Nan Sheng's primary responsibility now was overseeing operations, and she delegated the task of assigning relocated personnel to Liu Song.
Everyone else was easy to place, but Li Liangbai posed a dilemma. "Director Nan, Li Liangbai came from the capital and is already over eighty years old. Where do you think we should assign him?"
At that age, he was considered exceptionally long-lived for the era, but that didn’t mean he was healthy. He might barely be able to walk, let alone work or undergo re-education—even speaking could be a struggle.
Nan Sheng took the list and reviewed it carefully before praising, "Good arrangements. As for Li Liangbai, find him a spot to guard the grain storage. No matter how old he is, he can’t just freeload."
Liu Song thought to himself that Director Nan sounded harsh but was actually kind-hearted. He just wondered if someone might stir up trouble over this.
After some consideration, he came up with an idea and knew exactly where to assign the man.
"Chen Tian, once the relocated personnel arrive, you and Liu Song will be responsible for settling them into the villages. You know my requirements—absolutely no deaths are permitted."
"Deng Jun, I’ve noticed you’re quite talkative. Starting tomorrow, the government will be organizing ideological lectures, and you’ll be in charge. Write the speeches and show them to me before delivering them."
Chen Tian immediately agreed, but Deng Jun’s eyes filled with confusion.
Wait, when had he ever been talkative? Could Director Nan at least make sense when she spoke?
He shot a pleading look at Liu Song, but Liu Song could only shrug helplessly. Previously, Director Ou had personally handled the lectures—Liu Song had only ever listened. He didn’t know how to speak, let alone write speeches.
When Deng Jun turned his desperate gaze toward Nan Sheng, she tilted her head and looked out the window instead.
There was no way she was taking on such exhausting work herself. After lecturing at the government office, she’d have to go down to the villages—it was utterly exhausting. Just showing up was already generous of her.
Before the end of the workday, the Revolutionary Committee notified all departments that for the next week, everyone—including Secretary Cai—had to arrive half an hour early for daily ideological lectures.
No one dared refuse, and no one dared openly show dissatisfaction.
When Nan Sheng finished packing up and stepped outside the government building, Lin Han was already waiting for her. In his hand was a piece of pork belly Hua Fen had sent—it looked particularly fine.
"Sweetheart, how about we cook our own meal tonight?"
Nan Sheng had no reason to refuse. Today, she wanted to try something different—a big bowl of braised pork to impress the Lin family’s father and sons!
Back at home, Nan Sheng started by cooking the rice. She enjoyed the process of making food, then directed Lin Han to help.
"Cut the meat into thick slices—yes, just like that!"
Meanwhile, she boiled eggs for later use. With over eight pounds of meat, they couldn’t possibly finish it in one meal, so she deep-fried some to store in an oil jar.
The winter temperatures here weren’t too low, but Nan Sheng still didn’t dare keep the meat for long—whatever they bought had to be eaten within three days.
With plenty of oil in the pan, Nan Sheng skipped pan-frying and directly deep-fried the thick pork slices to render out the fat, followed by the eggs and peppers—all crisped in oil.
She was especially careful with the eggs, afraid they might explode and hit her in the face.
Lin Han stayed by her side the whole time, assisting. Somehow, he could replicate every step of the cooking process, but the results were… questionable.
Yet, he remained undeterred, attempting every few days—though his wife refused to let him ruin good meat, which left him a little resentful.
Normally, Nan Sheng would simmer the braised pork for at least an hour and a half, but today, with the whole family hungry, she reduced the sauce earlier. Even so, the flavor was impeccable.
Not only did Lin Han and Sizhe devour slice after slice, but even the little one ate two large pieces of meat and an egg.
"Mom, this is so delicious!"
That evening, the scent of meat didn’t just waft from the Lin household—the Zhang family was cooking up a feast too. The children in the building nearly refused to leave the second and third floors.
If they couldn’t eat the meat, at least they could savor the aroma a little longer!
On the third morning of Lin Han escorting Nan Sheng to work, after dropping her off at the government building, his expression instantly turned cold. He then swiftly rounded a few corners and apprehended two men.
Since the previous morning, he’d noticed someone secretly watching them, but the glimpses were too brief to pinpoint their location. At night, not wanting to frighten his wife, he hadn’t acted.
Today, however, the stalkers grew bolder, tailing them from the moment they entered town. As a soldier, letting them escape would be a disgrace to his uniform.
After catching them, Lin Han broke each man’s leg—a practical measure to prevent resistance. Knocking them out with pain made transportation easier.
One was hung over the bicycle’s crossbar, the other draped over the rear rack. As Lin Han pushed the bike back to the military base, the latter’s shoes nearly wore through from dragging.
When questioned upon returning, Lin Han simply stated that they’d been shadowed—likely by spies.
In truth, both men were from the Revolutionary Committee. Lin Han had guessed as much—his wife had mentioned a few days prior that the county’s Revolutionary Committee director held a grudge against her.
He seized this chance to deliver a harsh warning. With solid evidence, the military’s involvement would force even the provincial Revolutionary Committee to back down.
Sure enough, the two men confessed without interrogation. The military base, furious that Revolutionary Committee operatives had dared to tail an army battalion commander, acted swiftly.
By noon, the two broken-legged men were dumped at the county government office, and Ou Yaosheng was publicly reprimanded.
Even Cao Guoxiang wasn’t spared—the officers pointed fingers and berated him before leaving with a final warning:
"The military will not let this slide. We’ve already reported to the provincial authorities. You’d better think carefully about how to explain yourselves."
Ou Yaosheng: "…"
All that groveling for nothing!
Cao Guoxiang was even more aggrieved—what did this have to do with him? He was ex-military too—couldn’t they go easier on him?
The Li family’s troubles weren’t over either. When Yuying heard her husband wanted a divorce, she nearly cried herself to death, utterly lost.
Ever since learning she couldn’t conceive, she’d feared this day would come. Following advice from other wives, she personally fetched Li Gongliang home, promising never to hit or scold the children again.
But the peace lasted barely two days before Li Gongliang stormed off again—Yuying had broken her word and struck Wangdi once more.
As the saying goes, once or twice may be forgiven, but a third time? If it happened again, even the neighbors would say she deserved it.
