Zhang Wenhao's expression gradually turned thoughtful. The smile on his face faded, replaced by the calm seriousness and for a moment, he remained silent.
Finally, he sighed softly, "This..." he began, carefully choosing his words, "depends entirely on whether the county leaders view your commune as foolish... or visionary."
Li Shuying frowned. She could vaguely sense the meaning behind his words, yet she could not fully grasp his reasoning.
Seeing her confusion, Zhang Wenhao continued patiently, "In truth, this matter is one of perception. Whether your commune leaders succeed or fail depends on whether they can convince others that their decision has merit." He paused briefly, "From a procedural standpoint, the county government cannot directly interfere. The state assigns grain procurement quotas, yes. Those quotas are mandatory. But the specific crop arrangements within a commune remain, at least officially, under the commune's own authority."
He tapped the table lightly, "In other words, the county government has no formal right to dictate precisely what crops must be planted."
Li Shuying nodded slowly. She understood that much.
However, Zhang Wenhao's expression soon grew more complicated, "Unfortunately the situation today is different, the state is placing increasing emphasis on wheat production. Most of it is political pressure rather than legal authority. No official punishment exists for choosing another crop. But when pressure comes from above, people naturally become cautious. If the county leadership decides to challenge your commune's decision, your commune will almost certainly be at a disadvantage."
"Why?" Li Shuying asked.
Zhang Wenhao continued, "Because your entire proposal is built upon a prediction. No provincial report or scientific survey confirms the food shortage, crop failure and draught."
He sighed, "From the county's perspective, your commune leadership is essentially abandoning established planting plans based on speculation. Even if that speculation eventually proves correct, nobody can verify it today."
Li Shuying's expression gradually became solemn. The more she listened, the heavier her heart became.
Zhang Wenhao continued, "If I were forced to guess, the county government will most likely avoid direct confrontation. They won't openly overturn the commune's authority. But will apply pressure passive pressure."
The moment those words left his mouth, Li Shuying's pupils contracted. She immediately understood. Passive pressure was often far more dangerous than direct orders. A direct order could be resisted. Passive pressure could slowly suffocate a person.
Questions, investigations, repeated meetings, political criticism and unspoken warnings. The burden would not fall upon the commune itself. It would fall upon the individuals who had made the decision.
Almost instantly, Liu Zhenshen's face appeared in her mind, then Chen Deshun. Her fingers slowly tightened around the edge of her chair.
If the county leadership decided to make an example of someone, those people would stand at the front. In this era political scrutiny was not something to be taken lightly. A single accusation of opposing state policy could destroy a person's future. A genuine sense of crisis emerged in Li Shuying's heart.
She had focused entirely on preventing the coming disaster. But she had overlooked the political consequences of acting before everyone else.
After a long silence, she suddenly raised her head, "Uncle Wenhao..." Her voice carried unusual urgency, "If what you're saying is true. Then wouldn't that place the commune leaders in danger?"
Zhang Wenhao nodded without hesitation, "Yes, it certainly would."
Li Shuying's heart sank as she spoke again, "Uncle Wenhao, do you have any way to stabilize the situation temporarily?"
Zhang Wenhao raised an eyebrow, "Temporarily?"
Li Shuying nodded, "Yes. If my estimates are correct, it will take no more than a month and half before the situation becomes obvious. Once the drought worsens and production begins collapsing elsewhere, higher authorities will inevitably realize the seriousness of the problem."
A faint light flashed in her eyes, "And when that happens, our commune's actions will no longer appear reckless, they will appear farsighted. Perhaps even visionary."
For a brief moment, Zhang Wenhao stared at her. The confidence in the young girl's voice was astonishing. It did not sound like hope. It sounded like certainty.
Li Shuying continued, "But before that day arrives, I must ensure that Commune Chief Liu and Brigade Leader Chen remain protected. They have taken a tremendous risk for the villagers. I cannot allow them to become political targets because of a decision they made for the betterment of the entire village."
Zhang Wenhao looked at the young girl seated before him. At that moment, he suddenly felt something strange. The person sitting across from him was only a village girl barely in her teens. Yet the burden she carried and the matters she worried about were things even many adults would never consider. He felt amused.
