Chapter 238 The New Base Commander

After the meal, the helpers prepared to leave.

I packed some blood sausage for everyone to take, and then I drove to deliver it to Aunt Liu and the others.

It was already evening when I got home again.

Looking at the neatly sorted and stacked pork in the back room, I felt a warmth in my heart.

I didn't have to do these tasks myself; Brother Liu took care of them all carefully.

Five years later.

Five years have passed quickly. Spring, summer, autumn and winter have followed the same routine as in previous years. My leisurely life of living alone has flown by, and suddenly I realize that five years have already passed.

Approaching 40, I don't feel old at all. Thinking back to when I was in my 20s, I always thought that around 40 was a very old age, but now that I'm actually that age, I don't feel it much.

Still a glutton, still enjoys reading novels and watching TV series, still loves to sleep—it seems like nothing has changed.

However, the old man's cough at the White Town base is getting worse. The prescriptions I prepared a few years ago could help alleviate the symptoms, but this year it is particularly severe.

I took the newly developed cough syrup to the base elder's office.

The base elder waved for me to sit down, then called out to Taozi.

He coughed twice, took a sip of tea, and said, "I'm getting too old, and I'm finding it increasingly difficult to manage this base. Taozi has helped me a lot over the years, so let him take over as base chief from now on."

I was a little surprised; I never thought Taozi would become the base leader.

The base elder suddenly turned to look at me: "What do you think?"

"That would be good, of course."

Actually, I don't need to discuss matters within the Baizhen base.

Taozi's expression was somewhat solemn. He seemed more worried about the old base chief's health than about being the base chief himself.

The base elder tapped his cane and announced loudly, "It's settled then! Let's hold a general meeting so I can inform everyone."

The base elder tapped his cane and stood up shakily.

Taozi stood up and helped the old base chief, and the two of them slowly walked out.

Perhaps, in places I can't see, Taozi and the base elder have a good relationship too.

Residents flocked to the Baizhen base, which now seems to have grown considerably compared to five years ago.

There looked to be at least a hundred people.

The old man of the base stood on the steps in the center of the base, cleared his throat, and said loudly, "Ahem, I've watched the Bai Town base grow and prosper over the years, and I'm very gratified. My only pursuit is for the residents of the Bai Town base to live better and better lives. Now, I'm getting old, and there's less and less I can manage. From now on, I'll hand over the position of base chief to Taozi. I hope everyone will follow Taozi's instructions, support each other, and continue to live a good life."

As the base chief's secretary, Taozi has personally handled everything over the years, and has devoted the most effort to the Baizhen base than anyone else.

The residents of Baizhen Base have witnessed all of this, and perhaps they had long ago accepted that Taozi would be the next base commander.

When the base elder announced that Taozi would be the next base chief, everyone agreed.

"Thank you for the trust of the base manager and all the residents of Baizhen Base. I will do my best to be the next base manager. I also ask all the residents to supervise me so that we can work together to develop and grow Baizhen Base."

Taozi is now a young man in his thirties, and he has become much more mature than when he was younger.

These words, though simple, convinced everyone.

From this moment on, Taozi became the new base commander of Baizhen Base.

On my drive home, I felt a little melancholy. Time waits for no one, and the once wise and robust elder of the base has now retired to the background.

It's the height of summer now. When I got home, I parked the car in the yard, washed my face by the well, and fed the cats and dogs the leftovers I brought back from the base.

Now Tie Dan has grown into a strong kitten, while Xiao Di and Xiao Gua are not as robust. The dog's mouth has started to turn white, and Xiao Gua is not as boisterous as before, becoming more clumsy when jumping.

Gently stroke the little dog's head and watch it eat; in no time, its little belly is bulging.

As darkness fell, a cool breeze swept down from the mountain. I sat on the rocking chair, holding Xiaodi and Tiedan, and swung on the swing.

This scene plays out almost every day, but I cherish every opportunity to hold them, feel the mountain breeze, and look at the moon.

The weather has returned to normal, and even in the height of summer it's not particularly hot.

I spent the morning weeding the vegetable garden, and the afternoon I hid in the darkroom eating watermelon and crabapples.

The land at the foot of the hill was not left idle either. In the evening, I carried a hoe to that land to tend to the herbs.

I planted all the herb seeds I got from the old Chinese medicine doctor, and most of them survived.

Now we can save the seeds and cultivate them year after year.

Before I could fully process the shock of Taozi becoming the base commander, the familiar braying of a donkey rang out from outside the door.

The donkey's braying clearly comes from the Baizhen base.

In the past two years, gasoline and diesel have become increasingly scarce, and people coming to the Baizhen base have mostly arrived by donkey cart.

The familiar braying of the little donkey outside the door is a dedicated social donkey; I see it at least 20 times a year.

There's no need to peek through the crack in the door; just open it directly.

I smiled and thought that maybe Brother Liu and Sister-in-law Liu were bringing me something delicious, or maybe Taozi was bringing me some products on behalf of the Baizhen base.

Just as I expected, I saw Taozi sitting on the donkey cart, but my smile froze on my face the next second.

A little guy was sitting right in the middle of the donkey cart.

Her round little face was very fair and tender, and she had two symmetrical little pigtails tied on her head.

She has big, round, dark eyes and looks like a little lucky charm.

He looks to be only three or four years old.

"What does that mean?"

I've been friends with Taozi for many years, so there's no need for formalities. I frowned and asked directly.

"I'm sending you a playmate."

Taozi nimbly jumped off the donkey cart, grabbed the little meatball's arms, pulled him into his arms, and walked towards the door.

I hurriedly waved my hand, stopping Taozi from entering the yard: "No, no, I don't want to."

I was afraid that once he walked in, the child would become mine forever.

"Just kidding, sis. Could you help watch the baby for a couple of days? I'm just too busy to take care of her."

Taozi stood in front of me holding the child and started to get serious.

Where are her parents?

Taozi glanced at the child, perhaps afraid she wouldn't understand, and after thinking for a long time, carefully chose his words: "Do you remember at the beginning of the year, I asked you to help treat a man in his thirties, and you said it might be incurable cancer, and then he passed away?"

I nodded. I remembered; it really happened.