From collapsing rooftop to poverty alleviation village chief

"Boss, the previous two village chiefs of Qiongyu Village were both driven out by the villagers. This Lin Ye's negative headlines are still trending online. It's hard to say whether he'll even be allowed into the village!"

"Even if he goes to the village, how could a pampered big star like him endure the hardships of Qiongyu Village? What if he runs away after two days? Wouldn't that be even more embarrassing?"

"I suggest...why don't we send him to the archives?"

In the director's office of the Poverty Alleviation Department of Zhanghua County, Liu Ming nervously held the landline, listening to the leader's voice coming through the receiver.

"When he arrives, meet him first. If he's really not a good match, then do as you said."

"Thank you, boss!"

Liu Ming felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders. He had just hung up the phone when his cell phone rang. It was his daughter, who was studying in Fucheng, calling.

"Dad, is Lin Ye coming to work here? Remember to get me ten autographed photos! My classmate wants some too! Love you! Mua~"

The daughter finished her chatter and hung up, leaving the old father speechless as he raised his hand to touch his not-so-thick head.

"What the hell are you doing!"

dong dong dong.

There was a knock at the door. Liu Ming sat up straight and said in a loud voice, "Come in!"

The office door was pushed open, and a handsome, clean-cut young man walked in and stood in front of Liu Ming.

"Hello Director Liu, my name is Lin Ye, and I'm here to report for duty."

Liu Ming immediately stood up, a warm smile instantly appearing on his face, and shook Lin Ye's hand.

"It's Xiaolin! I've been waiting for you like the stars and the moon! Please, have a seat!"

"Thank you, Director Liu."

Lin Ye sat down and looked around. The office was about ten square meters, with a desk, a coffee table, and two chairs.

A map of Zhanghua County hangs on the wall, covered with many strokes. This village is marked "difficult to access water", and that village is marked "needs to build roads, but has no money".

Lin Ye placed his hand on the armrest of the chair, and a small piece of the mottled paint immediately chipped off.

He couldn't help but smile.

In his previous life on Earth, his first time reporting to the county was similar to the situation he is in now.

However, the system on Earth is different from that on Blue Star. On Earth, the department that manages poverty alleviation work is called the "Rural Revitalization Bureau," while on Blue Star it is called the "Poverty Alleviation Department."

As for the director of the poverty alleviation department in front of us, he has thinning hair and dark skin, and it seems that he often goes to the villages and towns below.

Lin Ye was observing Liu Ming, and Director Liu was also observing Lin Ye.

The young man was tall and strong, with skin whiter than his daughter's, and his features were even more handsome than they appeared on TV.

Why would someone like that not continue being a big star and come to our poverty alleviation department?

Thinking to himself, he still smiled warmly and poured a glass of water for himself, placing it on the coffee table.

"Xiao Lin, you came all the way from Fucheng, you must be tired."

"Thank you, Director." Lin Ye expressed his gratitude with both hands in a gesture of thanks.

Liu Ming asked a few more questions before finally getting to the point, "Xiao Lin, it's quite a coincidence, our archives department was short-staffed, and you came right up here. You're a real lifesaver! Haha!"

He had seen the people there, and they were indeed not suitable. Qiongyu Village was not a place for ordinary people.

This delicate and beautiful starlet is still staying in the archives room, and everyone is at ease.

Lin Ye smiled, finally understanding why the system had issued this task.

It turns out that Director Liu didn't think highly of himself at all.

However, having spent more than half a year in a poor village in his previous life, Lin Ye wasn't completely ignorant about poverty alleviation.

He thought for a moment and said, "Director Liu, I have a few thoughts I'd like to share with you regarding poverty alleviation work."

Liu Ming smiled broadly, "Xiao Lin, you already have ideas so soon after you arrived? That's good, you're very proactive. But I have a meeting later..."

Lin Ye said, "Director, my idea is just 23 words."

