OBS Chapter 1302 What is Boss Lei's name?
Chapter 1302 What is Boss Lei's name?
Chapter 1302 What is Boss Lei's name?
The snow fell heavier and heavier, with goose-feather-like snowflakes fluttering down and quickly covering the fields, roads, and rooftops. The sound of firecrackers rose and fell throughout the New Year's Eve night, and the red firecracker confetti was particularly eye-catching on the snow. The air was filled with the strong smell of gunpowder and the aroma of the New Year's Eve dinner.
The old Party Secretary, bundled in a thick cotton-padded coat, waited at the village entrance with Lei Dongbao, Shi Hongwei, and a few others to welcome the county leaders. Lei Dongbao, wearing his faded military overcoat, stood ramrod straight, occasionally stamping his feet to ward off the chill. Shi Hongwei and Lei Shigen, on the other hand, hunched their shoulders, their hands tucked into their sleeves, constantly pacing back and forth to keep warm.
"We've been waiting for almost two hours, and we haven't seen a soul in sight." Lei Sibao complained incessantly, his hands tucked into his sleeves, his snot almost frozen into icicles. "Shigen, did you hear me wrong? Did they say they'd come after the New Year? What kind of county leader would be out here inspecting some poor, remote place during the New Year?"
Upon hearing this, Shi Hongwei and the others also looked at Lei Shigen with suspicion. Lei Shigen stamped his feet anxiously, his face flushed red: "How could I possibly mishear something so important! I heard it clearly, it's definitely today! 'Uncle, Dongbao, it really is today!'"
The old Party Secretary coughed, interrupting their argument: "Alright, stop arguing. I trust Shigen. Maybe the heavy snow made the roads difficult to travel and caused a delay. Let's wait a little longer." He took out his pipe, tapped it on the sole of his shoe, and slowly packed tobacco into it.
Helpless, Shi Hongwei and the others could only continue squatting at the village entrance. Lei Sibao muttered, "How long are we going to have to wait? Are we even going to have New Year's Eve dinner...?"
Lei Dongbao glared at him and yelled, "Why are you always talking so much nonsense! Will you starve to death if we miss a New Year's Eve dinner? If you're in such a hurry, get back home now! Don't spin around in front of me like a top, you're making my head spin!"
Lei Sibao shrank back in fright and shut his mouth in embarrassment.
Time dragged on endlessly amidst the howling wind and biting cold. Aside from the sounds of the snow and the occasional distant crackling of firecrackers, the village entrance was shrouded in a suffocating silence. Just as Lei Dongbao began to feel his hands and feet grow cold and numb, and he couldn't help but wonder if Lei Shigen had truly misheard the date…
The roar of a car engine came from afar.
Everyone's spirits lifted instantly, and they craned their necks, stood on tiptoe, and squinted through the raging snow to try to see in the direction from which the sound came.
In the wind and snow, several dim, hazy beams of light struggled to pierce the darkness and snow wall, swaying from side to side, getting closer and closer! The roaring sound also became clearer and clearer.
The old Party Secretary jolted awake, feeling his blood rush through his veins. He slapped his thigh and yelled, "Quick, quick, Dongbao! Get the men and head to meet them!"
Perhaps he had been squatting for too long, his legs were numb, and he almost fell over. Lei Dongbao reacted quickly, grabbing the old Party Secretary to steady him, and at the same time turned around and shouted, "Hongwei, Sibao, Shigen! Keep up! Be more alert, wipe your faces, don't look like wilted eggplants!"
As soon as the car stopped, the passenger door of the lead car was pushed open with a "bang," and a young man who looked to be no more than twenty years old, dressed in a brand-new cotton-padded jacket and wearing glasses, jumped out. He moved swiftly, without even glancing at the Lei family members who came to greet him, and immediately ran to the back door, forcefully pulling open the door with one hand, while placing his other hand, palm up, flat on the top edge of the door frame, his movements exceptionally respectful and practiced.
"County Chief Xu, please slow down, the snow is quite thick."
A tall, slender man stepped out of the back seat of the lead car. He wore a dark gray woolen overcoat and gold-rimmed glasses, and his every move exuded a scholarly air. He was clearly a leader from a big city.
"These must be the cadres from Xiaolei Village, right?" The refined-looking man had barely finished speaking when Director Yang of the Shanbei Brigade, who had just gotten out of the car, immediately stepped forward, his face beaming with a respectful smile. Pointing to the old Party Secretary, he introduced him to the refined-looking man: "County Chief Xu, this is the Party Secretary of Xiaolei Village..."
County Magistrate Xu shook hands with each of them, his smile warm: "I'm sorry to trouble you all with such heavy snow. Thank you for your hospitality!"
Lei Dongbao was flattered and his dark face flushed. He stammered, "Hello, County Chief Xu! Welcome to Xiaolei Village for your inspection!"
