Volume 1, Chapter 6: Since I've Been Reborn, Who Would Still Go to College?

In his previous life, Lu Yang was a bona fide graduate from a top-tier 985 university. He spent the following fifteen years in a village, where he acquired a wealth of diverse knowledge—ranging from initial skills in handicrafts, farming, and livestock breeding to later expertise in management, investment, and the foundations of high technology. Now that he had been reborn, he felt that relearning the knowledge of the 1980s would be a complete waste of time, serving no practical purpose. However, he had not yet decided what he wanted to do.

If he stayed, Dayang Village would undoubtedly undergo rapid changes, eventually securing a place among the top hundred villages in the country. But if he ventured out, he would certainly achieve greater success and a more fulfilling life. Regardless of whether he stayed or left, he was determined to use his knowledge during this time to improve everyone’s lives. He looked at the crowd, feeling their expectations, yet he remained appropriately rational.

"We can discuss that later. Let’s focus on the important matters now."

Important matters? Did this mean that going to college was no longer considered important? And that it was something to be discussed later? Upon hearing this, the crowd felt as if the sun of hope had risen again in the darkness.

"Old Wu, stop gawking! Hurry up! The little village chief is calling you!"

At Lu Yongguo’s shout, Wu Qingshan, who had been in a daze, stepped out from the crowd. Lu Yang observed that he was in his fifties, wearing the labor-cloth garments most popular in this era, covered in patches; his pants and shoes were in a similar state, making him look almost like a beggar. Yet, he was impeccably clean, and even his hair was combed back, revealing a smooth, clear forehead.

"Little village chief, I used to be a cook. I can do what you asked!"

"Good, stand to one side for now."

Lu Yang then looked at several middle-aged women who were physically frail. "You all come out as well." These individuals lacked strength, often slacking off during farm work, and sometimes even causing accidents when trying to lift heavy objects. However, they were generally skilled with their hands, making them perfect for preparing braised food.

"Alright, everyone remember: gather at the old canteen in the brigade office at six o'clock this afternoon."

The group nodded but did not disperse. Thinking for a moment, Lu Yang realized they didn't have watches and didn't know how to track the time. "Oh, I mean when the sun is hanging right at the tips of the mountains." Only then did they retreat to the back.

"That is the first matter. The second matter: I remember that among our three mountain brigades, aside from farming, the work you do most often is weaving mats, right?"

Lu Yongguo stepped forward and said, "Little village chief, that is correct. But since summer is over, there aren't many people buying them." Mats were used in the summer, but temperatures varied across the country.

Their area was only about 15 degrees Celsius at night, but the county seat was still quite hot. Not to mention the regions further south. This was one of the reasons he decided to transition from selling game to selling braised food. Firstly, it had a longer shelf life; secondly, the braising process could effectively mask and improve the gamey odor and tough texture of wild animals.

"Nobody here may be buying them, but people in the county are!"

Lu Yongguo was stunned. "Little village chief, do you mean we should transport these mats to the county to sell?" The prices in the county were higher, and in this day and age, the supply and marketing cooperatives should still be purchasing them. Their area had a small temperature difference, staying between 15 and 27 degrees year-round, meaning bamboo could be harvested and would grow in all four seasons. Furthermore, being located in the mountains with a sparse population, large-scale cultivation could lead to formalized development.

"Exactly. But this requires a certain amount of labor input, so I suggest that our three mountain brigades form a bamboo-weaving cooperative specifically for making mats."

"Lu Yongguo, go home and rest for a moment, then go notify the other two brigade leaders about this. Have all the members meet at the brigade office at six o'clock this afternoon to hold a meeting."

"For now, let's have our brigade raise our hands to vote. After we finish voting, everyone still needs to attend the meeting this afternoon."

Without needing Lu Yongguo to say a word, everyone present, including even the toddlers who had just learned to walk, raised their hands. One cheerful middle-aged man even raised both hands. He knew that the more they did now, the less likely the little village chief would be to leave.

"Alright, those who consider themselves skilled, stay behind." Lu Yang looked at Lu Yongguo, who coughed and said, "Everyone else, the meeting is adjourned."

The crowd looked at one another, and in the end, fifteen people remained. They were mostly in their thirties, with more women than men, all with thick calluses on their hands. They were clearly experienced artisans who had been weaving mats for years. Being rural folk, they were honest and, under normal circumstances, would not cut corners.

"Lu Yongguo, register their names. Tomorrow… no, tomorrow won't work, I still need to check the market situation."

"Let's do this: come find me at the brigade office the day after tomorrow morning, and I will explain the details of the work-point system."

Do not underestimate these work points. The first major thing Lu Yang did when he took office back then was to restore the work-point system. It was more flexible than a salary, easier to calculate, and saved a lot of accounting work. Especially under the current collective economy, it held a significant advantage. Setting work points meant committing to this work for the long term.

Lu Yongguo suddenly saw hope. After the money was distributed and everyone dispersed, he followed Lu Yang like a loyal shadow, and Lu Yongchun followed right behind him. The two of them looked like a bodyguard and a secretary!

"Lu Donggua, Lu Ergou, you… aren't you going home?" Lu Yang still followed the original host’s habit of using their nicknames in private.

Lu Yongchun just giggled foolishly. Although he didn't quite understand what Lu Yang had been talking about, he knew that Lu Yongguo was like the tapeworm in Lu Yang's stomach and certainly knew what it all meant.

Lu Yongguo stepped forward. "Little village chief, you said earlier that you might not necessarily go to college—does that mean you might stay in the village?"

Lu Yang hadn't expected this guy to be thinking about that. "Is it really that important whether I stay or not?"

Lu Yongchun stiffened as if struck by lightning, his eyes widening. "Little village chief, does that even need to be asked? Of course it's important!"

"If you stay, I, Donggua, will have meat to eat and wine to drink every single day. Just like you said back then, it'll be like celebrating the New Year every day."

Although Lu Yongguo didn't answer immediately, his eyes flickered. A man doesn't easily shed tears unless he has reached a point of deep sorrow. Since Lu Yang asked that, it meant he was truly considering staying.

"Little village chief, I… I won't say anything else. If you don't leave, I will hand this position of brigade leader over to you." Anyway, in the current state of things, his role was essentially nominal. It was only when Lu Yang was away at school that he had to step up to organize everyone.

Lu Yang looked into their eyes and could deeply feel the anticipation and sincerity in their hearts. But rebirth was a rare opportunity. Before this, he hadn't even dared to believe it was possible. Now that he had been reborn, he had his own goals, people he wanted to see, and achievements and ambitions he wanted to reach.

"In any case, I am not going to attend college. As for the rest, let me think about it a bit longer, alright?" This kind of situation felt like a relationship; the worst thing was to not give it any consideration.

"Yes, yes, yes."

Lu Yang suddenly remembered something else.