Chapter 30.2

Meanwhile, Chuchu was unaware of the village’s hushed concerns over his future. At that moment, he sat with a serious expression beside Zheng Anguo. In the corner of the room, the two family geese let out indignant honks.

With so many strangers filling the room, the geese were both tense and displeased.

Everyone’s gaze naturally drifted to Qin Jianming and his brother, who had previously suffered the wrath of these fierce geese.

The boys’ patched-up winter coats still bore evidence of their past battle—their outer layers full of holes, some of the inner stuffing poking out, signs of just how brutal the geese had been in defending their home.

Despite the drubbing they’d taken, the two had still dared to return to the Qin household to steal meat, utterly heedless of danger.

Zheng Anguo glared at Qin Jianjun and his friends, his disappointment almost palpable. His gaze was hard, simmering with anger, and he held it until the boys practically melted under its weight. Only then did he turn his attention to Chuchu, softening his expression in the process.

With a somewhat gentler tone, he asked, “Chuchu, was it Wei Ling who dug that pit in your yard?” He doubted that just anyone could dig a hole that deep and suspected it might have been the work of Wei Ling, with his military background.

In truth, Chuchu had no idea.

Chuchu knew that the deep pit had protected his family’s meat, so he nodded firmly.

Seeing Chuchu’s confirmation, everyone in the hall was struck by Wei Ling’s skill.

That pit clearly hadn’t been there long, as Wei Ling had only arrived in Kaoshan Village days ago. Yet, in just that short time, he had dug a pit of such depth and width—an impressive feat that exceeded the capabilities of most.

In a place where the ground remained frozen under snow for half the year, the soil was as hard as stone beneath the snow. Digging a pit of that size in just a few days left Zheng Anguo and the others with no choice but to admire Wei Ling.

Clearly, soldiers were more formidable than they had imagined.

The Qin family’s hall was packed with people, but in Zheng Anguo’s silence, everyone held their peace as well.

Zheng Anguo looked at young Chuchu’s innocent face, hesitating with words unspoken. The child was so young; even if he wanted to discuss matters with him, there was little sense in doing so. After a moment’s thought, he simply asked, “Chuchu, when will your sister be back?”

The matter of Qin Jianming and the others stealing from the Qin household was serious or trivial depending entirely on the victim’s stance.

Everyone immediately understood Zheng Anguo’s question regarding Qin Qingman, except for Qin Lei’s family, whose faces darkened visibly.

Qin Qingman had already drawn a clear boundary with Qin Lei’s family; now, to be caught stealing from her was both a new offense and an old grievance combined. Even if she refrained from retaliation, she could still make full use of this opportunity to settle accounts.

Feeling a creeping anxiety, Qin Lei looked at Zheng Anguo, trying to convey his intentions.

“Keep your mouth shut. If I didn’t ask you, don’t speak.” Zheng Anguo said sternly.

With fewer people in the room now, Zheng Anguo spotted Qin Lei’s nervous expression immediately. Concerned that Qin Lei might say or do something to complicate the situation, he commanded Qin Lei to stay silent.

The stern rebuke sent a shiver through Qin Lei, who dared not make another sound.

Liu Sangunzi and the two Qin Jianming brothers, who had spent hours freezing in the pit, finally began to thaw in the warmth of the room. Despite recovering some feeling in their bodies, they now had runny noses streaming down their faces.

They didn’t dare wipe it away in front of Zheng Anguo, so their snot trickled down unchecked.

Chuchu, however, had had enough.

His family valued cleanliness, and he couldn’t tolerate these three letting their snot drip all over his home. Rising from his seat, the young boy looked up at Zheng Anguo and said, “Secretary Grandpa, my sister isn’t home. Could you all go to someone else’s place? I’m tired and want to go to bed.”

Only then did Zheng Anguo realize that it was indeed inappropriate for them to linger in the Qin household.

Standing up, Zheng Anguo addressed Chuchu with a gentle expression. “You’re right; I didn’t think this through. Very well, we’ll wait for your sister’s return to handle this matter. Get to bed, and remember to close up the windows and doors well, so you don’t get cold.”

“Okay.” Chuchu replied.

Chuchu obediently saw the guests out.

Just in time, the noses of Liu Sangunzi and the other two didn’t touch the ground in their exhaustion.

After closing the courtyard gate, Chuchu picked up an oil lamp and headed to the toilet. In his rush to catch the thief earlier, he hadn’t had a chance to relieve himself.

Finally, the long-held stream was released.

After finishing up, Chuchu carefully made his way back to his room.

As he passed by the well, he couldn’t resist peeking over to look down into the deep pit—it was really deep and very smooth. His brother-in-law was truly amazing.

With admiration for Wei Ling in his heart, the little boy washed his hands and crawled into bed.