County Magistrate Xu looked at the vast expanse of white snow around him, then at the men's faces, red from the cold, and the frost on their eyebrows, and said apologetically, "I'm so sorry, the snow on the road was too thick, which delayed us and kept you waiting."
The old Party Secretary quickly waved his hand, "It's no trouble at all! It's our honor that County Chief Xu could visit our Xiaolei family on New Year's Eve!"
Afterwards, at Director Yang's suggestion, Lei Dongbao led County Head Xu and his entourage to the team headquarters. A trail of deep footprints was left in the snow. Along the way, County Head Xu frequently stopped to inquire about the houses and fields along the roadside, and the old Party Secretary and Lei Dongbao answered his questions one by one.
The team headquarters was actually just two large brick houses that the brigade used to store farm tools, which were temporarily converted into a makeshift facility. At that moment, several braziers of charcoal fire were burning, which dispelled some of the chill.
In the middle of the room stood an old square table that had been wiped several times but still looked greasy, with many bowls and plates already set on it.
The dishes were the most elaborate in Xiao Lei's household: a stewed old hen, a plate of cured pork stir-fried with garlic sprouts, a bowl of braised fish, several dishes of homemade pickled vegetables, and a large bowl of steaming dumplings.
Although it wasn't lavish, it was considered the highest level of hospitality in the small mountain village of the 80s.
With a forced smile and a humble, uneasy tone, the old Party Secretary said, "County Chief Xu, leaders, I'm so sorry! Our Xiaolei family is really in dire straits. The year before last, we almost couldn't even pay our share of the commune's grain tax. We've just managed to put together some simple home-cooked dishes. Please make do with them and don't mind the food!"
After everyone sat down, County Chief Xu looked at Lei Dongbao with a look of consideration and approval in his eyes: "I've heard from the county that your Lei family is the first production team in the whole county, and probably even the whole city, to 'dare to be the first in the world' and implement the household-based land distribution system!"
He emphasized the phrase "daring to be the first in the world," expressing his affirmation: "Remarkable! In just one year, you not only paid off the overdue grain taxes, but also ensured that every household had surplus grain and distributed meat before the New Year. This achievement is quite remarkable, and you have not let down the expectations of the Party and the people."
When Lei Dongbao heard the leader praise him by name, his face flushed with excitement. The old Party Secretary quietly tugged at his sleeve under the table, signaling him to watch his words. But Lei Dongbao didn't notice at all. He suddenly stood up, his voice loud and clear, filled with an irrepressible pride.
"Reporting to County Chief Xu! It's all thanks to the county's... well, the good policies, that they've given us poor and lower-middle peasants a way to survive!"
He wanted to speak in a more refined manner, but his words came out rough: "Back then, our Xiaolei family was so poor, County Chief Xu, you wouldn't believe it! One work point was only worth seven cents! You could work yourself to the bone all year and still not have enough to eat! Take Lei Shigen for example, he graduated from a proper county high school! He's educated, right? But so what? He's over thirty and still can't find a wife! As soon as a woman finds out he's from Xiaolei, well, she won't even let him in the door! She avoids him like the plague!"
Leishigen lowered his head awkwardly, his face flushed with embarrassment.
Lei Dongbao became more and more excited as he spoke, habitually pounding his chest with loud thuds, spittle flying from his mouth: "When I came back from the army, I realized we couldn't live like this! The villagers trusted me and made me the deputy secretary, so I'll risk everything to lead everyone forward! Things have to change! It's just the household responsibility system, right? The newspapers reported on Xiaogang Village, and if they could do it, why can't we in Lei Village? If there are problems, they'll go to jail! I, Lei Dongbao, will take that risk!"
He spoke with unwavering resolve, carrying a sense of tragic grandeur.
"Dongbao!" The old Party Secretary turned deathly pale with fright.
However, to everyone's surprise, County Magistrate Xu did not get angry after hearing this. Instead, after a slight surprise, he burst into laughter!
A loud laugh, brimming with admiration, rang out: "Well said! Comrade Lei Dongbao! That's excellent!"
He suppressed his smile, looked at the shaken old Party Secretary and the room full of stunned Lei family cadres, and his tone became extremely solemn: "You have drive! You have a sense of responsibility! You have a sincere heart for the villagers! Our country is carrying out reforms and opening up, and what we need are cadres like Comrade Lei Dongbao who dare to take risks, are not afraid to take responsibility, and have the people in their hearts! If we only seek stability and are afraid of trouble, when will we be able to let the people live a good life?"
The county magistrate's resounding and clear words echoed like thunder in the team headquarters! The old Party Secretary's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and a huge wave of joy and excitement surged into his heart, his eyes even slightly reddening—that silly boy Dongbao, by sheer luck, had managed to flatter the right person!
