novelnext Chapter 169 Land Acquisition and Expansion Encounters Resistance
Chapter 169 Land Acquisition and Expansion Encounters Resistance
As the spring breeze of 1982 turned the outskirts of Zhangcheng green, the air hammers at Chenqing Hardware Factory roared deafeningly. Lin Chen stood on the temporary observation platform on the second floor of the workshop, watching the red-hot steel billets in the forging area being precisely shaped by the air hammers, the new lathes in the processing area cutting out even and fine iron filings, and the workers in the assembly area assembling plowshare parts in an assembly line fashion. The smile that had just appeared on his lips was replaced by a wrinkle between his brows. On the production plan sheet spread out on his desk, the words "Capacity Warning" marked in red pen were particularly eye-catching—30% of the 10,000-set export order had been completed, but the existing workshop space was already at its limit. With three new machines crammed into the original area, the material turnover efficiency had dropped by nearly 20%. If they didn't find a way to expand, they feared that the delivery date would be delayed.
"Director Lin, this is the land survey report for the suburban area compiled by Accountant Su." Uncle Wang walked in carrying a stack of blueprints, his rough fingers pointing to one of them. "We've been searching for three days, and this piece of land called 'Huangpo Ridge' is the most suitable. It's ten acres of contiguous land, all wasteland, no crops, and close to the highway, making it convenient for transporting raw materials and shipping goods." Lin Chen took the blueprints, his gaze falling on the land coordinates. The system immediately popped up a data panel: "Huangpo Ridge plot, area 6667 square meters, flat terrain, soil bearing capacity meets industrial building standards, no residential areas within 500 meters, suitable for factory construction."
This result was consistent with his conclusions from his on-site investigation. The barren hillside was collective land belonging to Hongxing Village, lying idle for years, overgrown with waist-high weeds. Villagers used it only occasionally for firewood. Lin Chen immediately decided, "Let's choose this place. Uncle Wang, you and Xiao Li stay at the factory to oversee production. Su Qing and I will go to Hongxing Village to talk to the village secretary about the land requisition." He knew that in those days, the requisition of collective land required the village committee's approval, especially when it involved the village's collective interests; there was no room for carelessness.
The village committee of Hongxing Village is located in the old ancestral hall at the entrance of the village. The building, with its blue bricks and gray tiles, exudes a sense of history, and several elderly people sat basking in the sun under the old locust tree at the entrance. Lin Chen and Su Qing had just entered the ancestral hall when they were choked by a strong smell of dry tobacco, causing them to wince. Village Party Secretary Zhao Shouye was sitting behind a table doing accounts. Seeing the two enter, he glanced at their work clothes and asked in a flat tone, "Which unit are you from? What do you need me for?"
"Hello, Secretary Zhao, we are from Chenqing Hardware Factory. My name is Lin Chen, and I am the factory manager." Lin Chen handed over a pre-prepared letter of introduction and a copy of the factory's business license. "Our factory wants to requisition ten mu of wasteland on the barren hillside west of the village to build a workshop. This is our land requisition application and preliminary plan. According to the compensation standards stipulated by policy, we are willing to pay a land compensation fee of 500 yuan per mu, and in addition, we will pay 2,000 yuan to the village as a collective development fund."
Zhao Shouye took the document but didn't even glance at it, casually tossing it on the table and slowly packing his cigarettes: "Huangpo Ridge? That won't do. Although it looks like wasteland, it's our village's feng shui treasure land, where our ancestors' roots are buried. Besides, building a factory would be so noisy, disturbing the villagers' peace. What if it pollutes the water source? Who will be responsible?" Lin Chen was prepared, pulling out a water quality test report from his canvas bag: "Secretary Zhao, don't worry. We're doing hardware processing; there's no wastewater discharge. All production wastewater will undergo sedimentation and filtration treatment. This is the water quality impact assessment report issued by the county's epidemic prevention station. As for noise, we'll build soundproof walls around the workshop; it won't affect the villagers' lives."