The bed hadn’t gotten cold from lack of occupancy; the warmth of the heated bed surface had kept the blankets cozy, so Chuchu quickly fell sound asleep after climbing in.

Before failing to catch the thief, he’d been worried that someone might be eyeing the family’s meat, but after seeing that deep pit, he no longer had any concerns.

He was convinced that there were more pits like this in his yard and believed that tonight’s demonstration had surely intimidated others. Surely, no one would dare make a move on his family’s meat again.

With this confidence, the little boy slept soundly until morning.

—o—o—o—

While Chuchu slept peacefully at home, Zheng Anguo and Qian Xiangyang were left with headaches.

After leaving the Qin residence, they needed a location to handle the three offenders. Since it was official business, they couldn’t just use anyone’s house for the process.

“Secretary, why don’t we go to the youth center?” Qian Xiangyang suggested to Zheng Anguo.

Their village did have a youth center, though it hadn’t been used in a long time since they hadn’t hosted any new youth workers for a while. The place had fallen into disrepair, but it was fully equipped. Once they got a fire going, the room would warm up nicely; the only issue was that there wasn’t any firewood at the moment.

“We’ll get firewood from Qin Lei and Liu Jun’s homes.”

Late at night, Zheng Anguo was still pondering how to deal with Qin Jianming and his companions, and he was getting rather irritated. Upon hearing there was no firewood at the youth center, he gave his orders without hesitation.

Since the brigade secretary had spoken, that was how the matter would be settled.

Qin Lei dared not refuse to provide the firewood. He had two sons; without a fire at the youth center, they would surely freeze, and if they got frostbite, he’d be down two laborers.

Qin Shu and Qin Shi were thoroughly disappointed with their nephews, Qin Jianming and his brother, but seeing the disheartened look on Qin Lei’s face, they felt a bit of sympathy. When they went to fetch firewood, each of them contributed some from their own stockpile.

Though there had been a commotion, the bond between the families was still strong.

Yao Chunying and Li Meina, when they learned about it, didn’t say anything harsh either, only scolded the two brothers, Qin Jianming and his sibling, for being such a disappointment.

“Of all things to learn, why learn to steal?”

“And not only did they steal, but they got caught red-handed. Truly, they can’t do anything right.”

Muttering to themselves, Yao Chunying and Li Meina didn’t wait for their men to come home. Instead, they settled into bed and fell soundly asleep. Since it didn’t directly concern them, there was no reason for them to get all worked up.

The youth center, long abandoned and desolate, was not only cold but also somewhat remote. The group waited there for those gathering firewood to return.

“Secretary, Director, we were wrong. Could you please forgive us?”

Qin Jianjun wiped his nose, the snot freezing into icicles as he pleaded with Zheng Anguo. Although they had gone to the Qin house, they hadn’t actually managed to steal any meat. Things had ended in such a miserable state; maybe, just maybe, they could be forgiven this once.

“Forgive you?”

Zheng Anguo eyed Qin Jianjun and the other two with an icy glare.

“Yes… yes, Secretary. We were wrong; we truly know our mistake. We’ll never do it again. I swear.” Qin Jianjun, sensing a glimmer of hope, quickly owned up in an attempt to appear contrite.

“Why didn’t you think about that sooner?”

Dealing with these troublemakers had been such a hassle that Zheng Anguo couldn’t contain his anger. Without hesitation, he gave each of them a swift, hard kick.

Despite his age—over fifty—Zheng Anguo was still strong and fit. His kick was powerful enough to send Qin Jianming and the other two stumbling headlong into the snow. Jiang Linshan had to help pull them out, showing just how furious Zheng Anguo was.

“Secretary, calm down. It’s not worth getting this upset over these three idiots.” Qian Xiangyang intervened, trying to smooth things over.

At that moment, Qin Shu and the others returned with the firewood, and everyone worked together to get a fire going.

With the fire lit, the room’s temperature gradually rose, and everyone’s mood lifted a bit.

“Tie these three up and hang them from the beam.” Zheng Anguo ordered, pointing to the ceiling, indicating his punishment for Qin Jianjun and the other two.

“Secretary Zheng, I was wrong!” Qin Jianjun’s tears immediately began to flow.

He was terrified—utterly horrified. Though only fourteen, he had seen how the brigade had once punished so-called “reactionary scholars” and capitalists, so he knew all too well how harsh it could be to be hung up like that.

“Gag them.” Zheng Anguo commanded, not wanting to hear any more of their whining.

Zheng Anguo had a high level of authority in the village, and although Qin Shu and Qin Shi still felt some familial sympathy and were reluctant to carry out the punishment, there were plenty of villagers willing to obey his orders.

So, despite their struggles, Qin Jianjun and his companions were soon bound by their hands and hoisted up to hang from the beam.

