Chapter 267: Watermelons Sell Like Hotcakes, Deng Yunheng Becomes the President [6100 Words]

Chapter 267: Watermelons Sell Like Hotcakes, Deng Yunheng Becomes the President [6100 Words]



---

At the Deng family home.

Deng Silong, his face flushed with excitement, said, "Great-Grandfather, my mother said it was you who suggested we learn to drive. She said that once we get our licenses, you’ll arrange for us to drive the shuttle buses. Is that true?"

Deng Shirong smiled and nodded, "Of course, it’s true. I won’t go into all the details now, but if you’re interested in driving the shuttle buses, I’ll take you to the county town to learn to drive tomorrow. Once you’ve completed your training, I’ll make sure there are buses for you to drive. You can rest assured."

Although he hadn’t yet discussed it with the other clan members, his prestige within the clan was such that if he took the lead, nothing would be impossible.

That’s why he had already arranged for the clan members to learn to drive. By the time they returned, the clan’s passenger transport company would likely be up and running. He planned to hire some experienced drivers to mentor the new trainees. Once they were past their probationary period, they could handle the routes on their own.

Starting with ten shuttle buses, each long-distance bus would need at least two drivers. This would provide jobs for all twenty clan members.

Moreover, ten buses were just the beginning. To dominate the long-distance transport market in the county, they would need to expand to dozens, if not hundreds, of buses. At that point, the company could provide hundreds of jobs for drivers and ticket collectors.

"Of course, I’m interested!"

Deng Silong, fearing that Great-Grandfather might change his mind if he hesitated, quickly added, "Great-Grandfather, how much will the driving lessons cost?"

His words caused the others to look at Deng Shirong with worry. All twenty of them came from poor families. If the tuition was too high, they might not be able to afford it and would have to borrow from relatives.

Deng Shirong understood their situation and replied, "Most of you come from struggling families, especially Ah Long, Ah Hu, and Ah Bao. It’s not easy for your families to come up with the tuition for all three of you. So, I’ll cover the costs for you. You can pay me back once you start earning money after completing your training."

"Thank you, Great-Grandfather!"

"Thank you, Great-Grandfather!"

The group thanked him, their gratitude reaching its peak.

---

The next day.

Deng Shirong personally took the twenty clan members to the county town to learn to drive. He also decided to take the motorcycle driving test, as it was now 1983, and he planned to buy a motorcycle in the next year or two.

Compared to a bicycle, a motorcycle was much more convenient.

In his previous life, Deng Shirong bought a Jialing motorcycle in the late 1980s, which cost nearly ten thousand yuan.

Because of its high price, only one villager in Changtian Village had bought a motorcycle before him. Deng Shirong’s motorcycle was the second in the entire town, and when he drove it back to the village, it caused a huge stir.

At that time, it was one of the highlights of his life.

The driving school in the county town was established in 1974 as an agricultural machinery school under the county agricultural machinery bureau. Its primary mission was to train various agricultural machinery technicians for rural areas.

The school covered over 30,000 square meters, including 8,000 square meters for tractor and car training, 2,700 square meters for motorcycle training, and 1,500 square meters for parking. It had a 2,000-meter circular training road on campus.

The school had four classrooms and audio-visual rooms totaling over 320 square meters, and a dining hall and canteen of over 200 square meters, capable of accommodating more than 200 students at once.

Deng Yuntai and Bu Zhongshi had learned to drive here.

Deng Shirong, being an experienced motorcyclist, went through the motions and obtained his motorcycle license in less than half a month.

---

In Bangjie Brigade.

Since the Deng clan started planting watermelons this year, the clan members spent at least half their day tending to the melon fields. They treated the watermelons like ancestors, watching them flower and grow day by day, their eyes filled with hope.

Because the watermelons were planted on the mountain, they naturally lacked water during dry spells. The clan members had to carry water up the mountain every few days to water the plants, but no one complained about the extra work. They were all very enthusiastic.

If not for the fear of overwatering, they would have carried water up every day!

Deng Shirong’s orchard was managed by his niece and her husband, so he didn’t have to worry about these tasks. When it came to large-scale watermelon cultivation, no one in the Naye Deng clan could match the experience of his family.

With the lunar month of April approaching, Deng Shirong took some time to visit Bai Ping Farm and sign a longan acquisition contract.

This had been agreed upon last year, and their cooperation had been smooth, so he signed the contract at the same price as before.

