While Brother Zhai and others were chatting idly at Wang's Restaurant, a more intense discussion was erupting at a resettlent point sowhere in the city.
"We won't farm no matter what! And we definitely won't work!"
A vagrant exuding a hooligan aura was chewing on a straw, one foot on a stool, and excitedly shouting at the vagrants around him.
This man's na was Lao Liu.
He was the vagrant who claid he would observe the rabbits for a month before deciding whether to trust them when they first ca to Chixian City for recruitnt. He also tried to stop Wang Tiejimu from signing up.
Now a month has passed, and Lao Liu looks much plumper, clearly indicating the food conditions during this period were excellent.
However, unlike Wang Tiejimu, Niba, Zhao Qianju, and many others who used their efforts to change their circumstances and lead steadily improving lives.
Lao Liu and his group did absolutely nothing during this ti, purely relying on the relief point for food, filling their bellies round and full.
Basically, textbook freeloaders.
There's no way around it; humans are such creatures that when the base number is large enough, so lazy individuals are bound to appear.
This point was perfectly proven during the era of communal dining.
Previously, the rabbits were offering relief to the vagrants with the mindset of "better to give more than let any starve," mostly.
After all, special situations require special asures, and stabilizing the people's minds was priority when the rabbits first entered the city.
From an image perspective, the troops didn't choose military control mode, even though they weren't the least bit lax in various patrolling procedures, mobility among the vagrants was still very high.
Without detailed identification, people like Lao Liu are a sure demographic to appear.
The rabbits actually knew about the existence of people like Lao Liu, but there were really too many issues to consider earlier on, hence not much energy was put into dealing with these very few freeloaders.
Even having them sign in wouldn't work; worse still, there might arise situations where the weak are bullied and impersonated.
Identity statistics like QR codes—back then all the rabbits were in combat preparation state, there truly weren't enough hands to manage these matters.
But now, with the start of the census and the coverage of electrical lines, it's foreseeable that ID cards and facial recognition technology will soon beco widespread.
By then, these freeloaders will have no chance to steal provisions.
If only Lao Liu and his people had so sense of scope or vision, at this ti, either registering for work at a factory or choosing to be allocated to a rural village would both be perfectly feasible.
Not saying which option is better, but at least it ensures a source of basic inco, and the rabbits won't purposely turn around to settle scores with them.
Yet, at this mont, Lao Liu is clearly not aware of the rabbits' determination in tidying up and planning for the vagrants this ti. He's still toying with his little calculations:
"A while ago, I, Lao Liu, miscalculated, thinking those Huaxia people were trying to cheat us, stopping quite a few people from going to the construction site.
Now I take back those words, it seems those Huaxia people are indeed the masters of the Wei Mansion; these days, it looks just like a father taking care of his sons.
But let say this, miscalculation aside, I didn't trick any of you, right?
We have been moving from place to place the past days, eating and sleeping well, worry-free.
Yes, Wang Tiejimu, that one-eyed man, indeed made a bit more money.
Not to ntion those paper... Huaxia currency, once you leave Chixian City, where else can you find a place to use them?
Without Huaxia people around, they're just waste paper!
Upon hearing this, laughter erupted around Lao Liu.
Then Lao Liu shifted his posture, crossed his legs, and said:
"So I'm saying let's just relax, sar so mud on our faces each day, and muddle through at the relief point for als.
If ever we really lack money, we can just go to any shop in the city, work as a temp for a few days, and then have plenty of ti left for so good fun, right?"
He paused for a mont, then spat out the straw in his mouth:
"Rest assured, folks, these Huaxia people wouldn't dare to abandon us!"
anwhile, as Lao Liu's group, the Sanhe Gods of the Damo Realm, were self-hypnotizing themselves.
In a relief tent five hundred ters away from them.
Tian Baoceng was holding his young daughter, engaged in an important discussion about future decisions with his wife, Cai Xiuqin, and father, Tian Liang.
Tian Baoceng was part of the first batch of workers recruited when the bicycle factory opened; he even used a QR code when he signed up.
His wife, Cai Xiuqin, went to work at the textile mill as a female worker.
"Old Tian, what exactly are you thinking? Giving up a decent worker's job, insisting on going back to farming? Have you forgotten how our family beca tenants before?"
Cai Xiuqin looked at her husband in complete bewildernt, a surge of anger rising within her. She pointed at a nearby pot exuding delicious aromas:
"Look, it's only been a few days, and we can already eat at. Isn't that enough for you?
I also heard from Director Li in our workshop that if we work here longer, there will be... work tenure bonuses, aning the longer you work, the more you get paid, with basic salaries potentially doubling!
Before I clocked out today, Mr. Huang from the union also approached , saying our situation qualifies as a dual-working family, and soon we might be allocated a staff apartnt. He asked to fill out a form for application tomorrow.
Seeing that soon we'll have money, enough to eat, and even a place to live, why are you thinking of going back to farming?"
Tian Baoceng's father, a thin, one-ard man with a face full of wrinkles, advised upon hearing this:
"Baoceng, the village is ten good miles outside the city, back and forth is troubleso, not to ntion, how much grain can you produce from farming?
These Huaxia people are capable and kind-hearted, but no matter how great they are, they can't magically make the land produce more grain, right?
This is sothing even cultivators can't do.
Heed your father's advice, don't make a foolish decision, isn't living the current life well enough?"
Seeing his wife and father both persuading him to reconsider, Tian Baoceng's brow began to furrow gradually.
For a mont, the atmosphere in the room was a bit stuffy, with only his young daughter playing unknowingly with his beard.
After a while, Tian Baoceng let out a heavy sigh.
He cautiously glanced around, then lowered his voice and said:
"That's because you don't know what I saw at the factory."
Then he motioned for his wife and father to co closer and continued:
"Our factory produces bicycles; do you know what a bicycle is?
Two wheels and a handlebar. It's sowhat difficult to learn at first, but once you get the hang of it, you can travel ten miles in less than two quarters of an hour, much easier than walking!
Huaxia people said building villages involves road construction too, so you don't have to worry about getting in and out of the village and city."
He paused, observing the surprised looks on his wife and father's faces, then dropped another bombshell:
"I have been performing quite well at the factory lately, haven't I? So a few days ago, the factory arranged for to help out at a neighboring factory.
The factory is called... the agricultural machinery factory; I heard it's set up specifically for farming equipnt but hasn't started operation due to a shortage of manpower.
Later, we helped test a device called a seeder, and the location was... oh, near the broken temple where we once ate Guanyin clay.
I witnessed with my own eyes when this thing called a rotary tiller started, the land was churned up like tofu.
Then paired with sothing called a seeder, a patch of land was planted with seeds in no ti, at a speed ten tis faster than we used to!
Cai Xiuqin heard this and exchanged a glance with her father-in-law, asking the sa question:
"Really? Is it so kind of magic?"
"It's definitely not magic, nor a magical artifact. I even sat on it and tried it once myself."
Tian Baoceng shook his head quickly and said:
"As for the year's growth issue... I heard Huaxia people have made a technological breakthrough; anyway, the seeds are supposed to be better than ours now, so yields will definitely be better than now.
And there's no need to worry about tenant rent since they don't tax.
Our ancestors have fard for generations, and those Huaxia people also told they plan to build one of the villages as so sort of new district.
So... I want to give it a try."
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