Chapter 270: Li You’s Enhanced Edition

For such a significant event as Li You's election, the entire Li family naturally turned out. Apart from Wang Feng, who was due to give birth at any moment, Li Daoyun, who had been a bit sick with a cold these past days, and Li Lingling all came to cheer for Li You.

Since Li Xian was doing well and with his father running for factory head, they were given a front-row seat by those who came to watch the spectacle.

The family set up small stools and sat at the very front, like a concert's VIP section.

When Li You emerged from the office, appearing somewhat angry, sharp-eyed Li Pi immediately noticed his father's unusual demeanor and tugged at Li Xian's sleeve. "Second Brother, what's wrong with Father?"

"How should I know?" Li Xian rolled his eyes.

He had been fine in the morning, getting up around three to tidy up and practice his speech, determined to bring glory to the Li family. He had arrived full of ambition, almost as if he was going to fight in the Korean War.

Who would have thought he would go on stage with such a stern face?

Does he have days where he's just uncomfortable?

Unbelievable!

Li Xian shook his head at Li Pi, mentally composing his own commentary.

On the other side, Li You took his place beside Accountant Liu and took the megaphone.

Although he was still angry from Gao Dayi's earlier remarks, and his frustration was palpable, standing before almost all the townspeople for the first time made him nervous.

He took several deep breaths, but no words came out.

His mouth opened and closed like a fish stranded on the shore.

Below, Lai Lao Da, who had been refused a loan, started to jeer, "Old Li, come on! We're here to see an election, not a mime show. If you don't say something soon, it'll be noon, and the noodles in the cafeteria will be gone!"

His comment prompted some laughter from the crowd—mostly from those who had been denied loans.

Li You composed himself, glanced at his family's location, and met Li Xian's encouraging gaze and the calming gesture. He sighed deeply.

He took up the megaphone again and began, "Fellow townspeople, elders and youngsters, today I have prepared a heap of grandiose words, written by my second and fourth brothers. They wrote so well that I memorized it all."

"Old Li, can't you be a bit more straightforward? Accountant Liu just read for ages, and now you're doing a recitation. This election meeting is turning into a poetry reading!"

Lai Lao Da jeered again.

As laughter rose around him, Li You raised the volume of the megaphone. "Hey! Lai Lao Da, you usually just spout nonsense, but today, you actually hit the nail on the head!"

Li You's unexpected retort caused the crowd's laughter to focus on Lai Lao Da, reddening his face.

The atmosphere lightened, and Li You smiled, saying, "So today, I'm not reciting. Let's talk straight!"

He waved his hand, "Heaven isn't generous. Our Linchang relies on the forest and the land. But now, with the reforms in the bureau, the logging tasks are decreasing year by year. It's getting harder and harder for us to make a living in winter. Recently, a severe hailstorm destroyed the crops over in Shiqi Li, leaving us with no way to survive."

Upon hearing this, the crowd sighed collectively.

Seeing the somber expressions, Li You took a breath. "After the disaster, many came to borrow money from us. As everyone knows, some were lent money, and some weren't. I didn't have a chance to explain before, and those who didn't get the money might think I, Li You, look down on them. Now, let me say—this isn't the case!"

Having made his point, Li You gained confidence, scanned the crowd, and declared loudly, "When I lent money, it was because we are all from the same village. If anyone was in trouble, I, Li You, should help! The people I lent money to weren't particularly close to me. But those I didn't lend money to were old friends and neighbors from decades ago."

"So why didn't I lend it?" he teased.

Many people at the scene were genuinely curious about this.

Although Li You had become somewhat arrogant after acquiring money, he wasn't a miser. Aside from having a bit of a bad relationship with Gao Dayi and Accountant Liu, he didn't have a haughty attitude. He never hesitated to help with any red or white matters, or minor disasters.

Some old neighbors came hoping to borrow a few thousand yuan, only to be surprised by the outcome. Seeing Li You bring up this issue made them curious.

Facing these curious eyes, Li You said earnestly, "My father used to say, 'A drop in the bucket!' To help everyone through difficulties, we can't rely solely on our family's money—it won't solve the fundamental problem! So why did our Linchang turn into a disaster after a hailstorm, affecting so many families?"

"Why?" "Yeah, why, Old Li?"

The crowd asked in unison.

Li You glanced at his second son and clenched his fist. "Because we're poor! Because we have no foundation! Because our Linchang has no industry, so we can only rely on the weather to eat!"

Hearing this answer, many people fell into deep thought.

Taking advantage of this moment, Li You pumped his fist and said excitedly, "So if we don't want to live like this anymore, facing difficulties we can't overcome, what should we do? We need to get rich!"

This statement caused a stir in the crowd. "Do you need to tell us that, Old Li? Who doesn't want to be rich? Who doesn't want a good life? But we don't have a talented son like you, waiting for money to fall from the sky! How to get rich is the key!"

Li You smiled. "How to get rich? Start a business! With a business, our Linchang will have more ways to earn money besides farming and logging. Imagine if everyone in our factory could earn a hundred or eighty yuan a month, or even two or three hundred. Even if the crops fail, wouldn't you still be less anxious?"

"Even if we're anxious, at least there's a way to survive!" "Yes! You know, we have four kids who are all in school. If the crops fail, we won't have any income all winter, and we don't know how we'll manage next year." "Old Li's words are right. Heaven's face changes quickly. After all these years, who hasn't been worried about the crops? If we had an additional source of income, who would still be struggling in the fields?"

The crowd agreed.

Encouraged by these responses, Li You continued, "The sawmill has been generating income for the factory recently. A few days ago, during the disaster, my second son suggested we start another business in our factory, using our mountain resources to create a business and lead everyone to prosperity! With the current economic reforms and a favorable national situation, as long as we unite and work together, it's bound to succeed! But to make this happen, we need everyone's support. I won't go through the motions. If I become the factory head, leading everyone to a better life and helping our neighbors get rich will be my responsibility!"

Li You dropped the bombshell about starting a business and spoke with great excitement!