After winter came the spring plowing season. Due to the drought, Huaishan County's application for seeds and chemical fertilizers was processed much slower than other counties. The higher-ups were also concerned—what if the weather in Huaishan County turned unfavorable again this year? Wouldn’t all the seeds and fertilizers go to waste if another natural disaster struck?
In the end, Huaishan County only received its share after all the other counties had taken theirs.
Secretary Ma sat in his office, cursing loudly. "Everything gets reduced layer by layer as it trickles down. By the time it reaches our town, we’re short by a third of the chemical fertilizers! And now they’re dumping educated youths and sent-down personnel on us too. Do they think all these mouths don’t need to eat?"
At the mention of sent-down personnel, Director Hu suddenly perked up.
"Secretary Ma, getting angry won’t help. Why not leave the arrangement of the educated youths and sent-down personnel to me? I’ll make sure everything’s handled properly."
Secretary Ma agreed. With the reduced fertilizer supply, figuring out how to distribute it among the villages was his top priority, and he had no energy to spare for other matters.
He immediately called a meeting to brainstorm solutions. The village heads, who usually fawned over the town government, became a headache when their own interests were at stake—banding together to protest and demand more.
When Nan Sheng returned to the village after work, she found the village head and her father-in-law waiting at her doorstep.
"Lin Han’s wife, haven’t the seeds and fertilizers arrived yet? In previous years, we’d have already gotten them by now!"
Nan Sheng invited them inside. "Last year’s drought meant the county didn’t deliver its grain quota, so this year’s application was delayed by half a month. The town government just received the seeds and fertilizers."
Feng Wuquan brightened. "That’s good news. Every household is tightening their belts, just waiting to plant the seeds so we can have a harvest in the fall."
Families in dire straits had already started begging for food, going door to door with sacks. Those who had grain to spare would scoop out a couple of bowls. After making the rounds through two or three villages, they could carry home a sack of cornmeal—enough to stave off starvation.
Nan Sheng warned them not to celebrate too soon. "The seed supply is sufficient, but there’s less fertilizer than usual. I’m worried another drought might hit this year."
Lin Guozheng and Feng Wuquan, having lived through more hardships, took it in stride.
"As long as there are enough seeds, we’ll manage. We used to farm just fine without chemical fertilizers. Lin Han’s wife, just distribute whatever the village is owed. No need to go out of your way for us."
Nan Sheng smiled bitterly. This time, even if she wanted to help, she couldn’t. The fertilizer distribution was being handled transparently—villages that received more would also have higher grain quotas. No one could gain an unfair advantage.
The next day, the town government summoned all the village heads for a meeting.
At first, when they heard about the reduced fertilizer supply, the village heads argued fiercely, each insisting their village needed more because their people were starving.
But after Secretary Ma explained the distribution plan, the quarreling stopped. If higher fertilizer allocations meant higher grain quotas, what was the point of fighting over it?
"I know every village is struggling," Secretary Ma said. "Compile a list of the poorest households in your villages, and I’ll try to request relief grain from above. If it doesn’t come through, you’ll have to find ways to help them yourselves. We can’t let people starve to death—or none of you will keep your positions!"
After the meeting, the town government began distributing seeds and fertilizers to the villages. With over twenty villages to cover, it would take at least two days. Nan Sheng and Clerk Peng were put in charge.
The village heads understood the threat in Secretary Ma’s words. Whether they liked it or not, they had to find ways to keep the poorest families alive.
Near the end of the workday, Zhu Yi and Wang Xian, staff under Director Hu, sidled up to Nan Sheng’s desk.
"Comrade Nan Sheng, this batch includes over thirty educated youths and more than ten sent-down personnel. We’ll try to assign as few as possible to Xiangyang Village."
No village wanted educated youths—they were weak laborers who still had to be fed.
Nan Sheng didn’t want that influential figure assigned to Wangshan Village, so she glanced at the list.
"Oh, these ones are from the capital. What a coincidence—my home village has a few educated youths from there too."
She changed the subject. "If we have to take some, better to take sent-down personnel. They can handle the dirty, hard work and don’t need as much food."
Since Nan Sheng didn’t specify names, Zhu Yi and Wang Xian didn’t think much of it.
But Zhu Yi took note. Hearing Nan Sheng mention Wangshan Village’s educated youths from the capital, he crossed out the sent-down personnel originally assigned there and reassigned them elsewhere.
Who knew if they had connections?
If they were being sent down for re-education, they shouldn’t have it easy.
The educated youths and sent-down personnel arrived before spring plowing. Xiangyang Village was assigned only a married couple in their forties, said to have been high-ranking officials in the capital before being sent down.
Some villagers went to gawk, only to find they looked like anyone else—two eyes, one mouth, nothing special.
When Nan Sheng heard the villagers talk about them, she had a hunch. Asking the village head confirmed it—Yan Shaoshu. The name alone sounded distinguished.
She offered a warning. "I’ve heard some sent-down people were wrongly accused and might be rehabilitated later. Uncle Feng, let’s not treat them inhumanely."
Feng Wuquan agreed. "I know. They’ll get food based on the work they do. How they fare is up to them."
Other villages housed sent-down personnel in cow sheds, but Xiangyang Village had empty houses. The couple was told to clean one up and move in—at least it would keep out the wind and rain.
"I’ve told the villagers not to bully them, but also not to get too close. No need to invite trouble."
Cutting off the male lead’s path to a powerful ally delighted Nan Sheng.
Besides, after marriage, Yu Sheng’s life had turned miserable—controlled tightly by his father-in-law and wife. Forget helping Su Jinyan return to the city; he didn’t even have freedom himself!
When spring plowing began, the toll of hunger became obvious. Everyone worked slower than before.
After a day’s labor, their legs felt weak, as if they were about to meet their ancestors.
At the town government, Secretary Ma called Nan Sheng in for a private talk.
"Secretary Ma, I heard an expert team arrived in Xiaoling Village. Are you transferring me there to assist?"
Secretary Ma shook his head. He even locked the door, afraid someone might overhear.
"This isn’t about work. It’s a personal favor. Hear me out before you decide whether to help."
His tone was unusually grave—even when Jia Bing had framed her, he’d only pretended to be stern.
"Two sent-down personnel from the capital are in Xiangyang Village. They’re important figures. Someone high up secretly ordered me to ensure their safety."
Nan Sheng understood. Secretary Ma wanted her to keep an eye on them since she lived in Xiangyang Village.
Big shots were still big shots—even when sent down, they had protectors. She just hadn’t expected the task to fall to her.
"I understand, Secretary. Leave it to me."
Her agreement pleased Secretary Ma immensely. From that moment on, he considered her one of his own.
He pulled two hundred yuan from his pocket and handed it to Nan Sheng. "From now on, I'll give you money every month. It’ll be tough, but I need you to buy grain from the black market and deliver it to them. Just be careful—don’t leave any traces."
Nan Sheng understood. Besides, as a government employee, even if someone spotted her, they wouldn’t think much of it.
The two clerks under Director Hu were on good terms with her, and they weren’t likely to cause trouble for Xiangyang Village either.
