Chapter 141

Another year, the 11th Third Plenary Session was convened.

On this day, Vice Director Qiao from the Revolutionary Committee came to work dressed in a striking outfit.

In fact, over these past two years, the uniformity of the green military uniforms had gradually diminished, but people’s clothing remained dull. Especially in the government, everyone wore either black or gray, creating a solemn and bureaucratic atmosphere.

Vice Director Qiao suddenly appeared in bright colors, catching everyone’s eye.

Director Meng chuckled, then sighed, “Back then, the young girls all dressed so beautifully.”

In the blink of an eye, many years had passed. The vibrant trousers and skirts of those days were nowhere to be seen.

The new newspapers arrived, and the front page headlines were all about the 11th Third Plenary Session.

This session reaffirmed the ideological direction, shifting focus away from class struggle as the primary slogan and towards socialist modernization.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at Vice Director Qiao in his bright attire, feeling a sense of a new era dawning.

The year after the 11th Third Plenary Session, the Second Session of the Fifth National People’s Congress amended the constitution.

Local revolutionary committees were reorganized into people’s governments, marking the end of this special era of revolutionary committees.

New signs were hung in the compounds: “Bocheng County People’s Government.”

Director Meng resumed his role as Secretary Meng.

Vice Director Qiao became one of the standing committee members and deputy county chiefs.

Those who had been rehabilitated with Meng Zuoyi’s help gradually returned to their positions, once again influencing the course of events.

That year, Secretary Meng was promoted to the municipal level, becoming the Party Secretary of Linshi.

There were further changes in Bocheng County. County Standing Committee member Qiao Wei rose above others, promoted to the County Party Secretary, becoming the leading figure.

But that year, she received a letter from Yan Xiang.

He told her he would enter a higher security clearance unit and might lose contact with his family.

He asked them not to worry about him.

He told her his dream was to let truth soar in the sky, the sword pointing straight to the heavens.

“Mom, I was born to make this world a better place.”

Yan Lei told Qiao Wei, “You can’t find out where he went.”

The place he went to even exceeded Yan Lei’s clearance level.

Qiao Wei nodded.

She asked Yan Fu, “Do you remember your brother?”

But Yan Fu shook her head.

Her brother had left before she could remember. How could she remember?

“Your brother really liked you,” Qiao Wei told her. “When you were little, he would show you off everywhere, letting everyone know his sister was the prettiest.”

Yan Fu giggled.

She thought her brother was very interesting.

There was a photo of her brother in the family’s frame. Yan Fu said, “My brother is handsome too.”

But she didn’t understand, “Where did my brother go?”

Qiao Wei touched her head, “He went to where he belongs, with some very smart people.”

Actually, this was the development path Bocheng County should have taken. Qiao Wei had visited several times in her past life and made special reports on Bocheng.

Therefore, she knew Bocheng’s development well. Not only did she understand the development path, but also many mistakes and pitfalls Bocheng had encountered.

In the eyes of others, Secretary Qiao had a broad vision and great ambitions.

The tide of reform and opening up swept across the land, changing people’s lives like refreshing rain.

The old branch secretary of Yan Zhuang retired, and his son took over as the new secretary.

The new Yan branch secretary came with a few people to Bocheng County to seek help from Yan Lei and Qiao Wei, who were now officials outside.

Originally, the branch secretary intended to seek help from Yan Lei, but Yan Lei said, “In this matter, Qiao Wei has more experience.”

Upon hearing that Qiao Wei was now the County Party Secretary, the people of Yan Zhuang were amazed and worried that Qiao Wei might now be too aloof.

But Qiao Wei wasn’t like that. She arranged for the villagers to stay in the guesthouse and took time to listen to their demands and talk to them.

In the end, her suggestion was, “Contract responsibility system.”

Everyone fell silent.

Qiao Wei said, “In fact, some people are already doing this. The higher-ups are aware too. It’s just that the final plan hasn’t been set yet. But the general direction is towards liberalization.”

She said, “It depends on whether you dare to do it.”

Fortune favors the bold, while the timid starve.

The new branch secretary smoked half a pack of cigarettes and made up his mind, “Let’s do it!”

They returned to the village and convened a secret meeting of the members.

The members all pressed their fingerprints and promised that if the cadres were imprisoned because of this, everyone would jointly support their children until they reached eighteen.

That year, Yan Zhuang had a bumper harvest.

Fortunately, the cadres did not go to jail because of this.

Time continued to move forward, and the second year finally entered the 1980s.

In an important speech, the old man affirmed the practice of large-scale contracting in rural areas, signaling that rural reform was imperative.

The cadres of Yan Zhuang finally relaxed.

Branch Secretary Yan praised, “Qiao Wei grasps policies with extraordinary precision.”

Others also admired, “Truly a senior cadre.”

“County Party Secretary!”

“Incredible. The Yan family’s ancestors must be blessing them. They have a division-level cadre and a county party secretary.”

“The ancestral graves are smoking.”

The cadres who had visited Bocheng County and met Yan Lei and Qiao Wei would inevitably be asked about the lifestyle of high officials.

“A two-story small building!”

“There’s a secretary, and a nanny.”

“Oh~ Doesn’t Lai Zi’s wife have to do anything?”

“What to do? Do you want the County Party Secretary to do chores? Huh? Come back from the meeting and she’ll wear an apron to wash dishes for you?”

Some people inevitably began to covet.

Yan San’s youngest son was three years younger than Yan Xiang and was now fifteen years old, just starting junior high school.

This was because Yan Lei had repeatedly and sternly demanded in his letters home that his family must ensure the education of Yan’s children.

He couldn’t study at all and was forced to go to school by his grandfather.

