Chapter 51.2: Director Zhao goes against the wind and commits a crime

The Yu cousins exchanged a glance and obediently went to help.

On Wang Yinghui’s roof, Zhu Jianyi saw two more people joining in and snickered, “Caught two more foolhardy laborers.”

“If you’re a laborer yourself, you shouldn’t mock other laborers,” Yu Ling retorted before picking up a shovel to mix mud.

Zhu Jianyi squatted there slacking off, watching the two people talking in the courtyard across from them. He nudged Zhao Feng and asked, “What do you think they’re talking about? Could your sister and that Fu Zhiqing be…”

Zhao Feng grabbed a lump of yellow mud and hurled it at him, hitting him squarely on the forehead.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Zhu Jianyi panicked and grabbed the wooden beam on the ridge, yelling in shock, “Zhao Feng, what the hell?!”

Hearing the commotion, Zhao Ke turned to look at them.

Zhu Jianyi immediately quieted down and lowered his head.

The mud on his forehead fell onto the roof, and he started smearing it around to cover up, muttering as he did, “I was just curious, okay? Aren’t we brothers?”

Zhao Feng was annoyed. “Being brothers is exactly why you shouldn’t gossip about my sister. If we were on the ground, I’d beat you up right now.”

“What, do you think I’d have bad intentions toward our Jie?”  

“She’s my Jie, not yours!” Zhao Feng threw another small lump of mud at him. “My Jie isn’t sneaky or underhanded, and you’re talking nonsense!”

This time, Zhu Jianyi was ready and dodged it. “Alright, alright, I won’t say anything anymore, okay?”

Young boys always liked to imagine things when it came to interactions between men and women.  

However, the conversation between Zhao Ke and Fu Hang was entirely proper—so proper that there wasn’t even the slightest room for wild speculation.

“You want to organize the young people in the village to dig a canal?”

“Yes.”

In the novel, Shuangshan Commune’s various production teams suffered from different levels of flooding.

To the novel’s plot, the heavy rain was merely a disaster used to drive the story forward. But for Zhao Village, the damage it could cause would be irreversible.

Zhao Ke had thought about how to minimize the damage.

She could use Shu Gen’er’s words to predict the heavy rain. But first, she didn’t want to wear down Shu Gen’er, and second, even if she did issue a warning, the village might not take it seriously.

Hadn’t she already explained during the house repairs that the heavy rains would cause damage?  

She had made it very clear, and there were past examples to prove it. Yet unless disaster personally affected them, people always held onto hope and dismissed concerns, thinking she was worrying unnecessarily.

“It won’t happen.”  

“How could that be?”  

“You’re overthinking.”  

“….”

Zhao Ke had heard these dismissive comments countless times in recent days.

Given how difficult it had been to mobilize people just for house repairs, if she proposed digging a canal now, she would undoubtedly face resistance. Instead of wasting time persuading the older villagers, it was better to leverage her influence among the younger generation and just start doing it.

She squatted down, picked up a stick, and sketched a simple map of Zhao Village.

“During the rainy season, this area always floods, and the water has nowhere to go.”

She drew a large circle around the clinic and village school, pointing at it. “I remember when I was a kid, one year it rained so heavily that my grandma’s house was submerged. We dug a ditch to try and drain the water, but it wouldn’t flow out and even backfilled.”

Fu Hang guessed, “Could this area be the lowest point in the village?”

Zhao Ke nodded.  

When walking around normally, it wasn’t very noticeable, but upon closer observation, this area was indeed lower.

“The same happens in the fields—they flood too.”

She continued drawing the surrounding village.  

After observing for so long, she had memorized the terrain. Quickly, she mapped out every plot of land under Zhao Village’s production team.

For each plot she drew, she briefly explained its conditions to Fu Hang.

Fu Hang stared at the ground, his gaze growing more focused.

Despite its name, Shuangshan Commune wasn’t mountainous—it was mostly flat plains. Mountains didn’t flood, but plains did.

Zhao Village’s farmland wasn’t all connected—it was scattered in separate plots around the village.

In the novel, when Zhao Ke read about the “heavy rain,” her first thought was house repairs. Then she thought of digging a canal.

Flooding, digging canals, and flood prevention—these thoughts came naturally. But the villagers didn’t seem to have this awareness. When their fields flooded, they just accepted it. If they lost their harvest, they could only consider themselves unlucky. It was as if they firmly believed farming was purely dependent on the heavens—if the heavens granted a harvest, they’d reap it; if not, they had no solutions.

