76: Chapter 76 People and Events in the Village

Sun Ning looked at everyone sitting below him, scanned the room, and said, "If you have any questions, feel free to ask."

As soon as Sun Ning finished speaking, the accountant of Mingyue Village couldn't help but ask.

"Township Head, according to your plan, this is a huge expense. The village has no money, the common people won't understand, and you won't allow forced apportionments."

Sun Ning listened to the accountant's inquiry and nodded repeatedly.

He scanned the room again and asked, "Does anyone else have anything to say?"

The response was absolute silence.

Sun Ning stopped asking them and proceeded to answer the accountant's question.

"There are two plans. The first is for the village to establish a company, using the villagers' cave dwellings as capital contributions, and then you mobilize the villagers to invest. This company would belong entirely to your Mingyue Village as collective assets."

"The second plan is to use your Mingyue Village's existing assets for capital contributions, and the Township Government will invest the remaining funds."

"Personally, I would prefer you to choose the first plan, as the benefits would ultimately fall into the hands of the common people."

"As for how to handle the work with the common people, that is your business. I hope you can patiently explain it to them."

"Village Party Secretary Tian Lei, I know that grassroots work is difficult for you, but I must emphasize the methods of work."

The meeting was very short, so short that it ended after just a few sentences.

However, Sun Ning did not return to the Township Government; instead, he stationed himself in Mingyue Village.

He knew that with the abilities of people like Village Party Secretary Tian Lei, they would not be able to make the villagers understand this so-called cave dwelling characteristic economy.

He stayed behind to explain some of the rules to these villagers.

Deep down, Sun Ning did not want the common people to choose the second plan.

He had always believed that true prosperity should mean keeping wealth among the people.

And the result of the government's efforts should also be to make the lives of the common people better.

If he couldn't persuade these common people even after stepping in personally, then the Township Government might end up taking the lion's share of the investment.

And Sun Ning could only quote the saying: "Good words cannot persuade a person determined to ruin themselves."

The gap in cognition cannot be bridged by just a sentence or two.

That evening, under the old locust tree in the center of the village, Village Party Secretary Tian Lei gathered all the village elders and fellow villagers to hold a village-wide meeting.

A meeting of this level was generally only held when land was being distributed.

Sun Ning stood to the side, silently watching the scene, feeling an immense sense of nostalgia.

This era was not as impetuous as later generations, nor was it like later times when only the lonely elderly and "left-behind children" remained.

And the village was full of all kinds of people.

People who loved to show off, honest and simple folks, as well as hot-headed youths, and scoundrels...

Village Party Secretary Tian Lei stood in the center, with everyone gathered in a circle, hoarsely conveying Sun Ning's instructions.

Managing people has always been the most difficult thing.

Especially when it comes to untrained people, it is even harder to manage.

Before Village Party Secretary Tian Lei even finished speaking, the crowd below began talking over one another.

The atmosphere was simply one of public indignation.

Humans are selfish animals, and their first thought is always to consider their own interests.

Upon suddenly hearing that the township wanted to requisition their cave dwellings, they all opposed it one by one.

That's right, they were completely indifferent to any "characteristic economy" or "developing niche tourism."

And the use of their cave dwellings was interpreted by the villagers as requisitioning.

Perhaps in their minds, there was no one who truly had their best interests at heart.

As someone who came from a rural background, Sun Ning understood these people's thoughts very well.

The cost of deceiving farmers was simply too low.

They were afraid.

Once deceived, it could mean losing everything they owned.

That is why they had always lived cautiously.

And as the Township Head, Sun Ning was there to serve the common people, which was why he had to stay in Mingyue Village.

He had to actively explain the policies to them and lead them toward prosperity.

The meeting held today was not to convince everyone, but to let everyone know that this matter existed.

This day, Sun Ning arrived at a household for the fifth time.

This family was a famous impoverished household in Mingyue Village, and also one of the most difficult ones Sun Ning had encountered during this visit.

It wasn't that the people here were difficult to deal with.

It was just that the old man of this family was quite stubborn; once he made up his mind, not even three donkeys could pull him back.

More importantly, the old man was still living in a cave dwelling, though he had three such cave dwellings.

When others had the money to build brick-concrete houses, he had spent all his money on his disabled son.

With no other choice, he could only use his own hard labor to dig out the cave dwellings one by one.

It seemed that only in this way could he provide his son with the capital to survive and establish himself after the old couple passed away.

Although they were just cave dwellings that everyone despised, they were poured with the love of the elderly couple.

Sun Ning knocked on the door of Tian Xiujun's house, and the person who opened it had a face full of the vicissitudes of life.

Tian Xiujun was less than fifty-five years old, yet he had the face of a sixty-year-old.

Seeing Sun Ning come again, the old man gave a cold snort.

"Cadre Sun, you'd better stop coming. No matter how flowery your words are, I still don't believe there are any fools who would come here to play."

"In my whole life, these three cave dwellings are all I can leave for Huande. Just leave an old man like me with some peace of mind."

The old man said these words with great heaviness.

There was even a hint of sorrow in his voice.

Sun Ning said nothing; he helped Tian Xiujun walk toward the main room.

He had come prepared today.

Because he had specifically consulted an expert about Tian Xiujun's situation.

Sun Ning's grandmother had told him that to deal with an old man like this, one should start with his son.

Because they had given all their hearts to their children.

Once inside the main room, Sun Ning saw Tian Huande sitting upright on the sofa.

Tian Huande was not born disabled; he had an accident in his youth and broke his leg.

Later, in order to heal his leg, the old man had traveled across the country.

Although his leg hadn't fully healed, he could still limp a few steps; it was just that his right leg couldn't bear weight for long periods.

But all this back and forth had delayed Tian Huande's marriage.

Now, because of his physical condition and the family's poverty, no one was willing to marry him.

Sun Ning's grandmother had told Sun Ning that starting from Tian Huande's happiness might be able to move Tian Xiujun.

Arriving in the main room, Tian Xiujun invited Sun Ning to sit down, and Mrs. Tian brought out peanuts, dates..., and poured a cup of hot water.

This was the way poor families treated their guests, wishing they could bring out everything in the house to entertain them.

With sincerity exchanged for sincerity, Sun Ning was even more determined to persuade this stubborn old man.

To let this family escape from the sea of bitterness and head toward happiness.

"Uncle Tian, I know that no matter how well I speak or how promising I make it sound, it won't make you change your mind."

"But please think about it: what if it comes true? If your family becomes prosperous, wouldn't my Brother Huande be able to take a wife?"

"My Brother Huande is only in his thirties and is not incapable of taking care of himself. We don't dare to aim for a young maiden, but a divorced, older woman would certainly be possible."

"You two are getting old. After you both pass away, leaving Brother Huande all alone, wouldn't your hearts ache?"

"Just trust me once, old man. Take a gamble. If you lose, it's just two cave dwellings, and the government can't take them away."

"If you win the gamble, in a few years, you'll be able to hold a big, chubby grandson in your arms."