Chapter 114

“Who is it?” Yan Lei asked.

Qiao Wei guessed, “It’s probably someone surnamed Guan. I didn’t go along with him to expose the secretary yesterday, which dampened his enthusiasm. He must have felt I was an obstacle.”

New leaders naturally want to remove old nails.

She paused, saying, “Zengyue stopped him.”

Yan Lei nodded. “There’s no need for you and Zengyue to have a falling out.”

Yes, ignoring the deep-seated issues between Huang Zengyue and Secretary Meng, in reality, there were no conflicts of interest between Huang Zengyue and Qiao Wei.

He added, “Just don’t confront them.”

Qiao Wei said, “Who dares to confront them now? I don’t have that intention either. I just can’t throw stones at the secretary. As for others, I have no control and no ability to manage.”

Saying this, Yan Lei felt much more at ease.

Because circumstances are stronger than individuals, in such a situation, you cannot and will not swim against the tide.

As for someone surnamed Guan…

Yan Lei said, “Since Zengyue has arranged it, you should rest for a few days and avoid the limelight.”

Qiao Wei nodded.

With Secretary Meng stepping down, the reshuffling of the county government will be chaotic for a while. She didn’t have the ability to help others, and she was also afraid that someone surnamed Guan wouldn’t listen to Huang Zengyue and would take advantage of the chaos.

It’s safer for her to temporarily avoid the situation.

Yan Lei said, “Are you okay being alone at home now? Or would you like to stay at Old Zhao’s place?”

Qiao Wei asked, “Are you going back to the camp?”

But Yan Lei said, “I’m going to talk to Zengyue.”

Qiao Wei sighed.

Yan Lei gently stroked her hair and softly said, “Qiao Wei, the matters between Zengyue and Secretary Meng are their own. Zengyue is not our enemy.”

“I know. You go ahead,” Qiao Wei said. “I mentioned to him today that I want to return to the district, but he didn’t agree. Please help me talk to him again.”

“But what about you…” 

“I’ll be fine. Too much has happened these past few days… I’ll be fine. There’s no need for Mrs. Zhao to accompany me.”

Yan Lei kissed the top of her head, put on his hat, and went out.

Qiao Wei closed the courtyard door tightly, securing the latch.

Yan Lei didn’t return until dark.

“He still won’t relent,” Yan Lei said. “He hopes you’ll stay.”

Qiao Wei’s attitude was resolute, “Even if I stay, I won’t write anymore.”

At this point, being a penholder is very dangerous. If you don’t write what they want, you become their enemy. If you write what they want, after ten years, you’ll be purged along with them.

“Yan Lei, we must understand one thing—no matter how overwhelming the current situation seems, even if it has swept across the country, it’s not normal. Even if this abnormality continues for many years, it will eventually, definitely come to an end! When that day comes, those who are currently in power, those who have risen so quickly, will be held accountable.”

“Yan Lei, whatever you do in the future, you must be aware of this soberly and make choices with this understanding!”

Yan Lei didn’t say anything, but under the lamplight, he looked at her intently.

Qiao Wei worried, “Yan Lei?”

But Yan Lei suddenly smiled, bending down to kiss her eyes, “Qiao Wei! Qiao Wei!”

She actually understood just as he did; she was in the vortex, yet she could see so clearly.

Yan Lei held Qiao Wei tightly and said, “Don’t worry about me, my mind is very clear.”

Yan Lei may not be as educated, knowledgeable, or cultured as Qiao Wei, but he was a diligent student, well-versed in Party history.

Taking history as a mirror, his mind was very clear.

His understanding of this nationwide movement was completely in line with Qiao Wei’s. But this understanding had always been buried in his heart and couldn’t easily be spoken to others.

Today, he actually heard Qiao Wei express the same thoughts as him.

Yan Lei felt surprised and relieved.

His wife was someone he could completely trust.

She was a revolutionary comrade, a fighting partner, someone he could resonate with spiritually.

Yan Lei’s satisfaction at this moment was indescribable.

“You don’t need to worry about someone surnamed Guan. I’ve discussed it with Zengyue,” he promised her.

After the joint establishment of the military and the joint public security team in the Xiahekou District, they swiftly swept away a group of people from the streets.

Most of them were young men who weren’t attending school or employed.

During interrogation, it was revealed that some of these individuals were also intending to emulate the revolutionary activities happening in the county and city.

These public security teams were just a cover. However, under the joint will of the military district and the district government leadership, military control was implemented in Xiahekou.

The captured individuals were sent to labor camps.

Yan Lei told Qiao Wei, “Go dig sand for three months first, see how you perform, then we’ll let you come back.”

“I made it clear to them,” he continued, “if you’re caught again next time, you’ll go dig sand for six months. The time after that, it’ll be a year.”

“For those who don’t want to dig sand, go to school if you need to, study hard, learn a trade or farming. Don’t wander around.”

In less than a week, the security situation in Xiahekou had significantly improved, with fewer people loitering on the streets.

Adults in the households were also pulling their children back home, saying, “Do you think you can learn about revolution in the county? Do we not have a military district here watching over us? Don’t wander aimlessly!”

