Seeing the way the two grandmothers were acting, Sun Jiaming, Li Zhi, and Dingzi knew just how much they approved of the plan.

They all nodded solemnly. Regardless of who it was for—even if only for the two elderly women and Gu’er—they were determined to see this through and do it right.

The group went to Grandpa Wang’s house.

Gu’er’s group and Grandpa Wang didn’t have to lift a finger to cook. Many of the village women stayed behind to help. Plenty of others returned to their own homes, only to come back bearing gifts: some brought eggs, some brought vegetables, one brought a freshly slaughtered chicken, another brought cornmeal, and yet another brought a few small, netted fish. In short, they all brought the best they had to offer, pooling it all together for a feast to welcome Gu’er and her friends.

Grandpa Wang, Grandma Sun, Grandma Dingzi, the grandmother with the walking stick, and several other elders all sat together on the heated kang bed, chatting warmly.

With Grandma Sun and Grandma Dingzi present, the other elders were all the more convinced of Gu’er’s sincerity. They believed that with two women like them vouching for the plan, there was no way they were being deceived.

When Grandpa Wang learned that Grandma Sun’s late husband had also fought the Japanese invaders, he immediately viewed her and the entire Sun Family with newfound respect. He had lived through that era and knew all too well what it was like. Seeing the family of a former comrade-in-arms filled him with a profound sense of kinship.

Upon learning that Gu’er was married to Sun Jiaming, he nodded again and again in approval, thinking she had excellent judgment.

Gu’er heartily enjoyed the lunch. Though it was a hodgepodge of dishes that couldn’t compare to the food at a grand restaurant, she felt this meal was far more precious.

After the meal, they chatted for a while before leaving Grandpa Wang’s house. They promised him they would visit again when they had time. A crowd of villagers saw them off as they got into the car, but they didn’t leave the area just yet. They drove around to survey a few of the surrounding villages. This plan to build a nursing home and school wasn’t just empty words; it required a proper site survey. They needed to investigate the most convenient locations, among other factors.

They surveyed several villages, receiving a warm welcome in each one. Even if the villagers didn’t know the reason for Gu’er’s visit, the affection they showed upon seeing Lin Shan was clearly from the heart. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

It was already dark by the time they left the villages and started on the road to the township. They had originally planned to spend the day having fun, but they ended up spending the entire time touring the villages instead.

"Gu’er, Jiaming, Li Zhi, Dingzi, thank you. I know at first, Gu’er, you were doing this for my sake, but it’s grown into something for all the seniors and children in the villages. I’m truly moved that you’re willing to donate your own hard-earned money. I’m so proud of all of you. You’ve done a great thing!"

Inside the car, Lin Shan gave the four of them a thumbs-up.

Gu’er blushed. She took her father’s arm, leaned against his shoulder, and said, "Dad, having a father like you makes me proud, too. You have no idea how deeply it affected me, how proud I felt, seeing how fiercely they all defend you."

Gu’er meant every word.

Lin Shan patted Gu’er on the head, his face wreathed in a smile.

"Uncle Lin, you’re making us blush," Li Zhi said sincerely. "You’ve done so much for them. All we’re doing is donating some money; it’s nothing compared to your efforts. You’re the one who’s truly doing great things."

Li Zhi spoke with sincerity. ’He hadn’t been born into an ordinary family; he’d known the importance of connections since he was a child. Before he met Gu’er, all he ever thought about was using his network to cut deals, make tons of money, and maximize his profits. In his eyes, an official who didn’t engage in corruption was already a good official. As for being a "public servant" and "serving the people"—he’d thought, who could be that foolish? Those were just empty slogans used to placate the masses. But today, after seeing how the people rallied around Lin Shan, he realized he was wrong. There truly were officials who genuinely and wholeheartedly served the people. If only there were more people like Lin Shan, he thought, there would be no question of the common folk living good lives.’

Lin Shan looked at Li Zhi. He had to admit, he truly admired these young people. There was no shortage of wealthy people in the city, but how many would be willing to spend their money on a cause like this? The fact that Gu’er, Li Zhi, and their friends would do this was truly admirable.

When they got out of the car back in the township, Chen Fengjiao’s eyes were red. She had been so happy to come today, so excited to see her husband. Yet, they had hardly exchanged a few words, and now he was leaving again. Her heart ached with reluctance to see him go.

"Aunties, please take good care of yourselves," Lin Shan said, bidding farewell to Grandma Sun and Grandma Dingzi. "I’ll come visit you as soon as I’m back."

"Shan, you need to take care of yourself too," Grandma Sun said, her voice full of concern as she and Grandma Dingzi clutched his hands, unwilling to let go. "Look how thin you’ve become from overworking. We’ll be waiting for your return. We’ll have Gu’er cook you some nourishing meals to build you back up."

Lin Shan then turned to Lin Shuying, telling her not to worry and to make herself at home at Gu’er’s place. He assured her that if she needed anything, she should just talk to Gu’er and not hesitate.

Lin Shuying nodded again and again. ’From now on, this is my home,’ she thought. She was confident she would have a good life here.

"Don’t forget to eat your meals. Your health is your own responsibility, you have to take care of it," Chen Fengjiao said to Lin Shan, on the verge of tears. "You have a sensitive stomach, so don’t keep eating cold things. Just look at you... you’ve lost so much weight, and so many more of your hairs have turned white."

Gu’er and her friends stood by in silence. It had been less than a year, but Lin Shan was visibly thinner, with more gray in his hair. He looked older. It was a clear testament to how hard he had been working.

"I know, don’t worry. I’m fine," Lin Shan said, gently patting Chen Fengjiao’s head to reassure her. "You have it hard at home, too, so make sure you take care of yourself. If anything happens and you can’t reach me, just tell Gu’er and Jiaming."

"Sui’er, Xiao Zheng, you two listen to your mother, alright? And study hard," Lin Shan added, turning to Lin Sui’er and Lin Zheng.

"Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll behave," Lin Zheng said, looking up at him earnestly. "I’ll take care of Mom." Lin Sui’er nodded in agreement.

Gu’er and the others said their final goodbyes to Lin Shan and started the drive home. The trip had made a powerful impression on all of them.

"Li Zhi, I can’t shake the feeling that someone is targeting my dad," Gu’er said on the drive. "That man, You, shouldn’t have enough clout to mobilize people from the provincial level. Do you think it’s possible to find out who’s really pulling the strings against my dad?"

Gu’er directed her question to Li Zhi. He was the only one in the group who understood anything about such matters; she and Sun Jiaming were completely in the dark.

"It’ll be difficult, mainly because we don’t have any leads," Li Zhi replied. "But I think you’re right. A man like You, on his own, wouldn’t even know who to contact at the provincial level. I’m afraid someone really is pulling the strings against Uncle Lin. The question is, what’s their goal? I’ll ask my dad when I get back. We’ll see if he has anyone at the provincial level who can ask around."

Li Zhi agreed with Gu’er’s suspicion, and he was worried too. If something were to actually happen to Lin Shan, the consequences would be serious.

"Okay. Sorry to trouble Uncle Li," Gu’er said.

Gu’er nodded. ’She hoped Uncle Li could uncover something. If not, she’d have to make a trip to the provincial capital herself in a few days. She could try her luck and see if she might run into Vice Secretary Yuan. If she did, she’d tell him everything. Her impression of him was quite good; after all, he was the one who had wanted to promote her father in the first place. It would be a waste not to use a connection like that.’