Chapter 86: Getting a promotion and a raise thanks to her connections, plus a perfect husband—it's just too good to be true…
Zhong Ying becomes the new team leader of the Tonggan production team?
People looked at each other in bewilderment. Although Li Ming had said that he hoped everyone would not judge Zhong Ying based on her age and gender, the first thought that came to everyone's mind was still: Can a girl be the production team leader? Can she shoulder such a heavy responsibility at such a young age?
Deng Xia, who had an unwavering love for her daughter, thought, "Of course she can!" Not only did she raise her hand first, but she also encouraged others to vote. "What? You think my Yingni can't be the team leader? Have you forgotten who worked tirelessly, running back and forth to the commune and finding leaders to get the hydroelectric power station approved? It's okay, if anyone thinks they can be the leader, then let's have a competition!"
Deng Xia was as arrogant as "Zihan's mother," showing no fear of competing with Zhong Ying for the captain's position.
Lai Hunzi looked at Fan Wu and said, "You used to be a scorekeeper for so many years, why don't you try running for production team leader?"
Fan Wu waved his hands repeatedly. He had even turned down the job of scorekeeper the previous year, so it was even less likely that he would compete for the captain position now. He and Li Ming were both getting old.
Liu Fushun knew his own limitations. He went to see his brothers, and only his youngest brother was somewhat promising. These days, he was helping the educated youth build wooden water turbines, but Lai Cai was only seventeen. He was even younger than Zhong Ying, so how could he compete with them?
Liu Fengshou nudged the person next to him with his arm and lowered his voice, "Brother Jinlong, why don't you give it a try?"
Nie Jinlong immediately shook his head. He could only be a barefoot doctor and treat people's illnesses. He couldn't be a production team leader or anything like that!
One by one, the women raised their hands to vote in favor, and most of the educated youth who had been sent to the countryside also raised their hands. The remaining men searched around but found that none of them could take their place, so they had no choice but to give up. Thinking about how much Zhong Ying had done before, they raised their hands less reluctantly.
Li Mingqing counted the votes, then looked at Zhong Ying and smiled slightly, "From now on, I'll have to call you Captain Zhong."
Zhong Ying touched her nose, then smiled generously and openly, stood up and walked to the front of the crowd, "Since everyone is willing to trust me, then I will be a good captain!"
Cheng Bin clapped along with the others, staring blankly at the figure at the front.
Li Linshi didn't miss this scene. He hadn't forgotten that this educated youth, Cheng, had once said that he was willing to marry Zhong Ying. Perhaps it was just a momentary act of heroism, but it had clearly changed now.
That's normal; who wouldn't like Zhong Ying?
In the past, Li Linshi would have felt uncomfortable, but now he is quite calm in the face of his love rival. His confidence comes from the sense of security that Zhong Ying gives him.
Li Linshi calmly withdrew his gaze and looked back at the person at the front.
Under the gloomy, rain-threatening sky, Zhong Ying seemed to radiate light, drawing Li Linshi's gaze.
But in the eyes of Ox-Head and Horse-Face, it was not the radiance of love's illusion, but a real, hazy green light.
This time, Ox-Head had no time to pay attention to the increasingly solidified blue color surrounding the ghost that was evolving into an earth spirit. He just stared blankly at the young woman. He raised his hand and rubbed his eyes hard again, then widened his bull-like eyes to look carefully once more—
You really didn't read that wrong!
Suddenly remembering something, Niu Tou hurriedly turned to his colleague, "What was that girl's name again?"
Horse-face remained calm. "Zhong Ying."
It is already extraordinary that a ghost messenger can remember a human's name.
"The 'Ying' in Yingshan?" Niu Tou pressed.
The horse-faced face is repeated, "Ying from Yingshan".
They seemed to be speaking in cryptic language, yet both knew perfectly well what the other was saying.
Niu Tou looked at the center of the crowd again, and he gasped, "My goodness, does entering the world require this much effort?"
He didn't miss anything that just happened. He not only witnessed Zhong Ying being elected as the new captain in a democratic vote, but he also heard about the construction of a hydroelectric power station.
Niu Tou was in a daze. "The Earth Goddess of Liwan Gully just listens to the commotion and observes humans. The Fish Spirit of Yuqianwa is just watching over the big fish that people raise in the lake to make sure they eat all the small fish. This one... is still a human, yet she works so hard?"
However, Niu Tou quickly realized, "It really is what people mean by 'full of vigor and vitality, like the sun at eight or nine in the morning,' that's what it means to be energetic!"
