The afternoon sun grew increasingly warm, bathing the mud-brick houses of the Hongqi Production Brigade in a cozy glow. Though the old locust tree in the Shen family courtyard was bare of leaves and sparsely branched, a few sparrows still hopped among the branches, their chirping mingling with the gentle rustling of wild chrysanthemums in the breeze, weaving a delicate autumn melody. Lin Wanqiu sat under the eaves mending Nian'an's old clothes, the blue cloth and thread flying between her fingers, the stitches as fine as her gradually relaxing state of mind—since giving Shen Tingzhou a chance that morning, the air in the room felt as if it had been soaked in warm water, even her breath carrying a hint of sweetness.

Shen Tingzhou was chopping firewood in the open space on the west side of the courtyard. The axe swung with a sharp, swift sound, and fell precisely, splitting the wood in two evenly. He wore a faded blue cotton jacket, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his well-defined muscles. A thin layer of sweat glistened on his forehead in the sunlight. Every now and then, he would stop and turn to look at Lin Wanqiu under the eaves, his gaze overflowing with tenderness—he used to think that protecting the country was the best way to safeguard his family, but now he understood that being able to stay with her and Nian'an, chopping wood and cooking, was the most reassuring happiness.

"Dad, you're so amazing at chopping wood!" Nian'an ran around the yard with a small twig in his hand, occasionally coming up to Shen Tingzhou and imitating his wood-chopping movements, his little face full of admiration. Shen Tingzhou put down the axe, bent down to pick up his son, kissed him on the cheek, and said with a smile, "When Nian'an grows up, he'll be even more amazing than Dad."

Lin Wanqiu put down her needlework and watched the father and son playing around, a smile involuntarily curving her lips. Just as she was about to tell them to rest and have some water, she heard hurried footsteps outside the courtyard gate, accompanied by the booming voice of the brigade secretary, Zhao Laoshi: "Wanqiu! Is Wanqiu home? I have some great news for you!"

Shen Tingzhou quickly put Nian'an down and went to greet him with Lin Wanqiu. They saw Zhao Laoshi wearing a brand-new dark blue cadre uniform with a small five-pointed star badge on his chest, clutching a manila envelope tightly in his hand, his smile brighter than the afternoon sun. Behind him were two commune cadres, one in a gray Zhongshan suit carrying a black leather bag; the other carrying a canvas bag that appeared to contain documents. Both were smiling, clearly there to deliver good news.

"Secretary Zhao, what brings you here? And these two comrades..." Lin Wanqiu hurriedly invited them into the house to sit down, but she was a little puzzled—why did the commune cadres come to visit with such a entourage? Could something have happened?

Zhao Laoshi waved his hand, didn't go into the house, and directly handed the brown paper envelope in his hand to Lin Wanqiu, his voice full of excitement: "Wanqiu, this is great news! The commune leaders specifically asked me to deliver a notice to you, recommending you to participate in the 'Wealth Creation Expert' selection in the county! Look, it's all written here!"

Lin Wanqiu froze, her fingertips trembling slightly as she reached for the envelope. She gently opened it; inside was a notice with a red border, the top bearing the large characters "Notice from the County Agricultural Bureau Regarding the Selection of 'Wealth-Creating Experts'." Below, the name "Lin Wanqiu of the Red Flag Production Brigade" stood out prominently in the list of recommended candidates. The notice further stated that because she led the brigade's women in planting off-season vegetables and opening a tofu workshop, helping more than ten households increase their income, the commune's Party committee had decided to recommend her as a candidate for the county-level "Wealth-Creating Expert" award, and she would be going to the county next week to participate in the selection and defense.

"This...this is real?" Lin Wanqiu looked at the notice repeatedly, her heart filled with surprise and joy, and her eyes instantly reddened. She remembered the difficulties the Shen family had made for her when she first transmigrated, the coercion from Zhao Jianjun, and the days of lacking food and clothing—at that time, she only wanted to protect Nian'an and keep her and her daughter alive. She never thought that one day she would be recognized by the commune and be able to participate in the selection in the county.

"Of course it's true!" A commune cadre in a gray Zhongshan suit stepped forward and said with a smile, "Comrade Lin, we are from the commune's agricultural department. We're here not only to deliver the notice, but also to talk to you about the preparations for the selection. Your deeds have spread throughout the commune, and the leaders all praise you as a thoughtful and capable comrade. This time, when you go to the county, you will definitely bring honor to our commune!"

Shen Tingzhou stood beside her, looking at the notice in Lin Wanqiu's hand, feeling even happier than if he himself had received the award. He reached out and gently took Lin Wanqiu's hand, the warmth of his palm instantly calming her down. "Wanqiu, you're amazing," Shen Tingzhou's voice was full of pride. "You deserve this. Let's prepare well, we'll definitely be selected."

Nian'an also came over, tugged at Lin Wanqiu's clothes, and looked up at her with her little face, asking, "Mom, what is a 'wealth-creating expert'? Does it mean Mom is very amazing?"

Lin Wanqiu squatted down, patted her son's head, and said with a smile, "Yes, Mom is going to the county to compete with other capable uncles and aunts and see who can make everyone's life better."

"Then Mom will definitely win!" Nian'an nodded vigorously, her little face full of confidence. "Mom is the best!"

Watching this scene, Zhao Laoshi smiled so hard his eyes narrowed: "Wanqiu, look at the life you're living! Not only are you capable, but your son is sensible, and Tingzhou is back too. It's truly a double blessing! If Tingzhou is free when you go to the county for the selection, he should come along too, so he can keep you company."

Shen Tingzhou immediately nodded: "I'll definitely be free! Wherever Wanqiu goes, I'll go too, to help her out, and I can rest assured."

The commune cadres gave her a few more instructions on the selection and defense process, such as preparing an introduction to her experience in growing off-season vegetables and the operation of her tofu workshop. They suggested bringing some photos or samples so that the judges could have a more intuitive understanding of the situation. Lin Wanqiu kept all of this in mind and even took out a pen and paper to carefully write down the key points—she was always meticulous in her work, and since she was going to participate in the selection, she was determined to do her best.

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