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墨書 Inktalez
Wherever there are people, there will be disputes, and where there are disputes, there will always be some hidden truths. The conflict between Zhou Village Head and Old Li, the representatives of their respective villages, has led both villages down an irreconcilable path.
To Yezhi, the cause of all this seemed like a minor issue that should have been stopped but could not be avoided.
It wasn't that she started off angry and then calmed down; after all, the mountains were interconnected! Who said the mountains belonged solely to Zhoujiatun?
Since she first had the idea of protecting the mountains, she realized that merely protecting them wasn't enough; they needed to be privatized. Contracting the Mountain was urgent.
Early the next morning, she sneaked into town. When she arrived at Zhang Dou's House, Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang had just gotten up.
Secretary Zhang was wrapped in a coat, drinking oat porridge while listening to Yezhi say, "You want to Contract the Mountain?"
"Uncle Zhang, don't just laugh at me; do you think it's feasible?"
"That's a bold idea, but it can't be done!"
"Why not? Just tell me how much money you need!" Secretary Zhang was amused by Yezhi's sudden wealth mentality. "Is this something that can be solved with money?"
Yezhi replied seriously, "It's not just about money; I'm here to build connections!" Secretary Zhang was taken aback by her words. "You're here to build connections with me?"
"Aren't you the big secretary of our county? In our little place, your words carry weight."
"You little girl, you think you can take shortcuts and still have a reason?" Secretary Zhang slammed his bowl down.
Aunt Zhang, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, became displeased. "What are you showing off for in front of a child? Besides, what's wrong with helping her out and giving her some advice? She's not doing it for herself!"
"You don't understand anything!" Secretary Zhang yelled at Aunt Zhang.
"Uncle Zhang, that's really lacking in grace. If you could just say a word for us on this matter, we could avoid some unnecessary trouble. But even without you, I can still get this done!" Sometimes people have their own little thoughts; she originally came just to seek advice. Seeing a shortcut made her want to try it out regardless of whether it would succeed or fail. But this attempt ended up causing discord between the couple, leaving her feeling quite frustrated.
"Yezhi, don't mind your uncle. I have a classmate at the Forestry Bureau; you should go ask him about the situation!" Aunt Zhang didn't care that Zhang Uncle had only eaten a couple of bites. After tidying up the table, she called Yezhi to follow her.
Secretary Zhang's face was as dark as a pot, and Yezhi was struggling to hold back her laughter. "Uncle, you can't offend women, especially those who provide for you!"
"Oh, you little girl!" Why was she making sarcastic remarks? Wasn't this all caused by her? "Sit down!"
"Aunt is calling me!"
"Sit down!" If she sat down, she'd have to listen to Zhang Uncle's lecture. "I'll go help Aunt wash the dishes."
"Hey, Yezhi, you're not allowed to go looking for that person at the Forestry Bureau!" Secretary Zhang warned as he chased after her.
Haha, there's some inside information!
"Aunt, I think I won't look for your classmate after all!"
"Don't listen to your Uncle Zhang. My classmate is the deputy director of the Forestry Bureau; he might really be able to help." Yezhi wasn't so optimistic; she always felt that current officials were less reliable than current managers. If she could solve it at the Commune level, she wouldn't cause a fuss in the county. But since she wasn't familiar with the Commune, she had no choice but to reach out to the only Big Leader she knew. Unfortunately, that led her straight into a dead end; her prospects were quite bleak.
"Aunt, let's just forget it!"
"Yezhi, why are you being so wishy-washy? You used to be so fiery...! Are you going to conquer the world or what? But honestly, she really needed that kind of drive."
"Aunt, what's your classmate's last name?" Aunt Zhang was waiting for this question. "I'll write you a letter to take with you!"
"Mm-hmm!" Secretary Zhang stood at the door with his briefcase in hand. "Dear, I'm off to work!"
"Go ahead! What's there to say? You're such a bother!" Yezhi just smiled; without Zhang Dou and Zhang Ling at home, Secretary Zhang and his wife seemed to be getting more playful.