He slept every day at school and was teased by his friends, “Your second uncle is so powerful, why are you still going to school?”

“If I were you, I’d go find your second uncle.”

“Go and you’ll live a good life, the secretary will cook for you, and you’ll ride a car when you go out.”

Young people are prone to hot-headedness.

He also heard his family discussing, “Xiangyang can’t go to school anymore. Otherwise, find him a wife.”

By this time, the introduction letter system had begun to relax, and it was no longer as strict as before. You could travel far without an introduction letter.

He didn’t want to get married yet. In a fit of heat, he stole his parents’ money and bought a train ticket to go to his uncle, the official.

When Qiao Wei returned home from work that day, she felt something was wrong as soon as she entered the courtyard.

The auntie stood in the yard, looking around the house. Seeing her return, she hurried over and quietly told her, “The teacher’s nephew is here. The teacher is throwing a tantrum.”

Qiao Wei: “…”

Qiao Wei entered the house and indeed saw a young man, looking dejected, receiving a scolding.

Qiao Wei smiled and said, “Oh, who’s this?”

Yan Xiang knew this aunt was formidable, the highest official in the county. He quickly said, “Second Aunt, it’s Xiangyang. Do you remember me?”

Although he knew that he had to address her that way based on their seniority, every time Qiao Wei heard “Second Aunt,” she still felt her scalp tingle.

Qiao Wei asked Yan Lei, “How did Xiangyang come here?”

Yan Lei’s face turned sour, “You ask him.”

It turned out that Xiangyang didn’t know the exact address of Yan Lei’s home. He came impulsively and, after getting off the bus, wandered around aimlessly, attracting the attention of the police who mistook him for a vagrant and detained him.

The foolish boy kept insisting, “My uncle is a high official!” but ended up being beaten and frightened into silence. It wasn’t until the police came for inspection that he shouted, “My uncle is a division commander! My aunt is the County Party Secretary!” This caught the police’s attention because Qiao Secretary’s spouse was a senior officer in the military, a fact known to many within the system.

Once they verified his identity, they contacted Yan Lei and brought Xiangyang home.

Qiao Wei couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the situation.

That evening, they prepared extra dishes at home. Xiangyang ate heartily in the detention center, wolfing down his food.

After eating, the messenger took him to the courtyard bathhouse for a thorough wash and changed him into clean clothes.

He spent the night comfortably.

Feeling content, Xiangyang thought coming to his uncle was indeed the right choice. With an uncle who was a high official and an aunt who was a County Party Secretary, he wouldn’t have to go to school or work in the fields. He could live in a two-story building, enjoying a life of luxury.

Sure enough, the next day he ate well and drank well. His uncle even had the messenger take him around to broaden his horizons.

His aunt gave him pocket money too.

Xiangyang was in high spirits, feeling completely at ease with his decision to seek refuge with his uncle.

Qiao Wei asked Yan Lei, “What are your plans for Xiangyang?”

Yan Lei said, “Don’t worry. Leave it to me.”

When their hometown nephew came, they had to treat him as expected. After letting Xiangyang enjoy three days of relaxation, Yan Lei confronted him, “What are you planning to do from now on?”

Xiangyang scratched his head.

Yan Lei sighed, “You have to do something.”

He couldn’t lie around on our sofa all day.

Xiangyang said, “Uncle, since you’re such a high official, just arrange a small official position for me.”

Yan Lei looked up to the sky and sighed deeply.

Every time he communicated with home, he emphasized education, education, education.

But the adults at home lacked vision; it was the environment of the countryside. Children weren’t going to school, preferring to run to the city to rely on their uncle, a high-ranking official.

If all the children at home were like this, their family’s ancestral grave would only smoke once. It probably wouldn’t smoke a second time.

“You can’t be an official,” Yan Lei said, “There are no officials here. Cadres are all public servants. Military officers have all been promoted through their own efforts. I became a cadre by getting shot at during the war.”

“It’s impossible for you to become an official. You know what I do—I’m a soldier. Since you’re my nephew and you’ve come to me for refuge, don’t say anything else. I’ll send you to join the army.”

Yan Lei threw his own nephew into the barracks.

Xiangyang’s dream of becoming a young master in the city shattered.

For three days, he endured military drills in the barracks. Finally, he begged his squad leader to take him to see his uncle and cried, “I want to go home…”

At this time, the country was undergoing its fifth round of military downsizing.

Yan Lei told Xiangyang to join the army, but he didn’t actually enlist him. He informed the lower levels to give Xiangyang rigorous training.

Seeing that Xiangyang wasn’t fit for studying but could endure hardship, Yan Lei might have allowed him to enlist in the army.

Unfortunately, the old Yan family wouldn’t have a second chance. Xiangyang was lazy and couldn’t handle the rigors of military life.

In the end, Yan Lei bought Xiangyang two sets of new clothes and sent him back home on a train.

He drank with Commander Zhao, sighing, “The military is still the best.”

The military had enlisted him.

Although he was a bit wild as a child, he grew up to be steady and became a good soldier.

Commander Zhao said, “From now on, I’ll entrust him to you.”

Yan Lei said, “Rest assured.”

The country downsized its military, and Commander Zhao retired from the military.

Yan Lei and Major Pan worked together to find him a decent job.

All good things must come to an end.

Qiao Wei went to the train station with Commander Zhao’s family to see them off.

Different families have different kinds of people. Different worldviews and values shouldn’t prevent good neighbors from getting along.

Before high-rise buildings sprang up, people living in bungalows with yards were really closer than distant relatives.

Everyone’s eyes were moist as they held hands.

“Mrs. Zhao, take care.”

“Wei, you take care too.”

Thus they parted ways, each pursuing their own life.