Time Travel: Volume 1! Starting from a Small Mountain Village

Although Liu Cuie, as the village secretary's wife, had little power, the villagers would give her some face because of her status.

"Old man, what are you saying? Whether you're the Party Secretary or not, you're still my man. What are you saying that's so strange?" Liu Cuie said gently, her eyes full of tenderness and confusion. Then, she frowned slightly and asked softly, "Why are you asking this so late at night? Is something on your mind?"

Miao Dashan sighed, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly said, "I want to step down from the position of Party Secretary."

"What? You're stepping down..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Cuie's face flashed with shock and reluctance. She stared intently at Miao Dashan, as if trying to glean more information from his expression.

Miao Dashan gave a bitter smile, his eyes filled with helplessness and self-blame: "Yes, looking back, I have been in the position of Party Secretary for more than ten years. But over the years, Dongwan Village has become poorer and poorer under my leadership... I feel ashamed and sorry for the villagers and for you, for making you suffer as well."

“Old man, what does this have to do with you? Everyone has gone through this!” Liu Cuie gently patted Miao Dashan’s hand, comforting him tenderly and trying to help him unload the burden on his heart. “Don’t always take the responsibility upon yourself.”

Miao Dashan shook his head with a bitter smile, his eyes flashing with helplessness and self-reproach: "Yes, I used to think the same way. I felt that my responsibility was simply to lead the villagers to cultivate the land well, and that other things were not our concern. But what happened? Under my leadership, Dongwan Brigade became poorer and poorer..."

He paused, gazing out the window as if recalling something: "Look at the changes in the village recently. The villagers' eyes are no longer numb as they watched the chicken farm and pig farm being built. There's light in their eyes now, a hope for the future, and they're even more enthusiastic about their work..."

Upon hearing this, Liu Cuie fell silent, her heart filled with mixed emotions. For her, whether her husband was the village secretary or not was actually unimportant. In the past, watching him toil day and night for the village's production, suffering sleepless nights from anxiety, she felt both heartache and helplessness. Not being the village secretary was better; at least she would have less to worry about and more peace of mind.

Thinking of this, she tentatively asked, "Do you already have someone in mind for the position of Party Secretary? Is it Long Zhiqing...?" Her voice was soft, but it carried a hint of barely perceptible expectation and trepidation.

“Yes, a train runs fast because of its locomotive.” Miao Dashan nodded slightly, his eyes shining with determination. “A good cadre is like that locomotive; they can lead the villagers to prosperity. And Long Zhiqing, she is enlightened and capable; she is indeed the most suitable candidate…”

Upon hearing this, Liu Cuie frowned slightly and asked softly, "Will the villagers agree? After all, this is a big deal."

Miao Dashan smiled, seemingly confident: "I don't think there's a problem. Don't think I don't know, those old women in the village have been praising Long Zhiqing a lot in private. They say good things about Long Zhiqing, and some even sigh that they wish Long Zhiqing had come sooner. Think about it, Long Zhiqing has only been in the countryside for a year, and her prestige among the villagers has already surpassed that of us old folks."

“Of course, Long Zhiqing is genuinely thinking about the villagers,” Liu Cuie exclaimed.

“That’s exactly why I want to step down and make way for someone more capable,” Miao Dashan said firmly. “I believe that under Long Zhiqing’s leadership, Dongwan Village will definitely shine with a different kind of brilliance and usher in a brand new era…”

Upon hearing this, Liu Cuie fell silent for a moment, then grasped Miao Dashan's hand tightly, her eyes firm and warm: "Whatever decision you make, I will fully support you!"

The next morning

In a corner of the pig farm, Long Lifan enthusiastically introduced, "Lin Yue, come and get acquainted with him. This is Comrade Wang Yuan." Pointing to Wang Yuan beside her, she said, "Comrade Wang is a key technical member of the agricultural trade station, specializing in research on Landrace pigs. He will be working with us at the pig farm from now on, so you'd better learn from him. This is a rare opportunity!"

Wang Yuan smiled and nodded. Last night, the brigade leader had arranged for him to rest at the brigade headquarters, and his meals were provided by the brigade leader's family. He only needed to pay some living expenses. As Wang Lao's student, he certainly knew about animal husbandry and looked forward to using his expertise at the pig farm. He also hoped to learn something different from Long Zhiqing.

Long Lifan then turned to Wang Yuan: "Comrade Wang, this is Comrade Lin Yuelin, a fellow educated youth who came to the countryside with me. She is now the main person in charge of our pig farm. You two must cooperate well in the future and manage the pig farm in an orderly manner."

After a brief introduction, the two nodded to each other, thus becoming acquainted. They then immersed themselves in their busy but organized work, beginning another hectic day.

While Long Lifan was busy with pig farm affairs, several village officials gathered at the village committee office, and even the team leaders who had gone to work in the fields were called in. The atmosphere in the village committee room was somewhat heavy, as if something major was about to happen.

Last night, Miao Dashan tossed and turned all night, the decision weighing heavily on his mind like a boulder, making it hard to breathe. But today, he finally mustered the courage to announce his decision. Taking a deep breath, his voice rang out clearly in the village committee compound: "Everyone, I intend to step down from my position as village party secretary."

These words caused an uproar. Everyone looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock and confusion. Dongwan Village was currently experiencing a period of rapid development and prosperity, and they simply couldn't understand why Secretary Miao would have such an idea.

"Old Miao, you..."

Lin Guodong was so shocked he couldn't speak. His eyes widened as he stared at Miao Dashan, his face filled with astonishment and confusion. The rest of his sentence was stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter it.

"Heh," Miao Dashan let out a helpless, bitter laugh, a laugh filled with deep self-mockery and bitterness. "Having served as the Party Secretary for so many years, I wholeheartedly believed I could lead everyone into a prosperous and peaceful life, but reality has always been contrary to my wishes. In recent years, the villagers' lives have become increasingly difficult, which fills my heart with guilt. I have failed the expectations of those above, and even more so, I have failed the trust and support that the villagers have always given me..."

These words immediately silenced the room. The other village officials also looked embarrassed, their hearts filled with mixed feelings. Over the years, they too had made countless efforts, yet to see results, and they couldn't help but feel guilty.

After a moment of silence, Miao Dashan spoke again, his voice firm and resolute: "Therefore, I have decided to step down and make way for a more capable leader. We need a more capable and courageous leader to lead us out of our predicament and into a brighter future."

"Secretary Miao, I wonder who you mean by 'virtuous'?"