"Brother Zhou, come with me to the commune." Lin Wanqiu closed the wooden box. "Sister Liu, could you please look after Nianxi at home for me? I'll be back soon."

Sister Liu nodded: "Don't worry, I'll take care of Xixi."

Lin Wanqiu and Brother Zhou braved the wind and snow to make their way to the commune. The snow on the road was ankle-deep, making each step difficult. As they walked, Brother Zhou said to Lin Wanqiu, "Yesterday, when I was sorting out the receipts, I heard from the neighbors that Lin Moli went to the commune and even had dinner with Zhang, the commune's cadre. That Zhang cadre used to have a good relationship with Zhao Jianjun's father; he might be the one pulling the strings behind this."

Lin Wanqiu's heart sank—it really was Lin Moli! She had long known that Lin Moli was no ordinary person, but she hadn't expected her to be able to get involved with Secretary Zhang. Secretary Zhang was in charge of economic investigations in the commune; if he deliberately made things difficult, the audit would turn into a disaster.

Upon arriving at the commune, Lin Wanqiu first went to the supply and marketing cooperative to find Comrade Li. Comrade Li, upon hearing of her ordeal, immediately frowned: "Wanqiu, don't worry. The supplementary food from your workshop is of good quality and reasonably priced. It has helped solve the food problem for many children in our commune. How could it be speculation? Someone must be deliberately framing you. I'll go to the commune with you right now and testify for you!"

Afterwards, they went to the hospital to see Dr. Wang. Dr. Wang was also furious upon hearing this: "Our hospital's doctors recommend Lin Wanqiu's complementary foods to patients. The children who eat them grow well and have never had any problems. She's not only not a speculator, but she's also a 'wealth-creating leader' in our commune! I'll go to the commune with you and explain things to them!"

With the support of Comrade Li and Dr. Wang, Lin Wanqiu felt even more confident. They arrived at the commune office, where Officer Zhang was sitting behind his desk drinking tea. Seeing Lin Wanqiu, he gave a contemptuous smile: "Lin Wanqiu, you've come at the right time. Someone reported you for speculation and profiteering. Bring out your account books; I need to check them."

“Officer Zhang, I haven’t been engaging in speculation or profiteering.” Lin Wanqiu placed the wooden box on the table and opened the lid. “These are all the receipts and contracts for our workshop. The raw materials were purchased from the commune’s grain station and sold to the supply and marketing cooperative and the hospital. It’s all legal business, with all the necessary documentation. How can you call it speculation or profiteering?”

Officer Zhang picked up the receipts, glanced at them, his eyes flickered, and then threw them back into the box: "These receipts prove nothing. Maybe you forged them! Besides, you're a widow, running such a large workshop and making so much money. What else could it be but speculation and profiteering?"

“Officer Zhang, you’re wrong about that!” Comrade Li stepped forward, his tone serious. “Lin Wanqiu’s workshop was approved by our commune. She buys raw materials from the grain station, and our supply and marketing cooperative has a long-term contract with her. The price of the supplementary food she sells is lower than the market price. How could it be speculation? If you say that, then wouldn’t our supply and marketing cooperative also be considered an accomplice?”

Dr. Wang chimed in, "Officer Zhang, our hospital also collaborates with Lin Wanqiu. Her complementary foods are highly nutritious, and many children have benefited from them. If she's engaging in speculation and profiteering, wouldn't our hospital be aiding and abetting wrongdoing? I think this isn't an audit, but rather a deliberate attempt to find fault!"

Officer Zhang was rendered speechless by the two men's words, his face flushing red and then pale. He hadn't expected Lin Wanqiu to be able to get Comrade Li and Doctor Wang to help; these two men were highly respected in the commune, and he dared not offend them easily. However, he had accepted a bribe from Lin Moli, and if he didn't help her, he would definitely face trouble later.

Just then, the commune secretary walked in. Seeing the scene inside, he frowned and asked, "What's going on? Why is it so noisy?"

Officer Zhang quickly stood up, a smile plastered on his face: "Secretary, I'm investigating Lin Wanqiu's workshop. Someone reported her for speculation and profiteering."

Lin Wanqiu quickly stepped forward and handed the receipts and contracts to the commune secretary: "Secretary, I did not engage in speculation or profiteering. These are all evidences, you can take a look. I opened the workshop to support my two children and to provide convenience for the villagers in the commune. How could I do anything illegal? Someone must be deliberately framing me."

The commune secretary took the receipts, examined them carefully, and then asked Comrade Li and Doctor Wang a few questions. His expression gradually softened: "Lin Wanqiu, your receipts are complete, and your cooperation with the supply and marketing cooperative and the hospital is all legal. It's definitely not speculation. It seems someone deliberately reported you. Don't take it to heart. Just run your workshop well in the future and contribute more to the commune."

Upon hearing this, Officer Zhang panicked: "Secretary, but... but someone reported it..."

"Even whistleblowers need evidence!" The commune secretary glared at Zhang, the clerk. "Investigating without evidence is just nonsense. Be more careful in the future, or people will say our commune is bullying the people!"

Zhang, the cadre, dared not speak again, and could only lower his head, his face turning pale and then red. Lin Wanqiu breathed a sigh of relief, a weight finally lifted from her heart—thankfully, the commune secretary was a reasonable person, otherwise this would have been a real problem.

After leaving the commune, Comrade Li and Doctor Wang gave Lin Wanqiu a few more words of advice, telling her to "be careful in the future," before parting ways. Brother Zhou excitedly exclaimed, "Wanqiu, that's great! We're alright! I knew you could do it!"

Lin Wanqiu smiled, but her heart wasn't so at ease—Zhao Jianjun and Lin Moli might not have gotten together this time, but there would definitely be a next time. They were like a persistent, deep-seated problem; unless completely resolved, they would always be a hidden danger.

When they got home, Sister Liu and Shen Nian'an were waiting at the door. Shen Nian'an saw Lin Wanqiu and immediately ran over, taking her hand and asking, "Mom, are you alright? Did the people from the commune give you any trouble?"

"It's alright, how could anything happen to Mommy?" Lin Wanqiu picked up her son and kissed him on the cheek. "Our workshop is fine now, we can continue making baby food from now on."

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