Qin Lei, overwhelmed by both anger and anxiety, was so infuriated that he rolled his eyes and collapsed on the spot.

“Hey… hey, wake up! Come on, wake up!”

Qin Shi happened to catch sight of Qin Lei fainting and instinctively reached out to steady him. Only after doing so did he remember the awkwardness between their families. The recent fallout between them had been no small matter, and they’d both exchanged some harsh words.

“Fourth Brother, you have to help me. I only have these two sons.” Qin Lei said, clutching onto Qin Shi as if he were a lifeline. Though he had caught his breath, he now seemed entirely consumed by desperation, with tears and snot streaming down his face. In this moment, all he could think about were his two sons; his daughter, who would eventually marry and belong to another family, was conveniently forgotten.

Qin Shi found himself in a bind.

Anyone could see how furious the secretary and director were. Getting involved now felt like asking for trouble. With no other choice, he whispered to Qin Lei, “The key to this situation lies with Qingman. Her status is different now—even the secretary and director would have to show some respect.”

What he said was true.

In the past, with no real loss suffered by the Qin family, the most the secretary and director might have done was offer a bit of compensation to Qin Qingman, never resorting to such harsh measures. But now, things were different.

Qin Qingman was engaged.

And her fiancé was a regimental officer in the military.

Even someone like Zheng Anguo, the village secretary, couldn’t afford to be reckless in front of someone with that kind of standing.

Qin Lei was struck by this realization, finally understanding the root of the issue.

Wiping his face with his sleeve, Qin Lei knew what he had to do and who he needed to appeal to. But he also needed to show an appropriate attitude right here and now.

Glancing at his two sons hanging from the beam, he was filled with rage despite having spent so long pleading on their behalf. Grabbing a thick stick from the firewood pile, he began to lash out at his two rebellious sons.

Better for him to do it than for an outsider to do it.

Qin Lei didn’t hold back, and with each blow, Qin Jianjun’s eyes grew wider. His back was stinging with pain.

His father was serious.

He was hitting them with real force.

But why was he, the youngest, being hit first? Shouldn’t his older brother, Qin Jianming, be the one to get hit first?

Confused and somewhat betrayed, Qin Jianjun’s expression was filled with bewilderment as he looked at Qin Lei, his mouth still gagged.

“You little brats! How dare you steal? Are you lacking food at home? Are you short on clothes? It’s just meat—you can go without it for one meal, it won’t kill you! What have I always taught you? Don’t take what isn’t yours! Have you all been ignoring my words? Fine, you want to act out? Then I’ll beat the two of you to death myself!”

The more Qin Lei yelled, the angrier he became, and the harder his strikes fell with the stick in his hand.

This time, as Qin Lei swung the stick, it didn’t just land on Qin Jianjun—it also struck Qin Jianming. But the majority of the blows fell on Liu Sangunzi.

Since all three had committed the offense, all three were supposed to be punished.

Liu Sangunzi never expected Qin Lei to hit him.

He froze for just a second before he suddenly struggled fiercely. Why was Qin Lei hitting him? Even though he had been caught, he had accepted his punishment. But the secretary hadn’t ordered that he be beaten, so why was Qin Lei doing this? And to make matters worse, he wasn’t even being treated equally—he refused to accept it.

Refused to accept it.

Liu Sangunzi, whose mouth was gagged but whose feet were free, kicked at Qin Lei with all his might.

Qin Lei was caught completely off guard, not expecting Liu Sangunzi to fight back. He hadn’t thought that Liu Sangunzi would dare to resist. As a result, most of the blows he delivered landed on Liu Sangunzi’s body.

After all, no matter how troublesome his sons were, they were still his sons, and he couldn’t help but have a soft spot for them.

In the chaos, unprepared as he was, Qin Lei was kicked directly into the fire. The fire had already been burning high due to the cold, and as Qin Lei fell, not only was his cotton jacket burned, but his hair was also instantly singed.

The smell of burning hair quickly filled the room, a pungent and unpleasant odor.

The people standing around reacted quickly. As soon as Qin Lei was kicked into the fire, someone rushed out to save him. But despite the quick response, Qin Lei’s hat was lost, and much of his hair was singed. His face was blackened by the smoke.

The unexpected turn of events made the youth center eerily quiet.

Qin Lei’s gaze remained fixed on Liu Sangunzi, while the others stole glances at Zheng Anguo and Qian Xiangyang.

Both Zheng Anguo and Qian Xiangyang wore dark expressions.

Seeing that he had caused trouble, Liu Sangunzi struggled even harder.

He had something to say.

“Take the straw out of his mouth.” Zheng Anguo ordered when he noticed Liu Sangunzi seemed to have something to say, gesturing for Jiang Linshan to act.

