After all, she looked so much like his family member. For her family’s sake, he couldn’t let this woman be bullied. If anyone was going to bully her, it had to be him. Who told her to look like his family?

It was truly repulsive, yet he couldn’t bring himself to hate her.

Liu Zaiye didn’t believe that without him, Su Xiangwan could get two living people out of Haixi County, with its strict supervision and nearly impossible household registration transfer, let alone move them somewhere else.

The next morning, he only drank some cold water.

He could smell the fragrant food from the nearby houses, so he ran to the supply and marketing cooperative and bought two peach crisps that looked like they’d been stored for at least six months, eating them with cold water.

When he saw Su Xiangwan leaving, he honked his horn loudly: “Comrade Su, are you heading to the town? Let me give you a ride. The sun is so strong, by the time you get to town, you’ll be dried up like jerky. Don’t believe me? Watch!” As he spoke, Liu Zaiye raised an umbrella and got out of the car.

Su Xiangwan also had an umbrella, opened it, and said, “No need, I can go by myself. But Liu Zaiye, didn’t you say you were leaving yesterday? Why are you still here?”

“Because I don’t believe you can persuade the township head. You’ll still need to ask me for help,” Liu Zaiye replied, his shirt collar dark with wear.

Su Xiangwan smiled and walked off under the umbrella.

This place was so far from one area to the next that there were small trains running short distances. The train station was a mile away. She hopped onto a coal-carrying train, and the next stop was Baiyang Town.

When Su Xiangwan arrived in Baiyang Town, she saw Liu Zaiye’s ever-present jeep parked outside the town government building.

But she ignored it and went straight into the yard.

The Baiyang Town government building was actually quite well-built—five adobe houses in a row, with offices for the township head, deputy head, party secretary, deputy secretary, and a meeting room.

Su Xiangwan knocked on the door of Township Head Xie’s office. Sure enough, Xie was an elderly man, probably over sixty, sharp and lean, with a face as dry as a walnut.

“Who is this lady?”

“Hello, Township Head Xie, I used to be the Party Secretary of Xiaosong Village in Qingshui County, then worked as a cultural propaganda officer in Xinxing Township, and now I am the head of the Women’s Federation in Qingshui County. My name is Su Xiangwan.” She smiled and extended her hand.

“The head of the Women’s Federation in Qingshui County? So young and so spirited?” Township Head Xie stood up to shake her hand.

Su Xiangwan smiled and said, “Yes.”

Then she took out a provincial newspaper from her bag and pointed to an article titled “Hua Guo Has Dazhai, Qingshui Has Xiaosong Village,” saying, “This article mentions Xiaosong Village’s Party Secretary—me.”

The story about Xiaosong Village had been reported nearly a year ago, but Su Xiangwan had kept a low profile and never advertised it. Coincidentally, Township Head Xie had that same newspaper.

He flipped through it and pointed to a section he had marked, asking, “This high-temperature fermentation compost method—did you invent it?”

“Yes,” Su Xiangwan replied.

In fact, it wasn’t exactly her invention.

Fertilizer technology, especially high-temperature fermentation, was bound to be part of the future, and what she did was just a basic version. However, to make a good impression on Township Head Xie, she said it this way.

“You’re here for what? Did the province send you to promote this?” he asked.

Township Head Xie didn’t expect such a young and capable Party Secretary from an advanced production village to come to his town.

Su Xiangwan sat down as he moved the chair for her.

Township Head Xie even personally brewed a cup of tea for her, the water was a murky yellow, typical of Haixi, with just a small amount of tea leaves. But for Xie, this was probably the highest respect he could offer.

“I see we’re also implementing chemical composting, but why is all the fertilizer piled on the ground?” Su Xiangwan asked bluntly.

Township Head Xie replied, “We use the old method—put the fertilizer in the ground early and when it’s time to plant wheat next month, we’ll spread it out and plant.”

“Composting isn’t just about piling the fertilizer high. It’s about high-temperature fermentation. For example, cow manure, horse manure, and donkey manure—if you just scatter them on the field, they’ll only give one part of nutritional value to the crops.

