Chapter Sixteen: Rice Paddies and Fish Farming

  Time passed without being idle or dull, and before I knew it, it was 1977. Apart from growing a bit taller, my greatest gain was remembering one or two thousand English words, and finishing more than half of "Hamlet". Sometimes the teacher's wife would also mutter to herself, saying that the "Gang of Four" had been crushed for several months, so why hadn't Mr. been rehabilitated yet? But Mr. remained calm and composed, teaching in an orderly manner, and seeing me make rapid progress in my studies, he felt quite pleased.

  After several months, Father had completely established himself in the Commune's Revolutionary Committee. At that time, the Commune's Revolutionary Committee was the most basic level of political power, and internally, the division of labor was not very clear. Father nominally still oversaw propaganda and cultural work, but in reality, he had become the second-in-command of the Red Flag Commune.

  There were also good-hearted people who wanted Dad to transfer Mom from another commune to Hongqi Commune, but Dad directly refused.

  To avoid suspicion, ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign, officialdom has always followed this rule.

  The weather is getting warmer and warmer every day, and I've started thinking again.

  Last year, I listened to Director Yan and my father's conversation at the commune, and I had some ideas in my mind, thinking that I should do something. However, in my previous life, I was just a technician who only knew how to repair machines, and I wasn't very good at farming. At that moment, I couldn't think of any brilliant ideas that would yield immediate results.

  I saw the members of the society busy preparing for transplanting rice seedlings, and suddenly I had an idea... Hmm, maybe this method is feasible.

  After Dad became the deputy director of Hongqi Commune, he came home a bit more often. After all, it was close by, only about 10 miles away, and walking took just an hour or so. As for his precious son, Dad was getting more and more anxious. In three or four evenings, he had squeezed out all the electrical knowledge and repair skills he had accumulated over decades, and now he could casually fiddle with radios. His hands were as skilled as those of this veteran technician. If cultivated properly, who knows, maybe a new Einstein would emerge.

  If Dad knew the truth, he would probably go crazy, haha!

  "Xiao Jun, what are you doing?"

  On Sunday afternoon, I was standing beside the paddy field at my home's entrance in a daze when Dad suddenly appeared with a smile and stood beside me. Hurriedly lifting my eyes to look over, another tall figure also came into view - it turned out that Director Yan had also come along.

  Raising fish.

  I blurted out a sentence without thinking.

  The two directors were both stunned and bewildered.

  Rice fields raise fish.

  I continued to explain.

  "This 'rice field fish farming' is perhaps the most profound knowledge I have about agriculture, and I understand it quite deeply. This is because in the mid-1990s, Hongqi Township vigorously developed aquaculture, and 80% of the rice fields in Liujia Mountain Village were used for fish farming, and I had eaten them more than once. As the saying goes, 'eat people's food, take people's money', after enjoying it, I asked about the technology of rice field fish farming in a pretentious manner, and found that it was not complicated. After many years, I still have some impression, so I might as well bring it up to chat with the two directors."

  If fish can be raised in paddy fields twenty years later, then it should also be possible to raise them twenty years earlier.

  Director Yan and Old Dad both lit up at the sight of it.

  Director Yan smiled and said to Old Dad: "Jin Cai, your son is really a bit stingy with his words. He always speaks halfway."

  A thousand words are not worth one silence.

  "This is the life experience of Mr. Zhang Tingyu, a prime minister during the 40-year peaceful period of the Qing dynasty. I'll look for an opportunity to share it with the two directors, but now is not the time."

  "Dad smiled and said: 'Although you are my son, I often don't understand you either. Xiao Jun, speak clearly.'"

  With a satisfied stomach, I slowly said: "Uncle Yan, Dad, this field can be used to raise fish. Carp and crucian carp can thrive here, they're easy to raise."

  Grass carp are difficult to raise and prone to many diseases. To be honest, I'm not very good at preventing and treating fish diseases, so I'll just skip over it.

