pertwk Chapter 155 System Warning, Rippling Rice Fields
Chapter 155 System Warning, Rippling Rice Fields
Seven days after the mass production launch ceremony, Zhangcheng was greeted by a light spring rain. The fine raindrops pattered on the glass windows of the farm implement factory, creating a hazy, misty effect. Inside the workshop, however, it was warm and inviting. Ten high-efficiency spinning machines were running simultaneously, emitting a steady hum. The technicians, dressed in uniform blue overalls, operated the equipment with practiced ease. The air was filled with the fresh scent of cotton thread and the faint smell of machine oil.
Lin Chen stood beside the control panel in the center of the workshop, holding calipers and carefully measuring the newly produced gears. The system panel in his mind displayed real-time data: "Gear precision 0.01 mm, hardness HRC56, pass rate 100%, daily output exceeding 200 pieces, achieving the 'mass production milestone,' reward points 500, unlocking the 'material reserve warning' sub-function." Just as he put the calipers away, a striking red warning suddenly popped up on the panel, making his eyes narrow slightly.
"Urgent Warning: Rainfall in Zhangcheng and surrounding areas is expected to drop by 60% in the next six months. Coupled with insufficient water storage in upstream reservoirs, a localized food shortage is anticipated in three months. Rice prices are expected to surge from 0.12 yuan/jin to 0.35 yuan/jin within a month, an increase of 191%. Attachments: Grain Price Fluctuation Curve, Rainfall Forecast Model." The light blue curve was clearly displayed on the panel, rising sharply from its current stable state to reach its peak in the fourth month. The steep slope made Lin Chen's heart sink.
Memories of his past life suddenly flooded back. Although he hadn't personally experienced the drought of 1966, he had read detailed accounts in later historical records—grain production in three counties surrounding Zhangcheng had decreased by nearly 70%, forcing many farmers to rely on digging for wild vegetables to stave off hunger, and even leading to instances of people fleeing the famine. The commune's grain reserves were already meager, and once a famine broke out, the families of workers in the farm implement factory would be the first to be affected. At that time, let alone maintaining production, even basic survival would be a problem.
"Deputy Factory Director Lin, this is today's production report. The pass rate has increased by 0.5% compared to yesterday." Su Qing walked into the workshop with an oil-paper umbrella, water droplets still dripping from the edge. She handed over the report, carrying the fresh scent of earth after the rain. The numbers on the report were neatly marked in red pen; the daily output value had exceeded three hundred yuan, three times that before the renovation. "Factory Director Zhou just said that a commune from a neighboring county also sent people to inspect the business, wanting to order fifty spinning machines. They've already brought the deposit."
Lin Chen took the report, but instead of flipping through it as usual, he stared blankly at the worker attendance records. Su Qing noticed his unusual behavior, closed her oil-paper umbrella, and asked, "What's wrong? Is there a problem with the equipment? I just heard Lao Zhou say that the gears are all up to standard." Lin Chen looked up at her, his eyes filled with unprecedented seriousness: "Su Qing, don't you think the weather this year is a bit off? It's already April, and the rainfall is less than half of last year's."
Su Qing paused for a moment, then nodded. "I went back to my hometown in the countryside last week. My mother said the wheat in the fields was almost dying from drought, and the water in the ditches had become quite shallow. But the commune said they would coordinate water pumps, which should alleviate the problem, right?" "Not enough." Lin Chen shook his head, pulled her to a corner of the workshop, and lowered his voice, saying, "I received news that there might be a food shortage in three months, and the price of rice will more than triple. We must stockpile food in advance, otherwise the factory workers will go hungry, and production simply cannot be sustained."
"A food shortage?" Su Qing's voice suddenly rose, then she quickly covered her mouth and looked around warily. "This is no small matter. If word gets out, it will cause panic. And hoarding food without permission will lead to being reported as 'speculation and profiteering,' which will result in public criticism and struggle sessions!" Her father was falsely accused of "hoarding and speculation" and was classified as a capitalist. This experience became the deepest shadow in her heart, and she instinctively resisted the mention of food reserves.
Lin Chen had anticipated her concerns. He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, on which he had drawn a chart of rainfall forecasts and grain price fluctuations based on system data: "Look, this is what I calculated based on historical meteorological data and grain market patterns. It's not just hearsay. Moreover, we are not hoarding grain. We are buying farmers' surplus grain in advance at a fair price, and then supplying it to workers and communes at cost price when a grain shortage occurs. This way, we won't lose money and we can avoid panic."
Su Qing took the paper, her brow gradually relaxing as she looked at the dense data and rigorous analysis. She recalled returning to her hometown last month and seeing many farmers anxiously selling their surplus grain to buy fertilizer, fearing drought. "But how much do we need to collect? Where will the money come from? The factory's funds are all used to purchase raw materials; we only have eight hundred yuan in working capital left."
