Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

He Yuzhu gripped the microphone tightly: "With your words, I feel much better! Thank you so much, Secretary Yan, for your great help!"

As soon as the phone call ended, Wang Xiulan grabbed the receiver and dialed the various communes one after another—the Women's Federation had to act immediately, going door-to-door to spread the news: the furniture factory was hiring! Not only had to clearly explain the benefits, but the requirements also had to be stated: able to write and recognize their own names, between eighteen and twenty-eight years old, even those with no experience could become apprentices; if they had some carpentry skills, even those in their early fifties would be accepted. Applicants had to come to the factory in person this Sunday to complete the formalities; latecomers would not be accepted.

Su Dahe had secretly changed his eldest son's age by two years on his household registration book, and was among the first to send Su Dong to the registration point. In his eyes, being an apprentice in the county town was ten times better than toiling in the fields—if his son had a bright future, the whole family could hold their heads high.

As soon as the news broke, people couldn't sit still. Families rushed to the commune with their letters of introduction, their steps barely touching the ground, fearing that if they were even a moment late, all the spots would be snatched up. At the service window, they were all sweet-talking and pleading, constantly trying to pull strings: "Comrade, please be lenient and let my child try!"

The commune clerk stood in the courtyard, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Don't push! One at a time! This time, we're recruiting 6,000 people, and each commune has been allocated a quota! Once you're in the factory, you have to follow orders and abide by the rules. If you don't perform well, you'll embarrass the entire commune!"

The crowd listened with bated breath, and the women's federation cadre immediately took over: "The factory will arrange dormitories, and meals in the canteen will be paid by meal card and deducted from wages; you can bring your own luggage, and bedding and washbasins will be provided at the factory, also deducted from wages; each commune will also reserve three positions for female workers, specifically for junior high school graduates, to work as clerks in the factory."

Before the words were even finished, many parents slapped their thighs in regret: "Why didn't we grit our teeth and support our daughters through junior high!" Some even turned and ran home: "I'll find a tutor tonight, and next time we're hiring, those with education will be given priority!"

The region was in an uproar. Experienced carpenters, hearing the news, immediately dropped their planes and saws and rushed to the recruitment office. Those who passed the initial screening filled out forms on the spot. Once one hundred people were recruited, the region dispatched a Jiefang brand truck to transport them overnight to the Dongli County furniture factory. Three supervisors accompanied the trucks, keeping a close watch on the entire process—once they entered the factory, they were workers; no one was allowed to break the rules.

Su Qiao spent two days in the provincial capital but still couldn't finalize a warehouse. The day before the furniture arrived at the department store, before it even hit the shelves, it was surrounded by a huge crowd. No tickets needed? Then what were they waiting for! Thirty-five sets of furniture sold out in half a day. A thought struck her: not having a warehouse was like pushing business away.

Su Qiao smiled and grasped Tan Yong's hand: "Manager Tan, thank you so much this time! From now on, we will supply goods at wholesale prices. We will not interfere with how much you sell or how you sell it."

Tan Yong's eyes lit up, and he immediately pulled out the contract: "Let's get this over with quickly, sign it, and everyone can get things done transparently!"

The two exchanged a smile, each calculating their next move.

……

As soon as the new workers flooded into the factory, Lou Xiao'e had the young women who had only graduated from junior high school start working first, helping the older employees set up dormitories, distribute tools, and register them.

Su Dong stood out in the crowd, not very tall. Lou Xiao'e spotted him immediately and walked straight over: "How old are you? I think I've seen you before."

A few months ago, Su Dong was as thin as a bean sprout, but now, working in the fields with his father, his shoulders are broad, and his complexion is rosy. Lou Xiao'e felt that he looked familiar, but couldn't remember where she had seen him before.

Su Dong straightened his back: "Director Lou, you've been to our commune! The first time we received cotton-padded clothes, you personally delivered them to my home; later, you built a factory in the village, ensuring we had enough to eat every day, and every household had work and income—everyone in our commune remembers you."

This wasn't just polite talk. Lou Xiao'e had truly visited every village and hamlet. She knew exactly which hamlet lacked water, which elderly person was sick, and which barren slope was suitable for planting saplings.

Lou Xiao'e's gaze darkened: "You're Su Dahe's son? Tell me your age."

Su Dong lowered his head and said softly, "Fifteen... please don't make me go back. I promise I will study hard and work diligently."

Lou Xiao'e's tone softened: "I learn the craft from my master during the day and study books to improve my literacy at night. Even if I don't become a craftsman in the future, I must become a knowledgeable person."

"Yes!" Su Dong nodded emphatically, his eyes shining like polished glass.

She turned to Peng Mu and said, "Take that little apprentice under your wing and teach him step by step. Don't assign him any heavy work; he's still growing."

Peng Mu immediately agreed. Once the work permit was processed, he called Su Dong to his carpentry workbench and handed him a newly sharpened chisel.

Just then, Xiao Zhang from the office rushed over: "Director Lou, Deputy Director Su is on the phone, waiting for your reply."

Lou Xiao'e nodded and turned to walk towards the office building.

As soon as the call connected, she immediately gave her name: "I am Lou Xiao'e."

Su Qiao's voice was filled with joy: "Factory manager, it's selling like hotcakes in the provincial capital! The department store just signed a contract and is demanding more supplies, they're really pushing us hard."

"Okay, you sign the agreement on behalf of the factory, and then come back and stamp it."

"I plan to set up a counter at the local department store tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow I'll take another batch of goods to the neighboring provincial capital to promote our furniture and establish our brand!"

