I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: The Commune Secretary’s High Regard

The Civilian Militia Captain was the head of the grassroots armed forces. Organizing the militia was part of Li Dawei’s job; in fact, one of the main duties of a Commune public security liaison was to maintain daily contact with the village militias. He was also the director of the Commune’s Armed Forces Committee.

Now, Zhao Wendong had truly become something of a colleague. Li Dawei thought for a moment and stood up.

”Let’s go. I’ll take you to see Secretary Yang!”

Li Dawei’s attitude had warmed up considerably. Zhao Wendong was no longer just a troublemaker he needed to keep an eye on, but a future colleague. He couldn’t maintain his old attitude.

”Alright, thank you, Police Li!”

”Don’t call me Police Li. Call me Brother Li.”

”Okay, Brother Li!”

Zhao Wendong happily complied.

Li Dawei led Zhao Wendong to the innermost office. After knocking, they entered to find Yang Wenxue sitting at his desk, reading a document. When he saw Li Dawei enter with Zhao Wendong, he paused for a second before enthusiastically standing up. He grabbed Zhao Wendong’s hands and shook them vigorously.

”Haha, Comrade Zhao Wendong, what brings you here? I was just saying I’d come visit you in a few days!”

Zhao Wendong was a bit taken aback by his enthusiasm, and a flicker of gratitude warmed his heart.

”Secretary, you’re so busy. I’m doing fine, there’s no need for a visit. I wouldn’t dare trouble you. I’m here this time to get two documents approved by the Commune.”

As he spoke, he took out his identification and the letter of recommendation for the Civilian Militia Captain position from the brigade committee.

”Mm, your brigade committee is very timely and efficient. Comrade Zhao Wendong is an exceptional talent. A comrade as outstanding as you should be part of the brigade’s work. The position of Civilian Militia Captain is an excellent fit—it puts your talents to good use. I’ve heard that not only are you a master at catching fish, Comrade Zhao Wendong, but you’re also an expert hunter!”

Zhao Wendong’s heart skipped a beat, but his face remained impassive. He just smiled, nodded humbly, and said he wasn’t worthy of such praise. Meanwhile, his mind was racing. ’Sure enough, an individual’s power is too insignificant. The Commune has probably already investigated my recent activities thoroughly.’

’The Commune must have a general idea of my recent gains. This means my strategy is the right one. If I want to live well in the future, I can’t hide anything. Everyone is under the Party’s watchful eye; there are no secrets.’

’The idea of getting rich quietly is completely out of the question. My current approach is correct. I have to rally the people in the village, and even the Commune, to my side as quickly as possible. Only then will I be safer.’

’To live a good life, you need good food, good housing, and good things. None of that can be hidden. It’s completely at odds with the current situation, making you stand out like a sore thumb. To put it more seriously, it would be seen as setting yourself against the broad masses of commune members and poor peasants. If you try to make a fortune on the down-low, looking out only for your own family, sooner or later your grain will be confiscated, your money taken, and you’ll be paraded through the streets in public humiliation.’

As these thoughts crossed Zhao Wendong’s mind, his expression grew even more humble, and he spoke with utmost sincerity.

”I’ve just been lucky recently, with some success on the mountains and in the sea. That’s why I took the initiative to join the brigade committee and serve as the Civilian Militia Captain. I hope to use my experience to lead the members of our production team to the mountains and the sea, so they can have greater harvests too!”

”Excellent!”

Yang Wenxue slammed his hand on the desk excitedly and exclaimed to Li Dawei.

”See that? And some people were spouting nonsense, saying Comrade Zhao Wendong lacks collective consciousness! They should see this! Look at how politically aware Comrade Zhao Wendong is! This is what our grassroots cadres should be like!”

”If everyone had the same awareness and sense of responsibility as Comrade Zhao Wendong, all the production teams would have already started finding their own ways to solve the current food problem. Instead, they come to the Commune every day with their hands out. I, Yang Wenxue, am not the Monkey King. I can’t perform magic. Where am I supposed to get grain from!”

