Reborn in 72, I hunt to support my family and spoil my younger sister rotten.

"Uncle, we're on the same side, you can't dismiss me! It's not what you think, I did it for..."

Zhang Dashan immediately pleaded.

"For what?" Old Zhang, the village secretary, sneered. "To help outsiders bully our own village's poorest families? Or to show off your power as the production team leader?"

Sweat beaded on Zhang Dashan's forehead. He glanced at the middle-aged woman beside him, then at Old Zhang, the village secretary, and stammered, unable to speak.

"Speak up!" Old Zhang, the Party Secretary, slammed his teacup down on the table. "Didn't you say things weren't as I thought? Then tell me, what really happened?"

Li Xiangyang sat to the side, watching Zhang Dashan's forehead veins throbbing and his eyes flickering.

He knew that Zhang Dashan was weighing the pros and cons.

“Uncle,” Zhang Dashan gritted his teeth, seemingly having made up his mind, “it’s a fact that Li Xiangyang injured someone first, right? I’m just trying to mediate…”

"Shut up!" Old Zhang, the village secretary, slammed his hand on the table. "Even now, you dare to turn the tables? I'm asking you, didn't you threaten to deduct people's work points?"

"I......"

"Do you have it?"

Zhang Dashan's face was pale, his eyes darted around, and beads of sweat had formed lines on his forehead.

"Do you know what?" Old Zhang, the village secretary, suddenly lowered his voice, "What pains me most isn't that you're helping outsiders bully your own villagers, but that as the production team leader, you not only don't help those in need, but you also threaten their livelihoods!"

Seeing that Zhang Dashan was speechless, the middle-aged woman tried to speak up again: "Comrade Zhang, actually, this matter..."

"Shut up!" Old Zhang, the village secretary, interrupted sharply. "You have no right to speak here! Zhang Dashan, I'll ask you one more time: when you went to Li Xiangyang's house yesterday, were you helping people from another village coerce him into writing a letter of forgiveness?"

"Yes..." Zhang Dashan knew that there was no use in arguing, so he simply admitted it.

"Fine!" Old Zhang, the village secretary, sneered. "You're certainly honest. Then let me ask you, what benefits have you received from those outside the village for helping you so much?"

"Uncle, I accepted a carton of cigarettes..." Zhang Dashan finally couldn't hold back anymore, "I know I was wrong..."

Li Xiangyang nodded inwardly as he watched this scene.

As expected of Party Secretary Zhang, he grasped the crux of the problem in just a few words.

"A carton of cigarettes?" Old Zhang, the village secretary, suddenly turned ashen-faced, his voice trembling. "You sold your conscience for a carton of cigarettes?"

Before he could finish speaking, the old Party Secretary swayed and almost fell to the ground.

"Old Party Secretary!" Li Xiangyang reacted quickly, rushing forward to support him.

Old Zhang, the village secretary, waved his hand: "It's alright, my old bones are still hale and hearty."

He straightened up, his gaze piercing as he looked at Zhang Dashan and the middle-aged woman. "You two, get out of here right now! Zhang Dashan, let me tell you, don't even think about getting the production team leader position."

Zhang Dashan wanted to say something, but seeing the old Party Secretary's stern gaze, he could only lower his head dejectedly.

"And another thing," the old Party Secretary turned to the middle-aged woman, "I'm telling you, don't even think about a letter of forgiveness! If you feel wronged, go ahead and sue!"

Upon hearing this, a sinister glint flashed across the middle-aged woman's face: "Fine, just you wait! You wait, this isn't over!"

Li Xiangyang sneered, "Do whatever you want."

Watching Zhang Dashan and the middle-aged woman slink away, the old Party Secretary slowly sat back down in his chair, his eyes filled with self-reproach.

"Sigh...it's my fault."

"Old Party Secretary, what's wrong...?"

"That kid from the mountains, he'd sell his conscience for a pack of cigarettes, all these years..."

The old Party Secretary's voice choked with emotion, "How many guilty things must he have done?"

Li Xiangyang listened silently without responding.

"I'm so sorry to Yongfu! Before he died, Yongfu held my hand and asked me to take care of his child. I promised him, and all these years, because of that promise, I've given the child so much care, and I never imagined he'd turn out like this..."

"No, the child has made a mistake. We must investigate everything that needs to be investigated, and ask everything that needs to be asked. We absolutely cannot let everyone's hearts be broken. Whom has he owed all these years? I will make it up to him!"

The old Party Secretary suddenly stood up and nearly fainted.

Seeing this, Li Xiangyang quickly helped him up.

In those days, the production team leader held the power to allocate the production materials of the production team.

He was in charge of farm tools, fertilizers, seeds, and even livestock.

More importantly, work point records and food rations had to go through his hands.

Zhang Dashan always had the final say on the work point records for the production team.

How much he remembers or how little he remembers depends entirely on his mouth.

If this were investigated, it would likely uncover quite a few problems.

“Old Party Secretary, shall I help you back to rest?” Li Xiangyang asked worriedly, looking at the old man’s pale face.

Old Zhang, the village secretary, waved his hand: "No need, this needs to be done immediately. Go and call Zhang Dashan back; have him bring the warehouse keys."

“Old Party Secretary, your health…” Li Xiangyang said worriedly.

"It's alright," the old Party Secretary waved his hand, "Child, go on, I can still walk."

After finishing his speech, the old Party Secretary stormed out.

Upon hearing this, Li Xiangyang nodded and quickly went to find someone.

It was a difficult search. Li Xiangyang circled around several times before finally spotting Zhang Dashan, who was hunched over, under a willow tree at the village entrance.

"Zhang Dashan," Li Xiangyang called out, "the old Party Secretary wants you to take the warehouse keys over there."

Zhang Dashan panicked upon hearing this: "Warehouse...warehouse?"

“Yes,” Li Xiangyang sneered, “hurry up.”

Zhang Dashan's eyes flickered, and he stammered, "The key... let me look for the key..."

"What are you looking for?" Li Xiangyang stepped forward. "Wasn't it always hanging around your waist?"

Zhang Dashan then took the key from his waist, his face turning deathly pale.

Li Xiangyang knew he was feeling guilty, so he didn't say anything more and just watched him walk towards the village committee.

Along the way, Zhang Dashan's steps grew heavier and heavier, and more and more beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Li Xiangyang watched coldly, knowing that this guy must have done a lot of bad things.

At this moment, the old Party Secretary was waiting with his men in front of the warehouse. When he saw Zhang Dashan arrive, he didn't say anything, just stared at him.

"Uncle... Uncle..." Zhang Dashan's voice was trembling.

"Open the door!" the old Party Secretary said angrily, pointing at the warehouse door.

Zhang Dashan panicked even more, sweat almost dripping from his forehead: "How about... how about another day..."

"What? Is there something shady going on in the warehouse?"

"No...nothing," Zhang Dashan quickly shook his head, beads of sweat dripping from his forehead. "What could be so shameful in the warehouse?"

"Damn it, what's the big deal if it's not your fault!" The old Party Secretary glared at him. "Zhang Dashan, listen to me carefully. If you steal from the warehouse, that's one thing, I'll pay for it. But if you ruin those supplies..."

"Uncle, don't... don't rush," Zhang Dashan said, wiping his sweat. "I'm just looking for the keys..."

"I think you're asking for it!" The old Party Secretary's face turned pale with anger. He stepped forward and grabbed Zhang Dashan by the collar. "The key is hanging on your waist, what are you pretending for! You little brat, do you think this old man can't handle you? Open the door right now!"