Traveling back to 1977

Chapter 885: Going with the flow
Chen Fan listened without saying a word, finished the whole pot of chicken, then added a large basket of green vegetables to the delicious chicken soup, and then ate two large bowls of rice.

It wasn't until he had eaten and drunk his fill and lit a cigarette that he finally understood what was going on.

In fact, Yang Kangnian's job transfer was somewhat related to him.

This is the era of reform and opening up. More than a year has passed since the conference ended, and the construction of the Shekou Industrial Zone in Shenzhen is in full swing. In major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, a number of individual businesses have also emerged.

In the impoverished and rugged southern Zhejiang region, many farmers have left their land and laborers have quit their jobs to embark on the irreversible path of "entrepreneurship." Most of them will soon be crowned with the title of my country's first generation of "private entrepreneurs."

In Guangdong province in the south, Yifa Commercial Street in Panyu has almost gone from operating covertly to openly and legitimately conducting "parallel import" business.

In places like Xintang, Zhongshan, and Dongguan, family workshops sprang up one after another, most of which were garment factories. Their products passed through several underground wholesale markets in Guangzhou and were carried back to the north by the "first-generation middlemen" from the north by train and sold throughout the country.

Judging from these facts, the situation seems to be very promising.

But as those who have been through it all know, these are just "wonderful memories" after success.

In fact, compared to the whole, it is far from enough.

Especially in inland areas, reform and opening up is not a problem, but how to reform is a big problem!

Since no conclusion has been reached above, those below are naturally somewhat at a loss.

Some bolder individuals believe that as long as it's not illegal or harmful, they can give it a try.

Those who are more conservative cling to their "theoretical guidebooks" and use a magnifying glass to nitpick.

In this situation, the phrase "extremely difficult" would be an understatement.

Against this backdrop, Nanhu Commune, as the site of the "first uprising" of the conference, built the first "commune industrial park" in the country, and attracted the attention of many people through the dazzling achievements of Lujiawan.

The reforms in Lujiawan were one aspect, but the "three changes in two years" of Yunhu Machinery Factory also attracted the attention of many leaders.

Who stipulated that reform and opening up must involve farmers turning to industrial workers, abandoning the old system and adopting a new one?

Like Yunhu Machinery Factory, by developing new products, the factory has undergone a transformation, evolving from a single factory into three strong new enterprises, each with considerable strength and capable of generating foreign exchange through exports.

Could such changes also be considered a form of reform and opening up?
Thus, after a series of visible and invisible struggles and compromises, some leaders placed their bets on Yang Kangnian.

Hopefully, this "innovation expert" can achieve the new results they want to see in his new position.

After finishing the last grain of rice, Yang Kangnian pushed the bowl and chopsticks aside, took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth, took the cigarette Chen Fan offered, took a sip of tea, and then slowly lit the cigarette, exhaled a puff of smoke, and said, "The leader was very frank with me; there are risks involved in taking this path."

If I make a mistake, I might be laid off, and I won't even be able to go back to the Yunqi Factory. At best, I'll find a sinecure in some provincial unit and wait to retire.

He took a couple of puffs of his cigarette, turned to look at Chen Fan, and laughed, “Even if you achieve some success, you can’t advance or move up in a short period of time. You have to make the results visible and 'pass them down' before I can say that I have accomplished my goal.”

He patted his shoulder and chuckled, "The responsibility on my shoulders is considerable, even greater than when I was tasked with building the Yunhu Machinery Factory."

Chen Fan raised an eyebrow and asked, "How long is 'short time'?"

Yang Kangnian shook his head and smiled, "Working in a local area is very different from working in a factory. Unlike in a factory, where you can quickly start production once you have the technology and policy support from your superiors."

Local work involves a wider range of aspects and countless details. Not to mention, my superiors have repeatedly warned me not to rush, but to remain calm and take it slow.

I estimate it will take at least eight to ten years.

Chen Fan held the teacup and twirled it around for a while before smiling and saying, "Almost there."

He then looked at Yang Kangnian and asked, "Do you have any thoughts?"

Yang Kangnian nodded and said seriously, "I definitely had ideas, otherwise I wouldn't have accepted this mission."

He laughed again as he spoke, "But I'm not sure about this, so I asked you out to chat and see if you have any good ideas."

