Yu, the county official, burst out laughing. “What’s so funny?”
“I’m twenty-three!” came the reply.
“Twenty-three? Impossible! You’re only eighteen!”
Zhou Chiye stepped out from the office. His eyes met Lin Sui’s, and he raised an eyebrow. “Oh, it’s you.”
Lin Sui had come to express her gratitude, so she’d made sure to dress properly. She wore a crisp white shirt and straight-leg trousers, her wavy hair neatly tied into two braids. With a bright smile on her face, she looked quite pleasant.
In her hands, she carried two live poultry that squawked and clucked noisily.
Zhou Chiye glanced away, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “We’re having a group meal later. Did you bring these for our family’s dinner?”
Lin Sui remembered him well — not only had they crossed paths in her past life, but he’d also saved her the night before. More than that, he was truly handsome: his smile was captivating, and he had a great build. People said he’d just come from the army; even through his white shirt, you could vaguely make out the muscles on his chest, and those long legs clearly held strength.
Word was that when he first arrived, girls from several villages in Cuizhu Township would sneak over just to catch a glimpse of him. Outside the village committee office, bicycle collisions became common, and even elderly women herding cows would stop to stare on their way home. The next morning, the sweeper would always find a full dustpan of cow dung left behind.
Surrounded by rough, plain village cadres, Zhou Chiye stood out like a red-crowned crane that had wandered into a chicken coop.
Seeing him smile, the other cadres’ eyes went wide. No one knew where he’d come from, but ever since arriving in Cuizhu, he’d always worn a look of impatience and snapped at people at the slightest provocation. When he spoke sharply, he carried an intimidating air, so everyone feared him but dared not offend him — secretly thinking: So he’s just an ordinary man after all! He smiles at pretty girls too.
And seeing such a handsome man, Lin Sui’s smile grew even brighter.
“Secretary Zhou,” she said, “I have no proper way to thank you for what happened last night, so please take these two birds to nourish your health.”
Last night?
Nourish your health?
Suddenly, all around her, eyes turned over with curious, knowing expressions. Lin Sui could guess what those dirty-minded folks were imagining.
“I ran into some hooligans last night,” she explained clearly. “Secretary Zhou stepped in to save me — that’s why I’ve come to thank him.”
Someone snickered. “Haha! A hero saving the beauty! You’ve got quite a high opinion of yourself, Lin Sui!”
“I’ve got enough confidence for that, at least,” she replied calmly.
She handed the poultry toward Zhou Chiye, but since he was holding documents, she instead gave them to the older man beside him, giving him a thumbs-up as well. “Thank you too, Uncle! Your driving skills are amazing — if you hadn’t braked in time, I never would have run into Secretary Zhou.”
“So,” the county official Yu teased, “are these for me, or for him?”
Lin Sui answered earnestly, “Uncle, I didn’t know you’d be here. I was going to ask Secretary Zhou for your address and bring them to your home personally.”
Though I wonder if you’d even accept them, she thought privately.
Yu was pleased with her answer and laughed heartily. “Hahaha! No need to give them to me. It was Secretary Zhou who played the hero — let him have them to build up his strength!”
Zhou Chiye looked over, and Yu quickly added, “You’re young and still growing! Eat more meat so you can grow taller!”
Everyone glanced up at Zhou Chiye in unison. Taller? He’s already towering over everyone — is he trying to reach the sky?
Laughter filled the courtyard.
Zhou Chiye turned his gaze back to Lin Sui. His dark eyes gave nothing away. “Thanks. If there’s nothing else, you may go.”
Lin Sui thought to herself: He took my gift, so he could at least ask my name!
“Of course,” she said aloud. “Thank you again, Secretary Zhou. My surname is Lin, given name Sui — like the grain in an ear of rice. I live in the next village.”
Who knew if they’d run into each other again? She wasn’t going to let such a good chance slip by without introducing herself properly.
Zhou Chiye’s lips twitched slightly. “When you reported the incident last night, you already told the police your name was Lin Sui.”
She hadn’t expected him to remember. Having achieved her goal, she turned to leave so she could go return money to Zhang Dongliang — only to find him walking straight toward her.
“Ah, perfect timing! I was just coming to find you,” she said.
Zhang Dongliang usually lit up whenever he saw Lin Sui, but today he looked anything but happy.
