Chapter 803: 793. The weather is fantastic.

Planting apple trees is by no means an easy task, with the whole village, young and old, working from dawn until dusk. Only then was the job considered done.

Luckily, the weather was on our side today, with no sun all day long, making the work comfortable. And although it rained last night, the soil wasn’t soaked through; it was moist and easy to dig into without sticking to our feet.

It wasn’t until Song Tan was about to unload the water pump from the vehicle that she felt a sudden chill on her face, fine rain began to fall again, and it seemed to be getting heavier…

Well, now there was no need to water the trees for rooting.

People working on the mountain rushed back to escape the rain, but Song Tan lagged a couple of steps behind, her fingertips emanating Spiritual Energy, which quickly spread throughout the land, aided by the rain.

Before long, in this quiet, dark night, a hazy mist enveloped the bare apple orchard, only to be dispersed by the large raindrops and vanish without a trace.

The dormant root systems, wrapped in mud balls during transport, were spreading in the fresh soil, and the trunks and remaining leaves were breathing deeply, fighting for life. The sound of rain hitting the ground covered up this brief abnormality.

Only then did she feel satisfied and quickly headed home.

Back home, Song Tan also discussed with Wu Lan, “Mom, everyone’s been working all day without a break, should we raise the agreed wage a bit?”

Wu Lan frowned, “That’s not appropriate.”

The wage they had set was already quite generous locally, and the meals provided were substantial. If we increase it this time, we could increase it again next time, which would be inappropriate over the long term.

Moreover, the villagers didn’t work just for the money. They worked to earn a living, but sometimes focusing solely on money could make them feel belittled…

This, too, was a delicate psychological relationship. Wu Lan might not explain it, but having been deeply rooted in the countryside, she had subconsciously made another choice —

Not to raise wages, but to give bonuses!

This was something Song Tan couldn’t understand, but listening to her mother, it couldn’t be said to be absolutely correct, yet most of the time it wasn’t wrong.

So she started making phone calls to arrange things.

Now, the canteen was brightly lit, the aroma of radish tassel and lean meat soup wafted through the air, big pots of braised pork shimmered under the light, and amid a crowded table of dishes, they stood out remarkably.

A whole row of cigarettes was unpacked, and everyone, men and women alike, were given a pack. There were also beers, liquors, soft drinks…

Everyone sat there, exhausted, but after having two bowls of soup to rejuvenate, not a single person was dissatisfied!

Truth be told, this didn’t cost less than a wage increase, but as Song Tan listened to the lively chatter and laughter and even someone inquiring about job recruitment, she seemed to understand something.

Even Secretary Xiaozu came by and sighed, “I finally realize why some entrepreneurs in townships, despite offering good wages, still lack a good reputation and trust from the locals.”

It’s because they haven’t integrated into the village community.

Such “integration” seems foolish at face value.

As long as the payment is fair, who cares about these bonuses and that welfare? Some might even find it a hassle and prefer cash.

But that’s in the indifferent cities, where everyone is drifting and only money provides a sense of security.

In the village, though, this is where they settle down, their home.

This concept can’t be voiced easily, it might even seem affected, but only those who truly experience it can understand the hearts of the people.

Director Zhu sighed, “I always thought that Professor Song only knew how to do research and agriculture, he always talks about the rural character and the villagers, I thought he was somewhat old-fashioned…”

Unexpectedly, such trivial rural human relationships exist too.

Indeed, Zhang Jiuling was right: Without experiencing Lizhou County, one cannot comprehend the whole province.

However, such sighs of regret were only fleeting because soon, everyone’s attention shifted to the villagers inquiring about job recruitment requirements.

“Sancheng, what are the requirements for a permanent job at your place? Do you think I qualify?”

This was from a villager who had just downed a glass of white wine. His face was flushed red, as if he were drunk but not quite, suggesting that he usually might be too embarrassed to ask but now had mustered the courage with the help of alcohol.

Such embarrassment is understandable. Who in the village used to mention the Lao Song’s family without sighing with respect?

Whether it was sitting at a mahjong table or dining at a banquet, now they had to turn around and work under someone else. They would need some kind of stepping stone, right?

Song Sancheng was also in high spirits: “For a permanent worker, there aren’t many requirements, just that you’ve got to work whenever there’s work, basically never a moment’s rest.”

The other man caught on: “So, just like Zhang Wang’s Family, right? I can do that too! I’m only fifty-six this year!”

Fifty-six, in the countryside, is indeed still a strong working age, but Song Sancheng didn’t agree right away. Instead, he chuckled and said:

“You’d better think it through, the salary I offer is just so-so, 3000 yuan a month, and for the local villagers, we only provide meals, not accommodation.”

Compared to working for them, like the short jobs offered today for 3000 yuan a month, it certainly didn’t seem worthwhile. But short jobs weren’t available every day, and the food was so good…

Suddenly, everyone had their own thoughts.

But then Song Sancheng sighed again:

“Nowadays, everything needs registration; our family has a company too. Technically, we are eligible to buy the social insurance and housing fund for our employees, but everyone is already over the age limit, so we can’t purchase it… That’s why the family is considering, maybe we should raise the salary by another 500.”

From 3000 to 3500, it feels different to people!

Now, even more villagers’ eyes lit up.

But not right now.

Song Tan, sharp as a tack, wouldn’t be as clear about the villagers’ customs and relationships as her parents. But when it comes to arranging jobs, she certainly has her methods.

Anyway, they are not recruiting permanent workers this year.

Firstly, despite being so busy now, once the busiest times of late autumn and early winter pass, there’s nothing much to do, and everyone can only hibernate at home.

If they were to hire people now, they would be idling for at least two to three months of the winter.

Secondly, the villagers are now enthusiastic with drink and food, and they might readily agree, but when it comes to actually working hard, that’s uncertain.

In that case, it’s better to keep them hoping for a piece of the pie.

That way, when more people are around after New Year, and everyone is unable to get a piece of that pie, they would keep promising each other, and it might even stir up competition with more able-bodied villagers that could return…

This way, not only will positions be easier to allocate, but also easier to manage, and perhaps the workers will be even more motivated!

Now look at Song Sancheng, as if drunk, with his usually honest and sincere face full of sighs:

“It’s not possible right now, we don’t have money to recruit workers! All the money is spent, not a penny left, and we can’t even clear the external debts this year…”

Such sincerity and earnestness, and when you think about the roads up the mountain and the trees in the fields, who could not believe it?

So they too felt a shared sentiment:

“Indeed, having started such a large venture, even built villas, the family coffers must be nearly drained. It sounds good to talk about, but…”

To use an old saying, it’s like — a donkey’s dung egg with a shiny surface!