Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Miao Dahai had a decent understanding of the situation in the county town and drew upon his experience to offer a great deal of useful insight.

Hua Yusen was very impressed when he heard this. ’You can’t underestimate anyone,’ he thought, ’especially someone so intelligent, experienced, and wise.’

”From what I’ve heard in my chats with Zhou Jian Country, it seems things are just as Miao Dahai described. This report of ours will definitely be very useful,” Hua Yusen said confidently. ”However, this means we’ll be dragged into the debate. Miao Dahai, are you prepared?”

Miao Dahai gave Hua Yusen a meaningful look. ’This Mr. Hua seems to have quite a background. It looks like he’s also paying close attention to those people. But his objective seems to be the exact opposite of Li Siming and Wang Dadan’s.’

’Huh?’

’Could it be that Mr. Hua is here to protect those people?’

”Miao? Miao?” Seeing Miao Dahai lost in thought, Wu Dazhu, who had been waiting anxiously beside him, couldn’t help but prod. ”About this debate... can’t we just stay out of it?”

Wu Dazhu wasn’t as deep a thinker as Miao Dahai. He was simply worried that Nianqiao Village would get dragged into the mess and suffer the consequences.

Miao Dahai snapped out of his thoughts, then gave a bitter smile and a sigh. ”Dazhu, don’t you understand? From the moment Wang Dadan brought those young people into our village, we were already involved. If we just sit back and do nothing, all we can do is wait to be slaughtered. When that time comes, it won’t just be a few of our elders who starve or are harmed to death.”

”What?” Wu Dazhu was shocked, his face turning pale with anxiety. ”Then what are we going to do? I’ve been to Wang Family Village and seen it for myself. It’s truly pitiful. I don’t want our village to end up like that—filled with despair and numbness.”

Miao Dahai looked at Wu Dazhu. The man was big and burly but not particularly sharp. Thankfully, he had a good heart. Miao Dahai gently reassured him, ”Dazhu, from now on, you pay more attention to the village’s security. As for the other matters, you still have me! Our seven clans came to Nianqiao Village as refugees hundreds of years ago, and we have a legacy stretching back centuries. I am a man of Nianqiao Village. I naturally won’t stand by and watch our home be controlled by those people. So, we have to fight. We have to take this risk.”

”Yes, Uncle Miao. We can’t let this home our ancestors left us be ruined by those people with ulterior motives,” Wu Dazhu said in a low, determined voice. ”I, Wu Dazhu, am not clever, but I’m not afraid of hard work, and I’m a doer. I will definitely guard the village well.”

”Good, good!” Miao Dahai said. ”Director Li will handle the women’s work, so I don’t need to worry about that. For accounting, Sanshu is honest and won’t embezzle anything. Er Gou and Ma Zi have been production team leaders for many years; they’re very experienced and can organize farming and fishing well. And now we have Mr. Hua to help us. As long as we are united, we can definitely get through this crisis.”

Up at the front, driving the ox-cart, Hua Yusen couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.

A land and its water nurture its people.

And in turn, those people give back to the land and water that raised them.

It hadn’t rained recently, so the roads were better than usual. Hua Yusen was able to urge the ox on a little faster than normal, and they arrived in the county town at ten-thirty in the morning.

Once they reached the county town, Hua Yusen and Miao Dahai didn’t go directly to the government office. Instead, they first went to find Zhou Jian Country to ask about something.

After all, they were from the countryside, not the county town, so they didn’t have a clear grasp of the situation there. If they were to rush in blindly, they’d likely end up battered and bruised.

Zhou Jian Country worked in a propaganda unit and often led his team to organize activities around town.

Because Hua Yusen was in frequent contact with Zhou Jian Country, he found him easily.

When Zhou Jian Country saw Hua Yusen, he warmly invited him into his home. From Hua Yusen, Zhou Jian Country learned the purpose of Miao Dahai’s and Wu Dazhu’s visit.

”Ah, Uncle Miao is also a good man who works wholeheartedly for the common people.” Zhou Jian Country was deeply moved after reading the report Miao Dahai had written.

In the county town, because of Zhao Liqiang, not only were they painting slogans on walls every day, but they were also starting to brew up a new wave of ”activities,” which would likely affect even more people.

”Honestly, all we want is for our village—both the newcomers and the local villagers—to be able to work and live in peace and safety,” Miao Dahai lamented. ”But things aren’t going the way we imagined or hoped. I have this feeling that there’s someone backing Wang Dadan and Li Siming, and that they’re deliberately targeting the villagers. That’s why I had to write this report and submit it, hoping someone in the higher-ups can suppress their corrupt intentions.”

”Yes, I’ve read the report. Your proposals are in line with my older brother’s thinking,” Zhou Jian Country said. ”I understand your village’s situation. Don’t go back this afternoon. I’ll send someone to notify my brother and have him come over for lunch. We can discuss how to handle this going forward.”

”We’d be imposing too much. Oh, we can just eat out,” Miao Dahai said, feeling awkward about staying. After all, they didn’t have such a deep connection with him.

”Miao, don’t be so formal. When I came to your village to show the movie, I even ate a meal at your house. You’re eating at my place today. Besides, it’s not convenient to talk if we eat out,” Zhou Jian Country said with a laugh. ”Make yourselves comfortable. I’m just stepping out for a moment.”

So Zhou Jian Country went out to have a message sent to his older brother, then bought some groceries and returned home to cook.

”Mr. Hua, we really owe you for this,” Miao Dahai said gratefully. ”If we had just recklessly submitted the report, we might not have even made it out of that office today.”

”Well, human effort is what makes the difference,” Hua Yusen also sighed. ”All we can do is be prepared, take every precaution, and face what’s coming.”

”Yes, I hope this all passes quickly so our village can return to peace,” Miao Dahai said sadly. ”Life was getting better, but they don’t want us common folk to live peaceful lives.”

Wu Dazhu looked up and said, ”Miao, don’t be too pessimistic. We’ve done nothing wrong and have clear consciences. Our ancestors have lived here for generations, and we haven’t broken any laws. If those people want to cause trouble for us, they’ll have to see if we, the common people, will stand for it.”

”That’s right. The strength of the people is what’s truly great,” Miao Dahai nodded. ”Those with ill intentions will fail sooner or later.”

Just then, Zhou Jian Country walked in carrying a basket of vegetables. He said a quick hello and went into the kitchen to cook.