Niu Hongzhang spoke to Li Ye for a long time, from the history of arduous struggle to so-and-so's patched jacket. His words were impassioned, rising and falling with dramatic cadence. By the end, Li Ye actually felt ashamed.
Through a series of examples, Niu Hongzhang had successfully painted the image of a model cadre—hardworking, frugal, content with poverty, and wholly devoted to the public good.
People content with poverty and devoted to the public good were certainly worthy of respect. Li Ye instinctively acknowledged that in his heart.
Even decades later, whenever he saw those great figures in textbooks, Li Ye still admired and respected them from the bottom of his heart.
But Li Ye asked himself honestly: could he meet that standard? Could he become someone respected by others, like those people in the textbooks?
He would receive only 180 yuan a month, donate part of it to those more in need, and use what remained to support his entire family.
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No, he really could not. Li Ye could not do it. Forget sharing his salary with people in greater need—even if Old Madam fell down, he would not dare help her up.
Why couldn't I do it? Had my thinking degenerated?
Li Ye lowered his head and thought for a long time before finally figuring it out.
His thinking was flawed, and so was this era.
Li Ye's soul and thoughts came from decades in the future. He knew what kind of person could lead workers toward good lives in the Flower Country after the great reforms.
And although their respected forebears had been content with poverty, they had not struggled so that everyone would remain content with poverty.
They had cast aside their heads and shed their hot blood for the prosperity of the future, so