But, Township Head Xie, look at how sunny it is here, with all this heat. If you dig a large pit in a shady spot, bury all the fertilizer, and let it ferment in the high temperatures, the same amount of fertilizer will provide ten times the nutrients. That’s real composting,” Su Xiangwan explained.

Township Head Xie still didn’t fully understand.

After all, “compost” had always been understood literally as just piling fertilizer up.

So Su Xiangwan picked up his notebook from the desk, and while writing, explained the importance of composting, including the dangers of methane gas when opening compost pits and other details.

She also went on to explain the intercropping of medicinal herbs and grains at Xiaosong Village.

As he listened, Township Head Xie nearly applauded, nodding repeatedly. “We’ve always been at the mercy of the weather. You young people really have methods. Tomorrow, I’ll go to the farm and give everyone a lecture on composting.”

This was quite simple.

From a moral standpoint, Su Xiangwan had already won him over.

However, Township Head Xie was still unclear about why Su Xiangwan was really there.

Su Xiangwan was straightforward. “My mother’s name is Zhao Yinshuang, and my brother’s name is Su Fufu. They voluntarily registered here to participate in labor reform and improve their character. I’m here to visit them.”

Township Head Xie nodded.

“It’s like this, Township Head Xie. Now, I’d like to request that my mother and brother’s household registration be moved back to Qingshui County. After all, they initially registered here for labor reform. After all these years, they feel that, both in terms of character and mentality, they have been fully transformed into laboring citizens. I’d like to ask if you could help with this?”

The first principle of negotiation is, when you are unsure of what the other party is thinking, push the problem onto them and make them follow your lead.

Sure enough, Mayor Xie started to think. “Wait for two days, can you let me think this through?”

It was clear that the matter was negotiable, but Mayor Xie didn’t dare to give Su Xiangwan a definite answer.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll take this operation manual and go back to refine it. I’ll even write a user manual for our local farmers. When you think of a solution, just let me know. How about that?” Su Xiangwan was playing it cool and didn’t give away all the details just yet.

As for her technical knowledge, no matter how much Mayor Xie understood, if he wanted to take all her materials, he would have to help her get the matter done.

After leaving the town government, it was really hot outside, the earth was practically steaming.

From the horizon, one could see the rising heat.

But as Su Xiangwan walked, she suddenly felt a sharp pain and discomfort in her stomach.

She hurriedly clutched her stomach and rushed to the toilet. One foot was already inside when the foul smell from the toilet pushed her back out.

“Did you really talk to them, Su Xiangwan?” Liu Zaiye’s voice came, lingering.

He had been listening outside the whole time. It wasn’t just a surprise—it was something he had never expected.

He hadn’t imagined that this woman not only understood high-temperature fermentation, but also chemistry, because the reactions in fertilizers were all chemical reactions.

Su Xiangwan’s stomach was hurting, and she didn’t want to ride in Liu Zaiye’s car.

When she stepped out of the town government gate and saw him still following her, she turned around and said, “Liu Zaiye, even if it’s my big brother, if I glare at him a few times, he’ll get the hint.”

“You’re not used to the food and water here, your stomach hurts, and you’re having diarrhea, right? There is a clinic here, but all the medicines are expired. Su Xiangwan, you can beg me if you want. I have some medicine,” Liu Zaiye said nonchalantly.

Su Xiangwan glared at him angrily and walked off, clutching her stomach.

She found a cleaner toilet at the clinic and dealt with the diarrhea.

But when she went to get some medicine, she found that the county clinic only had two medicines for stomach issues—tetracycline and erythromycin—and they were both expired.

“Comrade, this medicine is three years old. Don’t you people get sick?” Su Xiangwan asked.

The barefoot doctor replied, “People here don’t usually get sick. When they do, it’s life-threatening, so we don’t really need medicine.”

As Su Xiangwan walked out of the clinic, the ground was almost sizzling from the heat.

She wasn’t sure if she should get into Liu Zaiye’s car when suddenly, a large “Dongfanghong” truck appeared in the distance.

A soldier with a buzz cut, wearing a white shirt, was driving it.

