Liu Haiyan didn't think so. During this busy season, everyone was busy harvesting their own corn and such, so who had time to do work for the village? This wasn't the time of the collective farming system. Besides, there were only a few idle people in the whole village. Yan San, Sun Wu, and Wang Xiaoyan weren't idle either; they went to the fields to harvest the autumn crops despite their limping legs.
The only one left idle was Xu Guozhong, a grown man who spent his days fiddling with the village's accounts. The village's accounts were already nearly empty; even when they ate at the Big Poplar Tree Restaurant, they ended up with IOUs. They didn't know when the higher-ups would allocate funds to pay it off. They were just waiting for the autumn harvest, hoping for some funds from above and some extra money from below...
Back then, farming required paying land tax, which amounted to several hundred or three hundred yuan per mu (unit of land area), depending on the location. This money was basically used by the village for food and drink. It's estimated that the money collected could cover the debts of the Dayangshu Restaurant.
Liu Haiyan meant for Chen Chu to stay out of these things, but Chen Chu just chuckled and said, "Sure, since I'm taking over Liu's position as deputy village chief, I'll be the deputy village chief for as long as I'm in charge. Leave this to me..."
Xu Guozhong just chuckled mischievously with his head down. Liu Haiyan sighed, while Zhang Cai waved his hand and said, "Chen Chu, alright. Young people are energetic and have guts. I believe in you. You can do it! I'll give you credit later..."
...
Chen Chu came out of the brigade headquarters, carrying a small notebook. He thought about the first place he would go to, the home of the militia company commander Xu Guangkuan. It was early in the morning. As soon as he arrived at the door, he saw Xu Guangkuan going to work in the fields. His wife was also there. When she saw Chen Chu, she greeted him warmly.
"Oh dear...Deputy Village Chief Chen..."
Chen Chu chuckled and followed him into the house.
Xu Guangkuan was grateful for Chen Chu's help last time. If it weren't for Chen Chu's idea, Wang Xiaoyan would have stayed at his house for who knows how long!
He is honest and straightforward, but Chen Chu is full of tricks. He messed up Wang Xiaoyan and still has no temper. Now he walks with a limp. Anyway, it was his son Wang Dasheng who gave him the injections.
He busied himself offering Chen Chu cigarettes and pouring him water.
Chen Chu waved his hand and said no need.
Considering Chen Chu's past kindness to him, he thought for a moment, then nodded heavily and said, "Vice Village Chief Chen, it's only because it's you. I wouldn't agree to this with anyone else. The crops are in the fields right now; every day we miss a harvest is a day of loss. Harvesting is also when the mice, owls, and sparrows in the fields eat the most grain. But if this road isn't repaired, it definitely won't work... I'll do the work, but one person isn't enough..."
Chen Chu smiled and said, "I'll find a few more people. Don't worry, you can't do that job yourself. But I'll come to you first because you used to be the deputy village chief, and now you're the militia company commander. You're also a Party member, so it's the Party members who have to start, and you'll be in charge..."
Xu Guangkuan joined the Party while in the army, and he immediately nodded in agreement.
With Xu Guangkuan taking the lead, Chen Chu felt he could extricate himself from the situation; otherwise, he would have had to lead the work as well. After leaving Xu Guangkuan's house, Chen Chu went straight to Doctor Yuan's place.
Upon seeing Chen Chulai, Dr. Yuan's enthusiasm was beyond words.
"Hey, Brother Chen Chu, what brings you here? Oh, right, last time I tried so hard to get you to come drinking, but you wouldn't even give me the time of day. This time's perfect, let's have a good drink together. By the way, when's Deputy Village Chief Liu getting better? Or... or... could you tell me where Deputy Village Chief Liu lives, and I'll go and give her a free medical consultation..."
Chen Chu sneered inwardly, "What kind of free medical consultation are you? What makes you look good?"
