Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

He Yuzhu tactfully changed the subject and didn't continue the conversation.

After the meal, slightly tipsy, He Yuzhu stood up to say goodbye: "Director Li, it's getting late. I have to go to a few places tomorrow, so I need to go back and get some rest."

"I'll have the driver take you!"

The car smoothly drove out of the alley. He Yuzhu leaned back in the back seat, watching the streetlights gradually light up outside the window, and drove all the way back to the guesthouse.

The following morning, Liu Qiang had already set off on his return journey with the county driver. He Yuzhu, on the other hand, went straight to the duck farm. The gatekeeper, upon seeing him, grinned and said, "Secretary He, you're here? The gate's open, please come in!"

Shao Wuju's office door was ajar. He Yuzhu knocked lightly twice and heard a crisp "Come in" before pushing the door open and entering.

Shao Wuju was writing something at his desk when he looked up and saw it was him. He immediately put down his pen and stood up: "Oh! What a rare guest, Secretary He! I've been missing you so much I've gotten wrinkles!"

He Yuzhu put the gift on the table: "I was thinking of you, brother, so I brought you a little something."

Shao Wuju feigned anger: "It's enough that you're here! If you bring anything else, I'll kick you out!" He complained, but his hands deftly stuffed the things into the drawer.

"Director Shao, I need your help with something—are you familiar with the pig farm? I'd like to order a batch of piglets, but I'm worried there might be some hidden issues."

"Well..." Shao Wuju stroked his chin, "I deal with Factory Director Cheng Bin frequently, I'll make the call now!"

After hanging up, he slapped his thigh: "No problem! Just one thing—you have to book three or four months in advance, otherwise you can't even gather enough babies to slaughter on the spot."

"Understood!" He Yuzhu stood up. "I'll treat you to some authentic Shanghainese cuisine another day!"

"Alright! You set the date, and I'll be there!" Shao Wuju said with a smile as he saw him to the door.

He then went to the General Office and chatted with Xiao Hongsheng for more than ten minutes before rushing to the train station.

After a three-day, two-night journey, the green train swayed into Shanghai Station. He Yuzhu stepped out of the carriage, his eyes lighting up: the high-rises were much denser than in Kyoto, with four- or five-story brick-and-mortar buildings lining wrought-iron balconies. The streets were bustling with people, and bicycle bells jingled incessantly—shiny black "Forever" and "Phoenix" bicycles filled the entire road, used for taking children to school, buying groceries, and commuting to and from get off work. Trams, trailing their long bells, jingled as they passed by, while buses panted as they turned corners. The whole city was like an old-fashioned clock, ticking away, pushing forward with all its might.

He didn't have time to think it over; clutching his briefcase, he headed straight for the agricultural engine factory. He registered, had his ticket checked, and was led into the office building.

Pushing open the office door, He Yuzhu extended his hand: "Director Feng, hello. I'm He Yuzhu from Dongli County. I've come specifically to discuss the purchase of tractor engines. I wonder if this is a convenient time for you?"

Feng Xiaosheng quickly stood up and shook hands: "Oh, comrades from the local area have come at just the right time! We've been worried about not having anyone to test our small machines!"

"We plan to use small tractors."

"Then you've come to the right place!" Feng Xiaosheng grabbed the hat. "Come on, there are plenty in the warehouse, I'll show you around!"

Rows of silver-gray engine casings gleamed coldly in the warehouse. Feng Xiaosheng pointed to one of them: "Model 505, 40 horsepower, can handle mountain slopes and slippery paddy fields."

He Yuzhu reached out and touched the heat sink, then nodded: "This is it—order 150 units first, ship by the end of next month, half payment upon receipt of the order."

Feng Xiaosheng clapped his hands: "Alright! I'll have someone draft the contract right away, the official seal is already prepared!"

An engine costing 900 yuan, along with other parts and labor, would cost at least 2,500 yuan to make a tractor. He Yuzhu followed Factory Director Feng Xiaosheng straight to the tire factory, where, at Feng's recommendation, he ordered a batch of 150 tires according to his specifications; the payment was agreed to be half settled upon delivery.

Once the contract is signed, the engine is finalized, and the tires are ready, all the remaining spare parts are readily available from the steel mill in the provincial capital. They can be purchased and put into production line assembly.

He Yuzhu turned and headed to the Shanghai Department Store—where the clothes were stylish and of good quality, the shelves were overflowing with a dazzling array of items, and even the small accessories exuded sophistication. He picked out a few well-tailored coats and leather shoes, along with two unique accessories, and after paying, he hurried to the train station to buy a ticket. He slept soundly at the guesthouse for the night and boarded the old-fashioned green train back home before dawn.

……

As soon as He Yuzhu returned to Dongli County, Liu Qiang came to his door, looking travel-worn, and gave him a detailed report on the events that had been happening in the county over the past few days.

Liu Qiang: "Secretary He, the tasks you set during your absence are all progressing smoothly without any problems. The only issue is that the brick factory mentioned building a cement road directly to the county seat, but County Chief Yu immediately put it aside, saying he would discuss it again at the Standing Committee meeting when you return. Right now, he's at the new factory construction site overseeing the progress."

He Yuzhu: "Okay, Xiao Liu, I understand."

When Lou Xiao'e pushed open the door in the evening, she immediately noticed several new clothes spread out on the sofa: the coat had crisp shoulder lines, the leather shoes were shiny, and the earrings were delicate and lustrous; she had never seen any of them before.

Lou Xiao'e: "Where did you find this?"

He Yuzhu: "Bought in Shanghai. The brand is from Yu Bing's factory, and I heard it's very popular in Shanghai."