Chen Fan chuckled and said, "I won't bother with the polite formalities. Anyway, you can see me as more like an 'advisor,' always asking me questions whenever something important happens."

Yang Kangnian immediately laughed and said, "That's true. You are, after all, an 'advisor.' If we have something to ask you, who else would we turn to?"

Chen Fan waved his hand and said seriously, "I understand, and I will definitely tell you everything I know. But as you know, I am just a 'Zhao Kuo' (a legendary figure known for his ignorance). Apart from having a little experience living in the countryside, I only have some say in cultural matters. As for other things, just consider them as theoretical discussions and take them as a reference."

Yang Kangnian immediately nodded, "I certainly understand that. It concerns millions of people in the Yunhu area. How could I act rashly just because of a few words from you?"

Chen Fan nodded, turned to look at him, and asked, "You just said you had an idea. What is it?"

Yang Kangnian coughed and explained his thoughts to him with gestures, "This is what I think. The main purpose of the leaders transferring me to the administrative office as commissioner is to promote reform, but reform cannot be done haphazardly."

My idea is to start with the factory and with technological innovation..."

Hearing this, Chen Fan frowned slightly, but did not interrupt him. Instead, he listened patiently.

He talked for almost half an hour, and although he only gave a general overview, Chen Fan had already understood his line of thinking.

In general, the goal is to hold a "technology innovation competition" to encourage technological innovation in factories in the Yunhu area. Those that produce results will receive preferential policies and funding.

By reusing this factory, we can merge with other companies in the same industry within a certain area, thereby integrating the resources of enterprises and institutions throughout the region, growing from small to large, and converging like stars into a blazing fire.

As explained before, although all companies these days are publicly owned, they vary in which "mother" they belong to, the systems they operate under, the units they belong to, and the size, technological strength, and market competitiveness of these companies also differ greatly.

Yang Kangnian's current idea is to use Yunhu Machinery Factory as a benchmark, and through technological innovation and mergers, achieve the goals of resource integration, improved competitiveness, and increased corporate efficiency.

As businesses improve their efficiency, they will naturally expand production, hire more employees, and increase employee benefits. With more money, employees will increase their consumption, and through a series of social behaviors, the economy of Yunhu area will prosper and the quality of life of the people will be improved.

In summary, Yang Kangnian strictly adhered to the superior's requirement to "focus on economic development" and used "reform" to promote social development and economic prosperity.

It's a process with a clear entry point, a logical approach, and feasibility. ...Although it still can't escape the framework of "administrative intervention," it's already quite good in the current social context.

After he finished speaking, Chen Fan took a sip of tea, lit a cigarette, and looked at him, asking, "Uncle Yang, are you the commissioner of the administrative office, or the deputy commissioner in charge of industrial economy?" Yang Kangnian blinked and immediately realized, "You mean you think my development strategy focuses too much on industry and neglects other aspects?"

Chen Fan shrugged and didn't say anything.

But the meaning is clear: congratulations on answering correctly.

Unfortunately, there was no reward.

Yang Kangnian frowned and said, "This is what I'm thinking. By starting with industry and achieving certain results, my influence should increase, and then I can use industry to drive agricultural development."

He tapped the table twice with his fingers and laughed, "Just like how the machinery factory and cotton mill helped Lujiawan. If these big factories hadn't been buying Lujiawan's agricultural products, their development wouldn't have been so rapid, would it?!"

Chen Fan smiled and nodded, "That makes sense."

She then turned to look at him, "But what does this have to do with agricultural reform?"

He paused for a moment, then said, "Even if your plan is successfully implemented, are you sure these factories can help the entire Yunhu area production team?"
Don't forget, Yunhu area is a traditional land of fish and rice, where agriculture accounts for a larger share of the regional economy than in most parts of the country. Unless the current scale of industry can grow more than tenfold, the effect of supporting rural areas will be quite limited. Have you considered this?

Yang Kangnian was stunned for a moment, and after several seconds, he murmured, "I haven't done any research on this yet."

He frowned, about to speak, when Chen Fan looked at him meaningfully and said softly, "Uncle Yang, there's one more thing you shouldn't forget."

The leadership hopes you can make a name for yourself in Yunhu, but there's no monolithic unity within Yunhu itself. Besides, you're just the commissioner of the administrative office; there's a first secretary above you.