“Everything I said before was just a joke — you didn’t actually take it seriously, did you?”
Lin Sui blinked in surprise. “Oh? So it was all a joke?”
“That’s right! You brought it on yourself anyway,” he said, widening his eyes dramatically.
“A joke?” she repeated. “That’s not what you said last time. And as for the money —”
Zhang Dongliang panicked. He glanced at Zhou Chiye and forced a smile. “Secretary Zhou, don’t listen to only one side of the story! None of this actually happened!”
“None of what happened?” Zhou Chiye asked, his brows drawing together. “Did me saving her not happen either?”
One of the more talkative village cadres spoke up. He explained how, a few days before, Zhang Dongliang had pressured Liang Fengjiao into signing a “marriage agreement” at a wedding feast, demanding her daughter be married to him. Then, after bringing over the betrothal gifts, the family had backed out, and he’d been demanding compensation ever since.
Zhou Chiye listened, his expression growing darker. “Hmph. I’m truly seeing it all now. Even in this day and age, there are still people who bully others and force their way into deals. Is that correct?”
“W-What? Secretary Zhou, what’s this about?” Zhang Dongliang trembled under his gaze.
“Come with me to the police station. Where else did you think we’d go?” Zhou Chiye gave a cold smile. Looks like I really am starting my term with firm action.
Zhang Dongliang’s face fell. “Ah, it’s all just a misunderstanding! Secretary Zhou, I was wrong! I didn’t know Lin Sui was a classmate of your niece!”
“Please, sir, have mercy. Don’t hold this against me.”
Zhou Chiye narrowed his eyes. Classmate of my niece?
I’m only twenty-five myself. When would I have a niece old enough to be her classmate?
County official Yu was equally confused and had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.
Lin Sui felt Zhou Chiye’s sharp, questioning gaze land on her, and her scalp tingled. Oh no — he’s already seen through the lie.
Fortunately, Zhang Dongliang was so flustered that Lin Sui’s own slip-up was momentarily forgotten.
“Secretary Zhou, I was just joking with Lin Sui’s mother! I don’t want any compensation anymore!”
Zhou Chiye pulled his eyes away from Lin Sui and fixed Zhang Dongliang with a stern look. “You don’t want it anymore?”
Zhang Dongliang shook so hard he fumbled in his pockets, pulling out all the cash he had and shoving it into Lin Sui’s hands. “Here — more than a thousand yuan. Consider this compensation for emotional distress. Is that enough, Secretary Zhou?”
Zhou Chiye looked back at Lin Sui, his expression unreadable, half-smiling and half-serious. “You’re the one involved. What do you say?”
What could she say? She pressed her lips together to keep from smiling. “Since Zhang Dongliang admits his mistake and is willing to make amends, and for the sake of us being acquaintances, I’ll give him a chance to turn over a new leaf. Let’s let bygones be bygones.”
She’d known from the start that the agreement Liang Fengjiao had signed had no legal standing. But this was a small rural community — neighbors saw each other every day. Keeping the peace was the best policy. Besides, agreeing to take the money was mostly a way to secure that one thousand yuan as capital for future plans.
Zhang Dongliang let out a huge breath of relief. “Right, right! We’re still friends from now on, right, Secretary Zhou?”
“Don’t let it happen again,” Zhou Chiye warned. “Otherwise, I won’t go easy on you.”
“Of course, of course!”
Zhang Dongliang offered him a cigarette, but Zhou Chiye waved it away with obvious disgust. “We still have work to do.” His tone made it clear: If you have nothing else to say, get out.
Lin Sui was quick to follow suit and turned to leave — when a low voice rang out from behind her.
“Classmate of my niece? Would you care to explain that?”
If Zhang Dongliang hadn’t mentioned it today, was she planning to keep using that false connection to hide behind my name?
Zhou Chiye looked at her with an amused glint in his eyes. This is the first time I’ve met a girl with such boldness — and such a thick skin.
But having lived two lives and having experience doing business, Lin Sui was more than capable of talking her way out of trouble. She turned back smoothly.
“Secretary Zhou, I only said that to protect myself. I borrowed your reputation for a moment — and sure enough, the moment they heard your name, all those troublemakers backed right off! You’re a fair and just official, a great man who overlooks small mistakes. Please let this little slip-up be wiped away like chalk from a blackboard!”