You're supposed to be a security officer, what case are you solving?

Chapter 137 This summer is so long!

Late August, the tail end of summer.

A gentle breeze blew by, causing ripples to spread across the wide river. The rumps of two mallard ducks were slightly raised as the water rippled.

"Boom!"

A large rock was thrown from afar and hit the mallard duck on the back.

The river water splashed everywhere, and two ducks spread their wings, quacking and flapping their wings frantically.

"Go away and start dating, you're just wasting my time fishing!"

Yang Jinwen clapped his hands, sat down on a small stool, still angry.

He got up in the morning and spent the whole day by the river. Without a doubt, it was the Air Force.

Yang Jinwen's goal was clear: nothing more than to defend it to the death!
But he couldn't resist the two ducks' teasing. If Wen Ling hadn't been there, he would have definitely taken off his pants, plunged into the river, and fought with the two ducks.

Wen Ling sat down next to him, giggling, "Why are you taking your anger out on someone else's duck?"

Yang Jinwen pointed at the two mallards and said angrily, "These two guys are just messing with me."

Wen Ling chuckled: "Actually, I don't really like eating fish, so it doesn't matter whether I catch any or not."

Yang Jinwen waved his hand: "This has nothing to do with you."

"How can it not be related? Didn't you fish for me to eat? You said it."

"No, fishing is one thing, eating fish is another."

"Heh!" Wen Ling nodded: "I understand. It's the same principle as when I play mahjong with my mom. She gets a pure hand and is just about to declare a winning hand, but someone else steals it from her. Isn't that the logic?"

Yang Jinwen nodded: "More or less."

Wen Ling chuckled: "No, my mom can at least tell the exact color of a suit, how about you?"
"You didn't catch a single fish, what are you so sad about? It's sad when you lose fish; you're just a complete airball."

Having been stabbed in the back by Wen Ling, Yang Jinwen touched his forehead, feeling extremely distressed.

"No, there used to be lots of fish in this river, how come there aren't any left now?"

At this moment, an old farmer carrying a basket on his back and a hoe stood on the edge of the field and said, "Not long ago, the young people in the village used detonators to blast fish, and some even used electric nets. Even the fish eggs died."

Yang Jinwen felt relieved; this explained why he was in the Air Force.

If this happened twenty or thirty years from now, using detonators to fish? Or electrofishing? You'd be lucky not to spend a few years in jail working on a sewing machine.

Right now, the rice paddies are full of people, who are rushing to harvest the rice.

Late August is the harvest season.

Wen Ling stood up, looking at the bustling scene in the fields. She took off the straw hat she was wearing and stretched out her arms: "It's nice to come to the countryside. The green mountains and clear waters, and the air is so fresh."

Yang Jinwen put away the bamboo fishing rod and picked up the bamboo basket from the riverbank. This kind of bamboo basket is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom, and is shaped like the Chinese character "品" (pin). It is a magic weapon for holding fish and catching eels and loaches.

"Let's go back," Yang Jinwen urged.

Wen Ling nodded and followed him carefully along the ridges of the paddy field toward the main road beside them.

"No, Yang Jinwen, don't you think this is very therapeutic?"

"Cure my ass..." Yang Jinwen thought to himself. After a moment's thought, he replied, "You're just a spectator, so of course it's fun to watch. Go try it yourself. Cut rice with a sickle, then grab handfuls of rice and slam them into that bucket. You won't be able to take it for long."

It was scorching hot and exhausting; my feet sank into the mud and couldn't be pulled out. And that same day, I had to carry all the threshed rice back, trip after trip, and spread the grains on the ground to dry. It wasn't as idyllic as you might imagine.

Wen Ling pouted: "This is also the fruit of labor. Although it's hard work, it's worth it."

"Is that so?" Yang Jinwen said, "One-third of it belongs to the public, not all of it is his own."

Wen Ling stopped talking. She had seen the scene of people going to the grain bureau to deliver public grain before.

"These past few days, Brother Cat has been rushing home to help his parents harvest the rice."

"Where do they live?"

"It's far away, in Jiaxing District."

Wen Ling nodded, and after getting onto the main road, she indeed saw what Yang Jinwen had described.

The whole family, four people in total, carried baskets full of damp rice on their backs. They were barefoot, their feet covered in mud, and towels were wrapped around their necks. Sweat soaked their hair.

The oldest among them is over sixty years old, and because they are carrying such heavy loads, their backs are almost bent over on the ground.

The youngest was only seven or eight years old, a primary school girl, and she was filthy, with mud all over her hair.

Yang Jinwen quickly handed the fishing rod and bamboo basket to Wen Ling, ran to the girl's side, and took the basket from her back: "Yanzi, let me carry it for you."

Yanzi laughed and said, "Brother, I've gotten your clothes dirty."

"It's out of the way."

Yang Jinwen took the basket from her with one hand, slipped it between his hands, and easily carried it on his back.

The girl and her family lived next door to Yang Jinwen's hometown. She was sallow and thin, and dressed poorly.

Wenling had seen her in the morning when she came from the city; she was a very cheerful and shy girl.

Wenling even gave her some candy. When the girl saw her, she smiled sweetly without saying a word.

Wenling asked her, "Are you tired?"

The girl shook her head: "Not tired."