Su Qing added at the opportune moment, "Secretary Zhao, according to the 'Compensation Standards for Collective Land Expropriation' issued by Zhangcheng County in 1978, the compensation standard for wasteland is three to five hundred yuan per mu, and the five hundred yuan we offered is already the upper limit. Moreover, the two thousand yuan collective development fund can be used by the village to repair irrigation ditches and build grain drying grounds, truly benefiting the villagers." Having worked in finance for many years, she was very familiar with the policy provisions, and her words were clear and logical, leaving Zhao Shouye unable to find a reason to refute her for the time being.
But Zhao Shouye abruptly changed the subject, leaning back in his chair: "Policies are rigid, but people are flexible. Although the barren hillside is uncultivated, if it were transformed into terraced fields, it could yield a significant increase in grain production each year. If you want to build a factory, you need to show some sincerity. How about this: a compensation of one thousand yuan per mu, plus a tractor donated to the village. I'll discuss this with the village committee." This demand made Lin Chen's face darken—one thousand yuan per mu was double the policy limit, and adding a tractor meant that half a year's profits from the factory would be lost. This wasn't negotiation; it was an outrageous demand.
"Secretary Zhao, this demand is beyond our means," Lin Chen said firmly. "Our factory is just starting out, and all profits have been invested in equipment upgrades and technological research and development. If we are compensated according to this standard, we won't be able to complete our foreign trade orders. If the factory goes bankrupt, not only will we suffer heavy losses, but our previous cooperation with the village on waste recycling will also have to be terminated." Many villagers in Hongxing Village supplement their income by supplying the factory with scrap steel and alloy scraps, which is also a bargaining chip in Lin Chen's hand.
But Zhao Shouye wasn't buying it. He slammed his pipe on the table and said, "That's all I have to say. If you don't agree, then find somewhere else. There are plenty of villages around Zhangcheng. I don't believe you can't build a factory away from Huangpoling." He then got up to leave, clearly intending to control them. Su Qing tugged at Lin Chen's sleeve, signaling him to calm down, and the two had no choice but to leave the village committee temporarily.
As they left the ancestral hall, the elderly people under the old locust tree gathered around to inquire about the situation. Upon learning it was about land acquisition for a factory, villager Li sighed, "Factory Director Lin, you shouldn't go against Secretary Zhao. He went to great lengths to pay for his son's wedding last year and is now looking for an opportunity to make a quick buck." Another middle-aged woman chimed in, "That's right! The classrooms at our village primary school have been leaking for almost half a year, the roof tiles are all rotten, and we can't have classes when it rains. Secretary Zhao doesn't care; he's only thinking about his own affairs."
Lin Chen's heart skipped a beat, and he pressed, "Is the situation at the primary school very serious? Have you reported it to higher authorities?" Grandpa Li shook his head, "We've reported it several times. The town said they'd have to wait for funding, but the funding is constantly delayed. Secretary Zhao says the village doesn't have the money to repair it, but everyone knows he earned several thousand yuan from selling trees last year, and he used it all to pay off debts." Su Qing whispered to Lin Chen, "Director Lin, I have an idea. Secretary Zhao's demand is money, but the villagers' demand is for tangible benefits. If we can solve the village's urgent problems, maybe we can turn things around."
That afternoon, Lin Chen and Su Qing didn't return to the factory but went directly to Hongxing Village Primary School. From afar, they could see several mud-brick houses standing crookedly at the east end of the village, their roof tiles missing here and there, some even covered with plastic sheeting. Stepping into the classroom was even more shocking—the walls were riddled with cracks, several pieces of window glass were broken and covered with cardboard to block the wind, the desks were full of pits, and the children were sitting on their own small stools, their little hands red from the cold as they held pencils to write.
The principal, an elderly man with gray hair surnamed Wang, greeted them warmly upon their arrival, asking, "Who are you?" After Lin Chen explained their purpose, Principal Wang sighed and led them on a tour, saying, "This school was built in 1958 and hasn't been repaired for decades. Last winter, heavy snow collapsed a storage shed, but thankfully no children were hurt. I've spoken to Secretary Zhao several times, but he keeps saying he has no money. I'm so anxious, but there's nothing I can do." Seeing the children attending classes in such conditions, Lin Chen recalled his own experience learning to read at a rural youth settlement during his time as an educated youth sent to the countryside, and felt a pang of sadness.
