I Overhear Animals' Thoughts to Feed My Family

Chapter 133: Chapter 132: Zhao Wendong’s Killing Intent

Seeing Lin Zhiyin step forward, and with Jiang Weimin present, Vice Secretary Li knew he couldn’t arrest Zhao Wendong. After assessing the situation, Vice Secretary Li decided to make a temporary retreat.

”Humph. We will thoroughly investigate the matter you’ve described. You’d better be telling the truth. And you!”

He pointed at Zhao Wendong, his tone dripping with malice and threats.

”Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you have Jiang Weimin backing you. This is the Organization’s domain, not Jiang Weimin’s! You harmed another person, and I will absolutely hold you responsible!”

”Is that so?”

”Then bring it on!”

Zhao Wendong stared at him, his gaze ice-cold and utterly fearless. He looked at the man as if he were already dead. ’I’ve already died once. Am I really going to let this clown push me around?’

Even as he spoke, his hand couldn’t resist drifting toward the Type 56 semi-automatic rifle slung over his back. Some of the more alert public security officers saw the movement and instinctively took two steps to the side. Behind him, Wang Defa was startled by the action and quickly grabbed Zhao Wendong’s arm.

”Easy, brother. Secretary Jiang is here. You don’t need to be afraid of him.”

Jiang Weimin proved to be a reliable ally. Seeing Zhao Wendong being threatened, he immediately roared in fury at Vice Secretary Li.

”Li Guangming, you’ve gone too far! Who the hell do you think you are?!”

Li Guangming was momentarily stunned by Zhao Wendong’s defiance. He truly hadn’t expected a mere peasant to have such guts. ’I’ll deal with him after the dust settles,’ he thought, already resolving to settle the score later. He said nothing more, ignored Jiang Weimin’s shouting, and simply turned and left.

Zhao Wendong watched his retreating back, his eyes narrowing. His hand unconsciously tightened around the magazine of his Type 56. ’In my past life, I was the living ancestor of Dragon King Pond. Countless high-ranking officials and wealthy magnates wanted me to take them hunting, and I told them all to get lost. Am I really going to be bullied by some minor vice secretary now? I’m not like Li Guangming and his kind. When someone wrongs me, I get my revenge immediately!’

Jiang Weimin forced a few of the public security officers to investigate the scene and file an official report before letting them leave. Once everyone was gone, Jiang Weimin shook Zhao Wendong’s hand, looking a little embarrassed.

”I’m sorry, Comrade Zhao Wendong. This is my fault. You’ve been wronged because of me.”

Zhao Wendong shook his head. ’That Fatty Li had already caused trouble for Little Shanghai several times. I knew he was a piece of scum long ago. I just never thought he’d have the gall to harass Lin Zhiyin on the street in broad daylight, especially in this day and age.’

”Comrade Wendong, that idea you mentioned last time—about trading surplus bricks for grain—I found it very constructive. I was hoping to try it out with your team. We could see if it’s possible to trade things the county has in excess for food that people need, which would boost everyone’s enthusiasm for production and ease the food shortage. Unfortunately, that Old Li just wouldn’t agree. The proposal never made it through the committee meeting.”

Jiang Weimin looked at Zhao Wendong with a complex expression, a mix of admiration and curiosity. He had initially thought the man was just lucky, but seeing a simple farmer stand up to Li Guangming like that had made him see Zhao Wendong in a new light.

”It’s alright, Secretary Jiang. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. There’s always a way forward.”

”Hahaha, you’re more philosophical about this than I am, Comrade Wendong! Finish up your business and head home soon. I don’t want any other accidents to happen while you’re here. If you run into any trouble, remember to find me right away. I, Jiang Weimin, will see this through for you!”

”Okay, thank you, Secretary Jiang!”

Zhao Wendong was genuinely moved. Jiang Weimin could have easily washed his hands of the whole affair, but he had taken the initiative to protect him. It gave Zhao Wendong a sense of what it meant for a cadre to truly be responsible to the people.

Meanwhile, Li Guangming arrived at the clinic. His wife was there, her face tear-streaked and beautiful in its sorrow.

”Old Li, look at our son! He was just getting well enough to walk around, and now someone’s kicked him and broken him again! Isn’t this going to be the end of our Li Family line? Did you catch the man who did it? Just drag him outside the East Gate and have him shot by a firing squad!”

”Get out of here! What the hell do you know? The guy has Jiang Weimin protecting him. He’s the same one who caught over four thousand catties of fish a few days ago. Let me find out what happened first.”

Seeing Fatty Li lying there, looking up at him weakly, Li Guangming suppressed his anger and sat down beside him.

”Son, tell me exactly what happened today. Why would you harass a woman in public, with so many people watching? I couldn’t even arrest him!”

”Dad~”

Fatty Li’s voice was hoarse, but his eyes were sparkling with a glimmer of hope.

”Dad~ that woman was so beautiful... I couldn’t help myself.”