A faint smile suddenly appeared on Zhang Wenhao's face, "I think," he said slowly, "I may have a way."
Li Shuying's eyes lit up immediately, "Really?"
Zhang Wenhao nodded, "I know someone who can help suppress the matter for the time being."
His tone was calm, but to Li Shuying's ears, those words were no different from a timely rain after a long drought. The tension that had been weighing on her heart finally eased slightly, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Uncle Wenhao."
Zhang Wenhao waved his hand dismissively, "There is no need to speak so formally. Besides, it is not much trouble."
Just as he finished speaking, a sleepy voice suddenly drifted from the inner courtyard, "Li Shuying? Why are you here?"
Both of them turned. Standing at the doorway was Zhang Junyi. His hair was sticking up in every direction, and his eyes were still half-closed from sleep.
Li Shuying raised an eyebrow, "I came to see you. Is there a problem?"
Zhang Junyi scratched his head, "Not exactly." He yawned before continuing, "It's just that we agreed to meet tomorrow, so I didn't expect to see you today. But it's good that you came. I actually have good news to tell you."
Before he could continue, Zhang Wenhao frowned, "You little rascal. Look at yourself. The sun is already halfway up the sky, yet you have only just crawled out of bed. Go wash your face first. Until then, don't even think about breakfast."
"Breakfast?" The word instantly woke Zhang Junyi up. He quickly turned toward the kitchen. The rich aroma of food drifted through the house. At that moment, he noticed his grandmother moving about inside, busy preparing a meal.
Realization immediately dawned on him and his entire face lit up, "We're actually having breakfast today?" His voice rose several pitches, "Grandmother is making breakfast? Heavens! What wonderful fortune has fallen from the sky today?"
His excitement was so genuine that he nearly jumped on the spot.
Li Shuying couldn't help but smile.
Even Zhang Wenhao felt both amused and helpless. He shook his head. One was Li Shuying, a girl nearly five years younger than his son, yet mature and responsible.
The other was his own son. Almost eighteen years old, yet still behaving like an overgrown child whenever food was involved. The contrast was simply too striking. Fortunately, Zhang Wenhao restrained himself from scolding further in front of Li Shuying. Otherwise, his son's dignity would truly be swept away.
Meanwhile, back in Shitou Village, the production team's morning work had already begun. The village square beside the production warehouse was unusually lively.
Men and women carrying baskets, hoes, and shoulder poles gathered one after another to collect farming tools before heading to the fields.
And among them stood Li Guoqiang. As soon as news of his return spread through the village, countless villagers came to greet him. Many elderly villagers warmly called out to him.
"Guoqiang, you've returned!"
"When did you arrive?"
"How long will you stay this time?"
The older generation looked upon him with genuine affection. After all, everyone had watched him grow up. Many still remembered the hardworking little boy and now that same boy had become a respected military officer, naturally, the villagers felt proud.
Li Guoqiang greeted each elder politely. His posture remained straight, his expression calm and respectful.
Years of military service had added an invisible aura to him. He no longer looked like an ordinary villager. Yet he had not lost the humility that people remembered. As a result, the elders became even more fond of him.
However, while the old men discussed work and politics, the village women were focused on something entirely different.
A group of women stood nearby, pretending to wait for tools while secretly observing Li Guoqiang. The more they looked, the more astonished and mesmerised they became.
One woman clicked her tongue, "Look at him carefully." She lowered her voice.m, "Does he really look like a man with four children?"
Another woman immediately nodded, "Not at all. If someone told me he was Li Jianhua's older brother, I'd believe it."
The women exchanged glances. The more they compared him to their own husbands, the more complicated their feelings became.
Another woman sighed, "The military truly tempers a man. Just look at him, his complexion is better than most young men."
An elderly woman overheard them and immediately interrupted, "What military tempering?" She snorted, "Even before he joined the army, Guoqiang was already a fine-looking boy. Among all the children in the village, he stood out. I remember it clearly. He was thin, yes, but handsome. And unlike other boys, he carried himself properly."
One of them sighed heavily, "Chen Meilan truly has good fortune. I married in the same year she did."