"We need at least two thousand catties of rice, which costs two hundred and forty yuan at the current price. Adding the cost of moisture-proof storage equipment, it will cost about three hundred yuan in total." Lin Chen had already planned it out. "I have two hundred yuan in savings, and I can get an advance of three months' wages from the factory, which should be enough. As for storage, there is an abandoned cellar in the backyard of the shop. As long as we take good care of moisture-proofing and insect-proofing, we can store the grain."
Looking into Lin Chen's determined eyes, Su Qing recalled his decisiveness in resolving the procurement fraud and modifying the furnace, and her concerns gradually dissipated. "I'll go with you," she said, biting her lip. "My hometown is Sujia Village in the suburbs of Zhangcheng. Many farmers in the village know me, so I can get grain at a reasonable price and avoid gossip. Besides, I know how to prevent moisture; my father used to store grain in a cellar, so I have experience."
The next morning, the two set off on two slightly worn bicycles from the factory. Su Qing wore a blue floral shirt, a headscarf wrapped around her head, and carried a cloth bag on her back containing scales and account books. Lin Chen wore work clothes, with two large bamboo baskets tied to the back of his bicycle to hold the rice they had collected. The country roads were muddy after the rain, and the bicycle wheels splashed up mud as they drove over the stones, quickly covering their trouser legs with mud.
Sujia Village is nestled at the foot of a small hill, with a stream flowing through its entrance. The water is so shallow that the pebbles at the bottom are visible. Upon entering the village, one sees several elderly farmers squatting by the threshing floor, looking worried. The rice stalks spread out on the ground are still damp, clearly not yet fully dried. "Su girl, what brings you back?" An elderly man with gray hair immediately stood up to greet Su Qing. He was Su Qing's uncle, Su Laogen, and also the village's production team leader.
"Uncle, I came back to see my mother and also to help the factory collect some rice." Su Qing walked over and handed over the brown sugar she had brought. "This is for my mother and the children. The weather has been dry this year, so the rice must be hard to dry, right?" Su Laogen sighed and pointed to the rice in the drying yard, saying, "That's right, it's been drying for three days and it's still not dry. If it keeps going like this, it'll get moldy. The commune's purchase price is low, only 0.11 yuan per jin. Even if we sell it, it won't be enough to buy fertilizer."
Lin Chen stepped forward at the opportune moment, smiling, and said, "Captain Su, we are from Zhangcheng Agricultural Tool Factory. We would like to purchase rice at 0.12 yuan per jin, which is one fen higher than the commune's price. Moreover, it's cash on delivery, no IOUs. If you have any rice that hasn't been dried, we can also buy that, as long as the moisture content is no more than 15%, the price is negotiable." He knew that what the farmers cared about most was cash, so he deliberately showed the cloth bag containing the money to everyone to reassure them.
Hearing that the price was higher than at the commune and that cash was available, the old farmers at the threshing ground all gathered around. "Really cash? Is this a scam?" a middle-aged man questioned. He was a poor villager with three children, and they relied on this rice to earn money for food. Su Qing quickly said, "Uncle Wang, this is Deputy Director Lin from our farm implement factory, the technical expert who improved the spinning machine. He won't cheat you. I can vouch for him."
The farmers held Lin Chen in high esteem when the technical expert who improved the spinning machine was mentioned. Many families used plows produced by the agricultural implement factory, knew their quality, and trusted Lin Chen more. "I have two hundred jin, I'll sell!" Su Laogen was the first to speak up. "Master Lin is a man of action, and the price he offers is fair. I trust him." With the production team leader taking the lead, other farmers responded one after another, and soon more than a dozen households had signed up.
The purchasing process proceeded smoothly. Su Qing was in charge of bookkeeping and weighing, while Lin Chen was responsible for inspecting the grain and making payments. He brought a simple moisture meter, which he had redeemed with system points. Simply inserting the device into the rice grains would display their moisture content. For rice grains with excessive moisture, he would lower the price slightly, but it would still be higher than the price offered by the commune, which satisfied the farmers.
At noon, Su Qing's mother cooked a large pot of sweet potato rice, along with stir-fried vegetables and pickled radish. At the table, Su's mother held Su Qing's hand, her eyes full of concern: "Girl, are you tired at the factory? I heard you're in charge of finance and purchasing. Don't work too hard; a young lady needs to take care of her health." Su Qing smiled and put a piece of sweet potato on her mother's plate: "Mom, I'm not tired. Deputy Factory Director Lin takes good care of me, and my colleagues at the factory are all very nice."