Some fields had even been abandoned in the past because of severe flooding.

Even though everyone worked tirelessly from dawn till dusk like an old ox, toiling away with such hardship, they earned very little.  

Zhao Ke didn’t know how to farm, and she wasn’t entirely sure she was right. After speaking until her mouth was dry, she asked Fu Hang, “Fu Zhiqing, do you think it’s possible to build a drainage canal for the village and the fields?”  

“If I said it wasn’t, would you give up?”  

Zhao Ke was silent for a moment before shaking her head. “No.”  

Success or failure, they had to try first. Taking action would yield results—if not success, then at least lessons learned. But if they did nothing, nothing would change.  

Fu Hang smiled, his eyes shining.  

In fact, it wasn’t just Fu Hang—many people were lost in uncertainty. Zhao Ke was like a streetlamp in the darkness, not blazing, but bright enough to stand out.  

She moved forward with clear direction, naturally inspiring hope in others and leading them to follow.  

Fu Hang asked, “How long will the project take? How many people can be involved?”  

“A month, about twenty people.” Zhao Ke paused, reassessed her current standing in the village, and said with more confidence, “About thirty people.”  

Though she said a month, that time would only be available outside of work hours.  

Fu Hang looked at the sketch on the ground and considered it carefully.  

The drawing was a mess, but he had a good memory. He remembered every step Zhao Ke had drawn and could form a rough image in his mind. He could even mentally construct a clearer layout, revising and refining it repeatedly until the shortest and most efficient drainage route emerged.  

To be thorough, Fu Hang said, “It’s worth a try, but I’ll need to walk the area and take some measurements.”  

Zhao Ke’s face lit up. “You can borrow my bicycle. If you need anything else, just let me know.”  

Fu Hang’s lips curled slightly. “Alright.”  

Having settled things with Fu Zhiqing, Zhao Ke headed straight for Zhao Yunyun’s house.  

Meanwhile, in Wang Yinghui’s courtyard, the Yu brothers watched as she completely forgot about them. They exchanged glances before resigning themselves to keep working diligently.  

Little Song Wenrui, however, was dashing back and forth in the yard. One moment, he’d ask one brother, “Do you need some water?” The next, he’d ask the other, “Need any help?”  

Though no one needed him to do anything, he still buzzed around like a little bee, happily running about.  

—At Zhao Yunyun’s house—  

The moment Zhao Ke arrived, Zhao Yunyun sneered, “I thought someone had made new friends and forgotten about her old sisters!”  

“When have I ever forgotten you?”  

Zhao Yunyun sulked, “You’ve been hanging out with those two female educated youths these past few days and haven’t invited me to play.”  

“That’s not fair.” Zhao Ke protested, “I came to you first, but you flat-out refused. I had no choice but to find someone else.”  

Zhao Yunyun’s brows twitched. “So those two educated youths were just a backup?”  

“Of course! We’ve known each other for eighteen years. How long have they been here? Could their bond with me be deeper than ours? Besides, we’re even relatives.”  

Zhao Yunyun was easy to appease. As she listened, a smile crept onto her lips, and she said smugly, “Alright, I’ll admit your loyalty is solid.”  

Seeing her smile, Zhao Ke leaned against the window and peered inside. “Is the map done?”  

The moment Zhao Yunyun heard that, she scowled. “So that’s why you suddenly came looking for me! You only visit when you need something—like a weasel paying respects to a chicken!”  

Zhao Ke was speechless. “Who’s the weasel here?”  

“You. Obviously, you.”  

“Fine, fine, I’m the weasel.” Zhao Ke didn’t argue and pressed on, “So, is it done or not?”  

“It’s done.”  

Zhao Yunyun flipped over a hardboard made from newspaper, revealing a completed map on the other side. It was nearly the same size as the one in the brigade office.  

Zhao Ke didn’t hold back her praise. “You did an amazing job.”  

Zhao Yunyun smirked proudly. “Of course! It went way smoother than the first time we tried.”  

“Then I’ll take it back now.”  

Zhao Yunyun’s eyes darted around, and she suddenly said excitedly, “I’ll go with you.”  

Zhao Ke eyed her and asked, “This is about Fu Zhiqing, isn’t it?”  

Zhao Yunyun replied matter-of-factly, “I was so busy making your map that I didn’t even help Fu Zhiqing move houses!”  

“As if he’d even want your help,” Zhao Ke muttered. Then she added, “Oh, by the way, today’s Fu Zhiqing’s birthday. Before, he gave gifts to his neighbors when he moved in. I got a notebook, so I asked my third uncle to make a table as a return gift.”  

