When Jia Bing left the house, her parents were present, but seeing the crowd, they didn’t dare to intervene. As for Jia Bing herself, she had already been summoned to the secretary’s office for questioning.
Trembling with fear, Jia Bing felt slightly relieved when she saw Yu Feng was also there. She greeted the group nervously.
"Good day, Secretary Ma! Good day, Mayor Yu! Good day, Director Hu!"
Director Hu took out the two anonymous complaint letters and immediately pressed the issue.
"Comrade Jia Bing, we’ve confirmed that you were the one who delivered these letters to my and Secretary Ma’s offices. Now, we demand you provide evidence to prove the allegations you made are true!"
Jia Bing glanced at Yu Feng, but he merely said, "Why look at me? Speak the truth. Otherwise, even if you’re under my supervision, I won’t cover for you."
Jia Bing kept her head down, murmuring meekly, "I saw it with my own eyes. The day before yesterday, after work, Comrade Nan Sheng was walking with a male colleague, and they seemed very close. They even rode their bicycles home together."
Noticing the stern expressions on Secretary Ma and Mayor Yu’s faces, she hastily added, "I’m not lying! She often laughs and chats with other male colleagues in the office too."
At this, Director Hu slammed the table. "I asked for evidence, not baseless accusations! Comrade Nan Sheng greets me with a smile too—does that mean I’m also involved in an improper relationship with her?"
Jia Bing frantically waved her hands. "I didn’t mean it like that!"
She wouldn’t dare to slander a superior.
Secretary Ma, startled by the sudden outburst, didn’t want to directly antagonize Yu Feng, so he left the matter to Director Hu.
But was it necessary for him to be so worked up?
"Comrade Jia Bing, we’ll give you one last chance. If you can provide evidence, there might still be room for reconsideration."
Jia Bing felt wronged, helpless, and could only look pleadingly at "Uncle Yu."
Well, there was no point in questioning her further.
Director Hu summarized the situation. "Secretary, Mayor, the facts are clear. Comrade Jia Bing, driven by jealousy, fabricated these accusations to retaliate against Comrade Nan Sheng. Both complaint letters are nothing but her own assumptions and fantasies."
Secretary Ma glanced at Yu Feng. "What’s your take? Both Comrade Nan Sheng and Comrade Jia Bing are under your supervision."
Yu Feng couldn’t outright suggest firing Jia Bing, so he deflected.
"Since both work under me, any decision I make could be seen as biased. Secretary, I’ll defer to your judgment."
Secretary Ma had already made up his mind. If he dismissed Jia Bing, perhaps Comrade Nan Sheng would be so pleased she’d bring him some credit in return.
"Very well. Regarding Comrade Jia Bing’s malicious slander against a military spouse, I hereby issue the following disciplinary action: Given the severity of the offense, this matter will be reported to higher authorities, and a public reprimand will be issued county-wide.
"Comrade Jia Bing, considering your year of service at the town government, I won’t send you to labor reform. Pack your things and go home."
Yu Feng remained silent, tacitly accepting the secretary’s decision.
Outside, Jia’s father and mother watched their daughter carry her belongings out but didn’t dare to ask questions. They simply hurried her away.
……
Before heading to Wangshan Village, Nan Sheng wanted to bring some treats for her parents. Since she didn’t have any ration coupons for grain or meat, she bought two cans of preserved food from the supply and marketing cooperative.
When she arrived at her parents’ home, Zhong Yanyan beamed with joy. "I really think marrying your husband was the right choice. You get to visit home so often now."
Nan Jingyu was still working in the fields, and Mingli had gone up the mountain to gather firewood. Only Zhong Yanyan and Grandpa Nan were home.
Nan Sheng handed the canned food to her mother and said she needed to take a walk around the village.
"Mom, I’m actually here on official business today—I need to do some fieldwork. Save me a portion of dinner, but you all go ahead and eat without me."
Zhong Yanyan was about to tell her daughter to eat first, but Nan Sheng had already vanished from the courtyard.
Shaking her head with a smile, she muttered, "This girl, always in such a rush."
The village chief of Wangshan Village, Zou Guo, was shrewd and slippery. When rumors of a drought had spread earlier, he’d immediately rallied other village chiefs to appeal to Yu Feng for intervention.
But when tensions flared, he’d shifted the blame onto Xiangyang Village. His character wasn’t the worst, but it wasn’t exactly commendable either.
Nan Sheng decided to first chat with the village elders and aunties to gauge their opinions on the chief’s performance.
As she approached, an elderly woman called out, "Isn’t that the Nan family girl? Didn’t you marry into Xiangyang Village? Why do I keep seeing you back here?"
A nearby auntie chimed in, "This girl’s really made something of herself—she even works at the town government now!"
The villagers assumed Nan Sheng had gotten the job through connections rather than merit, but she didn’t correct them. Instead, she played along and joined the conversation.
"With this heat lately, I worry about my parents falling ill, so I visit often. How are you all holding up? Are you getting any ice rations?"
People in this era were warm and talkative, so Nan Sheng’s concern quickly sparked lively chatter.
"Half the ice goes to the fields, the other half to the village committee. If we’re feeling unwell, we can go get some—about once every two or three days."
"Nan girl, can’t the government send more ice to our village? We’re practically drying up out here!"
Nan Sheng avoided dampening their spirits—quoting government regulations would only make her seem pretentious.
"Ah, the ice deliveries are limited daily, so I can’t promise anything. But if there’s ever extra, I’ll make sure Wangshan Village gets a bigger share."
Pleased with her response, the group happily continued chatting. Nan Sheng casually brought up Xiaoguan Village.
"That Village Chief Huang is downright cruel—only the able-bodied men in his village get ice. The rest of the villagers were so angry they went to the town to protest."
Others joined in, venting their frustrations.
"Officials are all the same! Take a look at Chief Zou’s house—they’ve got ice every single day."
"Zou Guo’s not so bad compared to the last chief. That one used to steal grain from the collective storehouse!"
After nearly half an hour, Nan Sheng excused herself, saying she needed to return home, thus concluding her informal investigation.
She continued walking and soon came across another group of villagers resting under a large tree.
"Nan girl’s back?"
"You’ve really climbed up in the world, working at the town government now!"
……
