The farmers who had lived in Green Pine Ridge for generations had long been used to living according to the lunar calendar. In the fields, wheat, broomcorn, Zizania caduciflora, millet, potatoes, sweet potatoes, watermelons, cucumbers, winter melons, sesame seeds, cotton, and all kinds of beans were growing in all kinds of ditches and valleys. But when should they sow? When would he harvest it? There was a strict time period for each of them. They could not be late or early. It would either affect their harvest or affect the next round of sowing. For these, people planned and arranged according to the solar terms of the lunar calendar. Even National Day was familiar with many local proverb, such as: The weather was sunny at the beginning of spring, and the harvest was good. The thunder struck the Spring Festival, and the rain did not stop. The tree's bones bloom, and cotton is planted. Before and after the grain rain, plant melons and beans. The first is radish, the second is mustard, the third is good rape. In April, the grain was cut in half, and in May, the sickle was put in place. Wait, wait, wait.
People used to call the beginning of spring the "beginning of spring". As soon as spring came, the warm spring came to the world, and the farm work in the fields was about to begin. In some years, spring came earlier than the Spring Festival. During the Spring Festival, when people visited their relatives and friends, it was already bright and sunny. The wind was blowing gently, and people felt warm all over. This year, spring only came on the second day of the first lunar month, which was half a month late. Following that, the rain and the awakening of the Hibernation were delayed. The arrival of the Awakening of Hibernation indicated that the temperature would warm up, the rain would increase, and everything would recover. The insects that had been hibernating for a winter would wake up from their hibernation. This year, the awakening of the Insects only came on the second day of the second month of the lunar calendar. The insects that were hibernating underground were still in a state of deep sleep.
In the spring of 1973, this was the case in nature and in people's political life. Those who were well versed in the political situation of the Celestial Empire, those who had been waiting bitterly during the Cultural Revolution, were also looking forward to the arrival of the bright political spring as soon as possible, just like farmers who were looking forward to the early arrival of spring. People had already survived the eighth year of the unprecedented "Cultural Revolution". As for those chaotic, absurd, and turbulent days, not to mention those who were criticized and controlled, even the ordinary farmers in Green Pine Ridge were a little tired of them. They had long been looking forward to how they could change their current life and live a harmonious, happy, and free life like before. However, what made these people who had been waiting bitterly happy was that there had been a lot of good news recently. Leader Mao had long proposed to rehabilitate the old marshal. He said,"I don't think there's a problem with this, but I have my flaws.”There was also news that the Central Committee of the People's Republic of China had decided to restore the Party's organizational life and the position of Deputy Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China according to the instructions of the leader of the Mao Party.
On the second day after the awakening of the hibernating insects, Zhong Guoqing reluctantly bid farewell to the villagers of the Green Pine Ridge on this day when the earth was gradually warming up and the spring was bright. He rode his bicycle with his bedding and luggage, full of novelty and excitement, to the credit union of the Commune and reported to work.
After Zhong Guoqing became the accountant of the Green Pine Ridge team, he often went to the Xiangyang People's Commune credit union to handle various financial procedures. In the era of the planned economy, the government was very strict with the use of cash. If the team wanted to go to the city to buy fertilizer and buy pesticide from the supply and marketing cooperative, as long as the amount reached more than 30 yuan, they were not allowed to settle in cash. They had to go to the credit union to apply for a transfer check and implement the transfer settlement. The production team had to pay dividends to the members, and after the company approved the team's distribution plan, they would withdraw cash from the credit union. Therefore, in order to handle these financial accounting services, he had long formed an indissolvable bond with this financial institution that did not have many employees and did not have a large courtyard. In fact, the credit union was a small organization with only four people living in it. Its power and power could not be underestimated. It not only managed the savings and loans of more than 9000 people in the whole community, but also took charge of the financial accounting management of the 13 brigades and 56 teams in the community, as well as the training, inspection and guidance of the accounting of the large teams. In modern terms, this small credit union was the financial center of Xiangyang Commune. Its every move involved the economic life of nearly 10,000 people in Xiangyang Commune.
In the past, when Zhong Guoqing hurried into this small courtyard, he had to go through various deposit, loan, and withdrawal procedures for the production team through the director, loan officer, and accountant of the credit union. He was always in an anxious mood and always wanted to complete all the procedures here as soon as possible so that he could go to the city or the supply and marketing union to buy the urgently needed production materials such as fertilizers and pesticides. But today, when he saw the small gatehouse of the credit union from afar, he felt his heart beat a little faster. Thinking of the people he was about to meet, he seemed a little reserved. So when he reached the entrance of the credit union, he stopped his bicycle in front of the small slope outside the credit union's entrance. He reached into his pocket and took out a brand new handkerchief. He wiped the thin layer of sweat on his forehead, steadied himself, and took a breath. Then he raised his head and looked around.
