In mid-December, a wave of cold air from Siberia suddenly hit the province of Tohae. Overnight, the first snow fell quietly in Ningcheng, and the roof became covered in silver.

On the day of the winter solstice, in the office of Yuanyi's company, Geng Zhiyuan and Lu Yi were reconciling accounts together. Since the addition of Sichuan and Hunan cuisine to Yuxiang restaurants, the turnover has gradually increased, and it has completely gotten rid of the difficult situation of facing losses years ago.

"There is a new poverty alleviation cadre in our village, a woman, who is quite beautiful. Lu Yi said casually to the ledger.

Geng Zhiyuan glanced up at her and said, "Your village is poor enough, it's time to help the poor." ”

Seeing that he didn't ask any questions, Lu Yi paused and said cautiously: "That female cadre seems to have the surname Zhuge , which is really a rare surname. ”

Geng Zhiyuan was stunned for a moment, and finally couldn't help asking, "What did you just say about that female cadre's surname?"

Lu Yi smiled and said: "The surname is Zhuge , what is it called Mingzhu." ”

"Mingzhu went to your village to help the poor?" Geng Zhiyuan said in surprise.

Lu Yi saw that he really knew Zhuge Mingzhu, so he boldly said: "It is said that the superiors have issued some poverty alleviation documents, requiring cadres to be stationed in the village to help the poor." ”

"What does Mingzhu know? What can she help the poor? What a mess of playing the piano!" Geng Zhiyuan said angrily.

Lu Yi once heard Geng Zhiyuan mention that there was a classmate with the surname Zhuge again, so he firmly remembered this name. A few days ago, I heard my cousin talk about the cadres in the village, and then I learned that Zhuge Mingzhu went to their village.

"I heard that our village is the counterpart poverty alleviation point in Hexi District, so I sent her. Lu Yi said again.

Geng Zhiyuan was puzzled: "Didn't Mingzhu do it in Chengguan Street? Why did you go to the Hexi District Government again?"

"Then I don't know, my cousin is the village party secretary, and he told me these things, and I don't know if it's true or not. Lu Yi pouted.

"Mingzhu helped me, it's still my old classmate, I have to go and see it when I have time. Mingzhu is just an ordinary staff member of the sub-district office, how can she have any ability to alleviate poverty, she has never lived in the countryside, don't suffer in your village. Geng Zhiyuan said uneasily.

"It's not ...... to suffer" Lu Yi hesitated: "However, I heard that she has secretly cried several times." ”

"Alas!" Geng Zhiyuan has no experience of living in the countryside, but with his impression of Dianzi Village, he can empathize with Mingzhu's mood.

"Aren't you on holiday on New Year's Day, why don't I accompany you to our village?" Lu Yi volunteered.

"Oh...... Okay, too. Geng Zhiyuan nodded and said, "I won't take Su Qing with me, she still has to record the show, so I can only work hard for you to accompany me." ”

"No problem, anyway, I haven't been home for a long time, so I just went home to take a look. Lu Yi said excitedly.

On the last day of 2002, Geng Zhiyuan took a leave of absence, drove a new Toyota Prado off-road vehicle bought by Zhenyuan Company, and took Lu Yi to Dianzi Village together.

When he arrived at the village, it was already noon, Lu Yi found a fairly clean restaurant on the side of the road, dealt with lunch briefly, and then drove into the village.

Lu Yi went to the village party secretary's house and called his cousin Lu Wengong and introduced: "Third brother, this is my boss Geng Zhiyuan. ”

Geng Zhiyuan's name was thunderous in Dianzi Village, and everyone knew that Lu Yi had made a fortune with him. There are also several relatives surnamed Lu in the village who went to the provincial capital and worked under Lu Yi, all of which were stained with Geng Zhiyuan's light. Now in the village, except for Lu Wenhao's family, all the people in the village envy Lu Yi for having a good boss.

"Oh yes, Boss Geng, I've heard of your name for a long time, it's really an honor to meet you!" Lu Wengong held Geng Zhiyuan's hand tightly, both cordial and enthusiastic.

Geng Zhiyuan smiled slightly and said, "Secretary Lu, I came to see my classmate, I heard that she was helping poverty in our village, can you take me to meet her?"

"You mean Comrade Zhuge ?" Lu Wengong turned around and said, "She lives next to the village committee, and I will take you there." ”

Zhuge Mingzhu was arranged to live in an abandoned village classroom behind the village committee, the walls of the dilapidated adobe house were mottled, and the doors and windows were even worse and breathable. Geng Zhiyuan frowned when he saw it, the village classroom could be compared to the bad building of the junior high school where he was back then.

"Secretary Lu, the house is a little broken, and the north wind blows in winter, which is enough for people. Geng Zhiyuan shook his head and said.

Lu Wengong was a little embarrassed and said: "The conditions in the village are too poor, I also specially found someone to repair it before Comrade Zhuge lived, otherwise it would be worse than now." ”

When he came to the door, Lu Wengong shouted at the top of his voice: "Comrade Zhuge , someone is looking for you." ”

After a while, the door quietly opened, and Zhuge Mingzhu was wrapped in a thick down jacket and revealed.

"Who is looking for me, Secretary Lu?" Although Zhuge Mingzhu is not as stunning as Su Qing and Wei Xiao, she is also beautiful, dignified and generous, and can be said to be a beautiful scenery in the bleak winter.

Geng Zhiyuan smiled: "Mingzhu, it's me, Geng Zhiyuan!"

Zhuge Mingzhu looked at it again and again before he recognized Geng Zhiyuan, and said in surprise: "Geng Zhiyuan!? Why are you? It must have been four or five years since I saw you last time, right?"

