Chapter Nine: The Grain Crisis

The villager’s shout stunned everyone inside the village committee office.

Especially Li Baotian.

That bastard took off running immediately, and the two militia men exchanged glances and followed suit.

“Well done, kid! You didn’t let your uncle down and actually brought the grain back,” Wang Jianguo laughed heartily, giving Liu Weidong a few hearty pats on the back before stepping outside with his hands behind his back.

Liu Weidong, however, was unhurried. Lighting a cigarette, he strolled home slowly. But before reaching his doorstep, a crowd had already blocked the way.

Old Liu Nian and Lou Yanru stood by the truck, trying to stop villagers from tearing open bags of flour. Nearby, several workers in uniforms also tried to prevent the crowd from looting the grain.

On the ground lay several broken flour sacks, golden cornmeal spilled everywhere, and a group of children were shoving raw cornmeal into their mouths.

“What are you trying to do? Just grab it by force? This cornmeal was bought by Worker Liu with his own money. On what grounds are you stealing it? Does the law mean nothing anymore?”

Leading the grain delivery was Xiao Zhao from the Technical Department. Knowing the grain was purchased by Liu Weidong, he was furious to see villagers attempting to snatch it and shouted from atop the truck.

At that moment, Li Baotian had already reached the back of the truck.

“Everyone, calm down first. This grain belongs to the team. Quickly drive the truck to the team office and distribute it based on headcount.”

Neither Old Liu Nian nor Lou Yanru dared to oppose Li Baotian’s words, but Xiao Zhao refused to comply.

“Who are you? Liu Gong hasn’t said anything, why should I take orders from you?”

“I’m the propaganda leader of the Second Team. I’m in charge here. Get the truck to the village office immediately,” Li Baotian said, hands on his hips, gesturing arrogantly.

“Nonsense, propaganda leader. I only listen to Worker Liu. I dare anyone to lay a finger on this grain,” Xiao Zhao retorted.

By then, Wang Jianguo had already arrived at the truck.

“Are you all starving to the point of madness? This grain was bought with Weidong’s own money. Whether he gives it away or feeds it to dogs is his own business. Don’t disgrace the Second Team like this.”

“Secretary Wang, why say that? Everyone knows about the bet Liu Weidong made. Didn’t he bring this grain back for our village?”

Wang Jianguo laughed in frustration. “Li Baotian, how can you still bring up the bet? Yesterday you caused a scene at Old Liu’s house, and today you brought the militia to arrest Liu Weidong.

Is Liu Weidong a tyrant, a landlord, or a wealthy farmer? Did you decide that? You think you can just pick fights and make arrests at will?”

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“Liu Weidong spent his own money on this grain. It’s his personal property from the Old Liu family. And you, Li Baotian, still want to seize it by force?”

At this moment, Liu Weidong had already reached the truck. Xiao Zhao was angrily pulling down a banner.

The bright red banner read: “Floods are ruthless but people have compassion; workers and peasants are as close as brothers.”

The banner, set against the chaotic scene, was almost jarring.

Seeing Liu Weidong, Xiao Zhao frowned and approached him.

“Worker Liu, you’re here. What kind of people live in your village? They’re like bandits. And you still spend money to buy grain for them?”

The previous actions of the villagers and Li Baotian had thoroughly enraged the workers delivering the grain.

Liu Weidong’s expression was as calm as still water. He gestured to Lou Yanru.

“Yanru, you and Dad go back inside. Don’t get involved in this.”

With that, Liu Weidong climbed onto the truck and stood on the flour sacks.

“Fellow villagers, I live on work points just like you. Because I dug up a ginseng root in the mountains, Li Baotian has been framing me, forcing me to hand it over or buy grain for the village.

I’m not afraid of him, but seeing everyone hungry pains me too. That’s why I tried to earn money to buy grain. But from yesterday until today, Li Baotian has been making things difficult for me, even sending people to arrest me at home.

I’ve changed my mind. I won’t distribute the grain now. Tomorrow, I’ll go to the commune, the county, the city to seek justice. I want to see if the Qianjin Commune is really controlled by Li Baotian alone.”

The crowd immediately erupted into chaos.

“We never cared about you, Weidong. Li Baotian’s a scoundrel. If you won’t share with him, that’s fine, but why make everyone else suffer?”

The villagers, driven desperate by hunger and seeing the grain, had reddened eyes. When Liu Weidong said he wouldn’t distribute it, the situation spiraled out of control.

Li Baotian’s face darkened further.

“Who knows how many ginseng roots you’ve dug up? What if you’ve sold some secretly?”

He was relentless.

“Hey, propaganda leader, are you blind? Worker Liu helped the oil plant overcome technical difficulties and bought this grain with the bonus he received from the factory.

They always say workers and peasants are brothers. To help you, our factory leaders even sent a vehicle to deliver the grain. And this is how you treat your lifesaver?”

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Xiao Zhao’s words stunned not only Wang Jianguo and Li Baotian but even the noisy villagers.

Liu Weidong could actually work in the city? Without having to handle the agricultural-to-non-agricultural status himself?

If he really worked in the city, would he take the grain with him?

“Weidong, you can’t leave. If you go, we’ll starve. We’ve treated your Old Liu family well all these years…”

A group of old men and women wept openly, carrying basins and baskets, surrounding the truck and begging.

“Uncles and aunts, I never intended to leave the Second Team. I want to lead everyone to prosperity. But it’s not that I don’t care about you all. Someone is forcing me. Without a proper explanation for today’s incident, I really can’t be the good person you think I am.”

Not only the villagers but even the militia from the commune now understood the situation. Everyone looked at Li Baotian with contempt.

“Why are you all staring at me? I’m just speaking for all the villagers. The commune leaders have already decided that Liu Weidong’s ginseng must be handed over.”

Li Baotian, furious, pointed at Liu Weidong on the truck and shouted.

“Shut up, Li Baotian. Aren’t you ashamed to make a scene in front of the worker brothers? So many villagers are waiting for a meal, but you can’t help. Why don’t you go to the commune leaders and ask for grain?”

Hearing Wang Jianguo’s words, Li Baotian’s face flushed red and white, and he dared not respond.

“Weidong, everyone knows your good intentions. Don’t let Li Baotian, the troublemaker, spoil everything. For my sake, calm down for now.”

With effort, Wang Jianguo climbed onto the truck.

“Everyone, listen carefully. Weidong helped the oil plant solve a technical problem. He used the bonus to buy grain to share with everyone.

He also found a way for our village to prosper—using the flood-prone tidal flats to grow castor beans. He even brought back the sales contract with the oil plant.

When he made that bet with Li Baotian, he mentioned the flooded land under Qingshanzi. The land belongs to the collective, so whether castor beans can be grown there requires everyone’s opinion.

I’m putting it plainly—I support setting up an experimental field at the primary school. Sign this paper and put your fingerprint. Once signed, I’ll take charge of distributing the grain. Anyone who opposes can get lost right now.

Li Baotian, don’t abuse your power. After the villagers sign, I’ll personally take Weidong to the commune to ask Director Ma whether digging up a ginseng root counts as undermining socialism!”

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