1985, the year of the great writer, began with Infernal Affairs!

The two left the room and went downstairs. As they reached the building entrance, Wei Dong patted Secretary Wang on the shoulder: "Take care on the road. If you need anything in the future, you can come directly to me."

"Thank you for your help, County Chief Wei," said Party Secretary Wang.

He walked out of the county government building, went to the bicycle shed, and pushed his bicycle.

The sun felt warm on my skin.

He got on his bike and headed back.

He was still thinking about what Wei Dong had just said. The organization already knew about it and was taking action.

Who reported it?

He thought of Xie Lu.

That child went to Wuhan and attended Wuhan University.

Is it him?

Or did he meet someone?

Party Secretary Wang didn't know.

But he knew that this matter was finally going to be resolved.

Li Hanwen and his brother-in-law are in for trouble.

Xie Lu can go to school with peace of mind now.

Secretary Wang rode very fast, the wind blowing on his face, cool and refreshing.

The huge weight on my heart has finally been lifted.

The sky over Shuangshui Village seems a bit bluer now.

When Secretary Wang rode back to Shuangshui Village, it was already getting dark.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the village road, turning the dirt road golden.

The cornfields on both sides of the road were dark and rustled in the evening breeze.

In the distance, lights twinkled in the village, and wisps of smoke rose and dispersed into the twilight.

Secretary Wang rode slowly and steadily, with a smile on his face that was rare these past few days—not a forced smile, but a genuine, relaxed one.

The corners of his mouth turned up, his eyes were squinted, and even the wrinkles on his forehead seemed to have smoothed out a bit.

Several villagers were squatting by the roadside chatting at the village entrance. When they saw Secretary Wang return, they all stood up to greet him.

"The Party Secretary is back?"

"Yes, I'm back." Party Secretary Wang stopped his bicycle and put one foot on the ground.

"Going to the county government on business?"

"Yes, I took care of something."

"How did it go?"

"That's great." Party Secretary Wang smiled even wider. "The county leaders are taking this very seriously and said they will definitely resolve it."

The villagers looked at each other, wondering what he meant by "solving".

But seeing that he was in a good mood, I was happy too.

"That's good, that's good." An old man invited, "Secretary Wang, have you eaten yet? If not, come to my house for a meal. I just made some pancakes."

"I've eaten, thank you, brother." Party Secretary Wang waved his hand. "You guys keep chatting, I'm going home now."

He got on his bike and continued walking towards the village.

He met several people on the way, and greeted them all. He even stopped to chat for a bit, asking about their children's schooling, the growth of their crops, and the health of their elderly relatives.

His tone was very friendly, just like the familiar Secretary Wang we all knew.

The villagers all found it strange.

These village secretaries were always sullen and didn't talk much when they met people; they always had a frown on their faces.

Why do you seem like a completely different person today?

Can a trip to the county really cure one's heart ailment?

But no one asked any further questions.

Even people from rural areas value propriety.

If people don't tell you, then don't ask.

Secretary Wang chatted all the way as he slowly rode to his doorstep.

The gate to the courtyard was open, and the lights were on inside the house.

He pushed his bicycle into the yard, and before it had even come to a complete stop, Li Cui rushed out of the house.

"Old man!" she cried urgently, "How is it?"

Looking at her nervous face, Party Secretary Wang deliberately put on a stern face and sighed.

Li Cui's heart leaped into her throat: "It didn't work out?"

Party Secretary Wang shook his head.

"Then, they didn't give you any trouble, did they?" Li Cui asked even more anxiously. "You didn't get into an argument with them, did you?"

Seeing her anxious expression, Party Secretary Wang finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"You old geezer!" Li Cui snapped out of her daze and punched him lightly. "You scared me to death!"

Party Secretary Wang laughed heartily.

He propped up the bicycle, dusted off his hands, and pulled his wife into the house.

"Come on, let's go inside and talk."

The two entered the main room.

The meal was already laid out on the table: millet porridge, cornbread, a dish of pickled vegetables, and a small bowl of leftover stir-fried cabbage from lunch.

The oil lamp was lit, and its dim yellow light flickered in the room.

Party Secretary Wang sat down at the table.

Li Cui didn't sit down, but stood next to him, staring intently at him.

"Hurry up and tell me!" she urged.

Party Secretary Wang picked up the bowl of porridge and took a sip. The porridge was still warm, which felt comforting. He put down the bowl before speaking.

"I've gone to the county."

"When I arrived at the county government building, I was stopped by security guards. Just then, Deputy County Head Wei came out, recognized me, and led me inside."

"Deputy County Head Wei? The one who spoke at last year's conference?"

"Yes, it was him." Party Secretary Wang nodded. "He took me to his office, made me some tea, and told me to speak slowly. So I told him what I wanted to report and gave him the materials."

"What did he say?"

"He looked at the materials for a long time, and then he said to me, 'Old Party Secretary, you don't need to be so nervous.'"

Li Cui held her breath.

Party Secretary Wang paused, then smiled again: "He said that before I went to report them, the organization had already received reports about Zhang Dongchao and Li Hanwen, and there were more than one, some anonymous and some signed, and the content was much more detailed than mine."

Li Cui was stunned.

"Zhang Dong is Li Hanwen's brother-in-law, and he has now been suspended from his duties pending investigation."

The person is being held in the county and can't get out.

As for Li Hanwen, it's only a matter of the next day or two. The town has already sent people to the village, and they expect to take action tomorrow or the day after.

The room was quiet for a few seconds.

Then Li Cui let out a long breath, and her whole body relaxed.

She sat down, holding onto the edge of the table, her hands still trembling slightly.

"So, this matter is resolved?" she murmured.

"It's resolved." Party Secretary Wang nodded. "The organization takes this very seriously and will definitely handle it properly."

"Then, what about you?" Li Cui became nervous again. "You went to report them, and they didn't say anything about you, did they?"

Party Secretary Wang laughed: "Not only did he not say anything, but Deputy County Head Wei even praised me."

They said I have Party spirit and principles, and that I am a good Party member and a good cadre.

Let me come back and continue to serve as the village Party secretary with peace of mind, serving the villagers.

When Secretary Wang said this, his voice carried a long-lost sense of confidence.

Li Cui looked at him, her eyes a little wet. She wiped them with the back of her hand and smiled.

"That's good, that's good." She repeated, "These past few days, you've been so worried that I couldn't even eat. Now it's all right, I can finally get a good night's sleep."

"Yes." Party Secretary Wang picked up the bowl of porridge and took another big gulp.

The porridge smelled delicious and warmed me.

He picked up a piece of pickled vegetable, put it in his mouth, and chewed it with a crunching sound.

"Who reported it?" Li Cui suddenly had a question: "Who reported it before you? Who could it be?"

Party Secretary Wang shook his head: "I don't know. Deputy County Chief Wei didn't say. Maybe it's Xie Lu? Or maybe he knows someone? Or maybe Li Hanwen and his brother-in-law have offended someone again. Anyway, whoever it is, it's a good thing."

"Yes, that's a good thing." Li Cui nodded. "What goes around comes around. The Li family has been arrogant for so many years, it's time for it to come to an end."

The two ate and chatted.