"Sit down!" The old village chief moved a stool to the side of the stove and sat down himself. He looked Zhang Cheng up and down with a complicated expression: "Er Gouzi, ever since you married that crazy wife and separated from the Zhang family, you've become a completely different person."
"People have to grow up eventually," Zhang Cheng said with a smile.
"I don't think so," the old village chief said seriously. "I'm thinking that you, Zhang Ergouzi, have a change of fortune. You're about to rise up, just like... what's that saying again? Right, a crow flying up a branch becomes a phoenix!"
Zhang Cheng grimaced as he listened, thinking to himself, "Village chief, if you can't speak properly, then say less. Nobody will think you're mute."
"Village chief, have a cigarette." Zhang Cheng took out a cigarette and handed it to him.
The old village chief chuckled as he accepted the gift, struck a match, lit it, squinted, took a sip, and then asked, "Er Gouzi, did you come to see me for something?"
"Here's the thing. I've made contact with Director Zhao at the supply and marketing cooperative and we've discussed something. Starting next year, the supply and marketing cooperative won't send anyone down to collect our village's fruit anymore; I'll transport it to the county instead."
The old village chief's hand holding the cigarette trembled slightly. "You've really made something of yourself! Er Gouzi, you've really made something of yourself! You can even talk to the director of the supply and marketing cooperative!"
"Director Zhao thinks highly of you and is giving you a chance."
"Er Gouzi, I'm already fifty-eight, I don't have many years left to live!"
Zhang Cheng was taken aback, not understanding where the old village chief was going, so he said, "Village chief, you are in good health, you will definitely live to be a hundred years old."
"If I really live to be a hundred, my children will start to dislike me!" The old village chief took a puff of his cigarette. "Er Gouzi, when we elect the village chief next year, could you... let me serve another term?"
Only after the old village chief said that did Zhang Cheng realize that the old chief was afraid that he would take the village chief's position from him.
"Village chief, what are you thinking? I'm so young, how could I possibly be qualified to be the village chief? Don't worry, no matter who competes with you next year, I'll definitely vote for you!"
"real?"
"More real than real gold!"
"Good, good, good!" Hearing Zhang Cheng's words, the old village chief felt a great weight lifted from his heart. He hadn't slept well for the past few nights, constantly worrying about what would happen if he didn't get elected next year. Now he felt at ease. The old village chief picked up a cigarette again and offered it to Zhang Cheng.
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