This sudden loss of support threw Lu Shaocai into a panic.

He spent every day trying to curry favor with Old Lu and Fang Dihua, pleading with his second uncle to put in a good word for him so he could keep his position.

In the past, Lu Shaocai hadn’t worried too much about the elections because his father still had influence in the community, and the commune and village respected that.

But now that his father had retired, he realized that he couldn’t rely on that influence anymore.

To avoid Lu Shaocai’s incessant pleading, Old Lu even made a trip to the county.

He went to find Doctor Yan.

Lu Shaocai still wanted to jump around and cause trouble, but he suddenly received a notice from the commune that someone had reported him for engaging in feudal superstitions and speculation!

There were two accusations in the report:

First, Lu Shaocai and his wife were involved in speculation.

They had bought thousands of eggs and dozens of chickens and ducks.

Second, Lu Shaocai engaged in feudal superstitions, burning a lot of paper offerings for his grandparents!

Things like big horses, big cows, big carts, and large buildings.

Lu Shaocai was called to the commune for questioning, and he loudly proclaimed his innocence.

“The paper offerings were bought for my third brother, Lu Shaotang.”

“The eggs, chickens, and ducks were also… prepared for his burial and for hosting a feast.”

Director Qin’s gaze was stern, ‘But according to the villagers, the paper offerings weren’t burned for Lu Shaotang; you burned them all for your grandparents.”

Lu Shaocai felt incredibly wronged, “That’s because my second uncle refused! He wouldn’t let me burn them.”

Since his second uncle didn’t contribute any money, Lu Shaocai naturally didn’t burn the offerings for Lu Shaotang.

Damn it, could it be that his second uncle secretly found someone to report him?

Is he trying to sabotage him?

No, his second uncle wouldn’t be so ruthless.

It must be that widow, Lin Shu!

Even if Lin Shu didn’t personally report him, she must have arranged for someone else to do it.

Regardless of who reported him, it must be connected to his second uncle.

He was convinced that his second uncle was jealous and deliberately trying to ruin him.

Director Qin continued, “As for those chickens and ducks and the eggs, buying three or five wouldn’t raise any suspicion, but buying dozens? What else could that be but speculation?”

Director Qin added, “The Lu family didn’t host a feast, so if you bought so many just for yourself, that’s either for private consumption or for resale…”

“No, no, Director Qin! Those were for my relatives, and after they ate, they took the leftovers. I didn’t sell them.”

He swore up and down that he wasn’t involved in speculation, didn’t engage in feudal superstitions, and that everything he did was for Lu Shaotang.

Unfortunately, he had been set up.

Although it wasn’t explicitly stated, he was convinced that his second uncle was behind this.

Director Qin didn’t say much else; the point was to give him a little warning.

Lu Shaocai was just a bookkeeper who spent all his time posturing instead of improving his accounting skills, which naturally made people resent him.

Director Qin was certain that the report didn’t come from Old Man Lu’s family.

Knowing the characters of Old Man Lu and Fang Dihua, they wouldn’t do such a thing.

After repeatedly swearing to Director Qin that he wasn’t involved in feudal superstitions, speculation, or embezzlement, Lu Shaocai finally left the commune, drenched in sweat.

Despite Director Qin’s simple, honest appearance, which made him look like a down-to-earth farmer, the sharpness in his eyes made Lu Shaocai uneasy, as if he knew everything.

When he returned to the village, Lu Shaocai started to lose his temper.

He stood in the accounting room…

Staring at Lin Shu, he sneered repeatedly.

Lin Shu glanced at him and said, “I said, Accountant, it’s already cold enough. You don’t need to blow cold wind there.”

Lu Shaocai asked, “Is it you?”

Lin Shu gave him a disdainful look.

Lu Shaocai slammed the table, his eyes reddening, “Is it you who reported me?”

Lin Shu replied, “I said it wasn’t me; believe it or not.”

Lu Shaocai asked, “How can you prove you didn’t report me?”

Lin Shu snorted, thinking he was crazy.

She knew from a young age that when people were looking for trouble, proving yourself only made them more persistent in finding faults.

She slowly got up, picked up the account book, and said coldly, “With your level of skill, you can’t even match a fifth-grade student in accounting. I settled last year’s accounts for you. Why would I need to report you? It would be better for me to directly complain to the commune that you’re unfit to be an accountant.”

She turned and walked out.

Lu Shaocai shouted, “Come back! Where are you going?”

Lin Shu lazily replied, “I’m going to complain about you.”

Lu Shaocai was anxious and quickly tried to stop her, “I didn’t say you were the one who reported me. I was just asking.”

