Chapter 384: Looked Down On
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“In addition to the houses, there were also many experimental fields that seemed to be planted with new varieties. In addition, a few new factories were built. Other than newcomers like us who are here for our permanent ident.i.ty cards, there are also many old residents in the base who are partic.i.p.ating in the collective labor. The base will give them rations every day.”
Du Yue suddenly realized something. “You mean there’s no currency in this base?”
“Yes, there’s no currency in this base. Everyone exchanges things for things. The remuneration for labor is also in the form of materials. Different resources are distributed according to each person’s workload. You can come and go as you wish.”
“Barter!” Du Yue could not help but sigh. “Although this system is a little old, I think many people prefer this way of life.” If there was a common currency, they would have to worry about the price of food. If they used grain as currency, there would naturally be no such concerns. As Du Yue spoke, the gray gate in front had already opened. He Xing drove in and parked the car in the parking lot.
The gatekeeper was an old man in his 60s who looked a little thin. The old man closed the gate and led them inside. “Do the three of you know any techniques? Let me see what kind of work I can arrange for you.”
He Xing thought for a moment. “The three of us don’t have any skills.”
The old man was speechless. He looked at He Xing in surprise. He had been working here for a long time, but this was the first time he had seen someone so proud of not having any skills. The old man looked at them with a probing gaze. “If you don’t know anything, you can only go and help those plowing the land at the other end of the experimental field over there!
…..
“Those few plots of land are to be planted with new species, so you have to be more meticulous when plowing the land. You have to pick out all the gravel and gra.s.s. Quality is the prerequisite, and quant.i.ty is not to be underestimated. Each of you has to plow one mu of land every day. That means you have to plow three mu in three days…”
“Wait a minute!”
The old man was interrupted and looked at He Xing unhappily. “What is it?”
“Does the base distribute tools for plowing? Or do you want us to rely on our hands?”
“Hands? Don’t joke around. With your tender skin, you won’t be able to dig up an acre of land even if you were to turn it over.” The old man glanced at the three of them. “We use shovels and hoes.”
The three people who were looked down on felt insulted.
After walking for a long time, the old man stopped and pointed at a sign by the roadside. “Do you see the numbers on it? Every plot of land is marked with a number. Each plot of land is one mu. The three of you will plow from Field No.
90 to Field No. 92 today. You have to look at the number plate when you plow. If you plow the wrong one, you’ll be working for others for nothing.”
Hearing this, Du Yue could not help but ask, “What if someone deliberately switches the number plate?”
The old man did not answer. Instead, he turned around and led them back. When they came here earlier, they had pa.s.sed by three houses, but no one paid much attention to them.
Now that the old man had led them in, they realized that this was an office. There were several large electronic screens hanging on the walls of the house. On them were small red and green grids, each grid numbered. Du Yue understood what was going on after taking a few glances.
The small grids were probably the experimental fields outside. At this moment, the old man said, “Give me your ident.i.ty cards.”
Du Yue and the other two handed him their ident.i.ty cards, and he swiped them on the card machine. On the screen, the green fields numbered 90 to 92 instantly turned red. “It’s already registered. As long as you don’t go to the wrong place when you work, you won’t let others reap the benefits.”
After the man finished speaking, he returned their ident.i.ty cards to them. “Everyone will receive a tool. You can choose whatever you want.”
There were only a few types of tools. The three of them took three at random and asked for three baskets. Carrying a basket on their backs and a hoe on their shoulders, they walked into the countryside.
After walking for a while, they finally arrived at Field No. 90. One mu of land was about 667 square meters. If there was a tractor, it could be done in less than half an hour. However, it was difficult for even a skilled old farmer to plow a mu of land in a day..