In the late autumn of 1991, as the chill deepened, a thin mist shrouded Lin Wanqiu's hometown, Linjia Village. The leaves of the old locust tree at the village entrance had turned a deep yellow, fluttering down in the wind and carpeting the winding village roads; wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of every household, mingling with the fresh scent of earth and crops, filling the tranquil village air. However, this former peace was shattered by a bright red demolition notice on the village committee wall, like a stone thrown into a lake, creating ripples.

As Lin Wanqiu's family's car entered the village, they could see a large crowd gathered at the village committee entrance, their voices rising and falling, breaking the village's tranquility. The villagers' faces were filled with anxiety and unease; some frowned, some sighed, and others argued heatedly. As soon as the car stopped, Lin Wanqiu's elder brother, Lin Jianguo, rushed up to them, his face full of worry: "Wanqiu, you're finally back! The situation is a bit tricky now. The compensation offered by the demolition office is too low—only fifty yuan per square meter—and they won't provide resettlement housing. The villagers all disagree, but the demolition office officials are adamant, saying it's a standard set by higher authorities and there's no room for negotiation."

Lin Wanqiu pushed open the car door, stepped through the fallen leaves, and walked into the crowd. Looking at the anxious faces of her fellow villagers, a pang of sorrow welled up in her heart. These villagers had all watched her grow up. Back then, when she was struggling to survive with young Nian'an, when they were hungry and cold, it was Aunt Zhang who secretly slipped her half a bag of sweet potatoes, Uncle Li who helped her repair the leaky roof, and Grandpa Wang who found her temporary odd jobs… She had always remembered this simple kindness. Now that her hometown was to be demolished, she absolutely could not let her fellow villagers suffer.

"Dear uncles and aunts, brothers and sisters, please be quiet for a moment." Lin Wanqiu's voice was gentle yet powerful, instantly silencing the noisy discussions. The villagers turned their heads one after another, and when they saw Lin Wanqiu, their eyes lit up with hope. Over the years, Lin Wanqiu had made a name for herself outside, founding the "Natural Delight" food workshop, and was also enthusiastic about public welfare. She was the pride of the village, and everyone believed that she had the ability to help them solve their problems.

"Late Autumn, you're finally back! Please give us some advice, the demolition office is bullying us!" Aunt Zhang said, wiping away her tears. "We worked so hard to build this house, and our family has lived here for decades. Now they're just demolishing it like this, and the compensation is so little. How are we supposed to live?"

"Yes, Wanqiu, you have to help us think of a way!" Uncle Li said excitedly. "The demolition office said that if we don't sign, they will forcibly demolish our house. We really have no other choice!"

Lin Wanqiu walked to the center of the crowd, her gaze slowly sweeping over everyone, and said firmly, "Fellow villagers, rest assured, I've come back this time to help you fight for fair compensation. The demolition is for the construction of an industrial park, which is a good thing, but we can't sacrifice the interests of our fellow villagers. If the compensation standards are unreasonable, we'll talk to them; if they don't provide resettlement housing, we'll report it to higher authorities. As long as we unite as one, we will definitely be able to safeguard our rights."

Her words were like a reassuring pill, gradually calming the villagers' anxious emotions. Shen Tingzhou stood beside her, his posture upright and his gaze firm, giving the villagers a strong sense of security. Shen Nian'an took out her notebook and carefully recorded the villagers' demands, the size of each family's house, and their family circumstances, preparing to compile detailed information. Shen Nianxi, holding her silver award trophy, stood obediently to the side, her little face full of seriousness. Although she didn't quite understand the demolition and relocation process, she knew her mother was doing something practical for the villagers, and she was proud of her mother.

Over the next few days, Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou were busy gathering information. They visited each household, measured the house area, recorded the family size and actual difficulties, and compiled detailed data. During their visits, they discovered that many villagers' houses were brick and tile structures, some even with yards and ancillary facilities, but the demolition office's compensation standards did not differentiate between structure and area, applying a blanket approach, which was clearly unreasonable.

“Uncle Wang, your house is a brick and tile house with such a large yard. According to the current market price, the compensation should be at least one hundred yuan per square meter, and we will also arrange resettlement housing for you.” Lin Wanqiu said earnestly, looking at Uncle Wang’s spacious yard and sturdy house.

Grandpa Wang sighed, "I know that, but the people at the demolition office won't listen to us at all. They even said we're asking for an exorbitant price. Wanqiu, this time we're counting on you."

"Don't worry, Uncle Wang, I will definitely help you get the compensation you deserve," Lin Wanqiu said firmly.

Shen Tingzhou then used his connections to inquire about relevant policies and regulations. He learned that the state has clear regulations on rural demolition and relocation, stipulating that compensation standards should be determined comprehensively based on factors such as house structure, area, and geographical location, and that priority should be given to arranging resettlement housing or providing resettlement subsidies. The compensation standards offered by the demolition office were significantly lower than the minimum standards stipulated by the state and did not conform to the local situation.

“Wanqiu, we’ve got the situation figured out.” Shen Tingzhou said to Lin Wanqiu when he returned to Lin Jian’s home that evening. “The demolition office’s compensation standards don’t comply with national policy. We can take the policy documents and the information we’ve collected and formally negotiate with them. If they don’t agree, we’ll report it to the county government, and we can even protect the rights of our fellow villagers through legal channels.”

Lin Wanqiu nodded, a sharp glint in her eyes: "They're taking advantage of the villagers' lack of understanding of the policies and trying to get away with it. We absolutely cannot let them succeed. Tomorrow, we'll go and negotiate with the demolition office."

Shen Nian'an also said, "Mom, Dad, I have compiled the information on the villagers and calculated a reasonable amount of compensation. We can use it during the negotiations tomorrow."

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!