Chapter 22: What a Pity

Ji Ling shook her head with a modest smile. "Oh no, not at all. I’m nowhere near as capable as Director Gui suggests. I simply documented the actual situation. It is entirely thanks to our excellent leadership team that we farmers, and we women in particular, are able to enjoy such a good life today."

"Heh, you really are quite the eloquent young lady." A man in his thirties stepped out of the vehicle. He wore spectacles and had several pens tucked into his breast pocket, sporting the distinct look of a scholar.

However, Ji Ling noticed that the wrinkles on his forehead were deep enough to crush a fly, and his eyes were filled with undisguised disdain as he looked at the mud splattered on his trouser cuffs.

"Ah, Ji Ling, this is Deputy Director Ji from our commune." Sensing the awkwardness of the moment, Director Gui hurriedly introduced him to the group.

"Greetings, Deputy Director Ji. I am Hua Daiqiang, the village head of Shixi Village, and this is Li Guofu, the Party branch secretary of Wangjiazhuang. The young lady you just mentioned is Ji Ling, our village scorekeeper and teacher," Village Head Hua finally found an opening to speak and squeezed his way through the crowd.

Upon hearing the titles the village head used, Ji Zishu’s brows furrowed even tighter.

"I heard your village has taken on a new look this year, so I came to take a look." Ji Zishu kicked at his feet, his expression impatient as Village Head Hua attempted to exchange pleasantries. "Lead the way."

Village Head Hua froze, cast a furtive glance at Ji Ling, and then nodded hurriedly. "Yes, right away."

The group followed the village head toward the site that had been renovated according to Ji Ling’s suggestions.

The sheep pen was clean and odorless. The flock chewed leisurely on forage, while He Qinhua, one of the most diligent workers in the village, was recording something carefully on a piece of paper.

"What is this? This mural is truly beautiful." Director Gui, failing to notice He Qinhua, had instead spotted the wall painting beside the farm. He stepped forward with delight, tracing the lines of the artwork with his eyes.

"Did you all do this yourselves?" Director Gui asked, looking toward Ji Ling.

"It is all thanks to the village head’s leadership. As soon as he heard you were coming, he rallied all the villagers—those with ideas contributed their thoughts, and those with strength contributed their labor. We were hoping you two might offer us some guidance," Ji Ling replied, not claiming the credit for herself.

Hearing her words, Director Gui’s estimation of Ji Ling rose even higher. Yet, thinking of the true purpose behind Ji Zishu’s visit, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret.

Ji Zishu walked up and glanced at the records in He Qinhua’s hands. "Did you come up with this yourself?"

He Qinhua’s hand trembled, and her entire body shook involuntarily. But remembering Ji Ling’s instructions—that the superiors would surely come to question her and that she must perform well to avoid embarrassing Ji Ling—she forced herself to calm down.

He Qinhua pinched herself hard and managed a stiff smile. "Hello. I didn’t come up with this; Ji Ling taught me. She said that by keeping daily records, we can better understand the condition of the livestock and adjust our feeding methods more effectively."

"Look here, when they first arrived, the sheep weighed about thirty catties. In just a short time, they have already grown to fifty catties."

"I believe these sheep can grow much larger," He Qinhua added, her voice growing more animated. As she talked about the sheep she knew so well, she began to relax.

"And how much do you think they can grow to?" Ji Zishu asked.

"Two hundred catties," He Qinhua blurted out her ambitious goal.

"Heh, you’re bragging a bit early, aren't you?" Ji Zishu sneered. He Qinhua blushed deeply, shrinking back into her timid shell.

"She is not entirely wrong. This breed of sheep is similar to the Small-Tailed Han sheep. If we can truly follow our projections, they could eventually reach two hundred to three hundred catties." Ji Ling looked directly at Ji Zishu, her uneasy suspicion about his true intentions growing stronger.