She glanced toward her own husband standing among the crowd. The man's face was darkened by years of sun exposure, his skin rough and greasy from hard labor. Standing beside Li Guoqiang, he looked nearly twenty years older.
The woman couldn't help shaking her head, "Look at my husband now, then look at Guoqiang. Heavens, the difference is enough to make a person sigh."
Another woman immediately joined in, "You're not the only one. My husband is actually younger than Li Guoqiang." She pointed toward a stocky villager nearby. "But if outsiders saw them together, they'd think my husband was the older one."
"Do you know something?" One of the women suddenly lowered her voice and leaned closer, instantly drawing everyone's attention. "I saw Wang Xiuying return to the village yesterday."
For a moment, the entire group fell silent. Then several voices rang out at once.
"What?!"
"She came back?"
"When?"
The women exchanged astonished glances. After all, everyone from that generation in the village knew exactly what kind of history existed between Wang Xiuying and Li Guoqiang.
Back then, Wang Xiuying's infatuation with Li Guoqiang had been one of the biggest sources of gossip in several production brigades. Even now, years later, many people still remembered it vividly.
In those days, Wang Xiuying had openly admitted her feelings for Li Guoqiang. Such behavior was almost unheard of. Even after Liberation and all the slogans promoting a new era and new thinking, village women remained reserved when it came to matters of affection. Yet Wang Xiuying had dared to say it openly. At the time, the entire village had been shocked.
An older woman clicked her tongue, "Do you think Wang Xiuying and Li Guoqiang came back together?"
The woman who had brought up the topic shrugged, "Who knows?" Then she lowered her voice even further, "But isn't the timing too coincidental? Both arriving at nearly the same time." She exchanged meaningful looks with the others, "No wind rises without a reason."
Several women immediately became thoughtful. Another woman nodded slowly, "That might not be impossible." She sighed, "After all, Wang Xiuying is no longer an ordinary village girl. She has urban household registration now. She works in a state-owned factory. Every month she receives wages and eats state-supplied grain." Her voice carried undeniable envy, "how many people can compare with that?"
One of the women hesitated, "But Li Guoqiang doesn't seem like that sort of man. Have you all forgotten how desperately he pursued Chen Meilan back then?"
The others quieted slightly.
The woman continued, "To marry Chen Meilan, he practically wore out the doorstep of the Chen family. He did everything he could to persuade Old Chen. And don't forget, he's a soldier and soldiers are especially strict about discipline. They're taught loyalty and responsibility."
The first woman snorted, "That was years ago." She folded her arms, "People change. Besides..." Her gaze drifted toward Li Guoqiang, "Look at him now. He lives in the city as well and has seen the outside world. He meets powerful military officials every day and stays with them in the same compound. Do you think he will be able to take Chen Meilan with him there and show her to his comrades and military officials? and look at Wang Xiuying." The envy in her eyes became even more obvious, "You should see the clothes she's wearing, pure dacron."
The women collectively inhaled. Dacron cloth? That was not something ordinary villagers could obtain. Even if someone had money, they still needed cloth coupons. And those were tightly controlled.
The woman continued, "Her complexion is bright and skin is healthy. Everything about her says she's living a prosperous life. As for Chen Meilan..." The woman shook her head, "Years of hardship have worn her down. How can a village woman compare with a city worker now?"
She glanced once more at Li Guoqiang's striking profile beneath the morning sunlight.
"Men like him have choices. Chen Meilan is a relic from old society. Now the Marriage Law protects freedom of marriage and divorce. If Li Guoqiang wished to pursue Wang Xiuying and throw Chen Meilan away, nobody could stop him."
The moment those words left her mouth, the atmosphere became awkward. Several women shifted uncomfortably.
Because if Chen Meilan was being called a relic of the old society... Then what were they? Most of them had also entered marriages before libration.
Just as the atmosphere became increasingly uncomfortable, an angry voice suddenly rang out from behind, "Aunt Yufen, has your mouth become a manure pit?"
The women startled and quickly turned around. Standing there was Lu Lingmei with her twins. Her usually cheerful face was now dark with anger as she glared directly at Yang Yufen, "Doesn't your mouth get tired from spitting so much filth every day?"
The group immediately became silent, and woman stiffened. Before she could respond, another voice sounded.