Back at the factory, Lin Chen immediately convened a core meeting. When he proposed a plan to "renovate the village's school buildings for free and donate desks and chairs in exchange for normal land expropriation compensation," Uncle Wang was the first to object: "Director Lin, this won't do! Renovating the school buildings will cost at least several thousand yuan, and with the desks and chairs, the cost will be more than the benefits given to Zhao Shouye! We shouldn't go through all this trouble for a piece of land." Several other veteran technicians echoed his sentiments, feeling it was a losing proposition.
Su Qing, however, supported Lin Chen's idea: "Everyone else is calculating the economic benefits, but Director Lin is considering the long-term benefits. First, renovating the school buildings will win the support of the villagers, making Secretary Zhao's attempt to demand exorbitant prices untenable; second, many of our factory's workers are from Hongxing Village, and improving their children's learning environment will enhance their sense of belonging; third, this will also build a good reputation for the factory, making future development in the surrounding area smoother." She paused, then took out a calculation sheet, "I've calculated that renovating four classrooms, two offices, and making twenty sets of desks and chairs will cost about 3,500 yuan in materials. Adding labor costs, our factory workers can work overtime, saving a lot of money. The total cost won't exceed 4,000 yuan, which is more than 1,000 yuan less than the tractor Zhao Shouye demanded plus extra compensation."
Lin Chen added, "More importantly, education is a virtuous act. We're not just running a factory to make money; we're also doing something practical for the community. Besides, Zhao Shouye is after personal gain, while we're giving out public benefit. The villagers know what's good for them, and they'll definitely side with us." Seeing that the two men's analysis was logical, Uncle Wang and the others stopped objecting. Uncle Wang patted his chest and said, "In that case, let us handle the school building renovation! I used to be a carpenter; I guarantee the desks and chairs will be sturdy and durable!"
The next morning, Lin Chen, accompanied by Su Qing and a detailed renovation plan, returned to the village committee. Seeing them there again, Zhao Shouye assumed they had given in and smiled smugly: "You've come to your senses? I told you, discretion is the better part of valor." Lin Chen, however, didn't mention compensation, instead placing the renovation plan directly in front of him: "Secretary Zhao, we've decided to renovate the village's primary school building free of charge, including roof repairs, wall painting, and window and door replacements, and we'll also donate twenty sets of brand-new desks and chairs. We'll handle the construction team and materials, and the project will be completed within two weeks."
Zhao Shouye was stunned. He picked up the plan and flipped through it for a long time, still not understanding what Lin Chen was up to: "What do you mean? You're not going to requisition the land?" Lin Chen shook his head and said, "We'll discuss the land requisition as usual, but we won't meet your extra demands. We're willing to pay compensation according to policy standards and do this practical thing for the village. As for whether the land requisition can be completed, I want to convene a village representative meeting and let everyone vote to decide." This hit Zhao Shouye's weak spot—although he was the village party secretary, major matters had to be approved by the village representative meeting. If the villagers all supported Lin Chen, he couldn't object at all.
Sure enough, when the village representatives learned of Lin Chen's plan, they immediately erupted in discussion. Grandpa Li was the first to speak: "Director Lin is doing a good thing for the children in our village! My grandson attends that primary school, and in winter his hands are so cold he can't even hold a pen. It should have been repaired a long time ago!" Zhang Qiang, a worker from Hongxing Village, said excitedly, "We work at Chenqing Hardware Factory, and the factory manager has treated us well. Now he's helping us repair the school. Where can you find such a good factory manager? I wholeheartedly support the land acquisition!" Several previously neutral village representatives also expressed their support, and everyone chimed in, accusing Zhao Shouye of trying to extort money from them, leaving him red-faced and speechless.
Ultimately, the village representative assembly unanimously passed the land requisition resolution, and Zhao Shouye had no choice but to sign the land requisition agreement. After signing, he held Lin Chen's hand and said in a complicated tone, "Director Lin, I'm convinced. I used to always think about getting something for myself, but I never expected you to be so genuinely working for the village. If the factory needs any help from the village in the future, just let us know." Lin Chen smiled and said, "Secretary Zhao, we're all doing this for the good of Hongxing Village. Once the factory is built, it will also provide job opportunities for the young people in the village; it's a win-win situation for us."
