Aunt Zhong was in the next room, and with the window open due to the heat, she naturally overheard the conversation outside. Frowning, she stepped out into the yard as well.
Grandpa Zhong was momentarily taken aback when he saw Nan Sheng. "Nan Sheng? What brings you here?"
Grandma Zhong pinched her husband’s arm and hurried forward. "What kind of question is that? She’s here to visit family, of course! Come inside, child!"
When Nan Sheng got married, it had been an unpleasant affair. Zhong Yanyan hadn’t even allowed them to attend the wedding, only sending a monetary gift.
For some unknown reason, Zhong Yanyan also hadn’t mentioned that her daughter now worked for the town government.
"I had some business in the area, so I thought I’d bring the kids along to visit," Nan Sheng explained.
Aunt Zhong quickly stepped out, appearing quite welcoming. "Let’s talk inside—it’s too hot out here."
Noticing the bags in Sizhe’s hands, she shot Nan Sheng a disapproving look. "You didn’t have to bring anything! Just coming is enough."
No matter how tight things were at home, they could certainly afford to host a meal. Aunt Zhong wasn’t stingy—she just couldn’t stand how Zhong Qin always came back to take food from the elderly.
Nan Sheng handed the meat to her aunt. "We’ll be shameless enough to stay for lunch. Since this is my first visit after getting married, I had to bring something for Grandma and Grandpa. It’s only proper."
She then introduced the children one by one, prompting them to greet everyone.
Truthfully, the Zhong family couldn’t understand why Nan Sheng, such a fine young woman, would marry a divorced man. Grandpa Zhong, especially, had been so upset when he found out that he refused to eat for a whole day.
Since the villagers hadn’t been forthcoming, Nan Sheng saw this as an opportunity to learn more about the situation in the village from her relatives.
"The village chief is a good man, just hot-tempered—he yells a lot. But he’s fair, and everyone respects him. Nan Sheng, why are you asking about this?" Aunt Zhong had her suspicions but didn’t dare assume.
"Yesterday, the village chief mentioned that someone from the town government would be visiting. Could that be you?"
Nan Sheng nodded. "I just started working there a few days ago and haven’t had the chance to tell you. Auntie, if you could share more about the village, it’d help me with my duties."
Aunt Zhong clapped her hands in delight. "You’ve really made something of yourself! Your mother must be so proud. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you everything you need to know!"
Who would’ve thought? Their niece, who’d brought shame to the family by marrying a divorced man, had now turned things around—and in such a glorious way!
Truly remarkable!
Even Grandpa Zhong and Grandma Zhong’s expressions brightened, their faces lighting up with newfound energy.
Nan Sheng didn’t care much about how the elderly couple felt toward her. After all, she wasn’t their biological granddaughter, so there was bound to be some emotional distance.
Still, seeing their genuine happiness for her, she indulged them with a few more words, leaving them beaming with joy.
Her official duties came first today. She left Siqi at Grandma Zhong’s place and set out with Grandpa Zhong and Sizhe to survey the village.
Xiaoling Village was clearly less prosperous than Xiangyang Village or Wangshan Village. With more mountains and less farmland, the villagers had no choice but to rely heavily on fertilizer, as there was little land to cultivate.
The hills were dotted with fruit trees—hawthorns, wild pears, and the like. If fruit cultivation proved viable, it could become another source of income.
The village chief, just as Aunt Zhong had described, was a short-tempered old man. Once he found Nan Sheng, he personally escorted her to the work sites for her inspections.
"Comrade, please assure the town mayor that while Lu Guang may have a loud voice, I’d never do anything as heartless as Old Huang! If you don’t believe me, you’re welcome to visit my home!"
Nan Sheng declined with a smile. "That won’t be necessary, Chief Lu. But with the drought worsening and tensions rising among the villagers, it’s crucial to maintain order and prevent any incidents."
Her polite and reasonable demeanor left a good impression on Chief Lu, who even took her to speak with Zhong Min at his worksite.
Zhong Min was stunned. "Nan Sheng? What are you doing here? Did something happen at home?"
Chief Lu scowled at his poor choice of words but held back from scolding him out of respect for Nan Sheng.
"Your niece here is now a town official, sent by the mayor to gather feedback from the villages. Zhong Min, you’ve got some luck on your side!"
And luck it was—after this visit, both Zhong Min and Nan Jingyu were appointed as village team leaders. Chief Lu might’ve been blunt, but he knew how to grant favors when it suited him.
With that, Nan Sheng’s inspection concluded successfully.
After she left, Zhong Min was too distracted to focus on his work. How had his niece become an official?
Back at home, Aunt Zhong’s eyes welled up at the sight of two large cuts of meat. They hadn’t had even a whiff of meat since the New Year. She wondered if there’d be any left for the children after lunch.
She prepared a generous spread, cooking both portions of meat to ensure Nan Sheng and the children ate their fill—and ate well!
Lunch was served in Uncle Zhong’s room. Worried Nan Sheng might take offense, Aunt Zhong explained, "It’s not that I’m trying to inconvenience the elderly, but if your aunt Zhong Qin showed up now, she’d flip the table. In my house, she wouldn’t dare!"
Over the meal, Uncle Zhong asked about her job and marriage. Nan Sheng shared what she could.
"The wedding was a bit rushed, but Lin Han is an upright man. Now that he’s been promoted to battalion commander, his military allowance is enough to support us, so I agreed to marry him."
Grandpa Zhong immediately asked, "Is battalion commander a high rank? His allowance must be quite substantial, right?"
He meant no harm—it was just an offhand question—but Nan Sheng wouldn’t disclose the exact amount. Even her own parents hadn’t asked something so intrusive.
Sizhe glanced at his mother, thinking to himself, What Dad earns is nothing compared to what Mom can make just by using her wits. She could earn years’ worth of his allowance in no time.
"His rank is neither high nor low, and his allowance is enough to support our family of four. I’m not much for manual labor, so we don’t get grain rations—we have to buy everything."
The Zhong family knew how expensive grain was these days, so they didn’t assume Nan Sheng had it easy—especially since she was raising two children who weren’t her own.
Only Aunt Zhong marveled at how much Nan Sheng had matured after marriage, gaining more than just a little shrewdness.