On the same day, Deng Shirong received a letter from his second son.

In the letter, Deng Yunheng mentioned that several of his dorm mates would be visiting their home during the summer break. He also provided a brief introduction of each of his friends and noted that there might be more visitors, so he asked his father to prepare accordingly.

After reading the letter, Deng Shirong couldn't help but smile.

His second son had learned the importance of building a network of relationships at Peking University, understanding how it would greatly benefit his future career. As a result, he had been actively making friends over the past couple of years and was now one of the most socially active students at the university.

Now, with his roommates willing to travel thousands of miles to visit their home, Deng Shirong, as a father, was determined to give them a warm and memorable welcome.

First, he needed to ensure that there would be plenty of lychees for his son’s friends to enjoy. He would also need to stock up on other fruits.

For the meals, he planned to make a trip to the mountain pass to get a variety of seafood.

Additionally, he needed to arrange for electric fans. The village had only recently been connected to electricity, and he had missed the opportunity to buy fans earlier because the weather wasn't as hot. With his son's friends visiting during the hottest part of the year, electric fans were a must.

He also planned to buy a few more bicycles to make it easier for his son’s friends to get around.

In short, Deng Shirong was determined to ensure that his son's friends would have a great time and leave with fond memories.

...

Before they knew it, it was already the fifth month of the lunar calendar.

As the watermelons were about to ripen, the entire Deng clan was buzzing with excitement.

While this was the first large-scale cultivation of watermelons for most of the clan members outside of Deng Shirong's family, the communal effort had its advantages. They could share planting techniques and tips with each other.

For example, they could discuss when to fertilize, when to water, when to weed, and what tasks to perform at different times. Even if someone didn't know, there was always someone in the clan who did, and they could follow along.

Therefore, while it was impossible for every family to have a bumper harvest, most of them had a good yield, and some even had a great one.

Even those with the lowest yields still made a profit, though the amount varied.

So, as the harvest season approached, the entire clan was in high spirits.

...

On the 17th of May, it was the second birthday of Deng Yunqiang's twin grandsons.

In those days, birthdays other than the first were not usually celebrated much in rural areas. However, this year, Deng Yunqiang's family had a bountiful harvest of both lychees and watermelons, so they decided to celebrate the twins' birthdays with a feast, inviting Deng Shirong over for dinner.

Before the meal, Deng Yunqiang raised his glass and said, "Uncle Jiu, I’d like to toast to you first. If it weren’t for your guidance three years ago, our family wouldn’t be where we are today!"

Deng Shirong raised his glass and clinked it with his, smiling. "It’s not all my doing. I saw the potential in planting lychees, but there were still risks involved. Your trust in me and your willingness to take out loans to follow my advice are what led to your success."

They took a big sip of their drinks and then started talking about the lychee harvest.

Deng Yunqiang asked, "Uncle Jiu, now that the lychees are starting to ripen, when do you plan to notify the supply and marketing cooperative to come and purchase them?"

Deng Shirong thought for a moment and replied, "Let’s do it the day after tomorrow. Once we sell the lychees, the watermelons should also be ready for harvest."

Deng Yunqiang nodded. "Alright, we’ll sell them the day after tomorrow. It’s a market day tomorrow, so we can notify the cooperative while we’re there. We can also take the opportunity to inform our relatives to come and help with the lychee harvest."

After discussing the lychee sale, Deng Shirong looked at Guan Yongying, who was heavily pregnant, and said, "Aiyun, I suggest you give birth in the county. I actually wanted to suggest this when you had your first child, but at the time, your family’s financial situation wasn’t ideal, and the round trip to the county would have been expensive. But now, with the income from the lychees and watermelons, you have a few thousand yuan. Plus, I have a house in the county and a restaurant, so you can stay with us. It’s much safer to give birth in a hospital with professional staff."

Before Guan Yongying could respond, Changfu’s mother chimed in with a smile, "Uncle Jiu, even if you hadn’t suggested it, we were already planning to have Aiyun give birth in the county. We’ll be sure to trouble Uncle Tai and Aunt Tai."

Deng Shirong waved his hand. "It’s no trouble at all. We can go up a few days early."

Deng Changfu chuckled. "I’ve never been to the county before. This is a great opportunity to see it."

Guan Yongying also smiled. She couldn’t help but feel a bit envious when her friends, Zhang Xiuping, Ou Guohua, and Ou Guofang, had taken turns going to the county to give birth. At the time, her family couldn’t afford it, but now, she was looking forward to the experience.