"23 characters?" Perhaps the young man's smile was too bright, Liu Ming sat back down. "Then tell me."

Lin Ye smiled and said, "People, houses, water, electricity, gas, roads, and soil; economic poverty alleviation, ideological poverty alleviation, educational poverty alleviation, and health poverty alleviation."

Liu Ming counted in his mind, and it really was 23 words. He pondered for a few moments and finally became interested. "Go on," he said.

Lin Ye said, "To do a good job in poverty alleviation, we must first have a comprehensive understanding of the village's situation, mainly in seven aspects: people, housing, water, electricity, roads, and land."

"People" refers to the population structure, the detailed situation of each household, and the causes of poverty, which makes it easier to formulate targeted poverty alleviation plans.

"Are there any potential safety issues with the houses, villagers' housing, and public facilities, such as the village school?"

"Is it difficult to get water? Can we get running water, or can we find a suitable natural water source?"

As Lin Ye spoke, he observed Liu Ming's expression. Seeing that Liu Ming was gradually becoming serious, he continued, counting on his fingers:

"Is the whole village electrified? Are there any difficulties with electricity? Are the power facilities inspected regularly?"

"Is the gas supply in place? If not, is it a funding issue or something else?"

"What is the condition of the roads leading in and out of the village? How much difficulty do they cause for transporting agricultural products and for villagers' travel? How can these difficulties be overcome?"

"What is the terrain and landform like? What is the land utilization rate? Are there any usable natural resources in the surrounding area?"

The ceiling fan creaked as it whirred. Lin Ye remained silent, and Liu Ming instinctively asked:

"Anything else?"

Lin Ye asked, "Director, weren't you going to a meeting?"

Liu Ming laughed, got up and walked to his desk, took out a bag of tea leaves from the drawer below, poured a few leaves into a cup, poured in boiling water, and placed it in front of Lin Ye.

"The meeting starts early. This is Tieguanyin tea my friend sent from Fujian. Please continue!"

"Thank you, Director Liu." Lin Ye picked up his teacup and took a sip. Yes, it did taste better than plain water. He smiled and continued:

"Then there are four aspects to poverty alleviation work. First is economic poverty alleviation. Where is the breakthrough point? Is it simply relying on the mountains for sustenance, or finding another way out?"

"But I think the most important thing is to alleviate poverty through ideological education. We need to break the villagers' passive mentality of waiting for government assistance. We need to help them find a way out, but more importantly, we need to make them understand that they must rely on themselves to get out of poverty."

"Another issue is education poverty alleviation. It is common for children in impoverished areas to drop out of school. We need to understand the reasons for dropping out, solve the practical difficulties of the children's families, improve educational conditions, and retain teachers."

"Finally, there's poverty alleviation through healthcare. Medical conditions in underdeveloped rural areas are limited; some don't even have clinics. What happens if the elderly or children fall seriously ill..."

At this point, Lin Ye paused, then slowly said:

"If not treated promptly, serious problems can easily arise, so improving medical conditions is also very important!"

Lin Ye looked at Liu Ming with a humble expression, "These are my thoughts. There are many immature aspects, so please criticize and correct me, Director."

Liu Ming held the teacup, his mouth slightly open.

No, you actually know about poverty alleviation?

He had visited the county's impoverished villages countless times and knew how difficult poverty alleviation work was. Lin Ye's words just now summarized almost all the problems he had encountered.

How could this pampered superstar know so much?

Liu Ming looked Lin Ye up and down, and suddenly remembered a saying: Prejudice in people's hearts is a mountain!

"Director, Director? What's wrong?" Lin Ye asked with concern.

"Ahem, nothing, nothing at all." Liu Ming coughed lightly, took a sip of tea, and resumed his dignified expression.

"Xiaolin, your ideas are all very good, but in work, we still need to combine theory with practice."

"Director, you're right, so I'm applying..." Lin Ye stood up and said with utmost seriousness:

"Let's go to Qiongyu Village!"