"You've taken such drastic measures as soon as you took office. Have you considered what people's attitudes will be, and what their reactions will be?"

Yang Kangnian frowned more and more, then took out a cigarette, lit it, and squinted his eyes as he fell into deep thought.

Chen Fan didn't disturb him, and quietly smoked and drank tea to the side.

Anyway, he has no classes today, the movie hasn't started filming yet, and he doesn't have any other work waiting for him, so he can just spend time with him.

There are some things he could say directly, but the effect would definitely not be as good as letting Yang Kangnian figure it out on his own.

In fact, Yang Kangnian's transfer to a local post was also beneficial to Chen Fan.

The advantage is that he can "play chess and make moves" again.

As I said before, in this era, the role of "people" is far greater than that of the system. Without a powerful person to back him up, Chen Fan would not have dared to make any big moves in the inland areas before 92.

Otherwise, with millions of dollars in cash at his disposal, he could easily start several large factories, yet he has not taken any action. Instead, he invested in an industrial zone in Shekou through Zhou Yali and in the name of an American company.

In fact, he has always maintained an attitude of "investing or not investing" when it comes to this kind of industrial investment.

In his mind, quality of life is definitely number one, and making money is number two.

As for other industries, such as manufacturing and technological research, he will only set aside a few idle projects if there is no danger.

Let him seriously pursue his career?
Sorry, I don't have that much free time.

Moreover, many subsequent facts have proven that the early appearance of some things is not a good thing. When you are weak, the Western powers will look down on you and "despise" you. But when you suddenly become strong in a certain aspect, it is hard to say what will happen.

Therefore, Chen Fan never thought about changing anything. Letting things take their natural course and doing the right thing at the right time was the best choice.

However, he will not let the opportunity slip by when it arises.

In his career, his main strategy is to "go with the flow" and capitalize on the opportunities presented by the times.

Hard-earned money?
Even dogs wouldn't make money from that!

Well, except for the days when I was writing 30,000 words a day to earn royalties. Back then, we were poor, and when you're poor, you can't be picky. As long as you can earn some money, you're lucky. Who would complain?!

Chen Fan was smoking, lost in thought, and didn't know how much time had passed when Yang Kangnian suddenly looked up and said seriously, "What you said makes sense. My thinking is not wrong, but from the perspective of the commissioner of the administrative office, the consideration of the problem is not comprehensive enough."

Besides industrial development, rural issues cannot be ignored. In addition to industrial assistance, rural areas must also strive for self-reliance and self-improvement.

There are other aspects, but I can't recall too many at the moment. I'll conduct a comprehensive investigation after I return to Yunhu, and then formulate a practical reform plan.

Yang Kangnian let out a long breath, took a sip of water, looked at Chen Fan, and smiled, "You saw through the flaws in my plan right away. It seems you are indeed an extraordinary advisor."

He put down his teacup, took out a cigarette and handed it to Chen, grinning as he said, "Advisor Chen, what are your thoughts? Tell me."

Chen Fan glanced at him, chuckled, took the cigarette, lit it, took a puff, and then held up two fingers. "I have no ideas. But I have two suggestions you might want to hear."

Yang Kangnian immediately made a gesture and stared at him intently.

Chen Fan turned slightly to face him, and said with a smile, "Uncle Yang, have you been to the market to buy groceries?"

Yang Kangnian was stunned. "Buying groceries? What do you mean?"

Chen Fan laughed and said, "Even if you don't go to the market to buy groceries, you should still know what dishes are on your table every day, right?"

Before Yang Kangnian could speak, he gently tapped the table and said seriously, "My first suggestion is to ensure the people's food supply!"

"food basket?"

Yang Kangnian's eyes widened instantly, his gaze fixed on the spot. "You mean, taking the enrichment of people's food baskets as a starting point, we should rectify the production methods of vegetable markets, trade markets, and production teams... Although this is a small matter, it involves many units."

As he spoke, his eyes lit up. "However, no one would object to enriching the non-staple food supply for the people by focusing on their daily food needs."

Moreover, the current food supply base is relatively weak, so even a small achievement will easily attract attention. The interests involved are also less conspicuous than those related to factory reforms…

He suddenly slapped Chen Fan on the shoulder and laughed, "Your idea is absolutely brilliant!"

(End of this chapter)