```
Or maybe Lian Xiang wasn't mentioned in the prophecy, which was why she couldn't hear it?
"I know your eyesight is good, now hurry back home," Old Mrs. Song didn't want to clarify and shooed her away impatiently.
After Lian Xiang left, Head of the Song Family anxiously asked Song Liang, "Why did you suddenly quit?"
Old Mrs. Song intervened, "Don't talk about that for now, let's eat, let's eat. Little Nuan is starving."
At the beginning of April in Nanshan County Town, some wild greens had already started growing, but with many people foraging, Xia Guilan and other girls went into town after heading to the riverbank, where she found plenty of cress, which she mixed with corn flour to make vegetable dumplings.
A big iron pot bubbled with long beans and glass noodles, accompanied by a basin of rice porridge, and although the porridge was more water than rice, the scent of rice was still very strong.
Song Yunuan was really hungry, ate a vegetable dumpling, and had a bowl of thin porridge.
The cornmeal was very fine, not scratchy in the throat at all.
Xia Guilan was a good cook, and the dumplings she made were particularly fragrant.
When she finished eating and wanted to start picking up the bowls and chopsticks, Old Mrs. Song hurriedly said, "Little Nuan, there's no need for you, go and take a rest."
After that, she also brought over a basket, saying kindly, "These are the melon seeds your grandma roasted this morning, they're delicious."
Song Yunuan took the basket, which contained the locally renowned black melon seeds that were large and full, and they tasted especially good.
"Go and eat them in your room, and take the chance to rest up a bit, the trip to town must've tired you out."
"Grandma, what are you all going to do?"
"We're having a meeting to discuss some matters," she replied.
Song Yunuan blinked her eyes rapidly and asked, "Grandma, can I join?"
Old Mrs. Song found the girl's soft and glutinous way of speaking particularly pleasing to the ear, especially her peach blossom eyes that looked straight at you—most people simply couldn't resist.
Her voice grew even more tender, "Of course, you can join. Come to the main room with grandma. We can crack melon seeds and listen together."
"Grandma is so nice."
Song Ting watched their mother and daughter interaction and felt goosebumps all over the place.
She watched as the grandmother and granddaughter affectionately moved into the main room.
She also hurriedly squeezed in after them.
Old Man Song sat on the bed-stove fitting his tobacco pipe bowl, Song Liang with a furrowed brow, while Second Son Song was immersed in the story of having helped his enemy take revenge.
Xia Guilan was seated on the edge of the bed-stove, and when she saw Old Mrs. Song come in, she scooted over to make room.
Song Ting pulled Song Yunuan to sit beside her at the edge of the bed-stove.
Asheng climbed up and lay on Song Yunuan's lap, waiting for his sister to peel him some melon seeds.
Old Mrs. Song sat cross-legged and coughed to gain attention, "Let's discuss whether Ah Liang should remain brigade leader. Right, and also, in case Lin Qing really seeks revenge, how our Song family should respond..."
Song Liang was just about to share his opinion.
A voice interrupted.
[Now is the time when large numbers of educated youths are returning to the cities, and this group is very united when it comes to handling issues. The incident that happened to Lin Zhiqing can be categorized as a malignant event, and it's not by chance; Lin Zhiqing must've been suffering from domestic abuse for a long time.]
[If Lin Qing finds a few influential people, dad, you won't even have the chance to serve as brigade leader.]
Song Liang's hand trembled.
[My father's thoughts are correct, we should actively admit our mistakes to the commune and voluntarily resign from our posts, which might still leave us some leeway.]
[Moreover, this year appears to be a year of disaster. It hasn't rained since the spring plowing ended, and when it finally did rain after the Dragon Boat Festival, the rain just didn't stop. Erdao River Village is situated in a low-lying area; the land has poor drought resistance and water retention capabilities. Therefore, this year there will be no harvest!]
Old Mrs. Song choked, nearly suffocating.
So they've avoided man-made calamities, only to face natural disasters?
Oh, my poor dear granddaughter.
Old Mrs. Song quickly chanted "Namo Amitabha Buddha" three times to herself.
