From collapsing rooftop to poverty alleviation village chief

boom!

The sound of a hand slamming on the table interrupted the voices of Shi Dazhu and his wife, as well as the villagers, and everyone looked at Lin Ye.

The handsome, fair-skinned young man placed his palm on the table, exuding a cold aura. His gaze swept over Shi Dazhu, Zhao Chunyan, and the villagers watching the commotion, and then he suddenly smiled.

"Shi Dazhu, you built the classrooms at the village school. You inspected them yesterday and said there was nothing wrong with them, but they collapsed this afternoon. What responsibility do you think you should bear?"

Shi Dazhu's face turned pale, and Zhao Chunyan, who was scratching his face, quickly said:

"Village Chief Lin, you can't talk nonsense! The house was built by Dazhu at the old village chief's request. If there's anything, you should go to the old village chief!"

Lin Ye smiled gently, but his voice was icy cold. "I have already reported this matter to the county. The county will make a decision on how to handle it. Also, Zhao Chunyan just spread rumors and caused trouble. It's a good opportunity to deal with you and your husband together."

Zhao Chunyan's expression changed, and she was about to scream at the top of her lungs when Lin Ye said again:

"As for Shi Xiaogang, after all, I saved him yesterday, so don't worry. If anything happens to you, I will take good care of him."

Zhao Chunyan was stunned. Only then did she remember that Lin Ye had saved her son yesterday, and that Lin Ye was also the newly appointed village chief. Her husband still had something on him regarding the village primary school classroom.

She immediately dropped her previous indifference, her voice dropping several decibels, "Village Chief Lin, I'm not here to oppose you, I'm here to catch someone in adultery."

Pointing at Qin Guifen, she said, "She's been seducing my man, making him deliver rice to her. She's trading her body for our rice!"

The villagers in the courtyard were in an uproar, excitedly discussing the matter.

Qin Guifen remained expressionless, continuing to crack open sunflower seeds, as if she wasn't the one being slandered, or as if she was already used to it.

Lin Ye looked at her. "Sister Guifen, it seems they didn't hear what you just said. Would you like to repeat it?"

Qin Guifen scoffed, "What good would it do to say it?"

Lin Ye smiled and said, "In the past, no village officials would handle this kind of thing. Today, the head of security and I are here, and... you don't want Xingzi to be talked about behind his back, do you?"

Qin Guifen stared blankly at Lin Ye. After a long while, she took a deep breath, walked to the only cabinet in the room, and took out a small notebook.

That was Liu Yongxing's homework book. He turned to the last page, held it up to Zhao Chunyan, and then said to the villagers watching the commotion outside:

"I can't read, so I had Xingzi remember how many eggs and vegetables I traded with Dazhu for how much rice each time. You can take a look."

Zhao Chunyan glared at Qin Guifen, "You can't read, but do you think I can?"

A number of village women were standing in the courtyard. Hearing this, they all laughed, "Oh, Guifen, we can't read, so we can't show you!"

"Let Village Chief Lin see it!"

"That's right, Village Chief Lin is handsome and educated, let him see him!"

Lin Ye waved his hand to silence everyone and said to Zhang Xiaoshan, "Xiaoshan, go and call the old village chief and your father over."

Zhang Xiaoshan understood immediately, "Okay!"

After saying that, he took off running and soon brought Chen Yonggui and Zhang Dafu over.

Chen Yonggui, holding a pipe in his hand, saw so many people and the scratches on Shi Dazhu's face and body, and his face immediately darkened.

Zhang Dafu, who looked like a white sphere, "rolled" in. A group of village women backed away in disgust. He looked at the situation inside the house with a blank expression.

"Village Chief Lin, what's the matter that's so urgent?"

He had just eaten breakfast and was about to lie down for a while when his daughter dragged him over.

Lin Ye briefly explained what had happened and then brought the notebook to the two of them.

"Old Village Chief, Village Chief Zhang, you are the most respected people in the village. Everyone believes what you say. Please read the contents of this page to everyone."

Chen Yonggui and Zhang Dafu both understood Lin Ye's meaning. Zhang Dafu said, "Old village chief, why don't you read it?"

Chen Yonggui glanced at Zhang Dafu, took the homework book, and read it aloud:

"November 3rd, white..."