Outside the gate of the credit union was an earthen street covered with a layer of sand from west to east. On both sides of the street were the supply and marketing cooperative, broadcasting station, community compound, hospital, middle school, a photo studio, a barbershop, and a dental shop. The rest were the small courtyards of ordinary people. The street was six to seven meters wide and five to six hundred meters long. Usually, this street was bustling with people, but after the members went to work, this street would immediately become unusually deserted.
The courtyard of the credit union was located on the south side of the street, facing north. The neighbors were also members. Opposite the door was the gate of Xiangyang People's Commune, which had several big signs hanging side by side. The first sign on the leftmost side of the gate was red on a white background. It was written in square art characters: Committee of Xiangyang People's Commune, Longcheng County, Chinese People's Party; The second sign was the same size as it was, but with black words on a white background: Xiangyang people's revolutionary committee of longcheng county. On the right side of the door were two similar signs with black words on a white background. One was the People's Armed Forces Department of Xiangyang People's Commune in Longcheng County, and the other was the Women's Joint Committee of Xiangyang People's Commune in Longcheng County. Standing on the small slope at the entrance of the credit union opposite these signs, not only could one see the eye-catching wooden signs in front of them, but they could also see the busy people coming in and out of the compound.
Walking into the simple farm-style gatehouse of the credit union, everything in the small courtyard was clear at a glance. The small courtyard occupied an area of about 70 to 80 square meters. There was a square vegetable garden in front of it. In the southwest corner of the vegetable garden was an open-air toilet commonly seen in local farmers 'homes. To the north of the vegetable garden was a five-hole brick cave facing south. The cave was ten feet high, twelve feet wide, and twenty feet deep. The architectural style was very similar to the caves in Yan 'an, northern Shaanxi Province, which people often saw on movies and television. If it weren't for the big signboard of Xiangyang People's Commune and Trust Union hanging at the gate, people passing by would probably think that this was a small, well-off farmhouse.
The credit union, including the new financial manager Zhong Guoqing, had a total of four staff members. The director, Lin Yanzhong, was in his early fifties. He was of medium height and had white hair. He was a veteran when the rural credit union was established after the establishment of the new dynasty. He lived in the cave in the middle. Pushing open the new wooden door of the cave, there was an office desk by the window. There was a chair on the right and front of the desk. On the wall on the left, there were six iron paper clips neatly hanging. Under each paper clip was a stack of documents or reports filled with dense numbers. About five feet away from the desk, there was a single wooden bed against the wall. On the bed was a simple cotton quilt that was not considered new. Opposite the bed was a pig iron stove with a white iron pipe for heating. On the left front of the stove was a washstand that was welding with thin steel bars. A white porcelain washbasin was placed on the washstand, and a white towel that had been washed off was neatly hung on the beam of the washstand. The floor under his feet was paved with green bricks. Although it was old, it was flat and clean.
On the west side of Director Lin's cave was a storeroom. There were two white wooden filing cabinets that had not been painted. They were locked with account books, documents, and various reports that had been used before. There were two bicycles in front of the cabinet. A cave on the west side of the warehouse was the kitchen of the credit union.
Li Jianmin, the deputy director of the credit union, lived in the cave to the east of Director Lin. He had just turned 40 years old. Although he joined the credit union a few years later than Director Lin, he had studied two years more than Director Lin and had been an accountant for many years. He was the deputy director and was more cultured than Director Lin. His every move was refined and he often liked to be gentle. The furnishings in the cave of his office and dormitory were exactly the same as that of Director Lin's room next door. However, there were not as many reports on the wall beside the desk as Director Lin's. There were only a few of his packets. There were a few magazines on the desk and a book of Romance of the Three Kingdoms that had been flipped to the corner.
To the east of Deputy Director Li's cave was the credit union's business office, where the accountant and cashier, Ma Libo, lived. The layout and furnishings of this cave dwelling were slightly more complicated. In a cave dwelling of the same size, two single wooden beds were placed face to face. There was only a space between the two beds that was the width of a person, so the space seemed a little narrow. The desk was bigger than the two directors. There was a three-foot-wide space between the window and the desk. There was a long bench for the people who came to handle business. Between the accountant's desk and the wooden bed was a sturdy, heavy dark green safe that was half the height of a person. A Japanese Type 38 " 65 " rifle hung on the wall above the safe.
