"Whatever we do, they do. They copy me every day, and when they can't figure something out, they come running over to ask," Xie Yundong complained to Li Long in the Purchasing Station's reception room. "Those two cooperatives really don't know a thing."
"It's not that they don't know. They're afraid of getting it wrong," Li Long said, getting straight to the real reason. "Our cooperative succeeded last year. This is their first time, so naturally they're worried it won't work out. We farmers depend on this one harvest for the whole year. If they really botch it, wouldn't they be furious?"
So, despite all their big talk when they set up their cooperatives, saying anyone could do it, things were different now.
When it came to actually putting it into practice, they were extremely cautious, unwilling to make even a single mistake.
That was perfectly normal.
"I came to pick up agricultural supplies today. Just watch. Once I get back, they'll definitely ask what I bought and how much I'm using per mu. Once they've worked it all out, they'll come over tomorrow and buy exactly the same things."
"That's fine. Let them buy it. I'm the one making money anyway." Li Long smiled. "Still, tell them what they need to know. We can't just stand by and watch their farming go wrong."
"Don't worry about that. We're all from the same team. I wouldn't do anything underhanded. They just want to make money too, but... heh." Xie Yundong chuckled without finishing.
In fact, both he and Li Long knew that even if the others copied everything they did, they still wouldn't achieve the cooperative's results by the end of the year.
For one thing, they had reclaimed their land in a rush. Their alkali drainage ditches weren't very