”Bullshit! I can’t help myself either, but how many times have I told you? A man destined for great things can’t wear his heart on his sleeve! Couldn’t you have just held back, investigated her secretly, and then found a private place?”

”No, Dad, listen! The moment I saw her... I... I could get it up again!”

”What? Really?”

Li Guangming shot to his feet, staring at his son in astonishment and delight. ’My son had a reaction when he saw that woman... doesn’t that mean she’s a daughter-in-law sent from heaven for our Li Family? And here I was, thinking my son was a lost cause!’

’Besides, taking a step back, even if his son really was finished this time, wasn’t he, the father, still hale and hearty? A son he fathered himself would still carry the Li name, wouldn’t he?’

Hearing her son’s words, Fatty Li’s mother also grabbed Li Guangming’s hand in excitement and shook it vigorously.

”Old Li, hurry up and find out who that woman is and where she’s from! You have to bring her back to be our son’s wife! My uncle would be so happy to hear that our son is getting married.”

”Alright, don’t worry, dear. I’m on it!”

His wife’s words bolstered Li Guangming’s confidence. He felt twenty years younger. He practically flew out of the clinic and rushed straight to his office, ready to mobilize his resources and dig up everything he could on Zhao Wendong and the young woman by his side.

Back on Zhao Wendong’s side, as he was about to leave the supply and marketing cooperative, he suddenly remembered something and asked the director.

”Excuse me, do you have any powdered milk?”

”Powdered milk?”

The director paused, then called over a staff member after a moment’s thought.

”Go check if we have any powdered milk left.”

After a little while, the man returned and reported.

”We’re out of powdered milk. The last of our stock was a special supply designated for a specific unit. But...”

”But what? Spit it out!”

The director said sharply, seeing him hesitate.

”But we do have some soybean powder, kept in reserve.”

The incident with Zhao Wendong had happened at his cooperative. Although Jiang Weimin and Wang Defa hadn’t said anything, the director felt somewhat responsible. In a moment of impulse, he waved his hand grandly.

”Bag it all up for Comrade Zhao Wendong!”

Soon, a large, triangular package sealed with heavy kraft paper was placed in Zhao Wendong’s hands. It was filled with soybean powder. Zhao Wendong gratefully shook the director’s hand and thanked him. Then, the group headed straight for the main purchasing station.

After watching Zhao Wendong’s horse-drawn sled and belongings get loaded onto the bed of Niu Yuesheng’s large truck, Wang Defa pulled Zhao Wendong aside and spoke in a low voice.

”Fatty Li and his father are not good people. Now that you’ve offended them, they’re bound to cause trouble for you. Wendong, you have to protect yourself when you get back. Aren’t you the Civilian Militia Captain? You need to train your squad well. And your Commune and production team—they are the strong backing of the people!”

”If something really happens and you can’t handle it, send word to me. I’ll go find Secretary Jiang immediately!”

”Okay!”

Zhao Wendong gratefully patted Wang Defa on the shoulder. Although he wasn’t involved in politics, he understood the immense risk Wang Defa was taking with his words and actions. Zhao Wendong committed it all to memory.

After making sure the big brown horse was settled down in the truck bed, Zhao Wendong and Lin Zhiyin waved goodbye to Wang Defa and climbed into the cab of the truck. Niu Yuesheng honked the horn a few times, and the truck, spewing black smoke, started the journey home with them.

”Wendong, you really need to be careful of that Fatty Li and his father when you get back. They’re notorious in the county for being trouble. They’re sinister.”

”Yeah, I know.”

Zhao Wendong’s hand clenched unconsciously again. The Type 56 on his back seemed to grow a little heavier.

’Even a cornered rabbit will bite. If worst comes to worst, it’s a life for a life. My second brother isn’t all there in the head. In the future, he’d be considered legally certified. I wonder if that holds up in this era... Forget it. Second Brother just got married. I should handle this myself.’ This was the first time in two lifetimes that Zhao Wendong had felt true murderous intent. He began to calculate, searching for a clean and decisive way to eliminate the problem while also preserving his own safety. All the information from his past life swirled in his mind as he searched for the best solution.

Lin Zhiyin was also staring silently out the window, lost in thought. She was blaming herself. She had been wearing her scarf for the past two days. But today, it had been warm inside the cooperative, and she felt it would be impolite to keep her face covered while talking to the director and the others, so she had taken it off. She never imagined it would lead to such a disaster.

’It seems I’ll have to be even more low-key in the future,’ she thought. ’Even if Zhao Wendong can protect me, I should do everything I can to cause him less trouble.’

Just as expected, Niu Yuesheng drove even more aggressively after drinking. In less than an hour, the silhouette of the Commune came into view.

Fortunately, the light snow had stopped in the middle of the night, so the roads weren’t slippery. Zhao Wendong was just a little worried about the big brown horse in the truck bed. He wondered if it was getting carsick from all the swaying.