Horse-face remained noncommittal, only looking at the radiance surrounding Zhong Ying and saying, "It seems that her return to her position is not far off."
Li Linshi noticed the two people in the distance. He pointed over there to Zhong Ying and then went over there first.
While Zhong Ying presided over the election of the new women's team leader, warehouse keeper, scorekeeper, and animal feeder according to the procedure, she also paid some attention to Li Linshi.
Li Linshi thought the two underworld messengers were just passing through Tonggan Village and routinely asking him if he wanted to be reincarnated, but to his surprise, Ox-Head and Horse-Face didn't mention it at all.
Looking at the blue on his body, Niu Tou suddenly understood, exclaiming, "Indeed, when one attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven!"
After saying that, Niu Tou looked at the ghost in front of him with envy. Even though that person was still just a human, his spiritual energy was obviously recovering. This ghost was fortunate enough to be by his side and absorb some of it. No wonder he was able to cross the threshold between ghost and spirit like a fish leaping over the dragon gate.
Niu Tou couldn't help but sigh, "Marrying well is definitely a good deal!"
Li Linshi: ? What is all this about?
When Horse-Face caught a glimpse of the red ribbon around Li Lin's wrist, he couldn't help but remark, "What good luck..."
Li Lin was completely confused, but he could vaguely sense that they seemed to think they were lucky.
Raindrops fell from the sky, and the election meeting of the commune members ended hastily. People dispersed to go home. Zhong Ying made an excuse to leave and came to find Li Lin, worried. Why did he talk to the underworld messengers for so long? The underworld messengers shouldn't force the ghost to go on its way, right?
Zhong Ying once hoped that the police would "enforce the law" and arrest Li Linshi; but now she is worried, fearing that the underworld officials will take Li Linshi away.
After Zhong Ying jogged over, Li Linshi erected a curtain of water above her head, like a rain shelter. The raindrops pattered onto the water's surface, but couldn't wet the people below.
When Ox-Head and Horse-Face saw Zhong Ying approaching, they all stood up straight and congratulated her in unison.
Were they congratulating her on becoming the production team leader? Zhong Ying was a little suspicious; the underworld officials were quite polite.
"Um, thank you?" Zhong Ying hesitated slightly before responding politely.
Ox-Head and Horse-Face didn't say much; it wasn't their place to talk about such things.
For a moment, they were speechless, staring at each other. No, although not as big as a bull's or a horse's eyes, Zhong Ying's eyes were not small either.
Zhong Ying tentatively greeted them, "You two have come here to..."
“There’s someone in Liwangou whose lifespan has ended, so we came here to guide him.” This was something that could be discussed, and Niu Tou readily told the whole story, “We just happened to be passing by.”
"It's on the way, that's good." Zhong Ying was relieved, and her gaze then shifted to Li Linshi's face.
Zhong Ying winked at him: Since we've run into each other, why don't we ask?
Li Linshi seemed a little hesitant: Should I ask?
He always felt that such private matters were difficult to talk about.
Zhong Ying's bright eyes seemed to speak volumes: Of course we should ask! Otherwise, we'd never know!
The bull-headed man watched the "exchanging glances" unfolding before him with amusement. After all, emotions were no longer a necessity for them. Sister Mei, the guardian deity of Shenjiagou, could only pretend to be a tree; the middle-aged mountain god of Black Donkey Mountain had long lost any need for such emotions; and Yu Ling's daily happiness was simply teasing the mindless little fish...
Ox-Head gave Horse-Face a look: Youth really makes a difference.
Horse-faced didn't bother with him.
Li Linshi suppressed his embarrassment and forced himself to ask, "I want to ask, um... will I unconsciously absorb people's yang energy? Also, will it create a ghost fetus?"
Only in the human mind would such a thing feel incredibly shameful; to all other things in the world, it is nothing more than a commonplace thing, like eating and drinking.
“Oh, you mean this?” Bull Head said frankly. “No, you can’t smoke it.”
Just like big fish eat little fish, how could a ghost possibly do that? That would be going against the natural order of things. There's a natural hierarchy of power, and it would be good enough if a ghost could even get a little bit of benefit from it.
"Ghost fetus? Those are all made up by people themselves." Ox-Head waved his hand.
Horse-faced also chimed in, "Fertility is a divine ability uniquely bestowed upon humankind by heaven and earth."
Neither gods, spirits, ghosts, nor monsters can reproduce and pass on their bloodline from generation to generation like humans.
When Zhong Ying looked at Li Lin with excitement, she thought, "If that's the case, isn't he a natural sterile? Great! Handsome, good-looking, and can't have children!"
