Chapter 46: Director Zhao’s team. 

Pan Cuilian^[1]Name changed from Xiulian. went to the brigade office the next day to find Zhao Ke, saying that she had decided to give up the caretaker job and continue studying.  

Zhao Ke flipped through the report card. Moving down the list, the sixth-ranked woman was Mo Li, a widow with two sons. The older one was twelve years old, named Mo Yu, and the younger one was nine, named Mo Hao.  

Mo Li was different from the typical villagers who thought raising a child to adulthood was enough. Raising two children on her own, she gritted her teeth and sent her sons to elementary school.  

By comparison, she indeed needed to earn more work points than Pan Cuilian.  

“Director Zhao, when will the literacy class start? I’ll come to listen in.”  

Pan Cuilian hadn’t left yet.  

Zhao Ke looked up at her and smiled. “I still need to mobilize everyone. I’ll notify you when the time comes. Right now, isn’t there a midwife training course? It includes some prenatal health knowledge. You can come listen first—it should be helpful for scientific childbirth in the future.”  

Pan Cuilian nodded. “Alright, then if there’s nothing else, I’ll head out first.”  

“Wait a moment.”  

Zhao Ke called out to her. Seeing the confusion in her eyes, she asked, “I’m planning to set up a dedicated cashier position in the cooperative. Right now, it earns only five work points a day. Are you interested?”  

Pan Cuilian answered without hesitation, “Yes!”  

Zhao Ke paused, then chuckled. “No need to reply immediately. You can think it over.”  

Pan Cuilian said excitedly, “No need to think. I’m willing.”  

Zhao Ke explained, “The Team Leader’s stance is that during the busiest times of spring plowing and autumn harvest, the cashier cannot take time off from fieldwork. At other times, the cashier won’t need to work in the fields.”  

Accountant Niu and Zhao Yunyun could indeed share the cooperative’s bookkeeping and cashier duties, but Zhao Ke wanted someone who was easier to work with and also hoped to create more job opportunities for the women in the production team. So, she proposed adding a cashier position.  

Currently, the cashier’s work in the cooperative was fairly relaxed.  

During autumn harvest, the entire production team had to work overtime to reap the crops quickly. Everyone had to be in the fields—sometimes, even half-grown children had to help.  

At that time, earning two sets of work points wouldn’t be an issue, but if the cashier were allowed to earn double work points during regular times, other members would definitely have objections to Zhao Ke appointing the newly married Pan Cuilian.  

Zhao Ke said, “It’s not just about recording work points and handling accounts. I might also assign you other tasks from time to time. And since you’re good at using an abacus, I hope you’ll continue learning—ideally, to the point where you can take on accounting duties.”  

Pan Cuilian hadn’t expected it to be so complicated and couldn’t help but feel intimidated.  

“That’s why I want you to consider it,” Zhao Ke smiled. “Right now, the work points aren’t much, but as the cooperative expands its sideline businesses, the cashier’s work points will surely increase. As long as you keep up with the cooperative’s pace and pass its assessments and supervision, there’s plenty of room for growth.”  

Assessments too…  

Pan Cuilian lacked confidence. This was completely different from pig farming training. She had only attended the village’s literacy class—if she couldn’t do the job well, it would be too embarrassing.  

Zhao Ke told her to go back and think about it. “If you’re willing, come over tomorrow morning. I’ll talk to the Team Leader about your fieldwork assignment.”  

Another thing to consider…  

Since marrying into Zhao Village’s production team, Pan Cuilian had faced more decisions than in all her previous years combined. She was physically and mentally exhausted.  

Zhao Ke grinned and asked, “Are you going to the midwife training this afternoon?”  

Pan Cuilian’s mind was occupied with other matters. She nodded absentmindedly and walked off in a daze.  

Zhao Ke propped her chin up, watching her drift away like a wandering ghost, eyes crinkling in amusement.  

How interesting.  

Sure enough, he had to start with familiar people and break through one by one.  

·  

Pan Cuilian returned home with a troubled expression.  

Wang Lao San was puzzled. “What’s wrong with you now?”

“Director Zhao asked me to be the cooperative’s cashier.”