Even before Ninth Elder started the trend, the village women never thought of going to the county hospital to give birth.

But now things are different. With Ninth Elder’s daughter-in-law leading the way, the young wives in the village dream of giving birth in the county hospital once they become pregnant. However, most can only dream about it, as very few can actually make it happen.

...

Two days later.

The relatives of Deng Shirong and Deng Yunqiang came over to help harvest the lychees. As basket after basket of lychees were transported to Deng Shirong’s house, the villagers of Naye Village gathered to watch, just like they did last year.

The process was similar, but this year, Deng Yunqiang’s family earned 2,180 yuan, a few hundred more than last year.

Deng Shirong’s family had no less lychees than Deng Yunqiang’s, but he kept at least 700 to 800 pounds for his family to enjoy and to entertain his second son’s classmates. Therefore, his family only sold about 1,600 yuan worth.

The villagers watched this scene with envy and aspiration. This year, they also planted lychee trees. If all goes well, next year they will have both lychees to eat and to sell.

After Deng Shirong and Deng Yunqiang sold their lychees, the next half month was dedicated to selling watermelons. One village would sell today, another tomorrow, and one truckload after another of watermelons would be transported through the supply cooperative to other places for sale.

Every family’s income started at 1,000 yuan, with some earning as much as 4,000 to 5,000 yuan. Such a large amount of money naturally caught the attention of other villages with different surnames. The news that the Deng clan of Naye Village was planting watermelons spread far and wide, not just within the Shuangwang region but even to other communes in Songshan.

After all, the Deng clan of Naye Village had married women from other surnames, and every woman had a family of her own. A simple mention during a family visit would spread the news.

Everyone who heard the news waited eagerly to see how the Deng clan of Naye Village would fare this year. If most families could indeed earn a lot from planting watermelons, then next year, they would also clear their hills and plant watermelons.

Now that the Deng clan of Naye Village had started selling their watermelons, it naturally drew everyone’s attention.

While the Deng clan was busy selling watermelons, schools across the country began their summer break.

...

Beijing.

A state-owned restaurant near Peking University.

A group of Guangxi natives gathered for a meal. This gathering had special significance because the president Zhao Changzheng, senior Song Yu, and the only one among them with a wife and children, Liu Shangwen, were all graduating from Peking University this year.

During the meal, everyone asked about their job placements. Although jobs were assigned by the state, Peking University graduates were the cream of the crop, and especially those favored by their mentors. Before job assignments, they would usually discuss their preferences with the individuals.

Thus, even if Zhao Changzheng, Song Yu, and Liu Shangwen were not entirely sure of their specific placements, they had a good idea of where they would be working.

When asked by the others, Zhao Changzheng didn’t hide it and revealed, “If everything goes as planned, I will be working in Tibet.”

Everyone at the table was taken aback by this.

Deng Yunheng asked, “President, is this your own choice?”

Zhao Changzheng nodded. “Yes, it’s my own choice. Our country is a multi-ethnic nation, and the minority regions offer vast opportunities. I am willing to work in a tough place to achieve my life’s value.”

Deng Yunheng immediately gave him a thumbs up. “True to form, President. You have ideals and ambition. Once you go, you’ll be like a dragon in the sea, able to fully realize your dreams and aspirations. When you soar to great heights, don’t forget us, your fellow natives!”

Zhao Changzheng laughed heartily. “Thanks for your good wishes. If that day comes, I won’t forget any of you. Besides, I’m just taking the first step. You’ll all soon be in your respective positions, and by then, I might still be toiling in the snow, while you all soar to great heights.”

Everyone laughed along, as they were all the cream of the crop and had their own ambitions for the future.

After discussing the president’s job, Deng Yunheng turned to Song Yu and asked, “Senior Song, where have you chosen to work?”

Song Yu smiled warmly. “I’ve chosen to work in Guangxi. If everything goes as planned, I’ll be in Nanning.”

Deng Yunheng slapped his thigh. “That’s great! I thought no one would be around to host me in Nanning when the president goes to Tibet. Now that you’re there, I won’t have to worry about being stranded whenever I visit Nanning!”

Song Yu said generously, “Hosting you won’t be a problem. Whenever any of you come to Nanning, make sure to let me know.”

After discussing Song Yu’s job, Deng Yunheng turned his attention to Liu Shangwen.