The girl was embarrassed. After answering, she moved closer to Yang Jinwen and asked, "Brother, did you catch any fish?" Yang Jinwen shook his head. "No fish."

What does the Air Force mean?

"How can I explain this to you? It's like you got a zero on the exam."

"I don't have one."

"I was just kidding."

The girl's parents looked at Yang Jinwen, and the father asked, "Jinwen, are you going back to the city this afternoon?"

Yang Jinwen nodded: "Yes, Third Uncle, I have to go to work tomorrow."

"Oh." The man said nothing more.

After crossing a hill, we were home, but we rested for a while. Carrying such heavy things for so long would be unbearable even for someone made of iron.

Yang Jinwen's grandfather was named Yang Bin. Before retiring, he was a fitter at Anan Steel Plant, a proper worker. His grandmother was also a female worker at the plant.

Therefore, the two elders did not own any land in the countryside. The reason they returned to the countryside was that they couldn't bear to leave their ancestral home abandoned, as it was the place where they were born and raised.

In previous years, the word "worker" was very valuable; it meant someone involved in construction. The treatment of workers and rural people was worlds apart.

Others may not know, but Yang Jinwen's family does. His grandparents lived in the countryside and suffered countless acts of jealousy and resentment.

The differences between people lead to the growth of emotions; there are all kinds of people: those who envy you, those who are jealous of you, and those who hate you.

Yang Jinwen's grandparents don't like to interact with outsiders unless they are close relatives.

When Yang Jinwen returned home, his grandmother had already prepared a meal, a table full of dishes.

Yang Bin took out his treasured Moutai, filled his grandson's glass, and also filled Wen Ling's glass.

The elderly couple couldn't stop smiling when Yang Jinwen brought the girl back.

Yang Jinwen waved his hand: "Sir, I won't drink. I have to drive back to the city later. Don't drink and drive."

Wen Ling waved her hand, "Grandpa, I'm not very good at drinking."

"Who says you can't drink and drive? I've never heard of that rule. You rarely come back to see me, so you have to have a drink."

"Okay, just a small cup. Let me make it clear, just a small cup."

The old man beamed. "Alright, one cup then."

Wen Ling said, "I don't drink, and I'll only have one cup. Grandpa and Grandma, I'd like to toast you."

The old man nodded, tilted his head back, and downed the wine in one gulp.

He had just finished drinking when Wen Ling picked up her glass and refilled it, saying, "Grandpa, this is aged Moutai, you can't drink it so quickly."

The wine needs to breathe for at least half an hour, preferably using a Yixing teapot. When drinking it, hold it in your mouth for eight seconds, and you'll taste a sweet, beeswax-like aroma.

The old man listened in a daze, blinking repeatedly. Wen Ling nodded, filled her own glass, picked it up, and after eight seconds, she smacked her lips: "Why don't you give it a try?"

The old man did as instructed, and it tasted different after all.

"This wine was bought for me by Xiaowen's dad. It's the first time I've ever drunk it. So this is how it's drunk."

“That’s right!” Wen Ling nodded and raised another glass: “Grandpa, Grandma, I wish you good health.”

The old man and the old woman smiled and nodded, then clinked glasses with Wen Ling.

Yang Jinwen frowned, dumbfounded as he watched from the side.

Wen Ling lies so naturally, without batting an eye.

By the time the meal was finished, the sun was already setting. After finishing a bottle of Moutai, the old man took out a bottle of Red Star Erguotou and drank it all in the same way.

Right now, the old man was slumped over the table, swaying from side to side, constantly muttering about Yang Dachuan.

“Xiaowen, you need to pay more attention to your father’s affairs. You’re all grown up now, you should start thinking about your father’s future. You need to help him find a woman and get married. He can’t stay a bachelor for the rest of his life.”

Yang Jinwen was speechless. Was Yang Dachuan unwilling to remarry? Even Secretary Zhang was completely manipulated by him. Why did he need to worry about him?
He stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute to the old man, and said, "Okay, I understand. Take good care of yourself. I'll come to see you again during the New Year. Grandma, we're leaving now."

At this moment, Wen Ling remained calm and composed, saying, "Grandpa, let's drink again next time. I'll bring you two bottles of good wine."

"Ugh..." The old man buried his head under the table and vomited.

Grandma wanted to see Yang Jinwen off, but he said, "Grandma, you should go and take care of Grandpa, don't see him off."

Grandma waved goodbye, and Yang Jinwen and Wen Ling got into the car, ready to return to the city.

Grandma had already filled the car's trunk with things. Although they didn't have any land to cultivate in the countryside, they could clear wasteland, grow some vegetables, and raise some chickens and ducks.

The two ducks in the river that were teasing Yang Jinwen belonged to his family.

Yang Jinwen drove the car away. This car wasn't his; it was a silver-white Citroën Fukang that Wen Ling had borrowed from her father.

After passing through the long tunnel, you will reach Yangkang County, and further ahead lies the jurisdiction of the northern part of the city.

Yang Jinwen drove into the tunnel, leaving the last rays of summer sunlight behind.

Wen Ling sat in the passenger seat and turned on the car radio, soothing music filling the car.

Yang Jinwen felt that this summer was incredibly long, like a lifetime had passed...

(End of this chapter)