Drought Relief Working Group

As the two drove along the country roads, they couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness looking at the withered crops on the mountainsides.

Farmers work hard in the fields all year, hoping for a good harvest to fill their stomachs, but heaven is merciless. Thinking this, the two couldn't help but speed up.

Soon, the two arrived at Shigejie Commune on their bicycles.

Entering the Commune, they ran into Liu Genmin, the Commune clerk, who was on his way out.

"Secretary Tian, you're here!" Liu Genmin greeted Tian Futang.

"Genmin, is Director Bai in?" Tian Futang asked.

"Director Bai isn't here yet, he'll probably be a bit late!" Liu Genmin replied, looking at Zhao Dongchuan.

"You are... you are Teacher Zhao! I never expected to see you here," Liu Genmin said with a hint of excitement.

"You know me?" Zhao Dongchuan was a little surprised. Although he knew of Liu Genmin in the original novel, this was their first meeting in this world.

"When Director Bai and Teacher Jia went to Shuangshui Village to find you, I was there too. Later, when you had dinner with Director Bai, I saw you then!" Liu Genmin said with a smile.

"Oh, hello... hello. Don't call me Teacher Zhao, I'm not worthy. Just call me Xiao Zhao. After all, you're a few years older than me!

Shaoan also mentioned you to me. You were his elementary school classmate, and he said you helped him a lot!" Zhao Dongchuan shook Liu Genmin's hand and said with a smile, acknowledging the compliment.

"Shaoan is just too polite, helping a classmate is nothing to talk about.

In terms of literature, aren't you my teacher? I also like to write, but unfortunately, I can never write anything good!" Liu Genmin said.

"I just got lucky, I still need to learn a lot!" Zhao Dongchuan waved his hand.

"Secretary Tian, Teacher Zhao, let's wait for Director Bai in his office. He'll probably be a while," Liu Genmin said, leading the two into Bai Mingchuan's office and pouring them tea.

"Genmin, you don't need to look after us here. If you have something to do, go ahead and get busy, don't delay your work!" Tian Futang said to Liu Genmin.

"I don't have much to do. You two seem a bit anxious, what happened? Let me see if I can offer some advice."

"It's like this..."

Then Tian Futang began to explain the whole story to Liu Genmin.

...

"This matter requires the Commune to step in and coordinate. We can't let the conflict escalate. You can suggest to Director Bai to set up a drought relief working group to coordinate the irrigation work of each village."

Liu Genmin, as expected, with many years of grassroots work experience, immediately grasped the crux of the matter.

Zhao Dongchuan nodded secretly.

Then Zhao Dongchuan, Tian Futang, and Liu Genmin discussed.

Soon after, Director Bai arrived.

"Director Bai, you're here!"

Zhao Dongchuan, Tian Futang, and Liu Genmin all stood up to greet Director Bai.

"Secretary Tian!"

"Xiao Zhao! Why are you here? Weren't you in Huangyuan? It's rare for you to have time to come back, sit! Sit! Sit!" Bai Mingchuan was a little surprised to see Tian Futang and Zhao Dongchuan looking for him when he entered, and quickly greeted them.

"I'm currently writing a novel with the yellow earth as its background, and I've come back to find some material and inspiration," Zhao Dongchuan said.

"Today, Secretary Tian and I are here to report something to the Commune."

"Director Bai, it's like this... it hasn't rained for almost a month, and the crops are all withered. It looks like this year's harvest will be ruined..." Tian Futang explained the situation and also brought up Liu Genmin's suggestion to Director Bai.

"I'm aware of this matter, and it's indeed very troublesome. Your method is very good. This water needs everyone to coordinate, not just care for themselves and ignore others. I'll have a meeting with Xu Zhigong later to discuss this!" Bai Mingchuan took out his notebook from the drawer and jotted down a few key points.

Tian Futang's face lit up, and he said happily, "Thank you, Director Bai, our Shuangshui Village is saved!!!"

"Xiao Zhao, it's rare for you to come back, you must have a few drinks with me and tell me about your new work," Bai Mingchuan said with a chuckle.

Zhao Dongchuan immediately nodded, "After this is done, I'll host. I'll invite everyone to my house for dinner and drinks!!"

So Bai Mingchuan, along with Xu Zhigong and others who arrived later, held a Commune meeting. Tian Futang, as the Party Secretary of Shuangshui Village, also attended. Zhao Dongchuan's identity made it inconvenient for him to participate, so he stayed in Bai Mingchuan's office, drinking tea and reading newspapers.

After about a few hours, Zhao Dongchuan heard from afar that the meeting room door opened, and the attendees began to walk out, talking amongst themselves.

Then Bai Mingchuan led Xu Zhigong and Tian Futang inside.

"Director Xu, let me introduce you, this is Zhao Dongchuan, the poet who came out of our Shigangjie Commune. He has brought us great honor!" Bai Mingchuan introduced.

Xu Zhigong merely nodded coldly.

"Director Bai, revolutionary work requires us to have keen insight and not relax our vigilance," Xu Zhigong said, implying something.

As soon as Zhao Dongchuan heard this, he knew it was directed at him.

"I haven't offended this guy, what does he mean? Am I a class enemy?" Zhao Dongchuan muttered internally.

Zhao Dongchuan didn't know that if some people liked his poetry, then certainly some people disliked it.

Xu Zhigong was clearly among those who disliked him. He viewed the poem love of life as full of petty-bourgeois sentiment, a poem that only a class enemy would write, lacking revolutionary spirit.

He came over specifically to see this "class enemy."

Although he was quite surprised by Zhao Dongchuan's youth and didn't see anything amiss, he simply disliked this boastful young man.

Those "worker-peasant-soldier university students" all returned to the countryside to support construction after graduation, but this young man abandoned the land and ran off to work in the city, becoming a "deserter."

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the office became awkward!

Xu Zhigong also knew his words were unpleasant, so he turned and left directly.

He didn't communicate with anyone else throughout.

"Xiao Zhao, after discussion at the Commune meeting, I will lead the establishment of a drought relief working group. The Village Party Secretaries along the river will be members of the group, and we will formulate specific methods to achieve efficient drought relief and irrigation work. Now you can write in Shuangshui Village with peace of mind!" Bai Mingchuan smoothed things over and changed the subject.

"That's right, with the Commune stepping in, this matter is settled. Xiao Zhao, we can go back and share the good news with the villagers," Tian Futang said happily.

The atmosphere in the office suddenly became lively.

Zhao Dongchuan was naturally very happy; this system mission was more than halfway complete. As long as Bai Mingchuan issued the resolution and the village secretaries agreed to implement it, the mission would be settled.

To complete it within the mission time, Zhao Dongchuan then pulled Liu Genmin and Tian Futang to take the Commune-stamped resolution and go to several villages along the way to notify them.

They kept busy until close to evening, having visited all the affected villages.

With the Commune's involvement, Liu Genmin's assistance, and Tian Futang's complaints, although some people in each village objected, most still understood and supported it. This trip wasn't entirely smooth, but it finally yielded a good result.

After bidding farewell to Liu Genmin, Zhao Dongchuan and Tian Futang returned to Shuangshui Village together.

At this time, every household in the village was cooking, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys, a strong, rustic aroma wafting through the air.