Chapter 54: Planning (Part 1)

In the countryside, people always bring out their best when entertaining guests, regardless of whether the guests appreciate it or not. At least, they feel they have done their best. The same was true at the Hou family. Knowing that Hou Yong was bringing a guest home for dinner, the family started preparing in the afternoon. By the time Zhu Da Dong sat down, he found the table laden with a variety of dishes, all exceptionally abundant. There were chicken, fish, pig stomach, pig feet, and pig heart, but half of the dishes were related to tofu: tofu stewed with fish, stir-fried dried tofu with meat, egg soup with bean curd skin, and cold mixed smoked tofu.

Originally, Hou Li Hua had prepared homemade rice wine, but since Zhu Da Dong brought wine, they served premium aged white spirit instead. In the countryside, women and children are not allowed to sit at the table during meals. Those dining with Zhu Da Dong, besides Hou Li Hua and Hou Yong, included Hou Yong's younger brother, Hou Gan. When introducing Hou Yong, Zhu Da Dong noticed his bronze-like complexion and gaunt cheeks, mistaking him for Hou Yong's older brother.

Hou Yong had only completed junior high school but was skilled at farm work and bricklaying. During the off-season, he would build houses for others, and his own house was built by his hands. To save on labor costs, only his wife and mother helped as laborers, and no one else was hired. With his skilled hands, he managed to build the house in two months. Only at the final stages of placing the beams and laying the tiles did Hou Gan hire some help, but they were not outsiders. Hou Li Hua had been a carpenter in his younger days, and the two of them worked together to build their home.

Chinese people have always enjoyed discussing matters over drinks. According to some unofficial experts, at least 80% of China's major and minor affairs are settled over the dinner table. Although this statistic has not been verified by authoritative departments, no Chinese person would disagree.

The three men of the Hou family were all heavy drinkers. Hou Yong could drink two liters without falling over, as long as he didn't drink too quickly. Hou Gan was even better, and although Hou Li Hua was older, he was still robust and could handle a liter and a half. This time, Hou Yong brought Zhu Da Dong home not only to promote his plan but also to test Zhu Da Dong's drinking capacity.

What left Hou Yong speechless was that Zhu Da Dong seemed to have an endless capacity for alcohol. As soon as they sat down, Zhu Da Dong toasted each of the Hou family men, and they returned the toasts. Then, under Hou Yong's deliberate arrangement, the three of them took turns toasting Zhu Da Dong individually. Despite this, after drinking more than five liters of premium aged white spirit, Zhu Da Dong still seemed unaffected.

"Hou Brother, drinking should be enjoyable but not excessive. I think one more bottle is enough. We should save a couple for Secretary Hou, right?" Zhu Da Dong counted the empty bottles, already nine, most of which he had drunk. Although he didn't feel drunk, the three Hou family men were already showing signs of it.

"Director Zhu, you are our guest, and our duty is to keep you company and ensure you enjoy yourself," Hou Li Hua said, admiring Zhu Da Dong's drinking capacity. This young man, who appeared gentle and refined, drank so generously, which made him very likable.

"Secretary Hu, please don't call me Director Zhu. That's too formal. You can call me Da Dong or Xiao Zhu, but not Director Zhu, or I won't come back," Zhu Da Dong pretended to be annoyed. After drinking so much, their relationship had become much closer.

"Alright, Xiao Zhu, I know you have something on your mind. Hou Yong mentioned that you're here to help the villagers prosper. What's your plan?" Hou Li Hua saw that Zhu Da Dong was neither pretentious nor condescending, which made him even more favorable.

Many people spend their entire lives without truly understanding someone, but some can judge a person after just one meeting. Hou Li Hua was clearly one of those people. As many say, one must learn to be a good person before doing good deeds. When others recognize you, your tasks will be accomplished smoothly.

Although Hou Li Hua didn't yet know what Zhu Da Dong planned to do, his words already indicated his support. As the director of the enterprise office, getting the full support of the village secretary, especially one as respected as Hou Li Hua, was rare.

"I've reviewed the agricultural statistics of the entire township. Our Shumu Ridge Township has a high soybean yield, nearly five million pounds annually. I was thinking, could we use these soybeans to do something? The best use for soybeans is to make tofu. If we could establish a tofu factory, selling tofu would be much more profitable than selling soybeans directly," Zhu Da Dong said, getting straight to the point and explaining his idea.

"A tofu factory? Almost every household in our township knows how to make tofu. If we start a tofu factory, who will buy the tofu?" Hou Li Hua placed his wine glass gently on the table and pondered, his eyes squinting, a habit when he thought deeply. Although he had drunk more than a liter of aged white spirit, his mind was exceptionally clear.

"The city, to be precise, the municipal area," Zhu Da Dong said confidently.

"The city? Tofu isn't a rare commodity. Where can we sell it in the city?" Hou Li Hua's eyes suddenly opened wide, staring directly at Zhu Da Dong.

"Secretary Hou, do you think every household in the city grows soybeans and makes tofu like we do? I've conducted several surveys in the city. Since last year, although several farmers' markets have been established, the overall supply of various vegetables, meats, and eggs is still insufficient. Otherwise, the city wouldn't have launched the 'Vegetable Basket Project,' personally led by the mayor to address the difficulty of buying vegetables for the citizens," Zhu Da Dong explained with a smile. In the countryside, it's rare for a family to run out of vegetables. Who doesn't grow some vegetables in front of or behind their house? Cucumbers, peppers, eggplants, leeks, winter melons, and pumpkins in the summer, and Chinese cabbage and spinach in the winter. Vegetables are available year-round. Meat is relatively scarce, and there's not much fat in the vegetables.

The 'Vegetable Basket Project' is only implemented in cities, and the larger the city, the stricter the implementation. Shachang City, the second-largest city in the province, has a population of nearly two million, and the citizens feel that the supply of meat, eggs, milk, fish, vegetables, and fruits is tight. The situation is better in the summer but most critical in the winter and spring.

As for Shumu Ridge Township, there was no need for a 'Vegetable Basket Project.' Hou Li Hua, who usually paid attention to township policies, was not very familiar with these policies. Zhu Da Dong explained them in detail, and as he spoke, Hou Li Hua's eyes began to brighten.