Not only would it not solve the problem, it would also create hidden dangers, allowing some issues time to fester. Song Lili had no intention of doing something so thankless and exhausting.
"Yes, Qinghua said the same thing, so the final decision was to ignore it for now and speak up if the Red Guards really came."
Song Lili frowned. This was the result of their discussion... the result?
"What about Zhang Qinghua? What did he say?" Did Zhang Qinghua also agree with this outcome?
"This is what Qinghua said. He said it's best this way, so the elderly won't be noticed by others. When the time comes, the Party Secretary will come forward and say that they are taking the matter seriously and are actively reforming."
Song Lili raised an eyebrow. So Zhang Qinghua is planning to openly protect her?
But thinking about it, it makes sense. The elderly people have already arrived in Hongqi Village, a poor and remote place. Even if capitalists had sent them down to the countryside, the conditions would be the same.
The Red Guards wanted to criticize and denounce them, but they admitted their mistakes and had a good attitude. Did you really want to cause trouble?
Thinking about it this way, Zhang Qinghua's method seems pretty good.
With her actions on the other end, working in tandem, it's hard to believe that she can't save these elderly people.
Thinking of the elderly people, Song Lili quickly stood up and said, "Grandpa, I'm going out for a bit. Don't wait for me to eat."
"Grandpa Li, are you home?" Song Lili greeted Li Zhiyuan, who was chopping firewood in the yard.
"The little girl's here? Come on in." Li Zhiyuan said with a smile.
"Grandpa Li, please come in too. I have something to tell you," Song Lili said as she walked in.
But she had already thought of a solution, so she wasn't as anxious as before and was quite calm now.
"Okay, I'll be right in," Li Zhiyuan replied, putting down the axe in his hand and following behind Song Lili.
Upon entering the house, Song Lili saw several elderly people sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed), with Qian Xianming holding a book and reading it.
"Lili's here?" The elderly people greeted her with smiles, and Song Lili nodded with a smile, "Hello, Grandpa and Grandma."
"Did you come here today for something?" Zhao Qian, being more observant, noticed the worry in Song Lili's eyes and asked proactively.
"There are some things," Song Lili said softly.
"What does this have to do with us?" Qian Xianming asked, putting down his book.
Song Lili nodded silently, but for a moment she didn't know how to start the conversation.
At this moment, the elderly people realized it. Having lived for so many years, they were wise and experienced, and they immediately figured it out.
“Girl, tell me. We’ve been through worse things before. Nothing will happen. Don’t worry.” It was Li Zhiyuan who spoke first.
He is straightforward, so his mind is relatively simple, and he was the first to speak.
"Tell me, what storms haven't Grandpa and Grandma weathered?" Zhao Qian said kindly, patting Song Lili's arm.
Song Lili took a deep breath before recounting the recent rumors and the events of today.
The elderly people are right. They've been through so much, they're certainly not afraid of the current difficulties. Let's share our thoughts and get their opinions.
After hearing what Song Lili said, everyone couldn't help but sigh.
"Sigh... I thought I would never encounter something like this again, but I didn't expect it to happen in the end." Zhao Qian said sadly.
"It seems someone has started causing trouble, otherwise this wouldn't have happened now," Wu Zhongge said, squinting his eyes.
"Lili, isn't this a bad idea you and Xiaolin came up with? What if Luo Juan holds a grudge against you later?" Qian Liulin looked at Song Lili with concern.
Song Lili shook her head indifferently, "Even if I didn't do this, Luo Juan already harbored resentment towards me. The last time she searched my house, it was her idea."
"So there was already a deep conflict between us, and whether this happened or not, the result would be the same."
"You two kids have had a tough time. We also want to thank your Party Secretary and the village for worrying about us old folks," Li Zhiyuan added.
"It's nothing, but you might have to suffer a bit this time." And it's unavoidable.
Since rumors had already started circulating, it was impossible for them not to cooperate with the Red Guards' work, so the elderly people were bound to suffer.
Song Lili was very worried about whether their bodies could handle it.
The elderly people, however, were quite open-minded and instead comforted Song Lili, saying, "It's okay, it's nothing to suffer a little. We all went through hardships before."
"Besides, with so many of you helping us, we'll be fine."
Qian Xianming nodded, "Yes, although your and Xiaolin's method is rather drastic, the final result should be quite good."
“We’ll all be fine. It’s just being paraded through the streets, nothing to worry about,” Qian Xianming reassured them.
Song Lili could only nod; she couldn't let the elderly people worry any longer.
The group sat on the kang (a heated brick bed), deliberately avoiding the topic. After talking for a while, the atmosphere improved somewhat.
While everyone's expressions were still good, Song Lili looked at Qian Xianming and said, "Grandpa Qian, your book..."
She pointed to the books in Qian Xianming's hand and said, "I'm going to take them and put them in a safe place. I'm afraid they'll search them, and it wouldn't be good if they found them."
Qian Xianming hesitated for a moment. "This... should be fine, right?" He glanced hesitantly at the book in his hand, which was just a textbook of the same type as those used in universities.
Song Lili shook her head. "It's better to be safe than sorry. We absolutely cannot allow them to have any chance to find fault with us."
"So you can't have any books in your room. Give them to me and I'll put them in a safe place. I'll get them back to you when it's safe."
Song Lili knew that Qian Xianming was a person who loved reading and would feel uncomfortable without books.
However, the situation is special now, so this is the only way.
“Old Qian, let this girl take it. Just bear with it for a few days. This is the only thing we can do now. If these books stay here, you may never see them again,” Zhao Qian said slowly.
Qian Xianming's expression changed, then became firm. "Fine, I'll find them all for you. We can't let them destroy them."
"Okay, but Grandpa, you'd better give it to me now. I'm afraid those people might come at any time, or it will be too late."
This was also what Song Lili thought when she saw the book in Qian Xianming's hand.
She was cautious at first and put all the books in that cave, and now she plans to put them there again.
Anyway, that cave is not easy for anyone to find, so it's absolutely safe to place it there.
Moreover, the Red Guards' activities took place in populated areas, never in the mountains and forests, so they were never discovered.
Once she's moved, even if those people come to search, they won't be able to find her and won't associate her with those intellectuals.
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