Watching this heartwarming scene, Lin Chen felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He thought of the neighbors in the courtyard houses of Beijing, of the pickled cucumbers Qin Huairu made, and of the honest and kind-hearted Liu Guangtian brothers. Unconsciously, Zhangcheng also had people he cared about. "Auntie, don't worry, Accountant Su is very capable and has helped me a lot. Without her, we wouldn't have been able to get such good rice this time."
A small mishap occurred during the afternoon grain collection. Su Erlaizi, a lazy villager, saw the high purchase price and tried to sell a load of rice mixed with sand, but Lin Chen immediately saw through his deception. "How can you sell this rice with sand mixed in?" Lin Chen frowned. "We're collecting grain to feed the workers. How can we accept sand mixed in? If you want to eat your fill, farm properly and don't try these petty tricks."
Not only did Su Erlaizi refuse to admit his mistake, he also started throwing a tantrum: "My rice is what it is! You can either buy it at the original price, or don't buy it at all! You city people just bully us country folk!" He plopped down on the ground, blocking the way for the grain collection, attracting a crowd of villagers. Su Laogen, his face pale with anger, picked up a carrying pole to hit him: "You good-for-nothing, you've disgraced our Su Family Village!"
"Uncle, don't hit him." Lin Chen stopped Su Laogen and walked up to Su Erlaizi. "I know your family is in trouble, your mother is sick, and your child is still young. But mixing sand in is wrong. Not only can we not accept it, but the commune won't accept it either. How about this, I'll show you a way out. The farm tool factory is short of a porter. They provide food and lodging, and pay fifteen yuan a month. If you're willing to go, you can start work tomorrow."
Su Erlaizi was stunned. He hadn't expected Lin Chen to not only not make things difficult for him, but also to introduce him to a job. "Really...really? Someone like me can get into a factory?" He couldn't believe it. Su Qing nodded: "As long as you work hard and don't slack off, the factory will hire you. Deputy Factory Director Lin keeps his word." Su Erlaizi quickly got up from the ground, brushing the dirt off his clothes: "I'm willing! I'll definitely work hard!"
After this incident, the farmers trusted Lin Chen even more, and their harvesting speed increased significantly. By evening, the two had harvested 1,500 jin of rice, filling six bamboo baskets to the brim. Looking at the rice piled up to the side, Su Laogen exclaimed, "Master Lin, you're truly a good man. If all the commune cadres were like you, we farmers would have hope!"
On the way back, the sun was already setting, its golden rays bathing the rice paddies and warming the parched seedlings. Su Erlaizi pushed a wheelbarrow, helping them transport the rice, humming a little tune along the way, his face full of anticipation for the future. Lin Chen and Su Qing rode their bicycles side by side along the country road, the evening breeze carrying the fragrance of rice blossoms.
"I didn't expect it to go so smoothly, and I even helped Su Erlaizi find a job," Su Qing said with a smile, her face covered in sweat but looking exceptionally energetic. Lin Chen looked at her cheeks, flushed by the setting sun, and felt a strange sensation in his heart: "Thanks to you, without you, we wouldn't have harvested such good rice. And the moisture-proofing method you taught me is very effective; the cellar has already been treated."
It was already dark when they returned to the farm implement factory. Old Zhou and several workers were waiting in the backyard. Seeing them return, they quickly went to help unload the rice. "Deputy Factory Director Lin, Accountant Su, you're finally back! We've cleaned the cellars and are just waiting to load the grain." Old Zhou wiped the dust off his hands. "But with so much grain, if there really is a food shortage, it'll be enough to feed our fifty-odd workers for more than half a year."
The workers hurriedly carried the rice stalks into the cellar. The cellar was over ten square meters in size, with a floor paved with blue bricks and cement plastered on the walls. Su Qing directed the workers to spread a layer of dry straw on the floor, then poured the rice stalks on top, placing a bag of quicklime wrapped in cloth every meter to absorb moisture. Lin Chen, meanwhile, carefully measured the cellar temperature with a thermometer, ensuring it remained below 15℃.
By the time they finished, it was already late at night. Su Qing brought over two bowls of steaming noodles with two eggs in them. "Eat up, you must be hungry after a long day." She handed chopsticks to Lin Chen. "I've locked the cellar door. The key is in the finance department's safe; only the two of us have it. We'll check it every ten days to see if it's damp or infested with insects."
Lin Chen took the noodles and ate them heartily. The noodles were cooked very soft, and the soup, with a touch of scallions, was exceptionally delicious. "Thank you, Su Qing," he said earnestly, looking up. "Without you, I definitely couldn't have accomplished this alone. You not only helped me collect the grain but also handled everything so meticulously. You're truly my best partner." Su Qing's cheeks flushed slightly as she lowered her head to continue eating, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn upwards.
