Chapter 187
“No.” Song Nianchu shook her head.
“Then what’s going on?” Mu Shi’an pressed.
Song Nianchu opened her mouth, hesitated for a long moment, then put down her chopsticks and looked up at Mu Shi’an.
“Today, Yang Mingwan and his entire family were taken away by the organization for investigation.”
“I know.” Mu Shi’an nodded.
“You know?” Song Nianchu was startled.
“Mm. Word has already spread through the village.”
Song Nianchu didn’t know what to say for a moment. She figured the refugees must have told everyone after they returned.
Plus, now that Mu Shi’an was working at the lumber mill, he was bound to hear bits and pieces.
“Shi’an, this matter…” Song Nianchu wanted to confess that she had orchestrated everything behind the scenes, but before she could finish, Mu Shi’an interrupted her.
“I know what you’re going to say. You don’t have to apologize to me, and you don’t have to feel guilty. I know the Yang family better than you do. If we’re being honest, I hate them more than you do. As for Mu Jingmei, you have even less reason to feel guilty. Setting aside the fact that I’ve already severed ties with her as brother and sister, even if I hadn’t—if she did nothing wrong, the organization will clear her name. But if she was involved, whatever punishment she receives is what she deserves.”
After Mu Shi’an finished, Song Nianchu stared at him for a long time.
She hadn’t expected him to be so levelheaded.
Once, he had been willing to marry into Mu Jingmei’s family for her sake. Now, with her taken away by the organization, he remained completely composed.
It showed that he was a man who drew clear lines between love and hate.
Once you fell within the scope of his responsibility, he would give everything for you.
But once he lost faith in you and let you go, he would never look back.
And Song Nianchu was exactly the kind of person, too.
“Alright, finish your meal. I’ll go check on your bathwater.” Seeing Song Nianchu still staring at him, Mu Shi’an reminded her.
“Mm.” Song Nianchu nodded with a smile.
By the time Song Nianchu finished eating, Mu Shi’an had already carried the bathwater to the washroom.
Song Nianchu wanted to wash the dishes before bathing, but Mu Shi’an naturally took the bowls and chopsticks from her hands.
“Take your bath first, or the water will get cold.”
“Alright, then I’ll make it up to you properly after I’m done.” Song Nianchu lowered her voice and whispered close to Mu Shi’an’s ear.
Her warm breath was so near that Mu Shi’an felt his entire body tense up immediately.
And to make things worse, the culprit slipped away right after delivering her tease, leaving him standing there alone, taking several deep breaths before finally calming down enough to finish the dishes.
“...”
After her bath, Song Nianchu entered the room to find Mu Shi’an already lying in bed.
Now that every household in the village had electricity, Mu Shi’an was reclining against the headboard, reading a book.
The lamplight accentuated his refined features, making him look even more striking. Song Nianchu glanced at the book in his hand and immediately frowned.
She recognized every word, but strung together like that, she couldn’t make sense of them.
She snatched the book out of his hand without ceremony, tossed it aside, and with a gentle shove, pushed him down onto the bed.
“What’s so interesting about that book? Look at me.” Song Nianchu leaned over, pressing herself against his chest.
Mu Shi’an’s gaze did land on her face, sliding inch by inch from her brows and eyes down to her nose, finally stopping at her crimson lips.
His stare was so direct that Song Nianchu felt her own body grow warm. Just as she was about to make her next move, Mu Shi’an had already grabbed the back of her head, pulling her face down toward his.
Their lips met, and a surging tide of passion burst forth instantly.
Even the moon outside the window seemed shy of what was happening in the room, slipping quietly behind the clouds.
“...”
Yang Mingwan’s case was essentially undisputed. He was locked up, though the final sentence would depend on further interrogation.
To protect his son, Yang Mingwan took all the blame upon himself, insisting that his family knew nothing.
Since Yang Dafu and the others held no official positions, they were released after only two days in detention.
Yang Mingwan was stripped of his position as brigade captain, and the organization called for a new election.
Under Song Nianchu’s meticulous planning, Wu Zhenggui was elected as the new brigade captain by a landslide.
Even as he received his official appointment letter, Wu Zhenggui could barely believe it.
His steps felt light and unsteady. But Song Nianchu had given him a speech earlier, which he had memorized backward and forward. Even though his heart was pounding and his mind was blank, muscle memory carried him through, and he recited the entire script verbatim.
When the crowd below heard his inaugural address, they clapped with all their might.
After all, everyone in the brigade had witnessed the changes in Qinghe Fishing Village over the past while.
Before, it was because of Yang Mingwan that no one dared to pry. But now that Wu Zhenggui was their brigade captain, there was nothing left to fear.
His responsibilities would no longer be limited to just Qinghe Fishing Village—he would lead the entire brigade.
Everyone hoped to turn their own village into the next Qinghe Fishing Village, and that was why they voted for Wu Zhenggui.
After finishing his speech, Wu Zhenggui hurried off the stage and rushed straight to Song Nianchu.
On the way back to the village, his hands were still trembling.
“Uncle Zhenggui, why are you still shaking?” Song Nianchu couldn’t help but comment.
“I don’t want to, but I can’t control it.” Wu Zhenggui looked worried.
“Take a deep breath. You’re the brigade captain now. If others see you like this, how will they respect you in the future?” Song Nianchu reminded him.
Wu Zhenggui took several deep breaths, and his tense body finally began to relax.
“Chu, I really never expected so many people to vote for me as brigade captain,” Wu Zhenggui murmured.
“Given how our village is doing now, if they want to improve their lives, who else would they choose but you?” Song Nianchu had already predicted this outcome.
“But they’re all hoping for a better life. Am I really capable enough?” Wu Zhenggui started worrying again.
“Don’t be afraid. Take it step by step. As long as we don’t exploit or oppress people like Yang Mingwan did, their lives will already be much better.” Song Nianchu’s voice was gentle.
“True.” Wu Zhenggui sighed with relief.
“Alright, let’s go back to the village first.”
“Mm.”
“...”
Back in the village, Song Nianchu threw herself back into the cannery.
To make the business grow bigger and stronger, she needed to keep expanding. Qinghe Fishing Village’s labor force was already stretched thin; it was enough for now, but any further expansion would be a struggle.
If she could pool together the resources of the entire brigade, their growth would only accelerate.
She had to accumulate enough capital before the policies truly opened up so she could stay ahead of everyone else.