The Zao Lin Brigade saw significant changes, not just with the help of machinery.
The main driver was the income from side businesses. With the help of tractors, many of Zao Lin Brigade's agricultural and sideline products were sent to the county supply and marketing cooperative.
These products brought substantial additional income to the Zao Lin Brigade, making work points increasingly valuable.
Previously, many single men were common in the Zao Lin Brigade. Now, young men from the brigade had become highly sought-after. Girls from other brigades within the Hong Qi Commune were eager to marry into the Zao Lin Brigade.
Zao Lin's development also caught the attention of higher authorities. Other brigades in the Hong Qi Commune began to emulate Zao Lin Brigade by establishing workshops.
However, they lacked Zao Lin Commune's machinery. But with cheap labor available, they opted for manual production instead of mechanization.
While their earnings weren't as high as Zao Lin Brigade's, it was still an improvement.
After all, the market was consistently undersupplied, and anything offered could generally be sold.
Gradually, Zao Lin's rabbit fur, rabbit wool yarn, and rabbit meat began to spread to other counties. Products like tofu and oil were even more popular among the county residents.
Lin Yan was also very satisfied with this. After all, her relatives were there, and she hoped they could live better lives.
In her reply letter, she reiterated the importance of her cousins studying diligently. Then, Lin Yan opened the unstamped letter.
The letter was also from the military district, from the young company commander Xu.
Lin Yan smiled as she read the letter.
The letter mainly introduced his situation, written in a sincere tone and with detailed explanations, much like a job application.
After reading the letter, Lin Yan gained some understanding of Company Commander Xu. However, she put the letter aside after finishing it.
She had no intention of replying yet. This was only the first letter! If she were to reply, she would wait until he wrote a few more.
Still, she decided to give him some encouragement. Lin Yan divided some of the food sent to her by the Zao Lin Brigade and mailed it to him using the address he had provided.
Sending items and letters from here was very convenient. One just needed to hand them over to the sentry at the entrance, and they would be mailed out.
However, sending and receiving items from here required inspection. Lin Yan was already accustomed to this, as her items were nothing that couldn't be checked.
Company Commander Xu was delighted to receive the package. But after examining its contents and finding no accompanying note, his face fell.
He had developed a good impression of the young researcher and had gone to inquire about her name and address, which almost drew the attention of his superiors.
This was because some of the research conducted by the institute where Lin Yan worked was highly classified.
If it weren't for his own standing, his inquiries might have been viewed as suspicious.
Although she hadn't written back, she had still sent him something. As long as she wasn't ignoring him, that was enough.
Thinking this, he couldn't help but smile again.
"Company Commander, you look very happy today!"
"Yes, Company Commander. We heard you received a package today. Who sent it?"
"Company Commander, you're so happy after receiving something. Don't tell me it's a significant other!"
The others teased Xu Haoran good-naturedly. But he was in a good mood today and didn't take offense.
"It's nothing definite yet! I'll tell you all when it's official!" Xu Haoran waved his hand.
"He really has a girlfriend!" one soldier exclaimed, glancing at his companion.
"Company Commander, is it true!" the other soldiers were also surprised.
It was like a blossoming iron tree! Their eternally single company commander had actually taken a liking to a girl!
"Company Commander, your wife must be exceptionally beautiful, right?"
"Of course. Our Company Commander has high standards! His wife must be beautiful."
"Stop teasing me. It's far from certain! Don't scare her away if it's true! That girl's reputation is important. When we get married, I'll bring her to meet you all." Xu Haoran said seriously.
He was confident he would win over the girl, and he had already set his heart on her. As a great man once said, "Any relationship not aimed at marriage is a waste of time."
He didn't want to be a time-waster. He wanted to bring her home, to the military camp, to let all his brothers meet the woman he liked, and for everyone to know the person he had set his heart on.
Just as Lin Yan's work was becoming increasingly important, the darkest hour arrived before dawn.
Zhou Qi tidied away the items he had been trading in the black market and took out an account book to record his expenses for the day.
People say, "Gold in times of chaos, antiques in times of prosperity." Zhou Qi was currently collecting these antiques.
These items were not worth much now, but in ten or twenty years, each one would be priceless.
Zhou Qi had no knowledge of antiques, but having been in business for so many years, he could tell when people were lying.
He had collected many items that he believed to be genuine antiques. However, he was still living in the educated youth dormitory, sharing a room with others, which caused many inconvenconveniences.
Otherwise, he could have bought more. Even if only one item turned out to be genuine, he would have profited.
One day, just as he finished putting away his newly acquired items, a group of people knocked and entered.
This group had a very clear objective and headed straight for Zhou Qi's room.
Zhou Qi desperately wanted to stop them, but he was powerless. After all, he was just an ordinary educated youth without any influence.
The group before him was one that no one dared to offend. Zhou Qi watched helplessly as they searched and found the money and coupons he had hidden, as well as the few antiques he hadn't managed to move to the mountain.
"Take him away!" the leader said dismissively, casting a contemptuous glance at Zhou Qi.
Two men behind him immediately stepped forward and restrained Zhou Qi.
"Excuse me, what offense have I committed?" Zhou Qi bowed and yielded. After all, he knew he had no power to resist.
"What offense have you committed? Don't you know yourself?" the leader glanced sideways at Zhou Qi, saying with disdain.
"Living comfortably without engaging in productive labor? Is it not through speculation or other means? Or are you a spy from another country?"
Hearing this, Zhou Qi's pupils contracted. He could accept being accused of speculation, as he had indeed engaged in it.
But if he were to be branded a spy, he would have no chance of recovery, and might even lose his life.
He realized that his comfortable lifestyle must have aroused envy in some people, leading to this disaster.
This was his own fault! He reflected that since his rebirth, he had seemingly been too fortunate, causing him to lower his guard. This, in turn, had made others jealous and reported him.
Now, he could only plead guilty, but he would try to admit to the least serious offense. There wasn't much time left. Reform and opening up would soon arrive, and then he would be free to earn money.
He left with the group without resistance. The other educated youths watched in surprise as Zhou Qi was taken away.
They all knew that Zhou Qi must have had some issues, but they were surprised that someone had reported him. At the same time, they observed others, seemingly trying to identify the informant!