“Ahhh!”  

Zhao Yunyun was furious. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!”  

Zhao Ke hadn’t even thought about it after speaking to her third uncle, let alone remembering to tell Zhao Yunyun. She shrugged, “Are you really sure you like Fu Zhiqing?”  

“Of course!”  

Zhao Ke asked, “Is it just because he’s good-looking, educated, and has a bit of money?”  

For each point Zhao Ke listed, Zhao Yunyun nodded. “Isn’t that enough? And now he even has a new house!”

For some people, that might be enough.  

For women’s standards in choosing a spouse in this era, it might also be enough.  

However, whether someone is truly suitable isn’t something that can be determined just by imagination.  

Zhao Ke suggested, “I’ve been asking Fu Zhiqing to help with some work lately, so we’ve been in contact more often. I happen to need this map. Why don’t you come to my house and help out? Get to know him better before making a decision.”  

Zhao Yunyun’s eyes lit up, and she immediately agreed, “Alright! Let’s go now.”  

The two of them carried the map together, walking toward Zhao Ke’s house.  

Zhao Yunyun was walking briskly when she suddenly stopped, eyeing Zhao Ke warily. “You’re just finding another excuse to order me around, aren’t you?”  

Zhao Ke turned around and confidently replied, “Am I only ordering you around? I give equal orders to everyone.”  

After thinking it over, Zhao Yunyun figured she wasn’t the one suffering the most, so she continued walking without complaint.  

On the way, some commune members saw them carrying the map and asked what it was for.  

Zhao Ke casually said, “To hang on the wall for decoration.” She brushed them off for now.  

When they reached Zhao Ke’s house, she thought about it and figured Fu Zhiqing could use the map, so she suggested taking it next door first.  

Zhao Yunyun raised both hands and feet in favor.  

Instead of going inside, Zhao Ke called out from the window.  

Fu Hang appeared, his expression warm when he saw Zhao Ke. “Director Zhao.”  

Then, when he noticed Zhao Yunyun standing shyly behind her, he hesitated for a moment, as if he couldn’t remember her name. “Zhao… Comrade.”  

Zhao Yunyun wasn’t happy. “My name is Zhao Yunyun.”  

Fu Hang remained polite. “Comrade Zhao.”  

Zhao Yunyun pouted. “We brought the village map over.”  

Fu Hang invited them in. “Come inside and talk.”  

Zhao Yunyun couldn’t wait and stepped inside first.  

Fu Hang took the map and laid it flat on the kang, then asked rigorously, “What’s the scale? Why aren’t there any legend markers? Can you ensure its accuracy? What reference data did you use?”  

Since they had just mentioned that Zhao Yunyun had drawn the map, all his questions were directed at her.  

“Uh…”  

Zhao Yunyun had remembered some details, but his serious questioning made her feel like she was back in school, facing a nightmare lesson. Her mind went blank, and she instinctively turned to Zhao Ke.  

Zhao Ke remembered some details, but she wouldn’t step on Zhao Yunyun’s pride just to show off, so she only mentioned the scale. “We didn’t pay much attention to the rest. If you need it, we can go back and organize the data.”  

Zhao Yunyun quickly nodded.  

Fu Hang said, “The smaller the margin of error in the map, the more precise the drainage design will be, preventing wasted time and labor.”  

“Alright, we’ll sort it out,” Zhao Ke said, pulling Zhao Yunyun out the door.  

Once outside, Zhao Yunyun let out a long breath. “You don’t know how nervous I got just now—I couldn’t remember anything. Even Fu Zhiqing’s good-looking face became annoying.”  

Zhao Ke chuckled. “Then are you coming back tomorrow?”  

Zhao Yunyun bit her lip, her tone carrying a hint of resigned determination. “Yes.”  

“Then tomorrow, we’ll go to the office to organize the data.”  

Zhao Yunyun nodded but then suddenly remembered something. She turned to Zhao Ke and asked, “Wait—what drainage canal? Who’s digging a drainage canal?”  

“I am.”  

Zhao Ke spotted her two cousins from the Yu family and walked over to tell them she had some work for them this month. She also asked them to pass the message along to their three older cousins from Uncle Yu’s side.  

Yu Ling and his brother didn’t even ask what the work was—they just agreed right away.  

Zhao Ke then looked up at a few boys lounging on the roof and called out, “There’s work.” Whether they were willing or not, they all agreed.  