"Cough cough!" Liu Ming almost spat out the tea in his mouth, and looked at Lin Ye in surprise.

"You really want to go to Qiongyu Village?"

Liu Ming thought that sending Lin Ye to Qiongyu Village was an arrangement, but unexpectedly, it turned out that this pretty boy star wanted to go on his own!

Lin Ye said sincerely, "After listening to the director's guidance just now, I suddenly understand everything. What the director said is so true. We must combine theory with practice, so I want to go to Qiongyu Village to do some practical work!"

Liu Ming stared at the incredibly sincere Lin Ye and almost couldn't help but laugh.

You little rascal, you've flattered me!

Is this guy really the same person as that spoiled big star on TV?

But should we really send him to Qiongyu Village?

Liu Ming put down his teacup and asked, "Xiao Lin, why do you want to go to Qiongyu Village? That's the poorest village in Zhanghua County. Many practical difficulties can't be solved with just enthusiasm."

The enthusiasm of the previous two college students was no less than that of Lin Ye now.

But the result?

Lin Ye lowered his eyes and looked down at the backpack on his lap. The zipper was half open, revealing a corner of a yellow envelope.

"Director, I assure you, I will turn all 23 words into action, but..."

Lin Ye rubbed his hands together and chuckled, "If we encounter any difficulties, I hope the county can help our village."

This statement implies that he has already identified himself as a member of Qiongyu Village.

Liu Ming stared at Lin Ye for a long while before finally speaking.

"Xiao Lin, get some rest tonight. Tomorrow morning, I'll have someone take you to Qiongyu Village... You're from our Poverty Alleviation Department, don't embarrass me!"

"Yes, sir!"

Lin Ye straightened his back and answered loudly.

A blue light flashed before my eyes, and a line of pale blue text floated in the air:

[Congratulations, host, for gaining the trust of the Director of the Poverty Alleviation Department and becoming the village chief of Qiongyu Village. Mission complete. You have received 100 Poverty Alleviation Points. These points can be used to exchange for Poverty Alleviation Skills or unlock the Encyclopedia feature.]

Before Lin Ye could even feel happy, another line of light blue text appeared:

[Poverty Alleviation Task 002: Please go to Qiongyu Village and unlock the Qiongyu Village map for the first time. Task Reward: 200 Poverty Alleviation Points]

Light up the map?

With a thought, Lin Ye brought up the virtual panel, but the map on it was still completely black.

It seems that we need to go to Qiongyu Village to activate this virtual map?

I just don't know what the purpose of lighting up the map is.

I need to study those poverty alleviation skills and illustrated guide features properly tonight.

Lin Ye was getting impatient.

"By the way, Xiaolin, the villagers in Qiongyu Village are a bit... xenophobic. If you run into any trouble, you can find Teacher Su at the village school. The children and villagers all like her, and she should be able to help you."

"Teacher Su?" Lin Ye recalled that Xiao Erduo had mentioned Teacher Su many times in her letters.

"Yes, the young lady is very young and comes from a big city. You should get along well with her, but she has to take leave due to family matters and will probably not be back for a while."

Lin Ye nodded. "Thank you, Director. I'll remember that."

He suddenly felt a little anxious. He would be able to see Little Ears tomorrow. He wondered what this cute little girl looked like.

"Xiao Lin, go and rest at the county guesthouse first. You'll be going to Qiongyu Village to take up your post tomorrow morning."

"Yes, Director."

Lin Ye answered respectfully, then turned and left the office.

After Lin Ye left, Liu Ming immediately took out paper and pen and wrote down Lin Ye's "23-word mantra".

He then picked up the landline and called the Qiongyu Village Committee.

Qiongyu Village is too poor. Most villagers don't have cell phones. They usually contact the county by calling the landline in the village committee.

"This is Liu Ming. Is Chen Yonggui here?"

The other side quickly summoned the old village chief, Chen Yonggui.

