Chapter Thirty-Six: A Lone Child

  "How can the agricultural tools market shrink?" Qin Hai refuted with skepticism.

  "This is what your factory director said." Ning Zhongying smiled and said, he was also very dismissive of the assertion that the farm tool market had shrunk, and speaking in such a tone clearly meant that he agreed with Qin Hai's point of view.

  Qin Hai understood the underlying meaning of Ning Zhongying's words and said, "After the rural collective production contract was implemented, the large collectives were dissolved, and the market for medium-sized agricultural machinery indeed showed a certain degree of shrinkage. However, as farmers gradually become richer, specialized households for mechanized farming will inevitably emerge, liberating young and middle-aged laborers from agricultural production."

  "What's the point of being liberated?" Ning Zhongying asked.

  "When rural workers come out." Qin Hai replied naturally, "Working in the city, a month's income is equivalent to a year's income in the countryside. Why shouldn't they come out?"

  "Could it be that way?" Ning Zhongying suddenly became interested, the situation Qin Hai mentioned was something he hadn't considered before, and it sounded like a reasonable point of view.

  Qin Hai then told Ning Zhongying about the process of forming peasant workers over the past few decades in a speculative way. At that time, information was not as developed as it is now, and many things that had already happened along the coast were still little known to people inland. Qin Hai's vivid description put the three members of the Ning family into a trance.

  "In developed countries, the proportion of agricultural labor force in the total labor force is less than 5%, while in our country it is more than 70%. This situation must be changed. To liberate farmers from land, we must rely on mechanization, so the market for agricultural machinery will not shrink but will develop rapidly." Qin Hai ended his speech with these words.

  "Weren't you studying casting? How do you know about these things?" Ning Zhongying asked Qin Hai with a smile. When the old man became serious, he could make Ning Mu tremble with fear and not dare to sweat, but when he was kind, he was harmless, like a benevolent neighbor. When Qin Hai chatted with the workers at Qingfeng Factory about Ning Zhongying, everyone's evaluation of him was still very high, thinking that he was a very approachable leader, of course, on the premise that you didn't commit any wrongdoing and fall into his hands.

  Qin Hai Dao said: "Those who study technology must also understand the overall trend of social development, otherwise how can they grasp the direction of technological development? I studied at an agricultural technical school and paid more attention to agricultural production, which is normal."

  "Ah, not bad, young people should have a broad vision, mastering technology is important, understanding the big picture is also important, in this regard, Xiao Qin you did well." Ning Zhongying affirmed Qin Hai with an elder's tone.

  Next, everyone chatted casually. Ning Zhongying asked Qin Hai about the welding of rotary tiller blades and also asked about Qin Hai's major in school. Ning Mo kept interrupting to reinforce his father's good impression of Qin Hai. Ning Jing was more interested in gossip, such as where Qin Hai learned those strange English sentence patterns.

  They chatted until Song Yulan finished watching the soap opera and came out of the room, then Qin Hai realized it was already quite late, so he hurriedly stood up to bid farewell. Ning Mo took the initiative to send Qin Hai back to his dormitory on the grounds that Qin Hai was new here and didn't know the way, actually wanting to exchange ideas with Qin Hai about tonight's conversation along the way.

  Ning Zhongying knew Ning Mo's thoughts and didn't stop him. He personally escorted Qin Hai and Ning Mo out of the house, watching as they went downstairs. At that moment, Ning Zhongying reminded them: "Ning Mo, Xiao Qin is a bachelor, there's nothing to eat in the cafeteria. When you have time, invite Xiao Qin over for dinner, let your mom make something delicious for him, got it?"

  "Got it, Director Ning!" Ning Mo was over the moon and exchanged a playful remark with her dad before putting her arm around Qin Hai's shoulder and heading downstairs.

  "Dad, is Qin Hai really that amazing?" Ning Jing asked Ning Zhongying after seeing off Qin Hai.

  Ning Zhongying nodded and said: "A young man like you, having such insight, is indeed quite good."

  "My brother actually made such a great friend, I really didn't expect it." Ning Jing said with a smile.

  Ning Zhongying thought for a moment and said, "Right, Xiao Jing, when your brother comes back, tell him that tomorrow when he sees Director Xiang and Director Leng, ask them to spare some time to come home and sit down, I have something to ask them."

  "Uh-huh, got it, Director Ning." Ning Jing also learned from Ning Mo's style and started joking with Ning Zhongying.

  Ning Zhongying's mood was not bad, and he didn't mind the children's words offending him. He walked to the dinner table, thoughtfully studying the chessboard that hadn't been fully set up yet, and suddenly laughed silently: "This isolated pawn is really clever, entering from this position, it's indeed difficult for the opponent to respond..."

  Let's talk about Jia Jian-guo. Because he got drunk in the dormitory of Qin Hai, when he came out, he slipped on the stairs of the single building and fell with a swollen face. The next morning, he wrapped his face with gauze and came to the office building, but instead of going to his own office, he went straight to Wei Bao-lin's room. As soon as he entered, he scared Wei Bao-lin half to death.

