Upon entering the house, Nan Sheng immediately noticed that Sizhe seemed upset. "What's wrong, son? Did you wait outside for long?"
Sizhe replied gloomily, "No, Mom. Can you give me another key? I lost the one you gave me."
Without overthinking it, Nan Sheng went back to her room and fetched him another key, tying it to a string so it wouldn’t get lost again.
Exhausted, Nan Sheng still had to cook dinner. She deeply regretted not having bought some instant noodles to keep at home. Since they used liquefied gas, she didn’t dare let her son handle the stove.
She started by steaming the rice, then stir-fried two pieces of meat—lightly spicy for her daughter, and spicy for herself and Sizhe. She left half in the pan so Lin Han could heat it up if he came home hungry.
The humidity here was high, and eating spicy food occasionally helped dispel the dampness.
At moments like this, she suddenly appreciated the charm of being single—back then, she only had to worry about feeding herself, and skipping a meal was no big deal. But now, with two kids, no matter how tired she was, she couldn’t neglect them.
Being a parent was tough! If only they could just order takeout.
Siqi had adapted quickly to life in Rongcheng. The little one could tell her mother was exhausted and, imitating her father, started massaging Nan Sheng’s shoulders and legs.
Though parenting came with its challenges, the joy she gained far outweighed the troubles.
Once she’d caught her breath, Nan Sheng teased her daughter, "Sweetheart, do you want to stay in daycare forever? Lately, with no homework, you’ve been over the moon."
Siqi giggled mischievously. Her most annoying habit was bothering Sizhe while he did his homework, which always ended with him carrying her out to the living room and locking the door until he finished.
Lin Han returned close to midnight and headed straight to the kitchen to see what his wife and kids had eaten.
Lifting the lid, he grinned—there was meat!
His eyes lit up as he reheated the dish and poured it over the rice. The first bite, with both rice and meat, filled him with deep satisfaction. A full stomach always brought him happiness.
After a quick shower, he snuggled up to his wife and fell asleep, utterly content.
But in the middle of the night, Nan Sheng was abruptly awakened by a voice in her head.
"Are you scared?"
"Scared?"
"Don’t be scared!"
"Your system is here!"
Groggy, Nan Sheng cursed under her breath and cut off the mental connection, sinking back into deep sleep. That little thing was so annoying!
She’d have to lecture it tomorrow—disturbing someone’s sleep was downright unethical.
The next morning, Lin Han got up early to wash the laundry and cook porridge. By the time he returned from the canteen with steamed buns, the whole family was up and washed.
Noticing Nan Sheng’s sluggish demeanor, Lin Han touched her forehead. "Honey, are you feeling unwell? You look a bit off."
"Just tired from yesterday. Let’s eat—the buns smell delicious."
Lin Han always bought a mix of meat and vegetable buns. Nan Sheng and Siqi preferred the meat-filled ones, while he and Sizhe enjoyed both.
After breakfast, the family scattered—off to work and school—leaving the house quiet again.
At the government office, Nan Sheng noticed canned goods and pastries on every desk, likely gifts from subordinates following Secretary Cai’s example.
She instructed the committee staff to take their offerings back.
"No need for this. Just focus on your work. I appreciate the gesture, but send the rest to the canteen. Everyone can take a portion after lunch."
Deng Jun reported, "Director, how should we handle the village chief of Yunshui Village?"
"Send Chen Tian to investigate. If there’s evidence of him oppressing villagers, take written statements with their signatures. Detain him first, and we’ll decide after Chen Tian returns."
Liu Yun sat nervously in her chair, watching Nan Sheng delegate tasks. She suddenly realized the revolutionary committee director was nothing like she’d imagined.
This Director Nan didn’t act recklessly—even when dealing with a village chief who’d crossed her, she insisted on evidence before judgment.
When the office emptied, Nan Sheng called her name.
"Liu Yun, is there a nearby village you’d prefer? Or do you know anyone here?"
Liu Yun twisted her hands anxiously, but Nan Sheng didn’t rush her. "If not, I’ll arrange it myself."
Remembering Nan Sheng had saved her life, Liu Yun decided to trust her. Softly, she said, "I’d like to be sent to Yannan Village."
Nan Sheng agreed without hesitation. "Fine. I’ll have someone take you there later."
"Thank you, Director Nan. Really, thank you!"
For the first time since being sent down, Liu Yun felt a glimmer of hope.
The only reason she hadn’t given up was because she had relatives in Yannan Village who risked visits, giving her the will to live.
Nan Sheng’s village inspections were postponed, but word had spread. Every village chief now knew the newly appointed Director Nan held more power than Director Ou—she could even dismiss them.
After consulting chiefs who’d already been inspected, villages rushed to make changes. The most noticeable difference was for the displaced households.
They now had two meals a day. The elderly, women, and children were given lighter tasks instead of backbreaking fieldwork, and their living conditions improved.
In their hearts, they were grateful to the new director.
But the village chiefs had a new headache—the cow sheds had to be cleaned daily, with manure spread on the fields. Because, as the director said, "Manure that doesn’t stink won’t do its job!"
While the displaced households rejoiced, the Red Guards were far from happy.
News traveled among them, and when they heard their peers in Qingshi Lane had been punished with fieldwork, some went to see for themselves.
They found their friends covered in blisters, sobbing as they tilled the soil. Many immediately reconsidered—they’d joined the Red Guards for the prestige and to skip school, not to do grueling farm labor.
Soon, Red Guards became a rare sight in the villages, afraid of running into the ruthless committee director.
She tolerated no nonsense, whether from displaced households, village chiefs, or Red Guards—she dealt with them all. Better to return to school quietly!
Nan Sheng’s arrival had undeniably brought positive changes, but her fierce reputation left villagers and displaced households both grateful and terrified.
And that was exactly the outcome she wanted.
"Director, I’ve finished investigating. The Yunshui Village chief has a decent reputation among villagers, but he treats displaced households inhumanely. Liu San is even worse.
I also led Red Guards to search the chief’s home. They found substantial savings and grain stores, and his wife couldn’t explain the source. It’s clear he embezzled."
Chen Tian, seizing his chance to impress, had given his all. Fortunately, Nan Sheng was satisfied with his diligence and competence.
"Good job. Confiscate half of the deposits for public funds and return the other half. Go convey my instructions to Secretary Cai—tell him the village chief of Yunshui is to be sentenced to eight years of labor reform in the mines. His wife and children will also be sent to the mines for a month."
"Yes, sir!" Chen Tian immediately turned to leave.
Just then, Nan Sheng called him back. "Chen Tian, once the month is up, move your desk back here yourself. From now on, do your job properly."
Chen Tian was so overwhelmed with gratitude that he could barely contain himself, thanking Nan Sheng repeatedly.
After this, he wouldn’t dare cause any more trouble.