"Old Chen, the county has assigned a new village head to your village, named Lin Ye. He'll be here tomorrow. You should cooperate with his work and not let him drive you away again."

"Lin Ye? Is that the street performer?"

"Your village doesn't have internet access, but you're well-informed. That's not busking, he's a star. He passed the civil service exam and was assigned to our village."

"Isn't that still just busking? Director Liu, could you talk to your superiors and tell them to stop sending these young city folks to mess around like this?"

"What nonsense are you talking about! Old Chen, let me tell you, this guy who came this time is really different. Maybe your village has struck gold."

Located 26 kilometers from Zhanghua County, at an altitude of 723 meters, surrounded by mountains on three sides, this small village sits on a barren hillside.

In a low, old mud-brick house, the peeling paint revealed yellow mud, and the poverty alleviation slogans pasted on the wall were tattered. A big yellow dog ran in and wagged its tail around the old man who had just finished a phone call.

"Go away!" The old man put down the landline, picked up his pipe, and the big yellow dog whimpered and ran away.

The old man was probably in his fifties, wearing a rough gray vest. His face, full of wrinkles, resembled the weathered yellow earth. He took a puff of his pipe, and a sigh escaped with the smoke.

"Sigh! Another clueless youngster has shown up!"

The old man shook his head as he walked out of the mud-brick house, the sign "Qiongyu Village Committee" hanging on the door behind him swaying precariously.

It had just rained in the morning, and the road was all muddy. The old man walked quickly, his black cloth shoes stepping through the yellow mud mixed with chicken and duck droppings, passing by dilapidated mud houses and thatched huts.

A group of children in open-crotch pants chased after a big yellow dog, the barking and laughter carrying far. Several women were squatting in someone's yard picking vegetables; seeing the old man, they all called out:

"Old village chief!"

Chen Yonggui walked into the courtyard and asked, "Where's Zhang Dafu?"

One of the women pointed inside the house. "He's inside, Uncle Chen. What's up?"

Chen Yonggui waved his hand and walked straight into the room. A man wearing glasses immediately sat up from the bed.

"Old village chief, what brings you here? Has the county sent word?"

The man was in his thirties, wore glasses, and was fair-skinned and chubby, clearly different from the dark-skinned and rough-looking villagers.

Zhang Dafu is the deputy village head of Qiongyu Village.

He attended high school in the county in his early years and has the highest level of education in the village. He has been the deputy village head for three years.

Chen Yonggui stepped down last year, so Zhang Dafu should have taken over as village chief.

But then, the higher-ups sent down two young college students in succession.

Now that both village chiefs have left, it's about time Zhang Dafu, one of their own, took over.

Seeing Zhang Dafu's expectant gaze, Chen Yonggui sat on the bed, took two puffs of his cigarette, and then said:

"The new village chief will be here tomorrow. Go down the mountain to meet him."

"What?!" Zhang Dafu's glasses nearly fell off. "Another outsider as village chief?"

Chen Yonggui glared at him. "Why are you making such a fuss? This time, a big star is coming. You try him out tomorrow. If he doesn't work, I'll go to the county to find Director Liu. Qiongyu Village can't afford any more trouble."

After saying that, he got up and left. Outside, Zhang Dafu's wife's voice rang out, "Old village chief, please stay for dinner. The old hen just laid an egg, and we've also picked some bracken."

"I'm not eating anymore!"

As the old village chief walked away, Zhang Dafu's wife rolled her eyes. "Wait until my man becomes the village chief, then we'll see how arrogant you are!"

Inside the house, the mountain wind, carrying a damp chill, blew in, and Zhang Dafu shivered, then looked up at the sky and let out a long howl.

"Why can't I be the village chief?!"

He plopped down, his fat face jiggling, and it took him a long time to calm down.

"It's alright. These pampered celebrities probably can't even climb up to our village."

Zhang Dafu adjusted his glasses, a smile appearing on his chubby face. He had already figured out how to make the new village chief back down tomorrow.