After years of hard work in the city, Zhang San finally saved a small amount of savings and decided to return to his hometown to visit his parents. Taking the long-distance bus back to his hometown, Zhang San took a deep breath of the air of his hometown as soon as he got off the bus.
Turning around and walking into the village, I saw several pale-faced old men chatting on a stone bench not far from the entrance of the village.
Zhang San stepped forward to greet the old man, it turned out that he still knew Zhang San, and talked about Zhang San's naughty behavior when he was a child. Then the old man sighed to himself, saying that everyone was equal in the era of the big collective, and the power was too strong, and it was much more comfortable than the current days of working alone.
Several other old people also echoed the words, people's hearts are not ancient, and today's young people think about making quick money all day long, and it is not as good as they can endure hardships at that time.
Zhang San's words aroused the dissatisfaction of several other old people. An old man in a straw hat looked up at Zhang San's brand-name clothes and sneered: "Boy, I haven't seen you for a few years, but I can afford to wear money."
Zhang San explained: "Uncle, I don't look down on everyone, I just want to say that life today is indeed much better than in the past. As he spoke, he pulled out a passbook from his purse, and the numbers on it made several old men gasp.
Zhang San continued: "I bought a three-room house in the city, as well as a bicycle, and I can save tens of thousands of yuan a year. If it is in the collective, these are extravagant expectations. My children can also go to key high schools and universities in the future, and have a better life.
Several old men nodded silently, and had to admit that what Zhang San said was reasonable. Indeed, in the collective, everyone lived in a straw hut, and they had to rely on ox carts to travel, and the future of their children was bleak.
Now that living conditions have improved, there is more hope.
"So, it's not that I look down on the collective, but that life is objectively better now, that's a fact. Zhang San said sincerely.
Zhang San hurriedly explained: "Uncle, I have no hatred for the rich, everyone was working in a collective back then, and I was also a farmer, how could I hate the rich?"
"Then how good do you say your life is now?" The old man does not forgive.
"Isn't that true? Like you, I want to be nostalgic for the days of the past. But let's be realistic. Zhang San patiently persuaded.
Another old man interjected, "Sanzhang, we also heard what you said. But we old bones are really reluctant to live that collective life.
Zhang San heard their hearts, was silent for a moment and said, "I understand your feelings.
Zhang San's proposal surprised several old men, but they didn't expect this young man to be so good. The old man in the straw hat thought for a while, raised his head and said, "Xiao Zhang, I see that what you said is reasonable.
Zhang San saw the old people and said, "My original intention was not to joke. Since everyone thinks that collective production is good, then you can really give it a try. ”
"Good young man, it's decided! There are still Lao Chen and Lao Li in our village, I'll go and talk to them!" The old man in the straw hat lit up and said expectantly.
Several old men stood up happily, looking at their backs leaving, Zhang San thought silently in his heart: Try this time, you will know what is really good. The collective production of the past is no longer feasible in today's society.
A few days later, those families really carved out dozens of acres of land and reorganized themselves into a small collective. At the beginning, everyone was highly motivated, and they worked together to grow staple crops such as corn and wheat.
However, the good times were short-lived. It's only been a week, and the faces of several old people are not quite right. It turned out that there were some misunderstandings in the specific work assignment, some people thought that they were assigned more work, some people felt that others were lazy, and most of their enthusiasm disappeared at once.
Gradually, these old people began to secretly calculate each other. Zhang San's parents complained to him that they had done a lot of work for nothing, but they got as much rations as others.
It didn't take long for this small collective to exist in name only. Several families have again worked separately, and the responsibility system of individual family contracting has been implemented again.
When Zhang San saw this scene in the village, a sense of relief rose in his heart. Perhaps the years of hardship and hardship have long become a beautiful symbol in the memory of the elderly, but the times and reality cannot be overturned after all.
The failure of that collective production was a wake-up call for several old people. They finally realized that the times and the mode of production had changed dramatically, and that the days of the big collective were gone.
One day, Zhang San passed by the village and saw the old people sitting on the stone bench chatting again. When they saw Zhang San, they took the initiative to beckon him over.
"Xiao Zhang, what happened last time really made you laugh. The old man in the straw hat said with some embarrassment.
Zhang San waved his hand: "Uncle, you are polite, I have also experienced a similar lesson." Our older generation may have too deep memories of the past. ”
"It's our old fools. Another old man answered, "It's still true that I'm working alone like this now." It's not like we were back then, worrying about others taking advantage of us every day.
"Actually, I can understand your feelings. It's just that the times are advancing, and we have to adapt to it. Zhang San said compassionately.
Several old men nodded heavily. Indeed, only those who are lazy and treacherous will still yearn for a backward collectivized life in modern society.