Zhang Uncle shot a glare at Aunt Zhang and then said to her, "Yezhi, come with me!" Aunt Zhang tugged at her. "Yezhi, don't go! Stay and chat with Auntie. I'll treat you to a restaurant for lunch! By the way, I still haven't written that letter!" Originally planning to leave quickly, Yezhi completely abandoned the thought of going.
"Great! I love going to restaurants!" This was true; those who could cook in restaurants were truly skilled craftsmen.
"Old partner, I have something important to discuss with Yezi!" What could it be? Has he finally decided to help her?
Yezi happily walked out with Secretary Zhang, "Uncle, how should we proceed?"
"Proceed? Are you still thinking about Contracting the Mountain? Yezi, let me ask you, if your village takes over the mountain, what will happen to the other villages that rely on it for their livelihood?" Just as Yezi fell into deep thought, Secretary Zhang changed the topic, "I heard you are building a road yourselves?"
"Yes, since the government isn't helping, we have no choice but to do it ourselves."
Secretary Zhang nodded, "Self-reliance is good!" What a joke; it's not that simple.
"Are there any difficulties?" There are plenty! "We lack cement, lime, professional equipment, and skilled workers..."
Secretary Zhang looked at her and smiled without saying a word. "Alright! The lack of cement and lime is indeed a big problem!"
"Construction is happening everywhere now; these materials are in high demand. We can't get cement, but lime..." Getting lime would be great; at least we wouldn't have to search the mountains for raw stones and then burn them. Especially burning requires skill; it's not something just anyone can do.
"Uncle, please allocate more resources for us!" See? This is what it means to have someone in the government to help.
Yezi's blooming smile froze, and Secretary Zhang didn't respond. What does this mean?
"I think your oats are quite good!" Of course they are; products from the universe (market) are top-notch.
"If we could promote them countywide..." Yezi suddenly realized that he was waiting for her response. She gritted her teeth and agreed.
Secretary Zhang continued, "I also heard that the peaches you planted will bear fruit next year." Who was the bastard who told him that? This is intolerable! A little wife definitely can't tolerate it!
"Uncle Zhang!"
"Mm~!" He actually responded!
"Could you please stop focusing on our village's small matters all the time?"
"You are still so stingy!" Yezhi stomped her foot. "Stingy! Can I fill our county with my stinginess?" Bilo replied.
Secretary Zhang responded seriously, "Zhou Village Head is indeed selfless, and the villagers are not bad. It's just you who needs more education." Even if she were remade, she could never become a selfless Yezhi; this is inherent nature, not something that can be taught.
Coming out of the county government with the approval document, Yezhi felt particularly "humiliated." For this document, she had signed numerous unequal treaties. Indeed, none of the officials were anything but cunning. She! Just lost because she was too honest... This is also her nature; there's no way to change it.
Back at Zhang Dou's House, Aunt Zhang chatted with her about family matters, mostly discussing Zhang Dou's situation in her home.
When she talked about Zhang Dou stealing mutton, Aunt Zhang laughed until tears came out. She thought: Actually, Aunt Zhang must be missing her child.
At noon, the two of them arrived at the "Great Restaurant," where Zhang Uncle was already waiting. "What are you doing here for our women's gathering?"
Zhang Uncle found a table to sit down and smiled, "I'm here to pay the bill!" Aunt Zhang shot him a glance; pay the bill? He only had a few coins in his pocket.
"Get some meat slices, cabbage stewed with tofu, smoked fatty intestines, and two liang of white wine." As soon as Zhang Uncle finished speaking, Aunt Zhang quickly told the waiter, "No wine; you shouldn't drink with your stomach issues!"
Yezhi sat down with a smile. Suddenly Aunt Zhang realized, "You old man, you didn't even ask what Yezhi wanted to eat before ordering!"
Aunt Zhang called the waiter while asking her what she wanted to eat. In fact, she liked everything; pork, tofu, and fatty intestines were rare treats in the village throughout the year.
While waiting for the dishes to arrive, she looked around. The restaurant was packed with people—middle-aged folks like Zhang Uncle and Aunt Zhang; young people like her; city dwellers and country folks; some eating and some waiting. Every face wore a smile filled with pure longing for food—just a greedy look. However, she liked these eager smiles; even the old farmer savoring his plate had a certain charm.
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