Jiang Linshan quickly removed the gag from Liu Sangunzi’s mouth.

“Fcking Qin Lei, even if I’m a bastard, I accept the secretary’s punishment. At least the secretary is fair and just. But you, you piece of sht, eight out of ten of those blows were aimed at me. Do you think I can’t fight back just because my mouth is blocked? Screw you! Your two sons are just as twisted as you are. When the upper beam is crooked, the lower beam is the same.”

Zheng Anguo acknowledged his hidden agenda.

His motives, however, were not to protect the three troublemakers like Liu Sangunzi; rather, his primary concern was preserving the reputation of Kaoshan Village. Over the years, their village had gained a good name, and he couldn’t let it be ruined by the actions of these three.

Qian Xiangyang glanced sideways at Zheng Anguo, then asked, “You’re worried that young Qingman won’t let this slide?”

With a sigh, Zheng Anguo looked at the pitch-black night sky, and after a long pause, he replied, “These are different times; we can’t view people with the same old perspective. We need to respect Qingman. When it comes to deciding how to deal with Qin Jianjun and the others, we’ll have to consult her.”

“I think Qingman is a reasonable girl.” Qian Xiangyang said. “She’ll surely understand our difficult position.”

Qian Xiangyang didn’t want their village to be known for petty theft either. For so many years, Kaoshan Village had enjoyed a stellar reputation, with recognition from the township, the county, and even the province. The praise they’d received annually had brought countless benefits, not least that every year their village managed to retain a bit more food than other villages.

Though the extra grain each family received didn’t seem like much, it was just enough to ensure that no one went hungry.

Zheng Anguo understood that Qian Xiangyang’s thinking aligned with his own. The only question now was how to persuade Qin Qingman to take a step back. After a moment of consideration, he asked, “Isn’t the Women’s Director position up for reelection soon?”

Understanding immediately, Qian Xiangyang nodded, catching Zheng Anguo’s intent.

He had thought along similar lines before. “Secretary, if Qingman were still single, she wouldn’t be an ideal fit for the Women’s Director role, but now it’s perfect for her. I’m confident that once she takes on the responsibilities of this position, she’ll understand the careful balancing we have to maintain.”

“Yes, we may seem to have it easy, but we consider many complicated factors.” Zheng Anguo said with a sigh as he and Qian Xiangyang went their separate ways.

Their homes were in different directions.

—o—o—o—

Meanwhile, Qin Qingman, out in the mountains with Wei Ling, had no idea that she was being positioned as the next Women’s Director of Kaoshan Village. At that moment, she was blissfully soaking in a warm spring with Wei Ling by the lake.

The temperature of the water was just right, relaxing her completely as her pores opened and all her fatigue melted away.

In the stillness of the mountains, they could hear the occasional rustling in the forest—natural sounds that reassured her. And just knowing that the powerful Wei Ling was nearby gave Qin Qingman a profound sense of peace.

Her long hair was wrapped in a towel, kept dry and away from the water.

The lake water contained sulfur, which could affect the texture of her hair, and besides, if her hair got wet at night and didn’t dry properly, it would be a hassle.

Fortunately, during the winter, her hair didn’t get oily.

Splashing the water confidently, Qin Qingman rubbed her body, enjoying the rare opportunity of a hot spring bath. She intended to make the most of it.

From a distance, Wei Ling could clearly hear the sound of Qin Qingman splashing the water.

Each splash was a form of torment for him, a kind of silent agony. He was starting to understand why his friends, after marrying the woman they were satisfied with, never wanted to go out—when you’ve married the right wife, you don’t care much about the outside world anymore.

“Ah!”

Just as Wei Ling’s mind wandered, Qin Qingman’s sudden sharp cry pierced the air.

“Qingman!”

Without thinking, Wei Ling propelled himself forward, shooting through the water like an arrow toward her. He knew the entire layout of the lake, so even without looking, he could find Qin Qingman with pinpoint accuracy.

“Don’t come over!”

Qin Qingman’s words came just in time, but no matter how fast she spoke, it didn’t compare to Wei Ling’s urgency.

Almost as soon as she finished speaking, Wei Ling was only two or three meters away from her. Despite the darkness, the outline of her figure was still vaguely visible.

Wei Ling’s body came to an abrupt halt, and he turned his back to her.

In that brief moment, he caught a glimpse of Qin Qingman’s figure.

Now he understood why she had cried out—her towel had slipped off, and her long hair flowed freely in the water, making her look like a water nymph, beautiful beyond words.

Qin Qingman hadn’t expected Wei Ling to be so fast. Realizing the situation, she quickly crouched down, burying her body under the water.

The heat on her face was even greater than the temperature of the water.

“I… I’m done washing.” she stammered, her voice coming with the sound of water in the distance.

Wei Ling turned and left the lake.