As soon as the land acquisition agreement was signed, Chenqing Hardware Factory immediately sprang into action. Lin Chen asked the county construction team's engineers to design the new workshop, planning it according to four functional zones: forging area, processing area, assembly area, and warehousing area. He also specially reserved a vacant lot for the future research and development center. Uncle Wang led the factory's technicians to form a construction team to be responsible for the school building renovation project; Su Qing was busy purchasing building materials, and after comparing five suppliers, she ordered steel bars, cement, and timber at the most favorable price.
On the day construction began, the barren hillside was bustling with activity. Lin Chen and Zhao Shouye shoveled the first spadeful of earth together, while elderly villagers brought their children to watch. The children, with small shovels in hand, helped level the land, their faces beaming with excitement. At the same time, the renovation of the primary school also commenced. The workers split into two groups: one built a factory on the hillside, and the other repaired the school buildings. The sounds of welding machines from the factory and the hammering from the school echoed each other, creating a busy scene of spring plowing.
During construction, villagers often brought tea and snacks. Grandpa Li brought a pot of hot tea to the construction site every morning to quench the workers' thirst; the village women took turns cooking for the construction team, ensuring every meal was a balanced mix of meat and vegetables. Once, during a heavy rain, the workers worried about the building materials getting wet, and the villagers spontaneously brought plastic sheets to help cover them. Dozens of people worked together and quickly covered the steel and cement completely. Watching this, Lin Chen said to Su Qing, "You see, this is what it means to be kind to others. We do a little something for the village, and they remember it."
Su Qing smiled and nodded, handing Lin Chen a report: "This is last week's production progress report. Although some workers were diverted to construction, the remaining workers are more efficient. The completion rate of export orders has reached 50%, and we can definitely deliver on time. Moreover, we signed a long-term scrap recycling agreement with Hongxing Village, so they will give priority to selling their scrap steel to us in the future, which will further reduce raw material costs."
Two weeks later, the primary school's renovation was completed first. When the villagers saw the brand-new doors and windows, the smooth roof, and the snow-white walls, they all gathered around to watch. Principal Wang held Lin Chen's hand, his eyes brimming with tears of emotion: "Director Lin, you are truly a great benefactor to our school! The children can finally have classes in warm classrooms!" He specially had the students put red scarves on Lin Chen and Su Qing. Looking at the children's innocent smiling faces, Lin Chen felt that all the hard work had been worthwhile.
Another month passed, and the main structure of the new workshop at Huangpo Ridge was successfully completed. Standing in the newly built workshop, looking at the spacious and bright space, Lin Chen was filled with pride. The new workshop was three times the size of the original, not only accommodating existing equipment but also reserving space for five additional production lines. A new system notification popped up: "The host has completed the 'Promoting Development through Public Welfare' event, gaining the 'Popular Support' buff. The probability of receiving local support during subsequent enterprise development increases by 30%, and employee loyalty increases by 20%."
On the day the topping-out ceremony was held, Zhao Shouye and members of the village committee came to congratulate them and presented a plaque that read "School-Enterprise Cooperation, Mutual Benefit and Win-Win." Lin Chen hung the plaque at the entrance of the new workshop and said to everyone, "Today is just the beginning. After the new workshop goes into production, we will recruit more local workers, train more technical personnel, and make Chenqing Hardware Factory a calling card of Zhangcheng, and make Hongxing Village's life more and more prosperous!"
As the sun sets, golden sunlight spills onto the roof of the new workshop, reflecting a dazzling light. In the distance, the sound of children reciting their lessons drifts from the elementary school; nearby, workers are installing and debugging equipment on the construction site. Lin Chen knows that with the completion of the new workshop, Chenqing Hardware Factory will usher in new development opportunities. This story with Hongxing Village has also strengthened his belief that entrepreneurship is never a solitary battle; only by coexisting with the local community and working hand-in-hand with employees can one go further and more steadily.