Lou Xiao'e: "How long has their factory been open? We've only been here for two months, and their clothes are already being distributed all over Shanghai. They're moving way too fast!"

He Yuzhu: "When you were busy with the brick factory, their equipment had already been delivered to the outskirts of Beijing—the factory building was already there, just the vacant lot in our former backyard that the neighborhood committee had sold to them. As soon as the people were all together and the machines started running, they immediately went into production. She even called me specifically about this."

Lou Xiao'e: "But this fabric feels smooth, soft, and thick, unlike what we produce locally."

He Yuzhu: "The old man brought in new yarn from Hong Kong Island for them. The raw materials are still our cotton and chemical fibers, but the weaving process has been revamped, so the quality is naturally different."

Lou Xiao'e: "Then tell Dad to order a few brick-making machines for me too. The brick factory is overwhelmed with orders every day, and the staff is exhausted."

He Yuzhu: "Let's put this matter on hold for now. Focus on manpower first, and don't bother him with non-critical tasks. By the way, hand over the brick factory as soon as possible."

Lou Xiao'e: "I was just getting into the swing of things, and you're already in such a hurry to get rid of me?"

He Yuzhu: "The brick factory is too small; we can only hire a maximum of five thousand people. Giving you experience is paving the way for the big project to come—I've already planned to build a furniture factory here with a capacity of ten thousand people. I've scouted the site at least ten times. Dongli County is covered in dense forests and has abundant timber resources. The goal is to make it a nationally renowned 'furniture town'—so that when people mention furniture, the first place they think of is Dongli County. What do you think?"

Lou Xiao'e: "I'm not sure, but I trust you. But Zhu Zi, why did you start with the brick factory first, and then rush to get into the tractor factory?"

He Yuzhu: "Have you done the math? We can save money by making our own bricks for our own use. We can also sell our own tractors on credit to each commune, three per commune, so the transport teams don't have to run around. How much raw wood does the furniture factory use every day? Let the commune cut and transport it themselves, which will reduce costs and support employment. The tractors can also free up young and strong men from the fields so they can work in the city without worry. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"

Lou Xiao'e: "Who will buy that furniture? These days you need ration coupons for everything, so where are the sales channels?"

He Yuzhu: "The most urgent task is to build the factory and workers' dormitories first, and spread the word. As for the rest, I already have a plan in mind."

Lou Xiao'e: "Okay, Gu Ting is already capable of handling things independently at the brick factory. I feel at ease leaving it to her."

He Yuzhu: "Okay, go and meet with County Chief Yu tomorrow morning and designate a large enough piece of land—it should be able to accommodate 10,000 people at the beginning, and can be expanded later."

Lou Xiao'e: "Okay, I'll go to the brick factory today to complete the handover."

He Yuzhu: "I have already reported your formal appointment to the province. From now on, we will truly be partners in the same trench."

Lou Xiao'e: "It's a Party member's duty to serve the people. Who cares about treatment? As long as the work is done well, I'll risk my life for it."

He Yuzhu: "As soon as the furniture factory approval was issued, the appointment documents were also issued. I'll go find Director Qin now and ask him to summon all the clerks from each commune back for a meeting."

Before Lou Xiao'e could finish speaking, she had already swept out the door like a gust of wind.

He Yuzhu got up and walked towards the office.

He was sitting at his desk flipping through a newspaper when he heard a knock on the door. He looked up and said, "Come in."

Qin Feng pushed open the door and entered: "Secretary He, you wanted to see me?"

He Yuzhu: "Tomorrow afternoon, all the commune secretaries are invited to a meeting in the county. Also, could you please contact Comrade Yu Bo for me?"

Qin Feng: "Understood, scribe."

About an hour later, Yu Bo, covered in dust and mud, rushed straight from the construction site into the office.

Yu Bo: "Secretary He, I heard you were looking for me? What can I do for you?"

He Yuzhu: "Comrade Yu Bo, please sit down. This is a list of tractor parts sent by the Shanghai factory. We'd like to discuss the tractor factory matter with you in detail."

Yu Bo: "Please speak."

He Yuzhu: "The more than 100 technicians sent by the provincial steel plant will arrive this week; the first batch of tractors will be delivered to each commune on credit, three tractors per commune."

Yu Bo: "Selling on credit... isn't that a bit too risky? It would be better to sell the first batch first, and then release the credit once the factory has a steady flow of customers. That would be less risky."

He Yuzhu: "I've been thinking about this for a long time, and I need to finalize it with you in person—buying on credit isn't for short-term convenience, but to pave the way for the long term. Our Dongli County can't always rely on piecemeal operations to maintain its image: the brick factory can't leave the mountains, the garment factory can't compete with the coastal areas, the tractor factory's blueprints are still being held back by the province, and the braised duck factory is even worse, at best a small workshop at the village entrance. The only thing that can truly support the entire county is the furniture factory! Here, mountains are connected to mountains, forests are connected to forests, and timber is inexhaustible. We can cut down one batch and replenish it, with new timber every year, ensuring a continuous supply."

Yu Bo: "Secretary He, are you referring to... the inability of the communes to keep up with the transportation capacity?"

He Yuzhu: "Yes, it's stuck right here."

Yu Bo: "Then I feel relieved—as long as everyone's pockets are full, the numbers on the IOUs will naturally come to life."

He Yuzhu: "I have already taken out a special loan from a bank in the provincial capital in the name of Dongli County, and invested it all in the construction of the furniture factory. Right now, there is construction everywhere in the county, and the finances have been emptied. We can't come up with a single penny to cover the shortfall."