```
Song Liang's mouth opened, but he didn't know what to say.
Old Mrs. Song waved her hand, "Meeting adjourned!!!"
Song Yunuan: ...
Had it not even started before it ended?
Old Man Song said, "I'm going to rest for a while, I'll start work in the afternoon."
Song Liang took a deep breath, "I'll go to the commune to find the leaders right now."
Second Son Song finally emerged from his stupor, glanced at his older brother, and wiped the sweat off his forehead, "I'll head back first."
Song Yunuan hurriedly spoke up, "I've got something to tell you all."
Song Liang, "Go ahead, talk."
"I went to the Women's Federation this morning and reported the injuries Lin Zhiqing suffered to the leaders. The chairwoman promised to come to our village for an investigation."
Song Liang was startled because he hadn't processed the information yet.
Old Mrs. Song reacted the fastest, looking at Song Yunuan with surprise and delight, "My clever granddaughter, how did you become so capable, very good, an investigation is a good idea. When the time comes, we must stick to the facts. Even if your father is at fault, it should be handled by the organization. Others won't be effective, right?"
Song Yunuan thought that Old Mrs. Song was quite a character in the family.
She gave a thumbs up, "Grandma, you're absolutely right!"
-----------------
At Nanshan County Town Hospital, Lin Qing's expression was grim as she suppressed the rage roiling inside her, and she spoke word by word to the several leaders standing in front of Lin Jia's hospital bed:
"... My sister and those other educated youths came here to Nanshan County Town from Beidu with beautiful ideals. What they have done for Nanshan, you leaders are undoubtedly aware."
"But that's all in the past now; we cannot rest on our laurels. However, my sister does not deserve to be treated this way."
"Tomorrow I will transfer my sister back to Beidu, but before we leave, shouldn't there be some rules regarding the chief culprit, Wang Zhuzi? Old Woman Mrs. Wang is an accomplice, and none of the Wang family is innocent. Moreover, they even sought a trafficker to sell my two nieces."
"Also, Brigade Leader Song condoned the villagers' violence. As the head of the team, he stood by, indifferent and unconcerned."
"His incompetence allowed the village bully to run rampant, letting the Wang family act with impunity. He saw everything my sister suffered but chose to ignore it, making him even more despicable than Wang Zhuzi. I strongly demand a thorough investigation into this man and an explanation given to us."
Su Junze indifferently said, "If you can't handle this, I will report it to Uncle Shen. You're afraid of offending people, so you can transfer it to the provincial capital."
The several leaders looked at each other.
Uncle Shen?
Couldn't be the big leader Shen from the province, could it?
A layer of cold sweat broke out on the back of the Women's Federation chairwoman.
She had thought it was just an ordinary domestic violence case, but who could have imagined it would turn into such a big issue?
She had been called over right in the middle of her lunch at home.
Thank goodness, thank goodness.
The few leaders all had uneasy expressions, and they also began to feel dissatisfied with Brigade Leader Song, with one instructing his secretary, "Call the chairman of the Sunflower Commune over here."
Big Sister Hu from the Women's Federation hurriedly said, "No need to call him yet, I'm aware of the situation."
Everyone looked at her.
Deputy County Mayor Zhao frowned slightly, "What happened?"
Big Sister Hu quickly reported, "This morning, a member from Erdao River Village came to report the issues with Wang Zhuzi, insisting on handing him over to the judicial department for severe punishment.
I immediately called the Women's Federation director of Sunflower Commune. She was out in the countryside, but another clerk said they would investigate in the afternoon. However, half an hour later, they called back to confirm that the matter was indeed true.
I then instructed the commune's leaders to accuse him in the name of the county Women's Federation. Originally, Wang Zhuzi was temporarily going to be released, but with this development, he has been formally detained."
Big Sister Hu glanced at her watch, "At this time, the Women's Federation director of the commune might have already arrived at Erdao River Village. The purpose is to investigate Wang Zhuzi for intentional injury and to investigate Old Woman Mrs. Wang for child trafficking. As for Brigade Leader Song, we are not clear about that..."