Carrying a Jurassic on me
Chapter 1198 - 601 Incognito Visit_2

Chapter 1198: Chapter 601 Incognito Visit_2

During the busy farming season, the tractor hauled the stone rollers to the threshing ground, carried straw and grain, ploughed and sowed the fields, and when there was a drought it pumped water to irrigate the land. It also served as a means of transportation during holidays and festivities, and in idle times it could even haul bricks and sand to make some money—these were the basic functions of the tractor.

Not only that, but the tractor could also be modified, like Ma Yongming’s construction crew’s excavator and Douzi Car, which were made just like that.

Beyond that, serving as a power source for some machinery was also a basic use for tractors. These days, quite a few agricultural machines could be powered by tractors, like the threshing machine being used in the field right now.

Hearing Assistant Meng’s words, Secretary Niu quickly pulled out a mobile phone—although mobile phones this year were still quite expensive, they’d become smaller and smaller, with more and more functions. Of course, the signal had gotten much better as well.

Seeing that Secretary Niu was preparing to inform the car ahead, Assistant Meng said with a smile, "Just let them wait up front, it’s fine if just the two of us go down."

As soon as Assistant Meng got out of the car, he walked up to the people in the field who had become somewhat unsettled by the sudden arrival of their car, "Folks are busy here!"

A group of workers looked at each other, and after a moment, one person stepped forward and asked, "Do you need something?"

Assistant Meng waved his hand, "Keep busy, I just saw that you have a threshing machine here and came down to take a look. It must be quite convenient with this thing, huh?"

As he spoke, he looked at the threshing machine with considerable interest, ignoring the flying bean pod skins and just stood there watching.

Seeing that he was really just there to look around, everyone gradually loosened up. Although they were still a bit uncomfortable, they resumed their work.

"Folks, is the thing convenient to use?" asked Assistant Meng casually to someone nearby while watching.

"It’s convenient, alright, but it doesn’t work very well, doesn’t thresh cleanly. We have to throw it back on the road later..." blurted out a woman who was busy at work.

Immediately, a man beside her pulled at her, stopping her from continuing about throwing it on the road to be run over by cars, and scolded in a low voice, "What are you saying? If it’s not good, don’t use it. Throwing it on the road... If you don’t know what to say, then don’t talk nonsense..."

Then, turning back to Assistant Meng, he said with a naive smile, "It’s very useful, really useful."

Secretary Niu managed to keep a poker face, but inside he was torn between laughter and tears.

Next to them, two walk-behind tractors were rumbling. These people, accustomed to working alongside noisy machinery, had involuntarily raised their voices. Even though they thought they were speaking softly, Assistant Meng and Niu—and probably even the people who hadn’t gotten out of the vehicle—could hear everything.

Assistant Meng’s expression didn’t change, still beaming with a smile, "What’s there that can’t be said? I’m also from the countryside. Has this year’s flood been severe here? How’s the harvest?"

The man, upon hearing this, looked relieved, "Our part is fine, the land’s higher up; it wasn’t flooded. The east side..."

He was cut off halfway by a younger man pulling at him, prompting him to clam up quickly.

Then the young man took over, "The harvest is not bad at all; it’s good indeed!"

It was really bittersweet. They were all farmers, suddenly seeing people in a car coming over, and knowing that high officials would visit today, so they were all a bit nervous seeing Assistant Meng and Secretary Niu.

But as nervous as they were, you’d wish they’d be a bit more discreet about their ’little acts’! Do they think everyone else is blind?

Assistant Meng and Secretary Niu pretended not to see, just happily chatting about this and that.

After a while, taking advantage of someone coming over with an oil can to refuel the two tractors, Assistant Meng finally asked, "It looks like you all know that leaders are coming down today, right?"

Thanks to Assistant Meng’s consistently good attitude, and because talking about farm work was familiar territory, the crowd had already relaxed. Hearing his question, someone immediately answered, "We know, we know. You... you are the leader, right?"

Assistant Meng didn’t mind and replied without flinching, "I’m not the high official, I’m just a legwork-doing assistant. The big bosses don’t take us along when they travel; us little guys just run around and have a look."

This was no lie, after all—the ’high official’ Assistant Meng referred to was probably the kind that went on overseas ’visits.’ And he was indeed an assistant—an assistant inspector!

Consequently, someone with a mouth unguarded by their brain immediately muttered, "That explains it! I was wondering how a high official could be so unpretentious! Turns out..."

Turns out it’s just an assistant, right?

The field had just quieted down, and these people, thinking they were whispering quietly, were actually loud enough for everyone to hear—but even Secretary Niu was calm. He just couldn’t be bothered to mock them. Just let them say whatever; nothing is too outrageous for them to say, apparently.

The one who had spoken seemed to realize something was off and quickly went to grab a teacup, scooping up a bowl of tea for him, "Have some tea, leader..."

Adding one more sentence, "The cup’s clean, I have just rinsed it!"

It was a chipped enamel iron tea cup that was hardly presentable, but you could barely make out the words "Tanghe County Fertilizer Factory Union" on it.

Assistant Meng didn’t mind and took it to drink. After a couple of sips, he commented, "This is Sophora Flower tea, isn’t it? Refreshing and thirst-quenching, good stuff!"

"Right, right, right, the leader is truly knowledgeable," complimented the one with the tea, raising his thumb dramatically, probably thinking this was a form of flattery.

Assistant Meng took a few more sips, then appeared to ask nonchalantly, "You’re all busy, won’t the leader’s inspection interrupt your work? I see you’ve even watered the road here!"