The truck was speeding, with a cloud of yellow smoke billowing from the back.

Su Xiangwan hadn’t recognized the person yet, but as the truck passed her, it suddenly stopped and turned back.

The window rolled down, and a familiar voice asked, “This beautiful and capable comrade, where are you planning to go?”

Su Xiangwan, both annoyed and amused, waited for him to jump out of the car, help her into the passenger seat, and then said, “If you hadn’t come, I would have run off with the wolf.”

“Wolf? Did you really encounter a wolf last night?” Song Qingshan hit the gas, and the dust from Liu Zaiye’s jeep filled the air, covering both Liu Zaiye and his car in yellow dirt.

Su Xiangwan knew Song Qingshan was a bit thick-headed, so she stopped joking.

“What were you doing at the town government? Why was Liu Zaiye’s car following you?” Song Qingshan asked.

Su Xiangwan replied, “I was planning to transfer my mom and Fufu’s household registration. It’s almost done.”

As Song Qingshan drove, he glanced at her and said, “Su Xiangwan, sometimes I really think you’re a sorceress. No matter how difficult the situation is, it always seems so easy for you.”

“Everything depends on finding a solution, and I’m just someone with plenty of ideas,” Su Xiangwan said with a smile.

She smelled a pleasant fragrance coming from the backseat, and when she turned around, she laughed. “Where did these cucumbers come from? In such hot weather, they look so fresh!”

“The people from the construction bureau grew them, along with some tomatoes. They’re really sweet, and I bet you’ll love them,” Song Qingshan said.

Su Xiangwan took a cucumber from the basket and bit into it. She had never eaten such a crunchy, sweet cucumber in her life.

“Hurry up and eat. Why aren’t you eating?” Song Qingshan seemed more anxious than Su Xiangwan. “Eat more while we’re on the road. Once we get home, those little brats will eat more than you, so hurry and take a few more.”

“My stomach hurts,” Su Xiangwan frowned and said. “I think it’s the change of water and soil.”

Song Qingshan, still driving, reached below the passenger seat, pulled out a box of medicine, and said, “Hurry and take this. It’s for stomach pain.”

“How did you get this medicine?” Su Xiangwan asked.

“I asked the construction bureau people for it. I knew you’d have stomach problems from the water and food here,” Song Qingshan replied.

Of course, he didn’t mention that he had spent the entire night in the mountains, without rest, mapping the terrain and calculating the amount and location for burying explosives.

By now, he hadn’t eaten or drunk anything. When he finally had a moment to rest, he rushed out to find his family.

Where was the wolf?

Suddenly, Song Qingshan felt a chill down his back.

Could it be that the “wolf” Su Xiangwan kept mentioning was Liu Zaiye?

He suddenly remembered, it seemed like Liu Zaiye’s wife looked quite similar to his own.

What a coincidence!

Slowly, Liu Zaiye got a taste of the dust while eating it, and Song Qingshan also had his turn, eating dust in the same manner.

Nowadays, cars didn’t have air conditioning, and with the temperature outside reaching thirty-seven or thirty-eight degrees, if the windows were closed, it would suffocate them.

But if the windows were open, they were just eating dust.

When the two cars reached the seventh team, the three of them got out, completely covered in dust.

When Zhao Yinshuang saw Song Qingshan, despite his scruffy beard and dirty appearance, it was clear he was a serious son-in-law.

She quickly fetched some water and urged Su Xiangwan and Song Qingshan to wash their faces and heads outside.

Liu Zaiye, on the other hand, was also covered in dirt. He hadn’t washed his face in two days.

Standing there, he kicked his own football up into the air, grumbling angrily as he walked off.

Watching her wife prepare a meal, Song Qingshan picked a few cucumbers and filled his military water bottle with water to give the sweaty kids kicking the ball a drink.

The husband and wife worked in perfect harmony, and Zhao Yinshuang saw it, feeling quite pleased.

However, she still had one concern: Liu Zaiye, with his hands in his pockets, was still wandering around the labor reform team, never at ease.

“Why hasn’t that man left yet? I just have this uneasy feeling about him,” she said.