Zhao Yunyun held back her questions until they were out of sight, then continued pressing, “Why are we digging a drainage canal?”  

“When it rains, water accumulates. Digging a drainage canal will help with drainage. You forgot? Our village fields flood whenever there’s a heavy rain.”  

Of course, Zhao Yunyun remembered—every time it rained, the village turned into a muddy mess, and water accumulation was common.  

“But the village tried digging before, and it didn’t work, right?”  

“A small section won’t work. That’s why we need a more scientific and reasonable drainage system. Otherwise, why would I ask Fu Zhiqing for help?”  

Zhao Yunyun was still skeptical, but she trusted Zhao Ke. Even though she had doubts, she went along with the plan.  

The next day, the two of them sorted out the village’s data and needed to send it to Fu Zhiqing.  

Zhao Ke told Zhao Yunyun to deliver it herself.  

Zhao Yunyun refused. “I’m afraid he’ll ask me questions—I’m not going alone.”  

Zhao Ke sighed. “If you like him, shouldn’t you study everything thoroughly, memorize it, and then show him your best side?”  

Zhao Yunyun shook her head furiously. “No way.”  

Zhao Ke asked, “Then have you thought about what you’d talk about if you two got together? You need something to chat about, right? My advice before was very reasonable.”  

Thinking about having to study, Zhao Yunyun felt like she was being forced to drink bitter medicine—she knew it would help, but she still resisted it with all her might.  

In the end, they both went together.  

Meanwhile, Fu Hang had never designed a drainage system before, and since it involved the village’s agriculture, he took the task very seriously.  

He made his own measuring tools, borrowed Zhao Ke’s bicycle, and, along with Lin Zhiqing, traveled back and forth across Zhao Village’s fields to take measurements. Afterward, he performed calculations and worked on drafting a drainage map as quickly as possible.  

The Zhao Village commune members saw the two male Zhiqing riding Zhao Ke’s bicycle back and forth, utterly confused.  

When they asked Yu Xiulan and Zhao Jianguo, the two of them brushed them off with vague responses and didn’t say anything.  

As for Zhao Ke, she used this time to find the team leader and discuss the drainage canal project.

Zhao Xinshan indeed did not approve of digging a canal. No matter how much Zhao Ke tried to persuade him, Zhao Xinshan insisted that they understood farming better than Zhao Ke and strongly opposed this unnecessary trouble.  

He was conservative, relying entirely on the experiences of the previous generation. He could accept Zhao Ke experimenting in other areas, but farming was off-limits. He completely rejected any changes beyond his understanding.  

Moreover, the weather had been great recently, and he saw no point in Zhao Ke’s unnecessary worrying.  

Since she couldn’t convince him, Zhao Ke had no choice but to organize a team on her own.  

It was all young men, and they readily agreed when she called for them. But even with the five Yu brothers included, they only had eighteen people, far from enough.  

Zhao Ke then sought out the brigade leader’s son, Zhao Rui, as well as Wang Lao San, Zhao Shuan Zhu, and Chang Shan Ge.  

She had come well-prepared, even bringing along the water canal plans drawn by Fu Hang, which would not disrupt any existing farmland. After some consideration, the few of them agreed.  

Chen San’er heard from Zhao Yunyun that she was looking for workers and lazily swaggered over to Zhao Ke’s courtyard. “Director Zhao, count yourself lucky. I wouldn’t lift a finger for just anyone.”  

Zhao Ke was surprised by his presence and smiled. “Then I’ll have to thank you for the honor.”  

With Chen San’er, plus the two educated youths Fu Hang and Lin Haiyang, they finally gathered twenty-five people.  

Based on Fu Hang’s calculations and planning, the easiest way was to start digging from outside the village. When the work officially began, the group headed straight there.  

Unexpectedly, Chen San’er even brought along Shu Gen’er.  

Zhao Ke frowned. “Why did you bring Shu Gen’er along?”  

Chen San’er responded matter-of-factly, “Why can’t a thirteen-year-old work?”  

Shu Gen’er grinned foolishly at Zhao Ke, picked up a tool, and waited for instructions.  

In the village, thirteen-year-olds were indeed capable of working.  

Zhao Ke didn’t say anything more but made a mental note to let him rest frequently to avoid overworking the child.  

With that, the group started digging the drainage canal.  

The commotion was considerable. A large crowd carrying tools headed out in a rush, drawing the attention of the villagers, who all came out to watch.  

When the elders heard that Zhao Ke was leading a group of young men to dig a drainage canal, they were all dismissive—  

“Isn’t this just nonsense?”  

