Chapter 051: Taking Office

When Zhao Feng and the others returned to Xiaoxi Village, it was already eight in the morning.

When Li Ping parked the car at the entrance, Chen Lan was standing by the gate, anxiously looking around as she waited.

Seeing Li Ping’s car pull up, Chen Lan hurried over. She looked at Zhao Feng with concern. “You’re finally back! I was worried something had happened!”

Zhao Feng shook his head. “Mom, sorry to make you worry!”

Chen Lan’s tone was full of care. “How are you all? You haven’t eaten yet, have you?”

Zhao Feng nodded, smiling. “I’m actually really hungry!”

“Come inside quickly, there are steamed buns and fried dough sticks!”

“Great!”

Zhao Feng picked up Nannan, took Xianglan’s hand, and walked slowly toward the door.

Chen Lan blinked and asked, “Who are these two?”

Zhao Feng rolled his eyes, then, after a moment’s thought, decided to tell the truth. “Mom, here’s what happened. Yesterday, we went to Weiwei’s bar, and then ended up at the food street in the county. This little girl has a congenital heart defect. Her mother was begging for money for surgery, so I brought them home.”

“Oh,” Chen Lan nodded in understanding. “So that’s how it is!” She warmly took Xianglan’s hand. “Young lady, where are you from?”

Zhao Feng could only roll his eyes at this.

Xianglan looked a little embarrassed. She rubbed her nose awkwardly. “Sister-in-law, I’m not even thirty yet.”

“So young?” Chen Lan’s face showed a hint of embarrassment.

Zhao Feng chuckled. “Alright, let’s not stand outside. Let’s go in.”

“Yes, yes, come in quickly!” Chen Lan urged warmly.

Zhao Feng grinned. “Mom, please prepare a room for them. Let them stay here for now.”

“Of course!”

As everyone went inside, Chen Ying greeted Zhao Feng happily.

“Zhao Feng, you’re finally back?”

Zhao Feng nodded with a smile. “Today’s the day you officially start, isn’t it?”

Chen Ying was surprised for a moment, then broke into a delighted grin. “I can’t believe you remembered!”

Zhao Feng touched his nose in embarrassment. In truth, so much had happened the previous night that he had completely forgotten. It was only on the way back that Li Ping had reminded him.

He glanced guiltily at Li Ping, who responded with a secret wink, as if to say, “We understand each other.”

So much had happened that Li Ping had come to a realization: if he couldn’t compete with Zhao Feng, he might as well draw close and become friends.

Zhao Feng cleared his throat and asked, “Chen Ying, is there any ceremony for your appointment?”

Chen Ying shook her head. “Not really. The old village chief will just gather everyone for a meeting, nothing more.”

Zhao Feng thought for a moment. “Let’s go over there in a bit, then.”

“You want to come too?” Chen Ying’s surprise was obvious.

Zhao Feng nodded, smiling. “I don’t have anything else to do, so I’ll come and see.”

“Yay!” Chen Ying jumped up excitedly. “That’s wonderful!”

Zhao Feng laughed, saying nothing more.

In truth, Zhao Feng was not lacking in emotional intelligence. On the contrary, his was quite high. He understood well that Chen Ying liked him, and he couldn’t pretend to be oblivious. He always remembered what his senior sister once told him: cultivation is the cultivation of the heart.

He sighed inwardly. “Senior sister, where are you now? I will return to the Immortal Gate!”

After breakfast, the village loudspeakers began to blare.

“Fellow villagers, our new party secretary has arrived!”

“At nine-thirty, gather at the open ground at the east end of the village!”

“Fellow villagers, our new party secretary has arrived!”

“At nine-thirty, gather at the open ground at the east end of the village!”

The loudspeakers echoed through the air, though the sound quality was poor and full of static.

When Zhao Feng’s family left the house, they could already see villagers heading in small groups toward the east end. Zhao Feng’s family joined the procession.

Notably, Xianglan was holding Nannan, following along with the others.

Xianglan sighed softly. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen such a scene.”

Zhao Feng’s mother, Chen Lan, kept glancing at Xianglan, almost absentmindedly.

Zhao Feng blinked. “Mom, what’s wrong? Why do you keep staring at Sister Xianglan?”

Chen Lan waved him off. “Don’t distract me!”

Zhao Feng rolled his eyes. “What is it, really?”

“Shh!” Chen Lan hushed him. “Your uncle’s child is still single. I think Xianglan would be a good match for him.”

Zhao Feng’s mouth twitched in exasperation.

Chen Lan smiled, moving to Xianglan’s side. “Xianglan, where are you from?”

Xianglan replied with a smile, “Auntie, I’m from Yunchuan.”

“Yunchuan?”

“Yes.”

“That far?” Chen Lan murmured, “Too far, not quite suitable. Yunchuan is so remote, all mountains and valleys.”

She shook her head, muttering to herself.

As they chatted, the group arrived at the east end of the village. There, an old well stood beside a crooked locust tree, and a wide open space spread out beyond. This was the village’s park, where people often gathered in their leisure time to play chess, drink tea, or chat.

Everyone had brought their own stools, and many villagers were already seated. Old Village Chief Zhao stood at the front, with a table before him covered by a red cloth and a worn microphone resting on top.

When Chen Ying arrived, Old Zhao hurried over and grabbed her hand. “Secretary Chen, you’re finally here!”

Chen Ying smiled shyly. “Uncle Zhao, I’m not the secretary yet.”

Old Zhao’s face grew stern. “Who says so? Who dares say otherwise? If I say you are, then you are!”

Laughter rippled through the villagers.

“That’s right! Miss Chen is our secretary now!”

“Yes, that’s right!”

“We support you!”

“We support you too!”

Old Zhao laughed heartily. “Chen Ying, let me call you Xiao Ying if I may.”

Chen Ying quickly replied, “Uncle Zhao, you’re too polite! Of course you can call me Xiao Ying.”

Old Zhao chuckled. “You don’t know how grand it used to be in the old days when a new secretary came to the countryside—truly a sight to behold, loved by all!”

He continued in earnest, “Xiao Ying, though today is a bit rushed and I haven’t prepared much, I still want you to have a splendid welcome!”

“Yes!”

“That’s right!”

“Splendid!”

The crowd cheered, and a faint blush rose on Chen Ying’s cheeks.