Before he could ask, Liu Shangwen spoke up. “I’ve chosen to work in Yulin. When any of you visit Yulin, be sure to contact me.”

The villagers all offered their blessings one by one.

As the gathering drew to a close, Zhao Changzheng cleared his throat to draw everyone’s attention. He then said, “Fellow villagers, I have already graduated and can no longer serve as the president of our school’s alumni association. So, let’s take this opportunity to elect a new president. This way, after I leave, someone can continue organizing our gatherings.”

Lin Jianjun immediately chimed in, “When it comes to choosing a new president, no one here is more suitable than Yunheng.”

Pang Feilong nodded in agreement, “That’s true. Yunheng, like Brother Zhao, is naturally suited for the role.”

Liu Xiaoman also voiced her support, “I also agree that Brother Yunheng should take over as president.”

Ding Qiulan, Sun Baoguo, and others soon followed suit, voicing their approval.

Thus, Deng Yunheng was unanimously elected as the second president of the Peking University Guangxi Alumni Association. This showed how well he had built relationships over the past two years.

After settling this matter, the group began discussing their plans for the summer.

Some chose to return home, while others decided to stay at school.

Deng Yunheng said, “A few of my roommates plan to visit my home this summer. I wonder if any of you would like to join us?”

Since his roommates would be coming along, it made sense to extend the invitation early and see if anyone else was interested.

Lin Jianjun was intrigued but shook his head, “I’d love to visit the president’s home, but since I didn’t go back for the Spring Festival, my parents would be upset if I skip the summer too. Maybe next time.”

Song Yu sighed, “I’m about to start working, so I won’t be able to go.”

Zhao Changzheng added, “Yeah, starting work means I won’t have the same freedom anymore.”

Among the Guangxi alumni at Peking University, the majority were male, but there were a few females as well. Besides Song Yu, Ding Qiulan, and Liu Xiaoman, there were also Li Guiying from Baise and Wang Limei from Wuzhou.

During the Spring Festival, the two women had chosen to return home, so they hadn’t joined the trip to see the snow at the Great Wall.

They were all in the same year as Deng Yunheng, and they got along well.

Hearing his invitation, Wang Limei looked at Li Guiying and Liu Xiaoman and asked, “Guiying, Xiaoman, shall we go together to the president’s home?”

Going to a classmate’s home was always an appealing idea, and Li Guiying was also interested. She said, “Sure, if you two are going, I’ll join in on the fun.”

Liu Xiaoman turned to Deng Yunheng and asked, “President, would it be convenient for us to come with so many people?”

Deng Yunheng smiled, “Of course, food and lodging won’t be a problem. The only downside is that, apart from a large reservoir, there aren’t many scenic spots. We can go up the mountain to pick fruits or down to the river to catch fish—typical rural activities. I hope you won’t find it boring.”

Liu Xiaoman’s eyes lit up, “I’ve never experienced rural life before. Now that you mention it, I’m even more interested.”

Wang Limei laughed, “President, count us in!”

Deng Yunheng smiled, “Alright, I’ll represent my hometown and welcome you all.”

The other alumni looked on enviously. They were all in their prime, and most of them, except for those who preferred a quiet life, enjoyed joining in on the fun. The idea of so many people visiting the president’s home was tempting, and they all wished they could go too.

However, due to various reasons, they had to miss out, leaving them somewhat disappointed.

...

Three days later.

The group of Guangxi alumni who chose to return home, along with Deng Yunheng’s roommates, boarded the train to Guangxi.

Tang Mingjie had never left Beijing before, and this was his first time on a train. Despite the various unpleasant odors in the carriage, he paid no attention.

Seeing his eager expression, Deng Yunheng couldn’t help but ask, “Brother Jie, do you find the train ride interesting?”

Tang Mingjie, looking out the window at the passing scenery, nodded enthusiastically, “Yes, it’s quite interesting. The train is much smoother than a bus, and we’ll get to see the landscapes of several provinces along the way. It’s really exciting.”

Deng Yunheng warned, “Brother Jie, I’m afraid you won’t be so happy for long.”

Tang Mingjie asked, puzzled, “Why?”

Deng Yunheng sighed, “Because we’ll be on this train for several days and nights. The food and sleep will be poor, and even using the restroom will be inconvenient. You need to be mentally prepared. We’ll just have to endure it for the next few days.”

At first, Tang Mingjie didn’t understand why Deng Yunheng used the word “endure,” but after spending a day and a night on the train, he finally understood...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end