When Zhong Guoqing pushed his bicycle into the small courtyard of the credit union, the courtyard was unusually quiet. The crisp sound of abacus beads hitting each other could be heard from the accounting office. Guo Qing parked his bicycle in the yard and was about to unpack his luggage when he saw the curtain of the accounting office open. A man of medium height in his thirties walked out with a smile. Guo Qing saw that he was a little unfamiliar and was about to talk to him when he took the initiative to ask,"You must be Zhong Guoqing from Green Pine Ridge. I was transferred here the day before yesterday and just took over as an accountant.”
"Yes, Accountant Ma, I'm Zhong Guoqing. Are you alone today? Are Director Lin and the others not here?"
"No, Director Lin and Director Li have gone to the countryside.”As he spoke, he bent down to help National Day unpack. He enthusiastically said to Guo Qing," We'll stay in the same room. The bed is already prepared for you. We've been waiting for you for two days, but you haven't come." I heard that you just got married. Can you not leave your new wife behind?”
"What are you talking about? I'm not that kind of person!"
Guo Qing and Accountant Ma's few simple words had closed the distance between them. Guo Qing immediately felt a sense of closeness. The restraint and reservation he had when he first entered the door immediately disappeared without a trace. He instinctively knew that Ma Libo was a kind-hearted and straightforward person. Her first meeting with him left a good impression on National Day.
The two of them laughed and untied their luggage for National Day and spread it out on the wooden bed opposite Accountant Ma. He pushed the bicycle into the warehouse where the accounts were kept, and National Day returned to his and Accountant Ma's office and dormitory. He took a cup of hot tea from Ma Libo and asked,""Accountant Ma, Director Lin isn't here. Tell me, what should I do first today?”
"Before Director Lin left, he said that you should familiarize yourself with the situation and read the relevant documents.”As he spoke, he took a stack of documents from the paper clip on the wall and handed it to National Day. Then, as he tidied up the account book on the table, he said,"Drink some water and rest for a while. Then, we'll go out and pull a cart of soil and some coal cakes. Otherwise, we won't be able to cook in the afternoon.”
"Alright! We'll go right away." Guo Qing put down his teacup and went to the yard to push a small cart. Ma Libo picked up the shovel. The two of them locked the door and walked out of Li Jia Village.
There were not many people in the credit union, so there was no full-time cook. The club had prepared cooking utensils, and everyone cooked together for three meals a day.
As soon as he heard that he had to cook for himself, National Day immediately felt that it was new and a little awkward. He said without hiding it,"Aiya, I've never cooked at home before. I still have to learn. Do you know how to cook?”
"Yes! What's there to do? You can do it in two days. It's not like you're making eight big pieces (a sumptuous banquet)!”
While they were talking, they had already arrived in front of a broken cave outside the village. Inside the cave was a large pile of soil that had collapsed from the top of the cave. Ma Libo stopped in his tracks and looked into the earthen kiln. Then, he carried the shovel and walked straight in. Guo Qing also pulled the flatcar in and put it away. He bent down and picked up the soil with his bare hands to load it into the car. Ma Libo turned around and shouted anxiously,"Guoqing, stop. Get out first, get out quickly!”
"Why? Wouldn't it be faster if we put it together?”Guo Qing asked.
"Aiya! Listen to me, go out first. I'll tell you later.”
As he spoke, he picked up the shovel and filled it with soil. In a few minutes, the small cart was filled. He inserted the shovel diagonally into the flat cart and quickly pulled the small flat cart out. At this moment, he turned around and looked mysteriously at the earthen kiln. He smiled and said,"I'm 36 this year. According to superstition, it's a threshold. I'm afraid that the cave will suddenly collapse and tire you out.”
Guo Qing listened to Accountant Ma's words and understood what he meant. She angrily asked him," Accountant Ma, you look down on people. Don't say that this is superstition. Even if I really encounter danger, would I only care about running for my life?”
"Sigh, sigh! I mean, if something bad happens to me, I can't drag another person down for no reason!”
"Accountant Ma, this is my fault again. If I knew you were 36 this year, I would have gone in! Isn't it better for you to avoid this 'doorstep'?”
Ma Libo slapped Guo Qing's shoulder and said,""Alright, alright, stop talking. I was just joking. Why take it seriously?”