"No need for drinking, Brother Yuan. There's something I need to do today... I'm filling in for my god-sister Liu Bingbing... Right now, the village needs to repair the road, and we need manpower. Five or six people should be enough. We already have a few people, but as you know, it's the busy farming season, and it's really hard to find more people... If you're not too busy, Brother Yuan, could you do something for our village? After all, we're all from Xiaoyangshu Village. Could you lend a hand? If you can, then I'll thank you on behalf of my god-sister Liu Bingbing. Once she's better, I'll have her come and thank you in person..."
"Huh?" Dr. Yuan's eyes darted around a few times. After thinking for a while, he was reluctant to do any work. However, Chen Chu kept calling him "sister Liu Bingbing," and Dr. Yuan's head was buzzing and spinning rapidly.
Chen Chu smiled and said, "Well... if Dr. Yuan isn't willing..."
"No, no, I'm willing, I'm willing..." Xiao Yuan looked both amused and exasperated.
Just then, a voice sneered from behind: "Who the hell repairs roads during the busy farming season? They must have been kicked in the head by a donkey..."
Chen Chu turned around and saw it was Yan San. He sneered inwardly and then said, "Yan San, it's fine if you don't contribute to our village, but don't dampen other people's enthusiasm. Besides, you're not getting any younger. With your lazy attitude, do you even want a wife in the future? Don't say I didn't warn you, women don't like lazybones, and no one likes a scoundrel. A woman who likes a scoundrel isn't a good woman, she's a piece of trash..."
After Chen Chu finished speaking, he strode away. Yan San cursed behind him, "Damn..." He wanted to grab Chen Chu's shoulder, but then thought that he probably wouldn't gain the upper hand by fighting him. He thought to himself, "You little brat, just you wait... just you wait..."
Yan San was speechless when a graceful middle-aged woman walked in, covering her nose and nearly bumping into Chen Chu.
It was Widow Sun.
Chen Chu chuckled and said, "Sister Sun, are you here to get the medicine?"
"Ah...it's my younger brother, hehe...it's nothing, just a bit of a cold, I'll get some painkillers..."
Chen Chu chuckled: "That won't do, Brother Yuan. I'll pay for that box of Gan Kang..."
Xiao Yuan laughed: "Oh, why would you need money if you're taking it!" He then handed over a box of cold medicine.
When Chen Chu offered money to Dr. Yuan, she refused to accept it no matter what. Having no other option, Chen Chu said, "How about this, put it on the tab, and I'll pay you all at once later..."
At this moment, Yan San's eyes were not enough to see clearly, and he kept staring at Widow Sun. Widow Sun and Chen Chu made excuses for a while, but finally accepted the Gan Kang, saying that she would definitely give him the money later.
It was Yan San who was here yesterday. She was taking a shower when Yan San peeked at her, which is why she hurriedly put on her clothes and then poured a basin of water on Yan San's head.
Both of them caught a cold from all the commotion.
Until Widow Sun's graceful figure disappeared from sight, the woman's body, though dry from a man's touch, was still extremely slender.
Yan San then turned his gaze back to Dr. Yuan and said, "Um, give me a box of Gan Kang too..."
"Not for sale!" Doctor Yuan said coldly.
"What?" Yan Sanyi glared and shouted, "You surnamed Yuan, you dare not sell me medicine? Say it again!"
"Fine, I won't sell! Yan San, do you think I, Dr. Yuan, am easy to bully? Let me tell you straight, I'm not afraid of you. What? Dare to touch me and see what happens? I'll prescribe some medicine and kill you..." Although Dr. Yuan was a bit effeminate, he was quite arrogant in front of Yan San.
Yan San was furious, but he didn't dare to make a move; he was truly silenced by Yan San's shout.
Pointing at Xiao Yuan, he cursed, "Fine, fine, you just wait, I'll teach you to refuse to sell..."
"Tch! Whatever..."
...
Yan San came out panting heavily, fuming.
As soon as I got home, I slammed the door and suddenly saw an envelope on the windowsill of the back window.
Yan San's head was buzzing. He had been numb when he ran into Widow Sun earlier, and he remembered the letter from last night.
Yan San hurriedly put the envelope away, then ran to the kang (a heated brick bed) to open it and read the contents.
Inside, the writing was still crooked and messy.
