As dawn broke, a thin mist enveloped the Hongqi Production Brigade like a veil. The roofs of the mud-brick houses were slightly damp, and the wild chrysanthemums in the corner of the yard were covered with glistening dewdrops, reflecting shimmering light in the rising sun. Lin Wanqiu got up early and had just finished cleaning the yard when she saw Shen Tingzhou come out of the house carrying a canvas bag. He was still wearing that faded blue cotton jacket, but now it was neatly tidied, even the wrinkles on the cuffs were smoothed out.

"Going to the commune already?" Lin Wanqiu handed over a paper package containing freshly made scallion pancakes. "Eat them if you get hungry on the way. Go early and come back early. Be careful."

Shen Tingzhou took the oil paper package, his fingertips touching her hand, the warmth softening his heart. He reached out to gently brush the stray hairs from her forehead, his voice gentle yet firm: "Don't worry, I'll be back by noon. The old leader is a reasonable person. As long as we explain the situation to him and submit the evidence, Zhao Jianjun's rumors are completely unfounded."

Nian'an rubbed her eyes and ran out of the house, hugging Shen Tingzhou's leg and looking up at him with her little face, saying, "Dad, you have to come back soon. Mom and I are waiting for you to eat."

Shen Tingzhou bent down, picked up his son, kissed him on the cheek, and said with a smile, "Okay, Dad will definitely come back soon and bring you candy."

Watching Shen Tingzhou's figure disappear into the mist, Lin Wanqiu still felt uneasy. She knew Shen Tingzhou was confident, but Zhao Jianjun never played by the rules. What if he played some tricks in the commune? It might cause unexpected problems. She took a deep breath and suppressed her anxiety—all she could do now was to take care of the family, do the final preparations for the selection, and not distract Shen Tingzhou.

Back inside, Lin Wanqiu carefully checked her previously compiled planting notes and tofu shop ledgers again. In the planting notes, she not only meticulously recorded the cultivation techniques for off-season vegetables but also included a yield comparison table—last winter, ordinary vegetables yielded less than 1,000 jin per mu, while her off-season cabbage yielded 2,300 jin per mu, selling for 20% more than the market price. In the ledgers, every income and expenditure was clearly marked, even the wages paid to the villagers who helped at the tofu shop were meticulously recorded, down to the last penny.

"Mom, let me fold paper for you!" Nian'an moved a small stool over and sat down next to Lin Wanqiu. He picked up a blank sheet of paper from the table and began folding it with great care. His little hands weren't very nimble yet, and the paper airplanes he folded were crooked, but he still smiled broadly. "Mom, when Dad comes back, shall we play with paper airplanes together?"

Looking at her son's innocent face, Lin Wanqiu's anxiety gradually dissipated. She reached out and patted Nian'an's head, smiling as she said, "Okay, when your dad comes back, we'll play together."

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate. Lin Wanqiu's heart tightened, thinking it was Zhao Jianjun causing trouble again. But when she went to the gate, she saw it was Aunt Wang from the tofu shop and several other villagers. Aunt Wang was carrying a basket of fresh vegetables, her face beaming with smiles. "Wanqiu, we heard you were going to the county to participate in the selection, so we came to bring you some vegetables. Take them with you to the county and let the judges taste the vegetables grown by our brigade!"

“Yes, Wanqiu,” another villager said, handing a piece of freshly made tofu to Lin Wanqiu. “This tofu was made this morning and it’s still warm. Take it with you and let the judges know how good our tofu is!”

Lin Wanqiu's eyes instantly welled up with tears as she looked at the gifts in the villagers' hands. She hadn't expected that her simple wish to help everyone earn money would garner so much support. She accepted the vegetables and tofu, her voice trembling with emotion, "Thank you everyone, thank you so much..."

"Don't thank me!" Aunt Wang patted her shoulder and said with a smile, "If it weren't for you, how could we earn so much money, how could we live such a good life! Your participation in the county selection is not only an honor for you, but also for our entire Red Flag Production Brigade! We all support you, you will definitely be selected!"

The villagers offered some words of encouragement before gradually dispersing. Lin Wanqiu looked at the vegetables and tofu in her hand, feeling a warmth in her heart—with so many villagers supporting her, even if Zhao Jianjun resorted to underhanded tactics, she was confident she could retain her eligibility for the election and live up to everyone's expectations.

Around noon, Shen Tingzhou finally returned. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Lin Wanqiu standing anxiously at the door. He quickly walked over, took a few sheets of paper from his canvas bag, and handed them to her, his voice full of joy: "Wanqiu, it's done! The old leader saw the evidence I brought and immediately said that Zhao Jianjun was spreading rumors. He also said he would keep an eye on things for us, and if Zhao Jianjun dares to cause trouble at the commune again, he'll deal with him directly!"

Lin Wanqiu took the papers and examined them closely. They were certificates issued by the commune—one was an explanation of Shen Tingzhou's identity. Although it did not disclose the details of his mission, it clearly stated that he "temporarily left his hometown due to work needs and was not a deserter," and it was stamped with the commune's official seal. The other was a verification certificate regarding the tofu workshop and off-season vegetable cultivation. It stated that "after investigation, it is true that Comrade Lin Wanqiu's tofu workshop has complete permits, legal sources of materials, and scientific off-season vegetable cultivation techniques, which have helped increase the income of villagers," and it was also stamped with the official seal.

"That's wonderful!" Lin Wanqiu exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at the certificates. With these two certificates, Zhao Jianjun's rumors had completely lost their footing, and her eligibility for the selection was secured!

Shen Tingzhou reached out and pulled her into his arms, gently wiping away her tears. He smiled and said, "Don't cry, you should be happy. The old leader also said that the commune will support us in this county-level selection, and if we're selected, we'll even get a reward!"

Nian'an ran over, hugged Shen Tingzhou's leg, and looked up at him with her little face, asking, "Dad, does Mom not have to be afraid of Zhao Jianjun anymore?"

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