“The village is going to be a mess. How are we supposed to walk around?”  

“Aren’t there enough farm tasks? Why waste energy on this?”  

Someone even ran off to complain to Zhao Xinshan.  

Zhao Xinshan arrived in a fury, demanding, “What do you think you’re doing? Zhao Ke, what exactly are you trying to pull?”  

Zhao Ke explained, “We’re digging a drainage canal.”  

Zhao Xinshan reprimanded, “Nonsense! They’ll all be exhausted—how will they still be able to work after this?”  

Zhao Ke replied, “Uncle, we know our limits. We’ll be careful.”  

Zhao Xinshan was displeased, especially when he spotted his own son, Zhao Rui, among them. His frustration grew. “Do you all even acknowledge me as the brigade leader anymore? This is just reckless!”  

Everyone turned to Zhao Ke, and she asked, “Uncle, can’t we at least try?”  

Absolutely not.  

Zhao Xinshan’s face was cold. “I let you build houses, and I didn’t argue with you. Now that the houses are almost done, you’re causing trouble again? When will you stop?”  

He turned to Zhao Rui and scolded harshly, “Zhao Rui, get home right now!”  

Zhao Rui tried to reason, “Dad, there’s no harm in digging a water canal. If we succeed, it’ll help prevent flooding in the future and might even increase our yield—”  

“I’ve farmed for decades. How many years have you farmed? What the hell do you know?”  

Zhao Ke interjected, “Uncle—”  

“You shut up!”  

Nearby, the older villagers chimed in—  

“Zhao Ke, you keep stirring things up. Enough is enough.”  

“Exactly. Young people should listen to their elders, or you’ll suffer the consequences.”  

“This village doesn’t belong to you. Are you trying to take charge?”  

Zhao Feng and Fu Hang stepped behind Zhao Ke, and Chen San’er lazily moved to stand beside her. The other young men exchanged glances but remained at Zhao Ke’s side.  

Seeing this, Zhao Xinshan’s anger flared even hotter.  

Ignoring the other villagers, Zhao Ke looked directly at him. “Uncle, what if I insist? Can’t we just treat it like playing around? We’re only digging on unused land and won’t harm any crops.”  

Zhao Xinshan gave her a cold glance and turned to Zhao Rui. “Are you coming home or not?”  

The other young men’s families also called for their sons to go home.  

Zhao Rui hesitated.  

When Zhao Ke approached him about this project, she had clearly explained everything. He truly believed the benefits outweighed the drawbacks. His father and the others were being overly conservative.  

Seeing his hesitation, Zhao Xinshan roared, “Fine! If you won’t come home, don’t ever come back!”  

With that, he stormed off in anger.  

Four of the young men couldn’t withstand their families’ pressure. They cast apologetic glances at Zhao Ke before leaving.  

Zhao Ke didn’t blame them. She simply instructed the remaining ones to continue digging.  

Throughout the day, people kept coming to point fingers and criticize. Digging was already exhausting, and the constant judgment dampened everyone’s spirits.  

Truthfully, they weren’t entirely sure if digging the canal would work—they had joined in purely because they trusted Zhao Ke.  

That night, back home, they all faced immense pressure. Zhao Rui, who was staying with Zhao Feng, even had his wife come over to persuade him to leave.  

But Zhao Rui didn’t go home.  

The next day, two more people dropped out.  

The remaining workers were becoming increasingly demoralized. The atmosphere grew heavier.  

Then, that afternoon, Zhao Jianguo arrived. Without saying much, he patted Zhao Ke on the shoulder, asked for the location, and immediately got to work.  

Zhuang Lan showed up as well.  

“Director Zhao, I think you’re right. I’m here to help.”  

Zhao Ke smiled and thanked her.  

Later, Su Limei also came, hesitating as she approached Zhao Ke. “I overslept. It’s not that I didn’t want to help.”  

“Thank you.”  

Eventually, even Zhao Yunyun arrived.  

Zhao Ke tried to dissuade her. “You’ve never done manual labor before. Don’t overwork yourself.”  

“And you have?”  

Zhao Yunyun grabbed Zhao Ke’s hand and saw the blisters on her fingers. Her eyes welled up with tears. “To hell with exhaustion! Zhao Ke, listen, if I get kicked out of my house, I’m staying at yours tonight!”  

Zhao Ke, embarrassed, admitted, “I didn’t last twenty minutes before my hands were ruined.”  

Zhao Yunyun didn’t believe her.  

But ten minutes later, she did…