Nominal: Who isn't a son-in-law?

"Comrade Yuntian, what do you have to say?"

Chu Shijun turned his head away.

"Secretary Chu, the villagers are so hospitable, let's join in the fun!"

Liu Yuntian's face flushed, and he stood up.

"Let's go then. I'll take this opportunity to show off a little, but please don't laugh at me!" (Automatically switches to Hunan dialect)

Chu Shijun stood up, waved his hand, and walked into the dance circle.

"Come, we'll guide you."

The women grabbed Chu Shijun, Liu Yuntian, Li Dakang, and others by the hands.

"Follow the drumbeats and the lusheng (a traditional reed pipe instrument), take small steps, and wave your hands along with it..."

The group linked arms, slowed their dance steps, and followed the rhythm of the music, patiently guiding and cooperating step by step.

Following the melodious lusheng tune and steady drumbeats, Chu Shijun slowly found the rhythm, lightly stepping on the ground with both feet, moving sideways, and raising her hands to dance, her movements relaxed and unhurried.

At first, they were a little awkward, but after the elderly and young villagers in the vicinity took turns gently prompting them with the rhythm, the children jumped and hopped around the circle to join in, and the atmosphere became more and more harmonious.

Accompanied by melodious folk songs, lively drumbeats, and the jingling of silver ornaments on ethnic costumes, the entire audience held hands, surrounded each other, and sang as they walked.

"Come on, Xiao Hu, take some pictures of us, make sure they look good!"

Li Dakang's old face beamed with joy, making him look much younger.

Today, there were no hierarchical distinctions or unfamiliarity; everyone was immersed in the warm atmosphere of the mountain folk customs, with laughter and cheerful voices filling the air. The seriousness and restraint of the past few days of research work were completely shed, showcasing a heartwarming scene of cadres and the masses working together and rural neighbors living in harmony.

Not far away, Zhang Jingliang watched this heartwarming scene, seeing Chu Shijun in the crowd smiling and chatting with the people around him, as if he had returned to his childhood.

"It really looks like it!"

Once upon a time, during the war-torn years, there was also a group of people who sang and danced with them in their spare time.

There's a saying that goes, "If you're three times my size, I'll panic."

……

A dozen minutes later, beads of sweat appeared on everyone's foreheads; the weather in July was still quite hot.

"Alright, alright, go take a rest."

Chu Shijun and his group withdrew from the crowd. "Everyone, take a moment to rest, have a drink of water, and let's chat together,"

"OK,"

The villagers pulled out stools, forming a large circle around the perimeter.

Chu Shijun stood in the crowd, hands on his hips, a few strands of hair fluttering gently in the breeze. Facing the crowd, he said in a clear voice, "Fellow villagers..."

"Today, I spent the whole day walking through the fields, visiting courtyards, and talking to farmers. In the evening, I danced with everyone and had a home-cooked meal with them. I truly felt the new changes and new atmosphere in Xilin Village, and I also felt the good character of the villagers who are down-to-earth, hardworking, simple and kind."

"The village was able to shed its backward appearance in just one year, not because of empty policy support or paper data, but because of the hard work of every villager and the dedication of Secretary Lin to serving the people. This achievement is hard-won and deserves recognition."

'Pa pa pa pa'

"For ordinary people, a good life is earned through hard work. In the future, we need everyone to work together and continue to strive. We hope that our fellow villagers will continue to maintain the current good momentum, refine and improve the specialty planting industry, firmly grasp the jobs in their own neighborhoods, and make the path to increasing income wider and wider, and their lives more and more prosperous."

"Going forward, our Baijiang Provincial Government will continue to increase its support, and Agui will continue to focus on the underdeveloped villages in the area, supplement more pro-people policies, and allocate more assistance resources to ensure that the village successfully sheds its label as a key backward village by the end of the year. We will also continue to improve infrastructure and optimize public services for everyone, so that the lives of people in the remote mountains can be more stable, prosperous, and hopeful!"

"Okay, we trust the government!"

Chu Shijun turned around and looked specifically at Lin Xiangjun, while solemnly instructing Liu Yuntian and the city and county cadres present, "Comrade Lin Xiangjun, as a graduate of the prestigious Han University, gave up the comfortable conditions in the city and took root in a poor village in the deep mountains. Over the past year, he has worked silently, worked hard, and sincerely served the people. He is a rare young and pragmatic backbone."

"There are many young comrades like this. We must continue to care for and nurture them at the grassroots level, providing them with more platforms, responsibilities, experience, and support, so that they can hone their skills and grow into talents in the fertile soil of the grassroots, and allow more youthful energy to take root in the countryside and serve the people..."

Hearing these heartwarming words and seeing Chu Shijun's approachable demeanor, all the villagers present felt warm inside and were greatly encouraged.

They truly felt at that moment that provincial leaders were not just officials separated by screens or thousands of miles, but were willing to go into mountain villages, integrate with the masses, eat and live with them, and listen to their voices.

There was no bureaucratic jargon, no distance, and every word was sincere, which gave them a strong sense of confidence and hope for the future development of Xilin Village and for their own happy lives.

As it approached nine o'clock at night, considering the road conditions in the mountain village at night and the villagers' daily routines, Chu Shijun and the others prepared to set off on their return journey.

The villagers spontaneously stood on both sides of the village road, their simple faces full of reluctance, waving goodbye and repeatedly saying "Come back and visit often" and "Thank you for your concern, leaders."

Several ethnic minority women who had danced together stepped forward again to wave and sincerely invited Chu Shijun to visit the village again and dance the reunion dance together.

Standing in front of the car, Chu Shijun slowly stopped, turned around, and bowed to the villagers present. With a gentle smile, he said, "Fellow villagers, what I gained most today in Xilin Village was profound emotion. The changes in the village are the result of everyone's hard work and dedication. Future development requires everyone's continued perseverance and progress. We will always care about Xilin Village and support it, waiting to see you successfully lift yourself out of poverty by the end of the year and live increasingly prosperous lives!"

"Secretary Chu, please come back and visit more often!"

"Okay, I'll definitely come again in the future!"

Chu Shijun said in a deep voice, nodded slightly to Lin Xiangjun in the crowd, and then turned and got into the car.

A moment later, the convoy slowly set off and drove away from the village. Through the rearview mirror, villagers who had stopped and waved by the roadside could still be seen.

"This big boss is great!"

Someone watched the departing convoy and sighed.

Do you think he will come in the future?

"I don't know, but the development is real." Someone shook their head.

"Secretary Lin, what do you think?" someone asked, turning around.

Everyone looked at the young cadre who had led them to improve their lives in a year.

Facing the gazes of the crowd, Lin Xiangjun nodded slowly and said firmly, "I will come, I definitely will!"

"That's good. You said you'd come, we believe you..."

Years later, the promise was kept.

By that time, Xilin Village had developed very well and had completely shed its label of poverty and backwardness.

Chu Shijun took a special train from Nanxun and brought Lin Xiangjun, who worked in the Provincial Party Committee Office, with him.