60: Chapter 60 Roads Lead to Prosperity

"Township Head Li, how much of a loan can a poverty-stricken household like mine get?"

"Director Du, does the loan require collateral?"

"When does the technical training start?"

...

Questions came one after another, and the scene briefly spiraled out of control.

Li Dakang patiently answered every question, sweat soaking through his shirt.

Additionally, Li Dakang emphasized that loans were not available to just anyone; three conditions had to be met: first, no prior criminal record; second, a good reputation in the village; and third, the most important one—being hardworking and willing to put in the effort.

"Raising livestock is hard work; lazy people can't do it!"

Li Dakang said half-jokingly, drawing a burst of laughter from the villagers.

Subsequently, Li Dakang instructed the village cadres and villager representatives to go back and publicize the policy door-to-door.

Villagers who were willing and met the criteria could first register in the village, and the village would collectively report to the Township Government.

Once the Township Government had tallied the number of people and the funding requirements, they would notify the Credit Cooperative to release the funds.

Meanwhile, in the security room of the Bean Products Factory, Qi Tongwei was arranging the duty roster.

The three people he brought were his trusted confidants from the Police Station: auxiliary police officer Xiao Wang and two Joint Defense Team Members, Old Zhang and Officer Da Liu.

These three usually followed Qi Tongwei around, so when a good opportunity arose, he naturally thought of his own people.

"Officer Qi, this is the floor plan of the factory area."

Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian enthusiastically handed over a hand-drawn map: "I've already had people clear out the warehouse on the west side; you can stay there. As for meals, just eat in the canteen with the workers."

Qi Tongwei carefully examined the drawing, marking it with a pencil from time to time: "Party Branch Secretary Zheng, we will patrol in shifts 24 hours a day, with a focus on protecting the raw material warehouse and the production workshop. Please rest assured!"

Village Party Secretary Zheng Yaoxian smiled from ear to ear: "With you here, I feel much more at ease!"

He lowered his voice: "Township Head Li has given instructions to provide each of you with a monthly subsidy of forty yuan, and as the team leader, you will receive eighty, just as a token for your hard work."

Eighty yuan!

That was equivalent to more than half a month's salary.

A warmth spread through Qi Tongwei's heart, and he became even more determined to protect the Bean Products Factory well.

At dusk, the afterglow of the setting sun spilled over the factory buildings of the Bean Products Factory.

Qi Tongwei stood at the main gate of the factory, watching the workers head home after their shift, chatting and laughing.

He knew that what he was guarding was not just this factory, but the hope of these villagers to shake off poverty and become prosperous.

"Team Leader Qi, dinner is ready!" Xiao Wang shouted from a distance.

Qi Tongwei straightened his police uniform and walked toward the canteen with firm steps.

A new task, a new beginning; he secretly resolved to do this job to the best of his ability.

...

Time flew by like a white horse passing a crack in the wall; in the blink of an eye, the end of the year had arrived.

For Guantian Township, these few months could be called a period of earth-shaking, monumental change.

The morning sun shone on the newly built concrete road, reflecting a dazzling light.

This main road connecting Guantian Township and the county town had been successfully opened to traffic.

Even more exciting was that the roads from the streets of Guantian Township to other villages were also under intensive construction, with the roar of machinery echoing through the valleys.

"Old Zhang, have you heard? Township Head Li says that next year we will realize the Village-to-Village Connectivity Project!"

Uncle Wang leaned on his hoe and said to his neighbor Old Zhang, who was working in the field.

"Really? Are you sure?"

Old Zhang straightened his back and wiped away some sweat: "Think of how much money that must cost!"

"Hey, don't you know?!"

Uncle Wang lowered his voice mysteriously: "That Bean Products Factory in Zhengjia Village can now earn over seven hundred thousand a month! The Township Government gets to take half, and Township Head Li has said that all this money is to be used for road construction!"

Conversations like this could be heard everywhere in the fields and farmlands of Guantian Township.

The villagers looked at the roads under construction, their eyes shining with the light of hope.

In this era, even in the developed rural areas along the coast, it was rare to have achieved the Village-to-Village Connectivity Project.

If Guantian Township could really achieve it, it would surely become a major highlight of Jiang Province.

And what supported this grand plan was precisely the astonishing development of Guantian Township over these past few months.

The Zhengjiacun Bean Products Factory had completed a magnificent transformation, expanding from the production of simple tofu into a bean product processing enterprise with a rich variety of goods.

Walking into the factory, the air was filled with the rich aroma of beans, and the workers were busy on the assembly lines.

Besides traditional tofu, there was a dazzling array of new products such as golden yuba, bean skin as thin as cicada wings, and savory fermented bean curd.

"This batch of premium gift boxes is to be sent to the provincial capital; the packaging must be meticulous!" the workshop director urged loudly.

Under the suggestion of Li Dakang, the Bean Products Factory had developed high, medium, and low-grade packaging to meet the needs of different consumer groups.

In particular, those exquisite gift boxes had become fashionable gifts for visiting relatives and friends.

Market demand expanded like a snowball.

Nowadays, the Bean Products Factory produced one hundred thousand jin of fresh tofu alone every day, supplying schools and enterprises in Xinying City and the surrounding areas.

Other bean products were in even higher demand, with orders already lined up until after the Spring Festival.

The factory had been expanded three times, and the number of workers had surged to nearly two thousand.

"I can earn over a hundred yuan a month!"

The new female worker Xiao Cui said excitedly to her family: "It's much better than working in the city!"