He couldn’t find Old Man Lu, so he had to turn to Fang Dihua.

Fang Dihua was at the production team’s house making baskets.

She was strong and could make baskets faster and better than the men.

Lu Shaocai complained to Fang Dihua about someone reporting her and hoped she would intervene to smooth things over.

The commune probably wouldn’t punish him, but it might affect the village elections.

“Aunt, we’re family. Blood is thicker than water. You can’t just ignore me.”

Lu Shaocai understood clearly that his second uncle thought that if he got the job, he would owe nothing to the big house.

Now that Lu Shaotang was gone, they might even hold a grudge against the big house.

But if it weren’t for his father working as a cadre in the capital’s military district, could his grandpa and second uncle live so comfortably?

Even without the struggles, maintaining these two courtyards and handling subsequent reckonings would be impossible without his father’s help.

Why was his second uncle not grateful?

Fang Dihua replied, “Don’t talk nonsense to me. If your second uncle and I had that kind of ability, why would we be farming? Why not go to the central government and become high officials?”

Lu Shaocai was somewhat annoyed, “So you’re just unwilling to help? My father…”

Fang Dihua was irritated, “Then just call your father.”

Lu Shaocai replied, “……” If it were that easy to reach my father, I wouldn’t need you.

Now, when he wanted to call his father, he couldn’t reach the old man at all.

Calling from the commune to the capital required several manual connections, and how busy were those lines?

It could take up to two hours just to get a free line.

And if you didn’t have any special privileges? It might take two days just to get through.

Even if you managed to get through, would that be the end of it?

Most likely, it would be either the orderly or the old man’s young wife who answered.

As long as it wasn’t the old man himself, the message would never reach his ears.

Writing a letter or sending a telegram would have the same effect.

The young wife would have to show it to the old man for him to see it, and if she didn’t, he’d never know.

Lu Shaocai felt wronged.

He was the legitimate eldest son, so how had he ended up exiled to the countryside?

He hated his stepmother to death!

And his second uncle—when they were kids, he used to say all sorts of nice things about taking care of him for a lifetime.

But what happened?

Once he had his own children, he stopped caring about his nephew.

And now, before anything serious has even happened, he’s already turned his back on me.

Although Lu Shaocai wasn’t stripped of his accounting position after being reported, he became the laughingstock of the commune.

More and more villagers began to feel that he was unfit to be the brigade’s accountant.

Ever since Lu Dage could handle the accounting work on his own, Lin Shu started using the excuse that she was too busy at home to go to the accounting office, leaving Lu Dage as the main force.

Originally, as a man who liked to brag and talk big, Lu Dage was quite a chatterbox at home.

But now, compared to Lu Shaocai, who was even more boastful and less educated with no real skills, Lu Dage just held his forehead and wiped his sweat.

His cousin really… had no self-awareness.

It was truly embarrassing.

After working for about an hour, Lu Shaocai dragged him out for a smoke and a stroll.

Lu Dage: “Big Brother, I don’t smoke.”

Those who smoked heavily for years had a strong, pungent smell that was really overwhelming.

The men in their family took after their father and didn’t smoke, mainly because their mother didn’t like it.

Whoever smoked got scolded.

Lu Shaocai sneered, “A cigarette after a meal is better than being a living god. If you don’t smoke, you’re missing out on one of life’s pleasures.”

Lu Da-ge: “I’ll have a little drink instead.”

A slight buzz, but not drunk—too much and it’s no longer enjoyable.

Lu Shaocai: “Let’s have a couple of drinks at lunch.”

Lu Da-ge: “Big Brother, I don’t dare. We’re doing accounting, and if I get tipsy and make mistakes, Mom and Dad will scold me.”

Lu Shaocai scoffed, “Aren’t you too old to still be afraid of Mom and Dad?”

Lu Dage: “Aren’t you afraid?”

Lu Shaocai: “…”

To expedite the distribution of bonuses to the villagers, Lu Dage and the other accountants worked tirelessly, day and night.

The brigade secretary, brigade leader, and all the production team leaders, accountants, scorekeepers, and even the other villagers noticed this.

Before long, Lu Dage’s reputation began to improve.

“That Lu Dage kid, he’s always been clever.”

“He looks lazy in the fields, but who knew he’d be so quick with the accounting.”

“I think he’s a scholar and isn’t cut out for farm work. Look at him in the accounting office, no slacking or laziness.”

“He’s really good. The secretary said he’s very responsible, and there are no mistakes in the accounts.”

“The other day, the commune secretary came down to inspect and praised him for being efficient and said he’s got the makings of a real accountant.”

“He’s definitely more suited for the accountant role than Lu Shaocai.”