When Wang Lao San heard this, his attitude was completely different from yesterday. His face lit up with joy. “Isn’t this a great thing? Just look at Accountant Niu—so prestigious!”

Pan Cuilian asked him, “You don’t mind the low work points?”

“Low what? Didn’t they say it’ll increase later?”

Pan Cuilian hesitated. “I’m afraid I won’t be good at it and won’t last until it increases…”

“Just do it first—what if you’re good at it?” Wang Lao San scooted closer to Pan Cuilian and wrapped his arm around her waist. “If my wife were an accountant, I’d be over the moon!”

Pan Cuilian gave him a light shove, her face full of playful annoyance. “Aren’t you afraid people will say you’re henpecked?”

Wang Lao San hugged her and kissed her. “Afraid of what? As long as we benefit from it. Besides, on the kang, aren’t you at my mercy?”

Pan Cuilian was pinned under him on the kang, her voice soft and delicate. “In broad daylight… have you no shame…”

“Wife, just cover your mouth…”

“……”

·

At noon, Zhao Ke waited on the path where the cooperative members passed after work and informed Mo Li that she had been promoted to fill the position of a caretaker.

Mo Li went home beaming with joy.

“Mom, you’re back! The food is ready.”

Mo Yu and Mo Hao had come home from school and, being thoughtful, had prepared the meal, waiting for their mother to eat together.

Mo Yu was quiet and steady, silently fetching water for his mother to wash her face.

Mo Hao, lively as ever, followed her and asked, “Mom, what’s the good news? Why are you smiling so much?”

Mo Li couldn’t stop smiling. “Director Zhao just told me I’ve been promoted to caretaker! I’ll start working in the compound tomorrow, and I’ll be able to earn more work points from now on.”

“That’s great!” Mo Hao jumped up and down excitedly.

Mo Yu, however, was worried. “Mom, won’t it be too tiring? I don’t want you to overwork yourself.”

“What’s so tiring about it?” Mo Li was in a great mood. As she washed her face, she said, “The cooperative has collective dividends, and now I can earn more work points. Just thinking about how life will get better and better fills me with energy.”

Mo Yu handed her a towel. “Then I’ll help you with the work when the time comes.”

“No need, you just focus on your studies.”

Mo Li, still smiling, reminded him, “Listen to me, don’t believe the villagers’ nonsense about how studying is useless. Look at Director Zhao—she’s so young yet so capable. If you can be like her in the future, I’d be more than satisfied.”

Mo Yu nodded quietly.

Mo Hao declared loudly, “Mom, I’ll work hard too! In the future, I’ll buy you new clothes.”

“Alright, I’ll be waiting to enjoy the blessings from you two.”

Before sitting down, Mo Li glanced into the water vat and frowned. “Xiao Yu, didn’t I tell you I’d fetch the water when I got back? You’re still young, you might hurt yourself.”

Mo Hao quickly said, “It wasn’t Ge, Uncle He helped carry it.”

Mo Li lowered her eyes and ate in silence.

The “Uncle He” he mentioned was He Dongsheng, who lived in the courtyard behind them.

Over the years, he had helped out their family—a widow and her two sons—many times, but to avoid gossip, he mostly interacted with the two boys.

·

In the evening, Yin Zhiqing brought her child to the compound to give a midwifery training class for several women.

Tang Xiaowan was shy and clung tightly to Yin Zhiqing, refusing to leave her arms.

Zhao Ke wove a little green grasshopper using straw to catch her attention, finally “tricking” the little girl into her embrace. “Xiao Wan, let’s go see the piglets, okay?”

Tang Xiaowan was curious, but after walking just a short distance, she kept turning her head to look at her mother, stretching out her little hands toward Yin Zhiqing and grasping at the air. “Mama… Mama…”

As Zhao Ke carried her toward the storage room, she coaxed, “We’re not going far—you can still see your mom. If I lie, I’m a little pig…”

Tang Xiaowan was extremely uneasy.

“Look! Piglets!”

Tang Xiaowan instantly forgot about her mother, turned her head to look at the piglets, and widened her eyes.

“Is it little piggies?”

