Chapter 130 The Whole Village is Mobilized

Chapter 130 The Whole Village is Mobilized

At two o'clock in the afternoon, Deng Yuntai and Zhang Xiuping returned home smoothly.

After greeting her father-in-law, Zhang Xiuping hurried into the bathroom.

A few minutes later, she walked out with a satisfied look, having relieved herself of the toxins that had built up over the past two days.

During her three-day visit to her parents' home with her husband, food and accommodation were no issue, but using the toilet was a nightmare.

After experiencing the cleanliness of a modern bathroom, using the filthy, indescribably dirty pit latrine at her parents' home was a stark contrast. It was an experience Zhang Xiuping never wanted to repeat, nor did she want her husband to endure it. The smell alone was unbearable.

As a result, during their three-day stay, the couple only used the toilet once, and even then, it wasn't the pit latrine but an open-air toilet on the mountain. However, the cold weather made the experience equally unpleasant, leaving them with no choice but to hold it in until they returned home.

...

The tile factory resumed work on the sixth day of the first lunar month. On the seventh day, Deng Shirong, Deng Yunqiang, and Deng Changfu traveled to Fresh Light Farm in Lingshan County to collect the lychee saplings they had ordered.

Deng Shirong had ordered one thousand saplings, Deng Yunqiang the same, and Deng Changfu seven hundred, totaling 2,700 plants. Transporting this many saplings required two trucks, and given the poor road conditions of the time, the journey was exhausting.

Despite the hardships, they managed to bring the saplings back by around 6 p.m. on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year.

"So these are the Cinnamon Flavor lychee saplings!"

"The saplings look healthy. They're clearly different from the local lychee trees."

"The saplings are already quite mature. No wonder Uncle Jiu said they might bear fruit as early as the second year."

"I wonder what Cinnamon Flavor lychees look like and how they taste."

...

Though it was already dark, the entire village, young and old, gathered to see the Cinnamon Flavor lychee saplings Deng Shirong had brought back.

After inspecting the saplings, Deng Yunjun, the production team leader, approached Deng Shirong, who was eating, and asked, "Uncle Jiu, does Fresh Light Farm still have more of these saplings?"

Deng Shirong swallowed his food and replied, "Fresh Light Farm is a large state-owned farm. They've been cultivating Cinnamon Flavor lychees for 25 or 26 years. While you can't take too many branches from a single tree, the farm has 20,000 to 30,000 Cinnamon Flavor lychee trees. Getting 10,000 to 20,000 saplings shouldn't be a problem."

Deng Yunjun nodded. "Then let's see how your and Yunqiang's planting goes. If the saplings grow well, I'll reclaim my family's mountain to plant Cinnamon Flavor lychees too."

Deng Shirong wasn't worried about others following his lead. In fact, he hoped they would.

First, he didn't expect to get rich from lychee farming but wanted to help his fellow villagers improve their lives.

Second, large-scale cultivation of Cinnamon Flavor lychees could build a reputation, attracting more merchants and preventing price suppression or unsold produce.

Encouraging Deng Yunjun, Deng Shirong said, "Captain, you can't make much money just growing pine trees. Turning the mountain into an orchard and planting fruit trees is the way to go. If your family has the time, they can start reclaiming the land now. Even if they don't plant Cinnamon Flavor lychees, they can grow other fruits."

Deng Yunjun agreed. "You're right, Uncle Jiu. I'll ask my family to start tomorrow and encourage my brothers and nephews to do the same. If they're willing, they can follow suit. If not, I won't force them."

Knowing the captain's sense of responsibility, Deng Shirong supported his initiative. "Most families are here now, Captain. You can share your thoughts with them and let everyone decide for themselves."

Deng Yunjun stepped forward and addressed the crowd. "Brothers and nephews, quiet down and listen to me."

Once the chatter subsided, he asked, "Seeing Uncle Jiu and Yunqiang bring back so many lychee saplings from Lingshan County, what do you all think?"

"What do you mean, Captain?"

"Just say what's on your mind, Captain!"

"Yeah, Captain, what are you thinking?"

...

Deng Yunjun continued, "Now that our Thatchfield production team has divided the land and is working independently, I believe everyone has seen what Uncle Jiu has achieved. He's leading the way in reclaiming the mountains for orchards and planting Cinnamon Flavor lychees.

I don't know about you, but I, Deng Yunjun, plan to follow Uncle Jiu. Tomorrow, my family and I will start reclaiming the mountain next to our home. Even if we don't plant Cinnamon Flavor lychees, we can plant other fruits. It's better than letting the mountain grow wild.

I'm telling you now: those who want to follow can do so, and those who don't want to won't be forced."

The villagers agreed with the captain's reasoning. The mountains were currently useless, overgrown with grass and trees that were only good for firewood. Reclaiming them for fruit trees made much more sense.

One villager asked, "Captain, it's fine to plant fruit trees, but how will we sell the fruit when it's ready?"

Deng Yunjun smiled. "The state has always entrusted supply and marketing cooperatives to purchase agricultural products. When the time comes, we'll negotiate the price with them in advance."

Hearing this, the villagers grew excited. Deng Yunjun, as the team leader, was highly credible, and with Deng Shirong leading the way, they felt confident.

Many immediately expressed their desire to follow Uncle Jiu and the captain in building orchards and planting fruit trees. Others said they would discuss it with their families.

Of course, not every household could afford to plant Cinnamon Flavor lychees like Deng Shirong. The high investment required meant that without a bank loan, few families in Thatchfield Village could manage it.

(End of this chapter)