Chapter 271: Heart of a Wolf, Lung of a Dog, Unworthy of Factory Head

"I'm done!"

After a while, seeing no reaction from the crowd below, Li You's confidence faded, and he awkwardly added this line.

Everyone around was stunned, forgetting to applaud or do anything else, all stunned by the phrase "start a business."

"Old Li, what kind of business are you talking about? Could you explain it clearly?" Accountant Liu, who was nearby, frowned and asked.

Li You suddenly realized that he had rushed things and hadn't clarified many details. He felt a bit flustered and quickly took up the megaphone again. "It's about mountain specialties! We'll turn our mountain products, like Schisandra chinensis, Siberian ginseng, wild honey, mountain fern, mountain celery, monkey head mushrooms, and hazelnuts, into health products and sell them outside! If you think it's feasible, please vote for me!"

Hearing this, the crowd was engulfed in a buzz of discussion!

Start a business?

Mountain specialty health products?

This sounds like a possible way out!

Though the mountain's bounty wasn't as rich as the "beat the roe deer, scoop the fish, and wild chickens flying into the pot" days of the past, there were still plenty of good things in the vast forest!

In autumn, carrying a basket and a stick up the mountain, hazelnuts and pine nuts would fall like hail from the trees.

Siberian ginseng and Schisandra chinensis grew in abundance at every household's land.

Mountain ferns, mountain celery, monkey head mushrooms, and hazelnuts were staples in every meal during autumn, so much so that people were almost sick of them.

But it was said that city folk treated these things as treasures. And didn't Li Er (Li's second son) make a fortune last year from over a thousand pounds of walnut shells? This idea... it seems promising!

"Rubbish!"

Just as Li You was about to capitalize on the moment and ask for votes, someone snatched the megaphone from his hands.

Li You turned around to see Gao Dayi, who had somehow appeared beside him.

Gao Dayi snorted coldly and grabbed the megaphone. "Stop with the useless talk and flashy gimmicks! Our Forestry Bureau has dealt with mountain products before. The Bai Ma Stone mineral water was a flop after three years. The bureau's berry research institute also developed blueberry juice and pine nut drink, built a factory, and produced finished products. But what happened? We couldn't even sell a bottle on regular days, and during festivals, we had to shove them into every forest farm, but no one wanted them. You make it sound so good, saying a business will ensure profits? If everyone works for your family, who will farm or cut timber? What if your business fails, and next year everyone is left with nothing? Timber and crops are the foundation of our forest farm. Without these basics, what's left of the farm?"

Having been the factory head for nearly ten years, Gao Dayi's authority immediately subdued everyone.

Seeing the crowd quiet down, Gao Dayi snorted again. "Everyone needs to understand, this factory isn't just one or two families; we can't just mess around. After the disaster, I've made many calls to the bureau, working to secure a reduction in land rent and subsidies for next spring. But as you all know, dealing with the bureau is tough. I'm doing my best to get benefits for everyone. Although nothing is confirmed yet, there's progress. I won't waste time with empty talk. If I stay as factory head, there's hope. If someone else takes over, I'm not bragging, but they won't be able to handle the bureau."

The crowd erupted.

"Gao Factory Head, how much will the rent be reduced?" "How much subsidy will we get?"

Hearing the questions, Gao Dayi waved his hand. "We're dealing with a disaster. I'm working to reduce the rent by half. As for subsidies, it's estimated that each acre will get two to three hundred yuan. Other than that, seeds and fertilizer money will be covered."

Although starting a business sounded great, the forest people had little contact with the outside world, so the idea seemed somewhat abstract.

But the rent reduction and subsidies mentioned by Gao Dayi were tangible!

A 50% rent reduction and a two to three hundred yuan subsidy per acre meant that next year, farming would only involve labor costs!

If the weather was good, perhaps the losses from this year could be recouped!

Seeing the excited looks around him, Gao Dayi glanced at Li You with a smirk.

He threw the megaphone to Accountant Liu with a subtle gesture and moved to Li You's side.

"Competing with me? If your mother hadn't passed away, she'd need to go back to her womb for another ten months and try again!"

As he passed by Li You, he whispered.

After nearly ten years of partnership, Accountant Liu understood Gao Dayi's meaning well. Ignoring Li You's flushed face, and seeing the crowd still excited about the rent reduction and subsidies, he raised his voice and shouted, "The voting has begun! Now, those who support Li You as the factory head, put your votes in the box on the right! Those who support Gao Factory Head, put your votes in the box on the left! Make sure you don't get it wrong—support Gao Factory Head, put your votes in the box on the left! After voting and marking, we'll go eat pork stew with vermicelli!"

With his shout, people quickly moved.

In no time, the crowd split into two lines, heading towards the election boxes covered with red cloth at each end of the table.

Standing between the two lines, Li Xian noticed that the line for Li You was clearly shorter. On the other hand, whether it was due to Gao Dayi's nine-year tenure creating authority or the appeal of the rent reduction and subsidies, the left side's election box was a bustling scene.

One side was sparsely populated, while the other... was overflowing, with the line extending out of the courtyard.

This scene made him anxious, and he looked around the crowd, stamping his foot.

"Where is Chen Gui-xiang? She was supposed to come. Why isn't she here yet?"

At that moment, in front of the office courtyard gate, a woman with disheveled hair and a sweating face, holding a crying child covered in rashes, ran over.

Seeing that the voting had already started, she didn't have time to catch her breath and shouted desperately.

"Gao Dayi! You treacherous dog with a smiling face, appearing all nice and kind, but secretly harming the people of the factory to benefit yourself. Do you feel no shame in being the factory head?"

Standing by the election boxes and seeing the crowd favoring Gao Dayi, Li You was stunned by her shout.

The people waiting in line to cast their votes all turned their heads at once.

Under everyone's gaze, Chen Gui-xiang, with a somewhat unsteady step and a determined expression, walked forward!

Hey!

Seeing Chen Gui-xiang, Li Xian clapped his hands.

Sister, you're here!

The good show is about to start!