Tang Xiaowan nodded, then twitched her nose a few times, suddenly lifted both small hands to tightly cover her nose, “Stinky~”

Zhao Ke and He Dongsheng, who was watching over the warehouse, were both amused by her.

Because the piglets were still small, they were kept in the warehouse. Besides feeding them, warehouse keeper He Dongsheng would just throw in some dry straw for bedding. Lately, the weather had been hot, and with urine and manure accumulating, the smell was particularly awful.

At this moment, there were people in the courtyard, so He Dongsheng had closed the warehouse door, meaning the stench could only be smelled when standing near the warehouse.

During the day, when He Dongsheng was watching over the warehouse, he would open the main door for ventilation, letting the stink spread throughout the entire courtyard.

These past few days, Zhao Xinshan and the other two would rather go to the fields to supervise the seedlings than sit in the courtyard smoking and drinking water.

Meanwhile, Tang Xiaowan, in her milky voice, kept saying “stinky” while leaning her little body forward, wanting to enter the warehouse.

To amuse the little baby, Zhao Ke made a considerable sacrifice, accompanying her inside to look at pigs for a full hour, only coming out after the training session ended.

The two of them were like walking stink bombs. When Zhao Ke returned the little stink bomb to Yin Zhiqing’s arms, Yin Zhiqing directly held his breath.

Yet the little stink bomb kept rubbing against Yin Zhiqing’s chest with all her might, making his face turn slightly green.

Zhao Ke watched the mother and daughter leave with schadenfreude before heading home.

“Zhao Ke! Did you fall into a manure pit again?!”

Comrade Yu Xiulan angrily grabbed a fire poker and mercilessly drove her out, “Out, out, out!”

Zhao Ke retreated from the kitchen in embarrassment, “Last time you even boiled water for me.”

The fire poker stabbed into the ground as Yu Xiulan blocked the doorway, “Spoiled you too much. This time, boil it yourself! Before you wash clean, you’re not allowed into the main house.”

“Then how do I eat?”

Yu Xiulan replied irritably, “Eat the leftovers!”

Zhao Feng hid behind the kitchen door, secretly laughing.

Zhao Ke: “…”

What about mother-daughter love?

·

The next morning, five caretakers and one cashier from the cooperative gathered in the courtyard.

The first task Zhao Ke assigned was to clean up the pig manure mixed with straw and cart it to the newly built composting pit.

All five caretakers were diligent and capable, and He Dongsheng also joined in. Their efficiency was high, leaving Zhao Ke with nothing to do.

Zhao Yunyun, pinching her nose, walked over to Zhao Ke. “You don’t find this stinky?”

Zhao Ke remained expressionless. “As a cadre, how can I dislike the smell of fertilizer?”

Zhao Yunyun looked at her with pure disgust. “It’s one thing to say that to others, but to say it in front of me—isn’t that disgusting?”

Zhao Ke cast her a cool glance. “Think about it from another angle. If money smelled like this, would you mind?”

Not only would she not mind, she’d fight to get as much of it as possible.

“But this isn’t money.”

Zhao Ke said with great seriousness, “Manure turns into fertilizer, which nourishes the fields, increasing grain yield, which can then be sold for more money. Don’t you think that’s money?”

Zhao Yunyun refused to accept it. “But it still stinks. If you’ve got the guts, go in there yourself.”

Zhao Ke had no such guts. She stepped toward the well and argued, “I have other work to do.”

If she went home smelling like this again, Comrade Yu Xiulan would throw her out and leave her to wander the streets.

Following behind her, Zhao Yunyun spotted Pan Cuilian sitting in the brigade office, looking at something, scratching her head, and frowning so hard she could probably pinch a fly to death.

“What’s Wang San Sao up to?”

Zhao Ke glanced over and said casually, “The cooperative’s account book—I asked her to recalculate it.”

“Just for five work points? You’re worse than my dad.” Zhao Yunyun bared her teeth. “How big of a dream did you sell her? She’s working herself to the bone for you?”

Zhao Ke corrected her, “This is for the cooperative and for her personal future. Don’t go ruining my reputation.”

Zhao Yunyun: Heh.

How big was her face, to say such words ah?