  Director Yan and Old Dad exchanged a glance, both revealing an unexpectedly surprised expression.

  "Right! Jin Cai, this is a good idea, why didn't we think of it before?"

  Dad was puzzled and asked: "Xiao Jun, how did you know again?"

  This won't stump me. Since I've prepared to speak out, I naturally have a thorough idea of how to respond.

  I curled my lip and said with a pretence of nonchalance: "Think about it and you'll understand. With water, you can raise fish."

  Director Yan burst out laughing: "Good one, with water you can raise fish... Hehe, Jin Cai, Xiao Jun is indirectly scolding us... Thinking about it, it's true, kids can think of it, but we just can't... Our thinking is rigid..."

  "Uh-huh, after transplanting rice seedlings, the field needs to be fertilized. Human and pig manure can both fertilize the field and raise fish. This idea is really not bad."

  Dad is actually a technician by origin, and when thinking about problems, he likes to start from the actual situation, and quickly enters the technical level.

  "Yes, the ridges between the seedlings can be dug a bit deeper, and some fish holes can be dug. I think it's no problem to put a thousand or two thousand fish fry per mu of paddy field..."

  Director Yan, although a university graduate, has been working at the grassroots level for quite some time and is very familiar with all kinds of rural affairs.

  Hehe, dealing with smart people is so refreshing. Just mention the general idea and they'll think of more details than I would, saving a lot of trouble. But I still reminded him: "Uncle, you can't raise too many fish per mu of land, or there won't be enough food and they'll starve to death."

  "Uh-huh, I know this, I know this..."

  Director Yan was overjoyed like a child.

  He came to Liujia Mountain with his father today, first to visit Mr. Zhou and secondly to inspect the progress of spring plowing and transplanting in his own jurisdiction. Unexpectedly, before he even entered the house, I gave him a big surprise.

  "Oh, it's Director Yan! Come on in and take a seat. Jincai is back too..."

  It's Grandma's happy voice.

  "Auntie San, how are you?"

  The brothers of our family's old generation, my maternal grandfather is the third in line, Director Yan smiled and greeted my maternal grandmother.

  "Thanks to you, good, good, come on in and take a seat..."

  After entering the house and taking a seat, Grandma served clear tea. Director Yan took two sips and then said eagerly: "Jin Cai, this idea of Xiao Jun's is really feasible. Let's discuss it and see how to develop it..."

  "Feasible is feasible, but will it be consistent with the policy above..."

  Director Yan said: "Developing production and increasing the income of commune members does not contradict the policies above, right?"

  "It's not against the rules. Hehe, Director, you know more about policies than I do... I was thinking, none of the other communes are doing this, just our Red Flag Commune is doing it, is that appropriate?"

  Dad has been doing administrative work for a short time after all, and he's not feeling secure in his heart.

  Director Yan slightly frowned.

  The exposed rafter rots first. He understood this principle very well.

  I furrowed my brow and suddenly asked: "Dad, what does 'feeling the stones to cross the river' mean?"

  "Feeling the stones while crossing the river, it's just unknown how deep or shallow the water is..."

  Dad wasn't on guard, and casually explained it to me. He took one glance at my suspicious expression and immediately understood, laughing and scolding: "You little brat, still trying to play tricks on Dad? Whatever you're thinking, just say it."

  Director Yan also looked at me, with great encouragement in his eyes.

  Every time he sees me, he can give him unexpected surprises. The two directors will not regard me as a friend who can sit and talk, but the positioning of this "little genius" is unavoidable.

  "Cutting off the tail of capitalism is cutting off one's own tail, isn't it?"

  When a seven-year-old child said "cut off the tail of capitalism", everyone's mouth was wide open, and for a moment they forgot to answer.

  How annoying, every time I speak, I have to beat around the bush and kill a lot of brain cells. It seems that I need to give everyone a shock, and stuff their astonishment back into them.