With a promotion, a raise, and a perfect husband, Zhong Ying felt incredibly happy.
——
The commune organized a meeting, and this time it wasn't Li Ming who went, but Zhong Ying. Ignoring the many gazes falling on her, she found a chair in the meeting room and sat down on her own.
Most of the other production team leaders were middle-aged men in their forties, so it was indeed conspicuous for Zhong Ying, a young woman in her early twenties, to sit in the same room with them.
Zhong Ying was quite nonchalant. So what if they were all men? She was still the only production team leader in the entire place who had brought her own "personal secretary."
Yes, Old Li didn't come, but Young Li did.
Deputy Director Ding and Secretary Cai of the commune hurried in and began to talk about the contents of the meeting.
"Everyone should be informed of the new document issued from above. Recently, songs with imperialist and revisionist themes have been circulating among the educated youth, stirring up their emotions. Each production team should pay attention to this. Those sent to the countryside are all young people, so don't be stingy with the care and consideration they deserve..."
The meeting only covered this one topic, so it ended quickly.
Deputy Director Ding waved to Zhong Ying, asking her to stay a moment.
The others filed away, while Zhong Ying lagged behind, slowing her pace to walk alongside Deputy Director Ding.
"Comrade Xiao Zhong, no, now I should call you Captain Zhong, the first female captain in our commune!" Deputy Director Ding smiled kindly at Zhong Ying and made a small joke in a low voice, "You've been promoted faster than any of us."
They all knew perfectly well that once the hydropower station was completed, such an achievement would not only help the commune's director, Ji, get promoted, but also likely that the vacant position would be filled by deputy director Ding.
Zhong Ying originally thought she would have to wait until the higher-ups moved before she could take a step forward. "But it was a twist of fate. Some things happened in the team recently, and the previous captain, Li, wanted to step down, which gave me an advantage."
"It's only a matter of time anyway," Deputy Director Ding then asked about the matter he was most concerned about, "How's the construction of the small hydropower station in your production team going? Have the problems identified been resolved?"
Zhong Ying nodded seriously, "It's almost resolved. We can test drive it again soon."
“Then I’ll wait and see,” Deputy Director Ding said with relief. “The colleagues in the publicity department have already written quite a few articles, and they’re just waiting for your hydropower station to successfully generate electricity.”
Zhong Ying couldn't help but look surprised, "It's already written?"
Deputy Director Ding nodded, "The commune is quite optimistic about it..."
Having already mounted his old-fashioned bicycle, Captain Nie saw the commune leaders speaking to Zhong Ying as if she were their own nephew. A thought crossed his mind, and Captain Nie pedaled his bicycle thoughtfully back to Yuqianwa.
After Li Gang moved to the Yuqianwa production team, his life was neither good nor bad.
Although he was literate, there were only a few literate people in the entire production team, and Li Gangshi was not outstanding. Moreover, because he was a newcomer, even though he volunteered himself at the commune member election meeting in April, not many people voted for him to be the warehouse keeper.
Not only has he lost his voice outside, but at home, Li Gangshi also feels that his wife is becoming increasingly assertive.
Since her family was in the same production team, Tian Mei felt more confident. In addition, when she heard that Zhong Ying had become the new captain of the Tonggan production team, she was greatly encouraged and suddenly felt that women could stand up for themselves. She realized that she did not have to be as submissive as a young wife and always obey Li Gangshi's words.
It was a slow, agonizing process, and Li Gangshi felt that things weren't getting better as he had hoped. However, the lack of good news about the successful construction of the Tonggan production team's hydropower station was good news for him.
Li Gangshi hoped that there would be no news for a long time, so that he could at least comfort himself and know that his departure was not a mistake.
"Gangzi, tell me again, do you really think that hydroelectric power station can't be built?" Captain Nie came to find Li Gang as soon as he returned.
Li Gang felt uneasy, but he still stubbornly insisted, "I think it can't be built. It's a complete waste of manpower and resources!"
Captain Nie muttered to himself, "Why are the leaders so optimistic about it... I just don't understand..."
Upon hearing this, Li Gang became even more flustered.
Each day felt like a raging fire burning his heart. Even though Li Gang was extremely resistant, he still heard the news he didn't want in early May.
Captain Nie held the manuscript that had been distributed and read it aloud to all the members of the commune.
"Even in the deep mountains, there are 'shining pearls'—a small hydropower station has been built in the Xiatonggan Production Team of Liuzhang Commune, and every household has been equipped with electric lights! This light illuminates not only the dark night, but also the future of rural revitalization..."
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The author's note: Some people just can't benefit from this.
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