Qiao Wei had rested at home for a week, dabbling in culinary pursuits.

In this era, it was really difficult to talk about gourmet food due to the scarcity of ingredients.

She managed to make a double-skinned milk dessert, then she went to learn how to roast melon seeds with Hu Sui.

Hu Sui asked her about her job in the county, “So you’re not going to work anymore?”

Qiao Wei replied, “I just want to sit with you at the broadcasting station, eating melon seeds and knitting.”

Hu Sui sighed, “If only you hadn’t written so many good articles, catching the attention of the leaders and getting transferred. We were living so well at the broadcasting station. That pot of flowers you tended to so well bloomed with three flowers.”

Hu Sui’s words made Qiao Wei feel a sense of nostalgia, as if she was experiencing a time of peace and tranquility.

She truly regretted it.

But the instinct of being a workaholic is that once you’re at your post, you automatically operate at full efficiency, even when you’re trying to tone down.

Hu Sui then asked how the meetings were.

Qiao Wei squatted by the stove, her chin buried in her arms, “Terrifying.”

At first, when it was with unfamiliar people, it wasn’t so terrifying. It felt like watching a TV drama.

Until those above her got replaced by leaders she knew too well.

The wooden sign had been deliberately soaked overnight.

And the wire chosen was thin.

The back of his neck was scraped, bent over, blood dripping to the ground.

It was too uncomfortable.

No longer could it be treated like watching a TV drama.

“I also heard it’s scary, but fortunately, we don’t have that in our district. But now, Secretary Gao and the others are being exceptionally friendly.” Hu Sui flipped through the melon seeds. “Things have improved a lot since the public security team was established. It’ll be our turn for duty next week. Seeing them patrolling the streets brings peace of mind. I’ve talked to people in the town, and they’re willing too.”

“Sister Sui, for those who are on good terms with us,” Qiao Wei said, “if we can persuade them not to get involved in things, let’s try to keep them out of it.”

Qiao Wei, being someone who could work in the county, Hu Sui nodded. “Okay.”

Qiao Wei carried the melon seeds back home, and also took half to Sister Yang.

Yan Xiang also liked them. Qiao Wei was always afraid of damaging his teeth, so she cracked them open and placed them neatly on a plate for him. Every time, Yan Xiang would gather a mouthful to eat, looking so content.

It had been a week of rest, and Qiao Wei was considering whether she should return to work.

After all, she couldn’t stay holed up in this small courtyard forever.

But when Yan Lei came back that day, his brow was furrowed.

Qiao Wei’s heart skipped a beat, her voice lowered, “What happened?”

Yan Lei snapped out of his thoughts, “Oh, uh… nothing.”

He tried to head inside, but Qiao Wei caught hold of his sleeve, staring at him.

Only then did Yan Lei say, “There’s a letter from home.”

Qiao Wei had been in this world for two years now, and it took her a few seconds to realize that “home” referred to Yan Lei’s hometown, her in-laws’ home.

The only connection she had with this “home” was that Yan Lei sent 25 yuan home every month.

She asked anxiously, “Is there something wrong at home?”

Yan Lei sighed softly, “My father’s back pain has gotten worse. He couldn’t work the fields this year.”

Yan Lei had left home at fourteen, following the army.

Until now, he had only returned home four or five times in over a decade. The last time he went back was to marry his new wife, taking Qiao Wei, or rather Qiao Weiwei, with him.

It wasn’t a pleasant experience.

Perhaps because of those unpleasant memories, except for the time when he mentioned the family’s savings to her, Yan Lei never talked about “home” in front of Qiao Wei.

As a result, Qiao Wei had almost forgotten that Yan Lei had a hometown, where he had a family, siblings, parents.

And Qiao Wei, having read the original text, knew that there were some peculiar and extreme characters in his family.

Yan Lei’s furrowed brow made Qiao Wei ask softly, “Do you want to take some time off and go back?”

These cadre members actually had family visit leave. But most of them didn’t have anything important, so they hardly ever went back home.

They had to hold their positions.

That’s how it was in this era. The higher the position, the more they had to hold it, and they wouldn’t go back home for many years.

Those with high consciousness, like Yan Lei, even gave up their newly-built dormitories to others.

Yan Lei furrowed his brow, “I can’t leave.”

He explained, “Each county is setting up new revolutionary committees, following the rules set by Shanghai, and they need a military representative. I applied for it in Bocheng, and it’s just been arranged.”

And he really had things to do, and they were all arranged.

He and Huang Zengyue had already made arrangements.

But his brow was still furrowed.

So, this “home” that almost didn’t exist to Qiao Wei still made him concerned in the end.

After all, they were blood relatives.

Seeing his dilemma, Qiao Wei thought for a moment and said, “How about I go back and take a look for you?”

Yan Lei looked at her in surprise.

It was an option he had never considered.

He had never thought that she would suggest it herself.

Qiao Wei looked at him with a smile in her eyes.

Since crossing over, thank you for taking care of me.

I also want to do something for you.