Volume One, Chapter 16: The Old Village Chief and Lu Yang's Foray into Capitalism

Lu Yongguo finally let out the frustration he had been holding in and grabbed Lu Yang firmly.

“Little Village Chief, let’s go! I was planning to help you and others get rich, but some people just aren’t worth your effort!”

To be honest, Lu Yang had endured countless sneers and ridicule as he transformed from a distrusted university student into a beloved village official. It didn’t bother him much.

In fact, it made him feel as if he had returned to his youthful days, facing villagers of all kinds every day, firmly believing that one day they would come to trust him.

He had wanted to persevere a little longer, but Lu Yongchun no longer wanted their young village chief to suffer disdain.

He lifted Lu Yang up and placed him in the chicken cart, pushing it forward at a run.

Lu Yang could only call out, “Old Zhao, go back and tell the old village chief I’ll come find him later.”

But Old Zhao was still lost in the colorful bills, feeling as if he had stepped into a world filled with money.

“So much money! So much, really! Should be over four hundred, right?”

“The third team only has 78 laborers, so that’s more than five per person!”

“Damn! I only earn five a month, and they make that in a day!”

“Capitalism! Capitalism!”

Old Zhao ran all the way to Zhao Dezhu’s house. “Old Village Chief, bad news! Lu Yang and the third team are practicing capitalism!”

Hearing the shouting outside, Zhao Dezhu’s hand trembled slightly as he held his tobacco pipe, but when Old Zhao entered, he calmed himself.

“What’s the big deal? Speak calmly.”

Old Zhao was out of breath. “Old Village Chief, today Lu Yang took Lu Yongguo and Lu Yongchun to the county to sell wild game. Do you know how much they made?”

Zhao Dezhu had been to the county town before, though not often. The most recent trip was three years ago when he took Lu Yang to register for school.

What impressed him most was the county’s teahouse—authentic, elegant, and luxurious.

But back then, he hadn’t had the courage to entrust the village’s tea leaves to the teahouse owner.

Fortunately, he hadn’t. Otherwise, he might have ended up in trouble with the authorities by now.

That rascal Lu Yang had grown wings, but after all, he was the only high school graduate the village had raised.

In the future, when he finished university and came back, Zhao Dezhu wouldn’t mind handing over the village chief position.

But now, this brat was leading the villagers to practice capitalism!

Wasn’t that dragging everyone into the fire?

“How much?”

If it was a small amount, he might still be able to speak up at the township.

With his reputation, the township might still give some face.

But if it was too much, someone would have to take the blame.

Old Zhao’s thinking was simple.

The more money, the bigger the crime, and the worse for Lu Yang.

The more miserable the two lackeys, Lu Yongguo and Lu Yongchun, would die.

He thought for a moment and dared to hold up five fingers.

“Fifty?”

“Village Chief, it’s five hundred! Five hundred! Do you know? Each household in their team averages twenty yuan today!”

Old Zhao tried to exaggerate the danger further.

“Our village’s dividend last year was only two hundred sixteen yuan and fifty cents per family!”

“They made that much in a day; over seven or eight thousand a year!”

“Tell me, how big do you think the label of capitalism is? Isn’t it bigger than the official hat you wear?”

Zhao Dezhu forced a calm tone. “I’m the village chief, not the county magistrate. Where’s this official hat coming from?”

Old Zhao slapped his thigh. “Oh, come on! Old Village Chief, what time is this, and you’re still worrying about that?”

“That Lu Yang kid is getting more and more disobedient, but after all, he’s our village’s first university student. The township will surely hold a meeting to reward him.”

“You must go persuade him quickly. Don’t let the higher-ups find out, or he might be punished so harshly he can’t finish university and might even go to jail!”

The old village chief thought of the village’s greatest pride ending up behind bars and couldn’t sit still any longer.

“Go, take a few men, let’s go to the third team to find Lu Yang!”

...

Lu Yang was always decisive in his work. Once he had a direction, even in the dead of night, he wanted to act.

Upon returning to the third team, the first thing he did was convene a second meeting.

Of course, before that, Lu Yongchun couldn’t help but recount Lu Yang’s legendary exploits.

“Fellow villagers, I’m not bragging, but our little village chief is truly amazing.”

“That Wang Youfu was arrogant at first, but when he saw the darkened winter melon ring, he was so scared he ran off like a coward.”

“Later, he brought people back to attack our little village chief! I wasn’t about to stand by—I was ready to kill them!”

“But the little village chief was too clever. He already knew they were coming and had helped the township driver, Chen Jianguo, beforehand!”

“I hadn’t even made a move when, to thank the little village chief, Chen Jianguo drove a tractor right at them.”

“That Wang Youfu was smoked out like a dog and ran off with his head down.”

Although the villagers hadn’t witnessed it themselves, listening to Lu Yongchun’s vivid storytelling made them feel as if they had seen it firsthand. They applauded heartily.

“Lu Yongchun, did the little village chief get hurt?”

“Only if I’m dead!”

“That’s good! That’s good!”

“Next time, we should bring even more people!”

“I’ll carry a gun next time. If anyone dares to mess with the little village chief, I’ll shoot!”

“Damn it, how blind can they be to mess with our little village chief? They’re asking for death!”

...

Seeing everyone getting more and more worked up, as if ready to raid Wang Youfu’s house, Lu Yang cleared his throat.

Only then did the crowd quickly fall silent.

“Villagers, I want to apologize. I didn’t fully understand the exact process for weaving bamboo mats.”

Everyone said nothing, as if it were expected.

After all, no one is perfect; everyone makes mistakes.

Besides, the little village chief had learned scientific knowledge and wasn’t familiar with rural crafts. That was only natural.

Lu Yang had grown accustomed to this unconditional trust and knew everyone was waiting for his next instructions.

“So I made a change. Among you, those skilled at splitting bamboo strips, please raise your hands.”

“Oh, by skilled, I mean like Lu Yongchun—one person who can split enough bamboo for five to weave.”

Though water bamboo is relatively soft, tough, and easy to split, each person has their specialty and limits. Also, they had already selected once.

The villagers looked at each other; only eight raised their hands.

Lu Yang counted seven men and one young woman in her twenties.

It wasn’t that he looked down on her, but splitting bamboo requires strength.

“Xiugu, you can sit this one out. I have other plans for you later.”

Lu Xiugu thought of Wang Sufen’s words and originally didn’t want to raise her hand, but she wanted to help Lu Yang so badly.

Even if he was going to school, even if he wouldn’t return, even if their love was doomed.

She was shy and said nothing, quietly nodding and lowering her hand.

Lu Yang felt no different toward Lu Xiugu and didn’t mind. Just as he was about to have Lu Yongguo take attendance, he saw Lu Yongguo running over.

“Little Village Chief, bad news! The old village chief and some men are coming to interrogate you!”