  "Cutting off the tail of capitalism, who...who told you that?"

  I puffed out my chest, pretending to be very impressive, and said with a smug expression: "Old Man Zhou said so. Old Man Zhou is really something, he knows everything. And also, many things are written in books."

  Director Yan burst out laughing: "Haha, I almost forgot, you have a very remarkable Mr. indeed. Jin Cai, this is something we rarely see. Xiao Jun is now a learned scholar, having read many books."

  My tooth is a bit itchy again.

  Yan Taiye is indeed Yan Taiye, and while praising, he doesn't forget to tease the younger generation.

  Dad scratched his head and smiled: "Then tell me, what's private and public?"

  I looked at Director Yan silently, without saying a word.

  Director Yan waved his hand and said with a smile, "Hey, what Xiao Jun means is that cutting off the tail of capitalism refers to individuals, not collectives. We can use public resources to raise fish in rice paddies."

  "What's going on?"

  "Not bad. The whole team works together and the harvest belongs to the collective."

  "How much will be submitted to the commune after harvesting, and how much will the production team keep for itself?"

  "Turn in? The commune didn't invest, so no need to turn in, all belongs to the production team. As long as this year's public grain is handed over, that's enough."

  Dad is from Liujia Mountain, so he naturally has no objection.

  Director Yan said, "Jin Cai, get someone to call the branch secretary and the battalion commander over. We'll come up with a solution right away. Don't miss the timing."

  "Brother-in-law, you sit down, I'll go call..."

  The little brother-in-law volunteered and ran out of the door quickly.

  Before long, Branch Secretary Liu Jinwen and Squadron Leader Ruan Chengsheng arrived one after another, exchanging pleasantries.

  Director Yan mentioned the idea of raising fish in rice paddies, and Secretary Zhu and Team Leader Dai heard that it was a good thing, so they naturally agreed without hesitation, and both patted their chests to guarantee completion of the task.

  Hehe, even raising fish has become a political task.

  "Did you bring money to buy fish seedlings?"

  "Don't worry, Director, we won't have any trouble with the money for buying fish seedlings."

  They discussed how to release them, how to prevent the fish from escaping and so on. I was happy to follow along. It seems that during the harvest season, not only will there be fragrant new rice to eat, but also fragrant fried fish to enjoy.

  Director Yan instructed his two subordinates, and when he caught a glimpse of me drooling with a greedy expression, he couldn't help but feel a stir in his heart.

  "Xiao Jun, what did you just say?"

  I was stunned: "What did you say? I didn't say anything."

  "No, you just said... Ah, yes, you said 'feeling the stones to cross the river', what does that mean?"

  "No, uncle, I really don't understand what this means, ask my dad."

  "Don't play dumb. Do you think you can fool me with your little tricks?"

  Director Yan has taken me seriously as a dish, so I will not be polite and accept it.

  "Uncle, Liujiashan has started fish farming, should other brigades follow suit?"

  "Of course we have to raise them. The whole Hongqi Commune is raising them."

  "What if... what if we can't make a living? What if the fish get sick? Don't blame me when the time comes."

  "Hey kid, what are you talking about? Is uncle that kind of person? In your eyes, is uncle so irresponsible? When something goes wrong, it's all blamed on your family?"

  I scratched my head and chuckled: "This is called saying ugly words first, being careful makes no big mistakes."

  "Clever ghost...... Haha, careful and there will be no big mistakes...... Hmm......"

  Director Yan's laughter gradually subsided.

  "A good small mind makes no big mistake! Aren't you again reminding me in a roundabout way?"

  I smiled and gave him a default response.

  "Alright, let's cross the river by feeling for stones. Each big team will first release 10 to 20 mu of fish fry, and if it's successful, we'll vigorously promote it." He glanced at me and smiled: "At that time, Uncle will really give you a bonus!"

  "Thank you, Uncle. Next time you treat me to meat."

  Alas... really no energy at all, just know how to eat meat!