Chapter 25: Injury

Chapter 25: Injury

Zhang Simei's case was a criminal matter, but the Women's Federation handled her follow-up. Considering the situation in Zhou Family Village, the Federation brought in comrades from the police station and the military to go along.

"Clan chief, the officials are here again. Are they here to arrest someone?" A villager guarding the village entrance spotted Lin Zhijin and her group and sprinted off to find the Zhou clan chief.

"What's there to panic about? The case is already settled. It was all Deaf Zhou's fault. What does that have to do with us? Even officials need evidence to make arrests. Come on, let's go see what they want." A flicker of panic passed through the clan chief's eyes, but he quickly steadied himself. He couldn't afford to panic—if he did, the whole village would fall apart.

Soon, the clan chief and other Zhou family members found Sister Li and her group. Seeing them standing at Zhang Simei's doorstep, they had a bad feeling.

"Comrade leader, what can we do for you?" The clan chief hobbled forward on his cane.

"Comrade Zhang Simei has suffered severe physical and psychological harm due to your misunderstanding. She's afraid to go back home now, but she carries the posthumous child of Comrade Zhou Pingshan and needs stable housing and living expenses. Therefore, Comrade Zhang Simei has entrusted the Women's Federation to sell the house, farmland, and a mule belonging to her and Comrade Zhou Ping'an. Since you're here, spread the word to the villagers—anyone interested in the house, land, or mule should come see me right away." Sister Li spoke slowly so everyone could understand.

The crowd buzzed with murmurs. Many were tempted but dared not speak up under the clan chief's watchful eye.

Sister Li scanned the crowd and continued, "Everything's going for eighty percent of market value. First come, first served. No exceptions after the deadline."

After a moment, still no one stepped forward. Just as the clan chief was starting to feel smug, an old man came hustling over with his whole family in tow.

"I want them! Comrade leader, I'll take Pingshan's house, land, and mule—all of it!" The old man raised his hand and shouted.

"Wu Laogen, what business is this of yours?" The clan chief frowned at the newcomer.

The moment he spoke, Wu Laogen's seven sons stepped forward in a line, glaring menacingly at him.

"What's the matter? Our family is from Zhou Village too. We can't buy?" Wu Laogen's voice boomed.

The clan chief was taken aback. The Wu surname was a minor clan in the village—only five households total—but they were united, and Wu Laogen was prolific: seven strapping sons and two daughters, and the daughters had married well. The Zhou villagers generally didn't dare bully them.

"Comrade leader, I'll take everything Pingshan's family left behind." Wu Laogen reiterated.

"What gives you the right? Pingshan's surname is Zhou—his things should go to the Zhous first." Some Zhou villagers protested.

"Because we came first! The leader said first come, first served. You lot were too scared to move like turtles, and now you're squawking? Comrade leader, you'll honor your word, right?" Zhou Laoger said with a sly grin.

Sister Li glanced at them and nodded. "Let's go inside and talk details."

The Wu family didn't mess around. As soon as Sister Li named the price, they agreed without haggling.

Back in the city, Sister Li handed the money to Zhang Simei, telling her to stash it away carefully—raising a kid on your own, you can never have too much money.

"Xiao Lin, did the Zhou villagers cause any trouble today? How's your shooting practice coming along? Once you've got it down, you can apply for a sidearm." Li Yue suddenly asked.

Lin Zhijin's eyes went wide as saucers. "I can carry a gun too?"

"Of course. If war breaks out, we'd be on the front lines too." Li Yue pulled out two exam papers. "The director told me to give these to you—finish them today, and she'll grade them when she gets back tomorrow."

Shooting? That's still a ways off. But the academic courses could be accelerated—she'd aim to get her elementary school certificate by next year.

Over the past couple of days, couples from the last matchmaking event had been trickling in to register their marriages, then coming to the Women's Federation to collect their marriage benefits.

Technically, this wasn't the Federation's job, but since other departments were swamped and the matchmaking event had been organized by the Federation, the higher-ups had dumped this task on them too.

"Song Shan, Ye Ruxue." Lin Zhijin glanced at their marriage certificate, then at them. She hadn't expected them to actually end up together. "Since you're the first ones here, you get first pick of village and land. There are five villages near the city—three with existing residents and two that are uninhabited. Which one do you want?"

"I want the uninhabited village." Ye Ruxue said, then looked at Song Shan. "What do you think?"

"You got it—uninhabited village." He wasn't alone—he had his cousin and younger siblings, plus he'd found two decent guys he got along with. They'd settle in the same village and stick together so they wouldn't get pushed around.

Lin Zhijin nodded. "There's Lingxia Village and Linghou Village. Lingxia's at the foot of the mountain, right by the main road—easy to get to town. Linghou means crossing one more mountain, but there's a lake there with good farmland all around. As long as you put in the work, you won't go hungry."

Both villages were solid choices. Linghou used to be occupied by bandits, and Lingxia had been treated as the private property of the Lingqian Village landlord—otherwise, refugees would've settled there ages ago.

After the People's Liberation Army took the city, they rounded up these abandoned villages to settle refugees, getting people to farm and have kids—building the nation brick by brick.

Song Shan and Ye Ruxue whispered to each other for a while before choosing Lingxia Village. They had some savings and wanted to live closer to town and the city so they could do a little business later.

"Lingxia is a good choice, but I should warn you—the landlord of Lingqian Village once had his eye on that land. He won't be happy about you moving in. The mighty dragon can't beat the local snake. You'll need to be careful." Sister Li cautioned from the side.