After a pause, Chen Yonggui said, somewhat speechless, "That's a typo. It should be November 3rd."

The villagers watching all laughed. Qin's widow's son was always mischievous, and it was already quite good that he could only get one out of four words wrong.

Next, Chen Yonggui automatically corrected Liu Yongxing's typos and loudly read out the contents of the homework.

"On November 3, Qin Guifen traded 10 eggs, a pound of water spinach, and a stone pillar for two pounds of rice."

"On December 6, Qin Guifen traded 5 eggs, 2 jin of bracken, and Shi Dazhu for 2 jin of rice."

"On January 5th, Qin Guifen traded a rooster for five jin of rice with Shi Dazhu..."

The villagers looked at each other in bewilderment, and several men couldn't help but say:

"Chunyan, Guifen traded goods for rice with your Dazhu. You've misunderstood them."

"Yes, Chunyan, how can Guifen face anyone after you cause such a scene at Guifen's house?"

Liu Ying also came over with Zhang Dafu and was now standing in the courtyard with the others. Seeing the situation, she suddenly spoke up:

"Not just anyone can keep accounts? What if it's fake?"

Everyone else was stunned for a moment, then Zhao Chunyan added, "That's right, you can write this kind of thing anywhere, it can't be taken as a standard."

Qin Guifen sneered, looking at Zhao Chunyan, "I don't believe you haven't eaten the extra eggs, vegetables, and chicken that often appear in your house! Zhao Chunyan, can you swear that Shi Dazhu has never brought these things back?"

"Well, maybe my husband bought it from outside!" Zhao Chunyan was still unwilling to admit it.

Chen Yonggui said with a stern face, "The road down the mountain is difficult to travel. Unless you go to the county market, no one in our village goes down the mountain often. Shi Dazhu, you tell me."

Shi Dazhu quickly said, "Old village chief, it was indeed Guifen who traded eggs and vegetables for rice with me. I told Zhao Chunyan about it a long time ago, but she didn't believe me!"

Zhao Chunyan grabbed Shi Dazhu, "You call her 'sister,' but you call me by my name! Shi Dazhu, you gave birth to a son, and this is how you treat me?!"

"alright!"

The old village chief tapped on the doorframe with his pipe. "Qin Guifen traded her own goods with Shi Dazhu for rice. No more talking nonsense! Disperse!"

Chen Yonggui spoke, and the villagers quickly dispersed.

But Liu Ying didn't leave. She strolled over and said, "The old village chief still has the most authority. Your words carry more weight than anyone else's!"

After speaking, he glanced at Lin Ye, clearly implying something.

Lin Ye laughed, "Director Liu, that's too obvious a divisive tactic. Be more tactful next time."

"You!" Liu Ying didn't expect Lin Ye to expose her directly. Seeing Chen Yonggui looking at her coldly, her face turned pale and then red. She reached out to pull Zhang Xiaoshan away.

"All you do is run around all day. Come back with me!"

Zhang Xiaoshan nimbly jumped back. "Director Liu, I'm cooperating with Village Chief Lin in conducting a village-wide investigation. Please don't delay my work."

"Zhang Xiaoshan, I'm your mother!" Liu Ying was so angry that her face contorted in anger, and she rolled up her sleeves to grab Zhang Xiaoshan.

Lin Ye stepped in front of Zhang Xiaoshan. "Director Liu, are you preventing Director Zhang from cooperating with my investigation because you want to accompany her yourself?"

Liu Ying paused, looked at Zhang Dafu who was bowing his head and remaining silent, and stomped her foot in anger.

"I don't care anymore!" He turned and walked out.

"Village Chief Zhang, Village Chief Zhang, Sister Guifen, Director Zhang and I continued our visits."

Lin Ye smiled at the three of them and then led Zhang Xiaoshan out of the courtyard.

"Village Chief Lin!"

Qin Guifen caught up with him, carrying a cloth bag, and handed it to Lin Ye.

"Thank you. If you hadn't been here today, I wouldn't know what would have happened."

Lin Ye looked down and saw that the cloth bag contained water spinach, bracken, and eggs.

He didn't answer, but said to Qin Guifen, "Sister Guifen, please stay in Qiongyu Village with peace of mind. Believe me, things will definitely get better and better."