The other county and commune leaders who accompanied the group immediately nodded in agreement, their faces beaming with smiles, and began to enthusiastically echo their sentiments.
"County Chief Xu is absolutely right!"
"Comrade Lei Dongbao truly possesses extraordinary courage and vision!"
"The Xiaolei family is a typical example that deserves to be summarized and promoted!"
After a few rounds of drinks and a few cups of liquor, everyone became more relaxed.
The atmosphere gradually warmed up, and the initial awkwardness and unease were replaced by excitement and exhilaration.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, the old Party Secretary hurriedly urged everyone to start eating: "Eat your food, eat your food! County Chief Xu, please try this chicken, it's a free-range chicken raised on our own!"
Everyone started eating. County Magistrate Xu symbolically picked up a piece of chicken, tasted a few pieces of braised pork, and casually praised it as "delicious" and "authentic".
During the meal, he mainly asked questions, and the villagers of Xiaolei answered, to understand the specific details of the land distribution to individual households over the past year, the difficulties encountered, the villagers' real reactions, and the tangible changes in their income. Lei Dongbao and the old Party Secretary supplemented the answers, while Shi Hongwei and Lei Sibao occasionally chimed in to agree. Lei Shigen, on the other hand, buried his head in taking notes, only answering in a low voice when occasionally called upon.
After several rounds of drinks and dishes, County Magistrate Xu suddenly put down his chopsticks, looked around, and asked, "By the way, I heard that General Manager Lei of Haoran International is from our Lei family. Is he home now? Would it be convenient for me to pay him a visit?"
The old Party Secretary's hand, which was about to toast County Chief Xu, froze in mid-air, his face filled with astonishment. Lei Dongbao's chopsticks also stopped moving. Shi Hongwei, Lei Shigen, Lei Sibao, and the others exchanged bewildered glances.
They'd never heard of "Haoran International" before! Just the name sounded high-class! They couldn't figure out what connection it had with Xiaolei Village.
The old Party Secretary composed himself, forced a smile, and cautiously confirmed with County Chief Xu: "County Chief Xu...you mean this...Haoran International? And this...General Manager Lei? What's his real name? If he's really from our Lei family, I'll definitely recognize him."
Before County Chief Xu could speak, his secretary interjected, "Mr. Lei Hao, the General Manager."
"Haozi?" The old Party Secretary and Shi Hongwei exclaimed in unison.
Lei Dongbao suddenly remembered the car Yang Xun drove; it looked very high-end. Could it be that County Chief Xu was really looking for him? He began to have doubts.
County Chief Xu's face lit up with surprise: "So, General Manager Lei really is from our Xiao Lei family? You all know him?"
Lei Dongbao was puzzled by this. Why did the county head seem to value "Haozi" so much? He was just a self-employed individual.
The old Party Secretary explained with a smile, "Of course he's from our Xiaolei family. I watched him grow up; how could I be wrong?"
County Magistrate Xu was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Oh, really? Then quickly take me to pay him a visit!"
The old Party Secretary and Lei Dongbao and the others all had strange expressions, especially Lei Sibao, who was extremely embarrassed. He had reported that person more than once.
Seeing that the men looked unwell, County Magistrate Xu asked with concern, "What's wrong? Is there something inconvenient?"
Lei Dongbao licked his lips, forcing a smile as he explained, "It's not that it's inconvenient, it's just that... Haozi's parents unfortunately passed away a few years ago, and he usually spends the New Year at the Song family's house now."
County Magistrate Xu frowned and pressed further, "Is the Song family's house far from here?"
Before Lei Dongbao could speak, Shi Hongwei blurted out, "It's not far, it's also from our Shanbei Brigade, right at the intersection before the bend in the road near Xiao Lei's house."
Upon hearing this, County Chief Xu immediately stood up and asked, "Director Yang, do you know the way to the Song family's house?"
Director Yang patted his chest and said, "I know them. This family has produced two college students, and the younger brother, Song Yunhui, even ranked first in the county twice."
County Chief Xu nodded: "Then I'll trouble Director Yang to lead the way."
Seeing this, the old Party Secretary tried to persuade them to stay: "Leaders, why don't we finish our meal before you leave..."
County Magistrate Xu waved his hand: "I'll bother you again next time."
After saying that, he led his entourage outside.
Seeing that the county leaders had all left, the old Party Secretary quickly nudged Lei Dongbao, who was still standing there in a daze: "What are you still standing there for? Take the back road and follow them. See if you can find an opportunity to talk to County Chief Xu again and ask for some policy support. Otherwise, all this food we've prepared will have been for nothing!"
Lei Dongbao snapped out of his daze and quickly chased after him. He trudged through the snow, his mind racing: What big thing has Haozi done out there? Even the county magistrate is paying so much attention?