"No worries. We won't be the only family there. As long as we keep our heads down and live right, nothing'll happen." Song Shan smiled all innocent, but inside he was thinking that if anyone from Lingqian Village tried to mess with them, they'd learn what regret meant.

After Song Shan left, the people waiting outside swarmed him. Once they confirmed that houses and land were really being handed out, and that early birds got first pick, everyone scrambled to sign up.

"Brother Shan, where'd you pick? Lingxia Village? Great, I'll pick that too." One guy dragged his partner over to sign up and immediately picked Lingxia.

Song Shan was popular—Lingxia filled up fast, then Linghou. As for moving into existing villages, unless a family was big or especially bold and capable, most people didn't want to.

Newcomers had it rough. If they weren't tough enough, the original villagers would push them around, and a peaceful life was nearly impossible.

After a busy day, Lin Zhijin was sorting through files when she flipped one open and said, "Little Fengxian didn't make it?"

She'd thought Song Jing and Sun Fengxian hit it off that day—they seemed to be chatting away happily. Who'd have thought the most unlikely one, Ye Ruxue, would be the first to get married?

"If she didn't show, it didn't work out. The guy she liked that day was handsome and carried himself well—clearly not your average Joe." Li Yue flipped through the files and found Song Jing's. She clicked her tongue. "If this guy weren't held back by his younger siblings, he'd definitely make something of himself. He's very opinionated—hard to control."

"Do you think there's a chance for him and Little Fengxian?" Little Fengxian was pretty, and though she was a bit pampered, her beauty more than made up for it.

"Unlikely." Li Yue shook her head. She looked up at the newcomer and deliberately turned away.

Lin Zhijin glanced over—it was Li Guangliang. No wonder Li Yue had that expression.

She'd assumed it wasn't about her, but it turned out Li Guangliang was there to see her.

"What does the director want with me?" Lin Zhijin asked as they walked.

"Not sure. He just said to come over." Li Guangliang shook his head, stealing glances at Lin Zhijin. She seemed even prettier than a few days ago.

When they reached the Military Control Office, Lin Zhijin knocked and entered to find Director Zhao, Political Commissar Wang, and the others all present.

"Director, is there something you need?" Lin Zhijin asked curiously.

"Comrade Xiao Lin, don't be nervous. We just want to ask you a few questions. Have a seat." Director Zhao gestured to a stool and even poured her tea himself. "Comrade Xiao Lin, when you were at the Chen family, besides Old Madam Chen and Chen Laoger, who else approached you about Goldstone Mountain?"

Goldstone Mountain?

"Second Mistress Chen came to me first, asking me to sell the mountain and the land. Then Fourth Master Chen, and then Fifth Master Chen—he's Fourth Master's biological younger brother, likely acting on Fourth Master's behalf. As for the eldest madam, she planned to have me bring all these assets as a dowry to her family once my mourning period ended." Lin Zhijin recounted everything she knew, including her speculations.

"Have you had any contact with that Second Master Chen or Fourth Master Chen? What kind of people are they?" Director Zhao continued.

"Second Master Chen and Fourth Master Chen? Aside from the day Master Chen died and during the vigil, I barely saw them at all. However, I heard from my former personal maid Xiaohong that while Second Master Chen took over the family business, the real power lay with Fourth Master Chen, who works in the government." Lin Zhijin didn't know much about them and didn't want to say more than she should, lest she influence Director Zhao's judgment.

Director Zhao nodded and asked in a low voice, "What about Chen Laoda? Do you know anything about him?"

"The eldest madam's son?" Lin Zhijin saw them nod and shook her head in confusion. "I only know his entire family has settled in America. Only his daughter Chen Waner remains in Nancheng to keep the eldest madam company. Beyond that, I don't know anything."

Chen Laoda had gone to America long ago—he hadn't even returned when Master Chen died. Why were they suddenly asking about him?

"Chen Waner? Have you had any contact with her? What kind of person is she?" Director Zhao pressed.

"She? I've seen her a few times at the First Madame's place. She's a pretty, proud young thing. The First Madame dotes on her, as she's the only granddaughter by her side. Other than that... we haven't spoken much, so I don't know her well." Lin Zhijin shook her head.

Chen Waner, as the eldest legitimate daughter, looked down on even her uncles and cousins born to concubines. How could she possibly pay any mind to Lin Zhijin, a concubine herself? Calling her "Ninth Concubine" was already more than she deserved, let alone actually talking to her.

Director Zhao and the others nodded in understanding, then said cheerfully, "Alright, we just wanted to ask you about the Chen family's situation. Nothing else. You can head back to work now."

"Okay, I'll be going then." Lin Zhijin didn't ask why they were inquiring about the Chen family. She only shared what she knew—the less she knew about anything else, the better.

After Lin Zhijin left, Division Chief Yang chuckled, "She's a smart one."

"She's indeed a sharp little thing—how else could she have walked away from the Chen family unscathed? I heard Yang Su has taken a liking to her?" Director Zhao asked with a grin.

Division Chief Yang nodded. "That boy is of age now. We've introduced him to plenty of prospects, but he didn't fancy a single one. Yet just two days after arriving in Nancheng, he's set his sights on Xiao Lin."

"Youth is drawn to beauty, after all. Comrade Xiao Lin is so fresh and pretty, sensible, patriotic, and bright. If my son were the right age, I'd want her as my daughter-in-law too." Deputy Director Li chimed in.

"How's Yang Su's injury? Nothing serious, I hope?" Director Zhao changed the subject.

Division Chief Yang gave a light snort. "He's fine. He'll be discharged in a couple of days. This matter can't just be brushed aside. The Chen family—they've got some nerve, scheming right under our noses."

Author's note:

None.