"Sanzi, how could you do that? Chen Chu is my sworn brother. How dare you treat my sworn brother badly? Besides, yesterday I told you to do a good job so I could find a way to marry you. And now you want me to marry a good-for-nothing like you? Is that nice? I told you to do some good deeds for the village. That way everyone will say you're good, and I'll be proud of you..."
A few lines of text caused the tall, burly man, over six feet tall, to slide off the kang (heated brick bed) and onto the floor. Yan San, strong as a small hill, was completely devastated; he was utterly defeated.
He clenched his fists and slapped his bald head hard several times.
He muttered to himself, "I'm not human... I'm not human... I'm a beast. Sister Sun... you, you have to watch me. I won't let you down. I... I, Yan San, will show you what it's like to be human. I'll live a life that makes me look human..."
...
Widow Sun laughed. She was already forty, but she liked people to call her "sister." Who doesn't like being addressed as "little sister"? If you call her "auntie," her face will immediately change.
"What's up, bro..."
"Smile?" Widow Sun was taken aback. Chen Chu explained, and Widow Sun laughed: "Alright, you little rascal, you're small but smart. Okay, I'll help you this time. You're a good kid, no wonder you became the deputy village chief. By the way, do you have a girlfriend or anything? How about I introduce you to someone?"
"Get lost... If you want someone prettier than Deputy Village Chief Liu, go look in the sky, you brat..."
...
Chen Chuda wandered around the gate after finishing his lunch.
At this moment, Yan San popped his head out. Chen Chu pretended not to see him. Yan San walked over in a few steps, his face flushed.
"Chen... Deputy Village Chief Chen..."
"Huh? You called me?"
"That's right!" Yan San breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to himself, "If you weren't Widow Sun's sworn brother, why would I bother with you?"
"I didn't mean anything by it, Deputy Village Chief Chen. I heard that our village is going to build a road, and I thought that since I'm also from our village, I should do my part. Count me in…"
Chen Chu sneered inwardly, thinking, "You bastard, if it weren't for the two letters I wrote that I made up, would you be so enthusiastic?"
"No way!" Chen Chu sighed and said, "We have enough manpower! We don't need you!" Chen Chu said this on purpose, but in reality, he didn't have enough manpower at all. Such a long road could not be repaired without dozens of people.
"Why?! Why don't you use me?!" Yan San roared.
Chen Chu was startled: "Yan San, not for any other reason than that I am the deputy village chief, and if I say I don't need you, then I don't need you!"
"Pah! Chen Chu, I'm not having it! You won't let me do any work, you won't let me contribute to our Xiaoyangshu Village... I'll go to the village chief to complain about you, I'll go to the township head to complain about you! I'll expose you... You... You can't not use me! You have to use me, you can't not use me!"
"Oh, let's get to work now, we don't need you..."
"I...I'll go by myself, you can't do without me!"
Yan San stretched his neck, went home to get a shovel and a pickaxe, and followed behind Chen Chu as he walked in front.
At this moment, Dr. Yuan and Xu Guangkuan came out with their tools and started working. They were both taken aback when they saw Yan San.
At this point, Chen Chu began pointing to the uneven road surface and saying, "This part is too high, we need to dig it up; this part is too low, we need to add some soil..."
Under Chen Chu's command, Yan San kicked around like a donkey.
He's in good physical condition, so this kind of work is nothing to him.
With the pickaxe worn smooth, Xu Guangkuan and Doctor Yuan, both amused and exasperated, used shovels to poke at the soil and fill in the lower areas.
After working for a while, Yan San said again, "Deputy Village Chief Chen...we can't manage with just a few people. We need more manpower, otherwise the vehicles will easily fall into the ditch. This road is uneven..."
Chen Chu scratched his head: "Yeah, it's the busiest time of year, it's hard to find people. Yan San, can you find someone? If you can bring them here, it will be a huge contribution to our village..."
Yan San laughed: "Hahaha, Deputy Village Chief Chen, I'm capable! It's just finding someone, who the hell dares not to come and cultivate? I'll beat him up..."