  "Xiao Di, what's wrong with you?" Wei Baolin asked.

  "Never mind, it's all because of that little rascal Qin Hai!" Ji Jian Guo said in anger.

  "Did he hit you?" Wei Baolin suddenly stood up, the nature of hitting someone and spreading rumors is vastly different, especially since Zhao Jianguo was beaten like this, directly catching him and sending him to the police station wouldn't be excessive.

  Di Jian Guo waved his hand and said, "It wasn't him who hit me directly, it was myself... Alas, let's not mention this unlucky business. By the way, Wei Changzhang, how about the situation you investigated at Ning Changzhang's home yesterday?"

  Wei Baolin gestured for Zhai Jianguo to sit down, then briefly told him about the situation with Ning Zhongying from last night, especially mentioning Ning's slip-up, indicating that he could infer from this that Qin Hai was actually Ning's pawn.

  "Director Ning's refusal to admit it shows that he also has a soft spot, which is very important for us. Director Wei, I think we should speed up now and not let Director Ning and Xiang Jiyong, Xiao Dongping become popular. I think we need to seize the support of the county as soon as possible, as long as County Magistrate Guo supports us, we will win." Zhai Jianguo said with a grin, his facial injury was really not suitable for showing such an enthusiastic and passionate emotion.

  Wei Baolin nodded and said, "I think so too. The rotary tiller blade issue needs to be resolved as soon as possible, we can't let Xiang Jiyong and others continue to make trouble. As for the washing machine, hurry up and write the report, I'll take it to report to County Magistrate Guo, striving to get it on the county's office meeting agenda as soon as possible. As for this Qin Hai..."

  "I think he should be severely punished," Jia Jian Guo said hastily.

  "What is the reason?" Wei Baolin was also from the office director, and he understood the procedure. It's hard to deal with a worker without any reason.

  "He... " Di Jian Guo had the intention of bringing up Qin Hai's deception, but after thinking about it, he felt that it wasn't a big deal either. After hesitating for a moment, he said: "In any case, he made irresponsible remarks and disrupted the factory leaders' decision-making. At the very least, giving him an on-the-spot criticism is acceptable, right?"

  "Then you go and deal with it." Wei Baolin pushed 625 away, too lazy to bother with such a ridiculous matter.

  Two people were chatting about Qin Hai when the door knocked and the office secretary Du Xinxin poked her head in to report: "Director Zhai, Qin Hai is looking for you."

  "What does he want from me?" Zhai Jianguo was taken aback, he didn't go looking for Qin Hai, but instead Qin Hai came to him, could it be that there's some kind of conspiracy?

  Du Xinxin's face revealed a strange expression as she said, "He is not alone..."

  "Let him come here." Wei Baolin spoke up, he didn't care if Qin Hai was alone or not. In this factory, he was the boss, and no matter who Qin Hai brought to plead his case, it would be useless.

  Soon, Du Xinxin brought Qin Hai and the accompanying people to Wei Baolin's office. Wei Baolin and Di Jianguo looked up and were stunned. The two who came with Qin Hai were actually two military personnel.

  "Are you Director Wei?" A soldier stepped forward, saluted Wei Baolin, and handed him a document. "My name is Zhu Chongwu, I'm the head of the Operations Department of the Anhui Provincial Military Region. This is Ge Dongyan, the platoon leader of our military region's special operations company. We've come to visit you today because we need your help with something."

  "The Provincial Military Region..." Wei Baolin felt a bit dizzy and couldn't think of any connection between the Provincial Military Region and his farm machinery factory. Moreover, since Zhu Chongwu had come to ask for his help, why was Qin Hai also appearing here? His English wasn't good enough, otherwise he would have liked to shout at Qin Hai: how old are you! Why is it always you?!

  Zhu Chongwu smiled slightly and said, "It's like this, we've learned that Comrade Qin Hai from your factory has some unique expertise in heat treatment of metal materials. Coincidentally, we have a national defense task involving a difficult problem related to heat treatment, so the military district chief asked me and Lieutenant Colonel Ge to come and invite Comrade Qin Hai to assist in solving it. This is our letter of request, Factory Director Wei, please take a look."

  As he spoke, he pulled out an official letter from his bosom and handed it over to Wei Baolin.

  Wei Baolin took over the official document, and the first thing that caught his eye was the big red characters of the Anhui Provincial Military Region on the letterhead and the big red seal below. He shook his head, letting his eyes adjust for a moment before starting to read the contents of the document.

  The official letter was very simple, and the content was: "Pingyuan County Qingfeng Agricultural Machinery Factory, now has an important national defense task, needs to borrow your factory worker Comrade Qin Hai to assist with work, please cooperate. During the period when Comrade Qin Hai is borrowed, attendance will be treated as a public holiday. Sincerely, Revolutionary Salute."

  The wording in the official letter was very polite, but the attitude was not to be underestimated. The provincial military region's background was not something that a small county-owned farm machinery factory could withstand; they were waving the banner of national defense task requirements, let alone borrowing a Qin Hai, even if they took over the entire farm machinery factory, would Wei Baolin dare say another word?

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