The last time the two met was at Chen Li's wedding in the winter of 1997, five years have passed, Zhuge Mingzhu has obviously gained a lot of weight, and Geng Zhiyuan has also transformed from an immature young man to a business leader worth millions.

"Come in, come in and talk. The old classmate who hadn't seen him for a long time suddenly appeared in front of him, Zhuge Mingzhu was surprised and a little puzzled, how could Geng Zhiyuan know that I was in Dianzi Village? This place is far away from the city and very remote, how did he find the village?

Mingzhu cleaned up the house very cleanly, with a bed propped up against the wall and the girl's colorful sheets and bedding. There are two desks next to it, with a few books and lamps.

Lu Wengong took a few long benches for students from the wall, and everyone sat down to talk.

"Mingzhu, this is my colleague Lu Yi, I heard her say that you are here to help the poor, so I came to see you. Geng Zhiyuan was afraid that Mingzhu would misunderstand, so he explained as soon as he sat down.

Mingzhu suddenly realized: "The surname Lu in Dianzi Village is a big family, Lu Yi and Secretary Lu should be relatives, right?"

Lu Wengong smiled: "Lu Yi is my cousin. ”

Geng Zhiyuan was happy and went straight to the point: "Mingzhu, aren't you doing it in Chengguan Street? How can you come to the village to help the poor?"

Zhuge Mingzhu smiled reluctantly: "Last year, I was transferred to the District Poverty Alleviation Office, and this year it was my turn to be stationed in the village, so I was sent here." ”

"Secretary Lu, can you tell me about the general situation in Dianzi Village?" Geng Zhiyuan turned his head and asked.

Although Lu Wengong has only been the party secretary for a few years, he can be the leader of the village, and he still has the ability to observe words and feelings, and to recognize and distinguish people. When he saw that Geng Zhiyuan had mentioned the word poverty alleviation more than once, he muttered in his heart: "Could it be that Boss Geng wants to invest in our village and help his classmates alleviate poverty?"

Once he had an idea, Lu Wengong immediately became more enthusiastic and carefully introduced: "Our Dianzi Village is a big village, including this village, Xiaodian Village, Dongdian Village, and Beidian Village, with a total of more than 500 households and more than 2,000 villagers. ”

"How about the collective income of the village?" Geng Zhiyuan said.

"The village collective used to run some enterprises, such as noodle factories, flour mills, and breeding farms, all of which closed down one after another. Lu Wengong said sadly: "There is only one long-distance transport team in the village that can still make some money, but the condition of the vehicles is aging, and it is estimated that it will not last for a few years." ”

"The transport team was still helped by Mayor Wang when he was there. Mingzhu added on the side.

"Mayor Wang, that's a good leader who does practical things for the people! If you count it like that, it will have to be a little ten years. Geng Zhiyuan said curiously: "Now that the road transport business is very hot, why can't you do it?"

Lu Wengong sighed and said: "Is it okay to just eat the old instincts? There are two cars in total, and they were all purchased with loans from the city back then, and they have never bought a new car in the future, how can it be done after a long time?"

Long-distance transport vehicles are expensive, and a heavy truck can easily cost hundreds of thousands, which is really not something that the poor Dianzi Village can afford. However, long-distance transportation is very profitable, and if the village leaders at that time could follow Mayor Wang's idea of planting plane trees to attract golden phoenixes, I am afraid that it will have to develop to at least five or six vehicles by now.

Geng Zhiyuan touched his chin and thought for a while, and then asked: "Mingzhu, generally government poverty alleviation comes down with projects, what poverty alleviation projects did you bring this time?"

Mingzhu said a little helplessly: "The project I brought is...... Sheep farming. ”

"Raising sheep?" Geng Zhiyuan couldn't help but laugh and said: "What is the breeding method? Raise them on farms, or distribute them to the villagers for free-range breeding?"

Mingzhu said: "The district is in financial difficulties, so it has squeezed out 50,000 yuan of poverty alleviation funds, and is ready to buy 100 lambs and distribute them to poor households for breeding. ”

Lu Wengong couldn't help but smile beside him, and Geng Zhiyuan also smiled: "This kind of poverty alleviation method is a bit taken for granted, and the chance of success is not great." If you want to get rid of poverty through farming, you have to scale it. ”

Lu Wengong saw that Geng Zhiyuan was talking, and followed: "One hundred sheep, one household will score at least two, that is, fifty households can get sheep." Let's not talk about how to determine who these fifty households are, even if every sheep can grow up without illness or disaster, this feed money alone is enough for people. In the end, even if you can earn a thousand dollars, most of them can earn five or six hundred. ”

"Isn't there a lot of grass in the wasteland outside the village, and sheep can eat it?" Mingzhu suggested hesitantly.

"Poof!" Lu Yi couldn't help laughing when she heard her words: "Those grass sheep can be eaten, but if you want to fatten the sheep, you have to add feed, otherwise you will get sick if you don't get fat." ”

Geng Zhiyuan suddenly said: "Secretary Lu, isn't our village close to the chemical park?

Lu Wen said fairly: "Yes, there are one or two hundred people who went." The factory only recruits educated young people, the older ones don't want them, and the women don't want them. ”

Geng Zhiyuan thought for a while and said: "If Dianzi Village wants to get rid of poverty, one is to find a way out for the middle-aged and elderly people with low education, and the other is that the village collective must get rich first." ”

Lu Wengong clapped his hands when he heard this: "What Mr. Geng said is really right! It is much more real than what those leaders said. Mr. Geng has worked in the government before, right?"

"Nope. Geng Zhiyuan smiled faintly, and said secretly in his heart: "I have to help Mingzhu think of a good way to really get Dianzi Village out of poverty, otherwise if you spend money in vain, you may even be left complaining." ”