu, he was genuinely impressed with the children!
He said a few more words of encouragement, the usual platitudes about studying hard and contributing to the country in the future, but at this moment, they sounded passionate.
Finally, Director Qian walked up to Su Shouwen and the others and gave each of the five a letter.
Su Shouwen held the somewhat thick envelope, not knowing what to say, only offering his thanks and promising not to fail the leaders' instructions.
"It's not much. Our commune is a poor commune, so don't think it's too little!"
Director Qian suddenly felt that twenty yuan was a bit too little to present.
These children were outstanding even across the entire province, yet he was only offering twenty yuan.
But even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice. He had no other options; the commune was also poor!
Twenty yuan per person was already the most the commune could afford.
After all, if they were to give to the university students of Hongxin Brigade, they would have to give to the university students of other brigades as well.
Fortunately, Hongxin Brigade had five students at once, while other brigades combined only had three.
That's right, Director Qian completely overlooked Kang Yiye, the university student, as if he hadn't even remembered her existence.
But even if he wanted to ignore her, Kang Yiye didn't want to be ignored.
Just as the others were offering their thanks, Kang Yiye rushed out from the crowd.
"Director Qian, you can't show favoritism. Although I am an educated youth, I am also from Hongxin Brigade. You can't just give money to them and not to me!" Kang Yiye said directly.
Director Qian was stunned for a moment, then realized that this woman was Kang Yiye.
He couldn't help but frown.
Seeing that Director Qian was ignoring her, Kang Yiye's eyes darted around, and she spoke again, "Director Qian, you are a commune leader, you can't be like the people in the brigade and have an antagonistic attitude towards people like me who are rooted in the grassroots and stand firm in the grassroots."
Su Changjiu's face immediately turned ugly.
This woman Kang Yiye was becoming more and more shameless. What did these words mean?
Wasn't she clearly telling the leader that he was being exclusive?
Su Changjiu subtly glanced at Director Qian's expression and was instantly relieved.
"I know your situation. You participated in the college entrance examination and indeed got accepted, but can you honestly compare the schools you were accepted into with theirs?" Director Qian asked with a cold face.
This woman was the biggest disgrace to the entire commune.
He had been laughed at by directors from other communes because of this woman.
Give her money? How could that be possible?
If it were possible, he truly wished he could have this woman tortured to death.
However, this woman would be leaving soon, and definitely would never return.
Thinking of this, Director Qian even felt a sense of relief that the troublemaker was leaving.
Kang Yiye frowned.
It was true, the Su family's children had all been accepted into universities, while her results were only enough for a vocational college.
Although it was a vocational college in the capital, a vocational college was still a vocational college, regardless of where it was.
"But, I at least received an admission notice!" Kang Yiye felt that even if she was accepted into a vocational college, she was still better than others.
Director Qian snorted and said, "Kang Yiye, one must know contentment! Before asking such questions, you should consider, do you deserve it?"
Having said that, Director Qian ignored her and urged Su Shouwen and the others to leave.
Kang Yiye hadn't expected Director Qian to be so blunt, asking her directly if she deserved it.
Of course, she deserved it. She had also passed the exam through her own abilities, so why shouldn't she?
But she couldn't say these words and could only clench her fists and grit her teeth.
Su Laosan, worried that the county leaders would wait too long, bid farewell to Director Qian and the others and hurried to urge everyone to get into the car.
Grandma Su and the others went straight home, while Su Laosan took the children directly to the County No. 1 Middle School.
In the conference room of the County No. 1 Middle School, several county leaders were present, including Chen Zi'an.
"Zi'an, are these your nephews and nieces?" Secretary Kang asked Chen Zi'an, who was sitting beside him, as he saw the children enter.
"Yes, Secretary!" Chen Zi'an replied with a smile.
The Su family's children were so promising that he, as their uncle, felt proud.
[Author's Note]
A chapter of five thousand words, my dears. Please give me more votes! If there are many votes for Time today, there will be an extra chapter tomorrow. Amitabha, I hope I don't have to work overtime tomorrow so I can focus on writing!