Zhao Wendong glanced at Yang Wenxue but said nothing. He couldn’t tell if Secretary Yang was warning him or trying to win him over, so he could only pretend not to understand. Yang Wenxue paid him no mind, instead frowning as he looked at the other document—a travel permit application.

”Lin Zhiyin? This name...”

Li Dawei’s groundwork was solid; he knew who it was the moment he heard the name. He leaned in and reminded him in a low voice.

”She’s the young lady from the capitalist Lin Family of Beijing, the one who was sent down to the countryside.”

”Oh!”

Understanding dawned on Yang Wenxue’s face. He looked at Zhao Wendong with a profound, meaningful expression.

”Comrade Zhao Wendong, what is your relationship with her?”

Zhao Wendong knew the meaning behind the question. His expression became serious and he stated firmly, ”She’s my partner!”

Yang Wenxue was stunned for a moment, then sighed with a hint of regret.

”Comrade Zhao Wendong, you are so young. You come from a long line of poor peasants with a flawless background. You are capable and responsible, and you have already taken up the post of Civilian Militia Captain. Don’t you want to serve more of the people? Do you plan to stay in Dragon King Pond for the rest of your life?”

Knowing the history of the next few decades, Zhao Wendong had no desire to get involved in politics. He smiled, shook his head, and said.

”Secretary, I’m just a farmer. All I want in this life is a wife, kids, a warm home, and my little plot of land in Dragon King Pond. Serving the people is a job for capable, high-ranking leaders like you. I know my own limits. I wouldn’t dare to dream of such things.”

”Sigh... alright. Since you’ve already made your decision, I will respect your choice!”

Yang Wenxue shook his head regretfully. He stamped the papers for Zhao Wendong and Lin Zhiyin, even adding Wendong’s title of Civilian Militia Captain along with a note about his ”outstanding capabilities.” Then, he personally walked him out of the Commune office.

Seeing Lin Zhiyin waiting outside, Yang Wenxue couldn’t help but say.

”You must be Comrade Lin Zhiyin? Comrade Wendong has sacrificed a great deal for you. You must build a good life with him!”

After Yang Wenxue and Li Dawei had gone back inside, Lin Zhiyin’s mind kept replaying Secretary Yang’s tone and expression. She had been worried her travel permit wouldn’t be approved because her special class background made her a person of interest. But now, it seemed Zhao Wendong must have said something to convince them.

’What did Zhao Wendong say?’ It was obvious he had told them he was her partner. As for what Secretary Yang said about him making a sacrifice for her, Lin Zhiyin understood after a moment’s thought. ’They must have thought highly of Zhao Wendong’s future prospects. But now that he’s with me, his background has been ’tainted,’ and he has lost any chance of future promotion.’ The thought made her heart ache.

”You... you should really listen to the Commune Secretary and seriously reconsider. Zhao Wendong, you are a truly good man. I’ve never met a young farmer more outstanding or capable than you. You really have a bright future ahead of you!”

”Heh, a bright future?”

Zhao Wendong gave a meaningful smile. ’If I really joined their ranks, I’d be forty by the time the country opened up. My entire youth would be wasted on their political back-and-forth. I’d rather not have a future like that.’

Besides, he had been a farmer his whole previous life, skilled at nothing but surviving off the mountains and the sea. Since his rebirth, his goal had never changed: to let his family live as well as possible in this era. That was it. That was his greatest ambition. With his limited abilities, if he really used his foreknowledge to enter that system, he wouldn’t even know what hit him when he died.

”My future is you and my family, our relatives and friends, our clan and our kinsmen, our fellow villagers. You are everything to me. The rest has nothing to do with me, and I can’t control it anyway!”

”Giddy-up!”

With that, Zhao Wendong urged the big brown horse to move, leaving the Commune behind. Lin Zhiyin’s gaze flickered as she stared at him, speechless for a long time.