Perhaps it was because they hit it off and had only spoken a few words, but their hearts were warm as if they were old friends. Although Ma Libo was ten years older than Guo Qing, he had a baby face and no airs, like a brother who was like a brother. As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves and looked at National Day with a smile."What do you like to eat? I'll make it for us.”
Guo Qing was a little embarrassed to let Accountant Ma cook for him. He said,"Accountant Ma, teach me. I'll cook for us in the future.”
"You're the one who came here and can't touch anything. I'll do it and you learn it. My specialty is dry noodles. I'll make one today for you to try.”As he spoke, he took out a basin and began to knead the dough.
On National Day, he quickly finished mixing the coal cake, immediately poked the stove, set up the pot, chose vegetables, peeled onions and garlic. As they chatted and laughed, two bowls of hot, fragrant dried tomato noodles were served on the table.
After dinner, Zhong Guoqing read the stack of documents that Accountant Ma had given him. He spent more than a day reading each word and sentence. He had basically figured out his role and the responsibilities he was about to take on. He vaguely felt that the burden on his shoulders was not easy.
According to the document, the accounting counselor was a new position and a new business that was recently added by the credit unions in the county according to the financial needs of the rural community team. The accounting guidance work was the work that the financial system used its own functions and work convenience to provide professional guidance and special management to the rural community team accounting and financial affairs. Speaking of this today, people would think that the credit union itself was a financial enterprise. You just had to manage your deposit and loan business and financial services. What did it have to do with the production team's accountant? Why did he extend his hand to manage the financial affairs of the production team? However, in the context of the planned economy and large-scale collective production at that time, the financial business of the credit union was inextricably linked to the accounting and finance of the production team. The production team's income and expenditure had to be transferred through the credit union, and they rarely used cash. The production team often needed to borrow money from the credit union to buy fertilizers and pesticide. Therefore, managing the funds of the production team was equal to managing the deposits and loans of the credit union. Moreover, the accountant of the production team had to go through the credit union to handle the financial procedures. Therefore, it was not only necessary but also advantageous for the people of the credit union to manage the accountant of the production team.
At that time, in the vast rural areas, the accounting and financial management of the production team was handled by the credit union, and in the county, it was managed by the county people's bank, the competent unit of the credit union. Further up, the regional and provincial People's Bank of China and the head office of the People's Bank of China in Beijing all had institutions to manage the financial affairs of the rural community. At the same time, the county, regional, provincial and central governments also had corresponding accounting departments for rural community teams. For example, the rural accounting guidance station of the county agricultural bureau would cooperate with the county people's bank to manage this work.
Now, Guo Qing was the accountant counselor of the company. He wanted to help the small team of accountant manage the financial affairs of the production team through his own work. If he wanted to reassure the leaders and satisfy the members, how much work would he have to do and how would he start? Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious. He had a strong urge to start work. Therefore, he was a little restless and anxiously waited for Director Lin to return from the countryside. He wanted to start his work as soon as possible.
The next afternoon, Guoqing and Accountant Ma had just had dinner. Director Lin and Deputy Director Li returned to the credit union one after another. On National Day, he quickly washed the pots and pans and went to meet Director Lin and Director Li. Director Lin exchanged a few pleasantries with Guo Qing before informing everyone to go to his room for a business meeting.
At the staff meeting that only four people attended, everyone first welcomed the arrival of National Day and introduced themselves. Then, he made it clear that the tasks for National Day were: At the same time, he had to cooperate with the three old comrades to complete the deposit and loan collection work in the club. The meeting mainly studied the financial work of the whole society in the new year, and proposed the mobilization of savings deposits and the distribution and withdrawal of loans for the whole year. Director Lin emphasized at the meeting: " From now on, everyone must cooperate well in their work. Go out and catch them, then split them when you come back. They had to divide the work and cooperate. Guo Qing was a new comrade, so he had to learn from his old comrades modestly. The old comrades had to do a good job of helping and supporting him. They had to care more about the National Day and let him adapt to the new business work as soon as possible.”
After Deputy Chief Physician Li Jianmin's enthusiastic speech and simple welcoming speech, he said,"Guoqing, you just joined the club. The officers of the various brigades might not know you yet. How are you going to work in the future? From tomorrow onwards, I want to lead you around the village to get to know the leaders of the various villages, especially the accountant. What do you think?”
"As long as Director Li has time, let me follow you down to familiarize myself with the situation. That would be great.”Guo Qing felt that Deputy Director Li was really thoughtful.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。