In just a few months, it would be time to distribute the grain at the end of the year. With no work to do and hardly any work points, how would the family manage to eat?

“Mom, it’s alright. We’ll go into the city…”

Jiang Dazhuang tried to comfort his mother, but she suddenly interrupted, “You still want to go into the city? If you get caught, how am I supposed to go on living?”

Her heart was filled with grief and despair.

Mother Jiang wiped away her tears. Why was heaven so cruel to their family?

But the next moment, she felt her hand being grasped.

“Mom, don’t worry. We really won’t get caught. The reason we’re going into the city tomorrow is that the supply and marketing cooperative wants to buy the socks I’ve been selling.”

“How could you possibly not get—”

Mother Jiang was about to retort when she suddenly froze, processing what she had just heard.

“What? The supply and marketing cooperative wants to buy those socks you’ve been selling?!”

How could that possibly be true?

“An’an, you haven’t been tricked, have you?”

Mother Jiang was skeptical.

But Jiang An’an took out a piece of paper. “Mom, look! This is a purchase contract with an official seal!”

Although Mother Jiang couldn’t read many words, she knew what an official seal meant. She was completely stunned.

“An’an, when did you get connected with such an important leader?”

Mother Jiang couldn’t understand it.

Their family was one of the poorest in Sihe Village. For three generations, not a single member had achieved anything remarkable. How could her youngest daughter suddenly be doing business with a high-ranking leader from the supply and marketing cooperative?

Was she dreaming?

“I didn’t use any connections. They were interested in the socks, so they decided to place an order.”

Jiang An’an quickly explained.

But Mother Jiang remained half-doubtful. In all her years, she had never seen anything accomplished without relying on connections.

After turning it over in her mind, she concluded that the person her daughter was helping to sell the socks must have some relationship with the leader at the supply and marketing cooperative, which was how this so-called purchase came about.

“Alright, as long as no one gets arrested, it’s fine.”

Mother Jiang felt relieved.

The next day, the work broadcast sounded as usual, and the Jiang family all went to the fields.

The village chief and the party secretary still hadn’t returned. It was said that there was a matter to discuss at the commune, and they likely wouldn’t be back for several days. The task of assigning work was still being handled by Accountant Li.

Noticing Accountant Li standing with Zhao Chunmei, Jiang An’an asked loudly, “Accountant Li, don’t tell me the Jiang family hasn’t been assigned any work again today?”

“Well…”

Accountant Li glanced at Zhao Chunmei, recalling her hint from earlier that morning: as long as the village chief and party secretary were away, the Jiang family shouldn’t be allowed to earn any work points.

But with a crowd of people waiting around, everyone was watching Accountant Li.

“There’s not much work today…”

Accountant Li’s voice grew faint with guilt.

It was clear to everyone that the Jiang family likely wouldn’t earn any work points again today.

They exchanged uneasy glances.

“Accountant Li, what do you mean by this? So our family had no work yesterday, and none again today? Isn’t this clearly targeting us?”

Jiang An’an had no intention of saving face for Accountant Li anymore.

Accountant Li hadn’t expected this young girl to show him so little respect. After all, he was the village accountant!

The Jiang family was dirt poor—how dare they speak to him so rudely?

Well, he no longer needed to pity them.

Using this flimsy excuse, Accountant Li brushed off his guilt toward the Jiang family and replied boldly, “There just hasn’t been much work lately. It so happens that by the time we get to assigning tasks for your family, there’s nothing left. What can I do?”

The implication was clear: yes, the Jiang family would earn no work points again today.

But this was exactly what Jiang An’an had hoped for.

She hadn’t deliberately confronted Accountant Li for nothing—she had been worried he might take pity on the Jiang family’s lack of work points and soften.

After all, she still needed to go into the city today to deliver a batch of socks to that procurement officer from the supply and marketing cooperative.

If the Jiang family had actually been assigned tasks, it would have been difficult for her to slip away.

Just as Jiang An’an was about to say a few words to wrap up the conversation and quickly prepare to head into the city, someone from the crowd spoke up.

“Accountant Li, isn’t it a bit inappropriate to treat the Jiang family like this?”

The speaker was Huang Xitian, the uncle of the party secretary, Yang Zhijun.

Accountant Li hadn’t expected anyone to speak up for the Jiang family and was momentarily stunned.

Moreover, it was Huang Xitian who had spoken.

Everyone knew that Huang Xitian had originally been the one slated to become village chief, but then…

And since the villagers held him in high regard, Accountant Li didn’t know what to do and could only glance at Zhao Chunmei.

Zhao Chunmei also looked annoyed. Why had Huang Xitian, who usually avoided trouble, chosen to speak up now?

“Right now, the village chief and party secretary aren’t here, so Accountant Li is the only one who can assign tasks. Instead of appreciating his hard work, everyone is questioning him. Don’t you think that’s rather unfair?”

As she spoke, Zhao Chunmei shot a glance at Jiang An’an.

“Or are some people planning to gang up and cause trouble while the village chief and party secretary are away?”

Her words were directly aimed at the Jiang family and Huang Xitian, almost naming them outright.

“No one wants to cause trouble. I just can’t stand by and watch. Is this how Liu Quanxing’s village chief tenure is supposed to work?”

Huang Xitian stared directly at Zhao Chunmei.

Nearby, Jiang An’an watched the two of them locked in a tense standoff. She couldn’t quite figure out what was happening, and even after searching through the original host’s memories, she remained unclear.

But at a time when no one else dared to speak up, this person had stepped forward. Whatever his motives, he was at least speaking up for the Jiang family, so he couldn’t be considered a bad person.

“Uncle Huang, thank you for speaking up. Once the village chief returns, I will definitely demand justice in this matter!”

But for now, it was best to let it go.

Arguing with someone like Zhao Chunmei would be pointless and would only delay her trip into the city to sell the socks.

However, Huang Xitian misunderstood, thinking that the Jiang family girl was worried about causing him trouble. He waved his hand and said, “Don’t worry about it. Your father has been missing for years. Some people think they can bully your family just because he’s gone, but they can’t get away with it!”

His words struck a chord with Jiang An’an.

It was true—her father had been missing for many years, and everyone knew the Jiang family was essentially a household of widows and orphans. Yet, Huang Xitian was the only one who had stepped forward to speak up for them.

“Accountant Li, when you were appointed accountant, you vowed to serve the village. What about now? You think the Jiang family is an easy target, so you want to bully them into submission, is that it?”

Huang Xitian pointed at Accountant Li.

Now Accountant Li began to waver, frantically signaling Zhao Chunmei with his eyes.

“Fine then, Huang Xitian! You want to stand up for the Jiang family, do you? Well, if the Jiang family works today, then the Huang and Yang families won’t be assigned any tasks!”

Zhao Chunmei had no intention of giving Huang Xitian any face.

Her words immediately alarmed the Huang and Yang families, who urged Huang Xitian not to meddle in other people’s business when they had their own problems to worry about.

“Uncle Huang, my mom isn’t feeling well today, so we need to go home and take care of her…”

Jiang An’an quickly interjected.

“Yes, yes,” the Jiang family members chimed in, afraid of causing trouble for the Huang and Yang families.

“See? Huang Xitian, I was just showing concern for the Jiang family’s health. But you? You’re just meddling in other people’s business!”

Zhao Chunmei sneered.

Huang Xitian, however, caught a glimpse of the Jiang family girl nodding at him gratefully.

Though he didn’t fully understand why, since she had said as much, he decided not to press the issue further.

Accountant Li continued assigning tasks, and Jiang An’an and her family prepared to leave without lingering.

But just then…