"Bah!" Widow He walked over carrying a bamboo basket. Her face was filled with contempt. "Lingmei, why waste your breath?" She pointed directly at the woman, "Yang Yufen's mouth is worse than a village latrine. When the cesspit overflows, of course filth comes pouring out."
Several women immediately lowered their heads, trying desperately not to laugh. Even some of the older villagers nearby began hiding smiles.
Yang Yufen's face instantly turned red, "You...!"
Widow He wasn't afraid in the slightest. She rolled up her sleeves, "What 'you'? Am I wrong? Instead of working and earning work points you are here talking about other people's marriages. If gossip could earn work points, you'd be richer than the brigade accountant."
Several women immediately burst into laughter. Even Lu Lingmei struggled to suppress her grin.
Yang Yufen nearly choked from anger. Her finger trembled as she pointed at Widow He, "I was only discussing possibilities. Since when is talking forbidden?"
Widow He let out a sharp snort and folded her arms across her chest, "Discussing possibilities?" she scoffed. "I think you're hoping for trouble. Li Guoqiang and Chen Meilan have been husband and wife for nearly twenty years. They've weathered hardship, and raised children together. Yet here you are, already arranging a second marriage for him before anything has even happened."
Widow He shook her head in disgust, "Your heart isn't right." Then her eyes narrowed, "Tell me honestly, Yang Yufen, do you spend your days imagining every married couple in the village falling apart? Is it because your own husband is so useless that you can't bear seeing other families live in harmony?"
The words struck like a slap. The surrounding women immediately exchanged looks. A few even took subtle steps away from Yang Yufen.
Seeing the women distancing themselves, Yang Yufen nearly exploded with rage.
Her face turned bright red. She spat heavily onto the ground in anger, "Widow He, enough of your foul mouth! Just because you're close to Chen Meilan doesn't mean you can throw mud on my face. What did I say wrong? It's a fact that Chen Meilan can't compare to Wang Xiuying! Everyone with eyes can see it!"
She looked around at the other women, "And when have I ever spoken about other couples in the village? What if my man doesn't work much? At least I have a husband!" Her eyes flashed maliciously, "Unlike some cursed people whose husbands died early."
Several women frowned. Even Lu Lingmei's expression darkened.
But Widow He was not someone who could be bullied, "Who are you calling cursed?" She took a step forward, "It should be you who's cursed! At least I gave birth to children." She swept a contemptuous glance over Yang Yufen, "And what about you? You have a husband, yet he might as well not exist. And no children of your own, a barren hen which doesn't lay egg."
The women immediately burst into laughter.
Yang Yufen's face alternated between red and white. For a moment, she couldn't find words to retaliate.
Widow He, however, wasn't done, "And who told you Chen Meilan can't compare to Wang Xiuying?"
A strange smile suddenly appeared on her face. The memory of Chen Meilan's sudden transformed appearance flashed through her mind.
For a brief moment, she almost wanted to laugh. If these women saw Chen Meilan now, Forget comparing her to Wang Xiuying. The entire village would probably lose sleep from shock. Unfortunately, she couldn't reveal that secret, not yet. So she merely snorted and kept her thoughts to herself.
Yang Yufen's blood pressure nearly shot through the roof. Her finger trembled as she pointed at Widow He, "You... You..." For a long moment, she couldn't force another sentence out.
Finally, she gritted her teeth and spat viciously, "Fine! Just you wait! One day you'll see it with your own eyes, when Li Guoqiang throws Chen Meilan away, and she won't be any better than an old widow like you."
Several women immediately frowned. The words were simply too harsh. Before anyone could respond, however, a sudden commotion erupted near the production warehouse.
The crowd shifted and everyone instinctively turned their heads. In the distance, a slender figure was slowly approaching along the village path. The morning sunlight fell upon her neatly pressed clothing.
And unlike the coarse homespun garments worn by most village women, the fabric she wore was clearly of much finer quality.
The moment the women recognized her, their expressions changed. Some widened their eyes, others exchanged meaningful glances.
The approaching figure was none other than Wang Xiuying.
Countless pairs of eyes shifted simultaneously from Wang Xiuying to Li Guoqiang standing near the production warehouse and the atmosphere instantly became strange.