"Good idea. But—don't let the Party School studies interfere with it."

He Yuzhu was squatting in the mountain valley of Qixing Commune, working with forestry and fruit experts from Kyoto to dig through the grass, examine the soil, and tap the tree trunks, trying to figure out where to plant the sweetest apples and where to plant the most vigorous elm trees.

The wild fruit trees covering the mountain were laden with fruit, red and yellow, bending the branches low. As He Yuzhu pruned the branches, he pondered: if these fruits could be turned into money, the villagers would naturally rush to prune, weed, and control pests—just like now, even the children after school carry baskets up the mountain to plant saplings, more enthusiastic than going to the market.

The forestry expert squatted on the slope, rubbing the soil between his fingers and smelling it: "This soil is perfect for growing medicinal herbs. The herb company is willing to fund its management; we just need to organize the labor. I've also looked at those wild fruit trees. Clearing away the shrubs and weeds, and implementing scientific pruning, crop rotation, and fertilization, can still turn them into an industry. The situation is similar in several surrounding communes. Let's continue."

As soon as He Yuzhu left, expert Lin led the trainees into the next mountain ridge.

That same day, the commune secretary convened a meeting of the brigade cadres. They marked the area of ​​the medicinal herb field with sharpened pine stakes driven into the ground. They also mobilized able-bodied young men, armed with sickles and hoes, to clear away the thorns, vines, withered branches, and rotten leaves around the wild fruit trees, inch by inch.

The commune secretary said, "Whenever Secretary He goes to a place for research, he always manages to pinpoint the path to prosperity. The fact that he's eyeing our wild fruit trees shows there's a real way to make money—even if there's no market right now, we can eat them ourselves, dry them, store them, and make fruit wine. Aren't we all ways to survive? If everyone puts in their best effort, there's definitely hope for the future!"

He Yuzhu had barely returned to the county when Yan Shuji, along with several regional leaders, was already enthusiastically touring the furniture factory. In just two months, the factory had expanded to nearly 10,000 people, its workforce rivaling that of the old steel mill in the provincial capital; if they worked for another year, who could predict how large this operation would become? The news was like a shot in the arm for every leader; they walked, observed, and smiled, their eyes shining brightly. No sooner had they seen them off than provincial leaders arrived—hearing that the inspection team had turned back, they immediately turned back, following suit to walk the assembly line again and examine the new samples once more.

The provincial leaders only asked one question: Can the long-term employees keep their jobs secure? Can their pay slips be issued on time?

Lou Xiao'e handed over a thick stack of order contracts, and then spread out a three-year production ramp-up chart and a table of out-of-province distribution channels. The leaders' brows relaxed, and they felt relieved—their biggest fear was that the fire would go out as soon as it was lit, which would truly make them a laughing stock in the whole county.

Yan Xudong quietly tugged at He Yuzhu's sleeve: "Comrade Yuzhu, let's talk in private."

The two walked through the roaring workshop and turned into a quiet corner at the far end of the warehouse.

Yan Xudong lowered his voice: "Your factory's framework is already in place. I'm thinking, could we set up a branch factory in the region? It doesn't need to be too big, just a thousand or so people would be enough. It would also free up some employment space in the region."

He has been in office as the top leader of the region for several months, and the tough issue of employment has remained unresolved. Now that the fire in Dongli County is burning brightly, it is a good time to lend a hand and let the benefits spread further.

He Yuzhu nodded: "The branch factory idea is reliable. What's the current bottleneck? Is it a lack of land, a lack of manpower, or a lack of funds?"

"I'll cover the money." Yan Xudong said decisively. "The factory will be built with funds from the regional government, and the profits will be used to repay the principal first. As for the rest, the operating rights and tax rights are entirely up to you."

"Okay, I'll talk to Xiao'e right away and get back to you tonight."

"Okay! Feel free to raise any difficulties; the region will do everything in its power to support you."

The two finalized a few details regarding the site selection. The leaders there had finished their working lunch and were ready to depart; He Yuzhu saw them off all the way to the south gate of the county town before hurriedly returning to the furniture factory.

As soon as I stepped into the office building, I bumped into Lou Xiao'e carrying a folder and walking out.

"Let's talk in the office." He Yuzhu reached out and gently supported her elbow.

"They're in a rush to break down the provincial capital's orders to the production department." Lou Xiao'e frowned slightly. "What's the rush?"

Once inside, He Yuzhu closed the door: "Secretary Yan has proposed that we set up a branch factory in the region. The region will fund the construction, and we will send key personnel, provide equipment, and manage production—a purely asset-light operation."

"How big is it?"

"Around a thousand people."

"Okay, we'll send a few experienced accountants and two or three quality control team leaders over to keep an eye on quality. We'll let them handle the hiring, scheduling, and logistics themselves."

"Then I'll reply tonight."

He Yuzhu turned and left, his steps steady, heading straight back to the county committee compound. Near the end of the workday, he dialed Yan Xudong's office, his voice clear and bright: "Secretary Yan, the furniture factory deal is done."

……

Time flies, and three months have passed in the blink of an eye. The most dramatic changes have been seen in the furniture factory—orders have spread beyond neighboring provinces, reaching seven or eight provinces in central and western China; by not accepting industrial coupons, offering reasonable prices, creating designs that meet agricultural needs, and producing sturdy and durable products, they have left their competitors far behind.

The tractor factory was not to be outdone, expanding its production to 5,000 people. Eighty percent of the tractors used for spring plowing in the surrounding five or six provinces originated from here. The tax revenue of Dongli County in the past few months is equivalent to the total revenue of the past ten years.