For the next month, Lin Chen and Su Qing checked the cellar every ten days. The rice was well preserved, without dampness or insects. Meanwhile, the weather outside was getting drier and drier. The ditches around Zhangcheng had almost dried up, and the crops in the fields had wilted considerably. As expected, the commune's grain purchase price began to rise, from 0.12 yuan/jin to 0.18 yuan/jin, and there were frequent shortages.
Two months later, news suddenly came from the commune that the upstream reservoir had completely dried up, and the grain yield of the three downstream counties was expected to decrease by 70%, and a food shortage had truly broken out. Long queues formed outside grain stores in Zhangcheng, and the price of rice soared to 0.3 yuan per jin (0.5 catties), with limited supplies; each person could only buy two jin at a time. Workers in the farm implement factory began to feel anxious, and many lost their energy at work because of the lack of food at home.
"Deputy Factory Director Lin, Accountant Su, what are we going to do? I have four children at home, and two jin of grain is not enough to feed them. If this continues, the children will go hungry." An old worker approached Lin Chen, his eyes red. Other workers also gathered around, all talking about their family difficulties, and the production pace in the workshop slowed down.
Lin Chen was already prepared. He and Su Qing walked into the workshop together, carrying account books and grain coupons. "Everyone, please be quiet, I have something to say." Lin Chen's voice was loud and clear, drowning out the workers' murmurs. "I know everyone's families are short of food, so two months ago, Accountant Su and I purchased two thousand catties of rice in advance and stored it in the cellar in the backyard. Starting today, the factory will supply grain at cost price of 0.12 yuan per catty, and each person can buy thirty catties per month, which is enough for a family to eat."
The workers were stunned, then erupted in thunderous cheers. "Deputy Factory Director Lin, you're our savior!" "That's wonderful! The children won't go hungry anymore!" An older worker gripped Lin Chen's hand, his eyes reddening with emotion. Su Qing stood to the side, smiling as she distributed food coupons: "Everyone line up. Collect your food coupons and work IDs. One person, one time. Don't crowd."
The news quickly reached the commune. Secretary Li personally visited the farm implement factory and, seeing the workers orderly receiving their grain and production returning to normal, gave Lin Chen and Su Qing a thumbs up: "You two are truly farsighted! If you hadn't stockpiled grain in advance, not only would the farm implement factory's production have had to stop, but it would have also caused panic among the workers. The commune's grain reserves are also tight. Could you supply some to the commune first, and we'll buy it at cost price?"
Lin Chen and Su Qing exchanged a glance, both seeing a tacit understanding in each other's eyes. "Secretary Li, we can supply the commune with 500 jin of rice at a cost price of 0.12 yuan per jin," Lin Chen said. "However, we have one condition: this rice must be prioritized for the village's impoverished households, the elderly, and children, so they don't go hungry." Secretary Li nodded quickly: "No problem! I will personally supervise to ensure that the grain reaches those who need it most."
After news of the grain supply spread, the reputation of the farm implement factory grew. Communes from neighboring counties also came to order spinning machines, specifically requesting the equipment that Lin Chen and Su Qing were responsible for, because they felt that the two were not only technically skilled but also kind-hearted and reliable. Factory Director Zhou was all smiles, giving Lin Chen and Su Qing each a bonus of one hundred yuan and praising them at a factory-wide meeting.
One evening, Lin Chen and Su Qing went to the cellar to check the grain again. The setting sun shone through the small cellar window, casting golden patches of light on the rice stalks. Su Qing squatted down, gently fiddling with the rice, a relieved smile on her face: "Look how well it's been stored, not a drop of moisture. Rice outside is now 0.35 yuan per jin (0.5 catties), this grain we've stored should at least allow everyone to weather the food shortage."
Lin Chen leaned against the cellar wall, watching her retreating figure, a warm feeling rising in his heart. He took a small cloth bag from his pocket and handed it to Su Qing: "This is for you." Su Qing opened it and saw a fountain pen inside, with the words "Striving for Perfection" engraved on it. "I asked Director Wang from the research institute to bring this from Beijing. I know you like to keep accounts, and it's more convenient to write with a fountain pen."
Su Qing held the pen, her fingertips gently tracing the ink on its surface, her eyes slightly moist. This was the most precious gift she had ever received, making her happier than any gold or jewels. "Thank you, Lin Chen." She looked up, her eyes glistening with tears, yet her smile was exceptionally bright. "From now on, I will use it to keep meticulous records of every transaction, not only the factory's accounts, but also the accounts of our collective efforts to stockpile food and help others."
Lin Chen stepped forward and gently patted her shoulder: "We not only need to keep good accounts, but we also need to work together to run the factory well. Once the food shortage is over, we'll develop new products, such as small harvesters, which will reduce the labor intensity for farmers and make the agricultural implement factory's business even more prosperous." Su Qing nodded vigorously, her hand holding the pen becoming even more determined: "Okay! We'll do it together! No matter what difficulties we encounter, we'll face them together."