Volume Four: Glorious Years Chapter 156: Singing in the Bamboo Grove

Upon returning to the village, Yang Tian's first priority was not building dams for flood control, but rather repairing the ponds, dredging the irrigation ditches, and clearing out the dried-up riverbeds.

Stone Village had a total of five large ponds and eight smaller, pool-sized ponds, but they had long been choked with silt and could no longer hold much water.

There was also a single dried-up riverbed, shaped like an S, which connected all four hamlets, but it was likewise filled with silt and pitted with hollows, making it impossible for water to flow through.

"Village Chief, why are we fixing these things?" Erdan, a villager, walked up to Yang Tian, wiping the sweat from his brow and flashing a wide grin as he asked.

"Once they're fixed, you won't have to haul water all the way from the ditch on the other side of the mountain just to cook your meals. You'll be able to get water right at your doorstep, and you won't have to be as stingy as before—you can use as much water as you want!" Yang Tian smiled sincerely. He understood Erdan's confusion; with no water available, what was the point of repairing these ponds? Weren't they just wasting their effort?

"Really? Then we definitely have to fix them! Village Chief, can we really use as much as we want? That's fantastic! I'm going to use two whole basins of water just to take a bath!" Erdan hopped up and down with joy, his tattered sneakers crunching against the sandy ground.

"What? You couldn't even use two basins of water for a bath before?" Yang Tian was amused by Erdan. Country folks had simple wishes, which made it easy for them to find happiness.

"Of course not! Village Chief, our family of five didn't dare use two basins of water even for an evening wash. Once we used it up, we had to go haul more, and the water in the ditch across the mountain was always muddy—you couldn't use it for anything once you carried it back!" After exchanging a few more cheerful words with Yang Tian, Erdan skipped back to shoveling silt.

Before Yang Tian explained the purpose and benefits of these repairs, many villagers had been somewhat dissatisfied, believing the new chief was just making them do hard labor. Had he not been a village chief—someone who still held the status of an official in the eyes of rural folk—and had they not harbored some lingering hesitation, the villagers likely would have dropped their tools and walked away.

However, once Yang Tian successfully guided water into the ponds and riverbed, the villagers erupted in jubilation. Only then did they realize that the grand village chief intended not only to channel water back from the irrigation canals of Dahua Village for farming, but also to direct it into the ponds and riverbeds. This not only made irrigation convenient but also provided everyone with a readily accessible, everyday water supply.

The villagers gathered in throngs around the ponds and riverbeds, their laughter echoing continuously. Young and old, men and women alike, discussed the new village chief. A child from the city truly knew how to get things done; in less than three days since his arrival, he had resolved the village's paramount crisis.

Whether it was the ordinary villagers or the few local business owners, all of whom had initially looked down upon this youthful chief, they now couldn't help but hold him in profound admiration.

Most importantly, he had brought down Dahua Village in a single stroke. In the past, old Xue used to strut through Stone Village with his head held high and an insufferably arrogant demeanor; now, he didn't dare show his face to flaunt anything in Stone Village.

For the residents of Stone Village, who had suffered under oppression for decades, this was a moment of immense joy!

Furthermore, after Yang Tian disciplined Dahua Village, the town authorities had arrested him, only to release him submissively shortly thereafter.

As if his release wasn't enough, the very next day the head of the town police station had personally visited to offer a formal apology, bringing gifts of cigarettes and liquor, and treating them to a grand feast—a windfall the villagers happily shared in.

The village chief was truly capable! That was the universal thought among the villagers. Coupled with Old Ruan returning to brag about how respectful the town committee secretary had been toward young Yang during their time in town—even claiming that young Yang spoke to the secretary like a superior lecturing a subordinate—the tales grew even taller.

Lecturing the town committee secretary? Upon hearing this, the villagers engaged in heated discussions, looks of sheer astonishment painted across their faces. To them, the town committee secretary was an immensely powerful cadre; for young Yang to dare lecture even the town secretary showed extraordinary audacity!

These praises and discussions about Yang Tian all reached Zhang Xiaoshan's ears. She felt a surge of inner joy knowing Yang Tian had managed grassroots work so successfully, yet she couldn't help scolding him silently in her head: *When it comes to anything else, your mind is full of brilliant ideas, but when it comes to matters between men and women, you're just a blockhead.*

The very thought of Yang Tian acting like a blockhead brought a spontaneous smile to Zhang Xiaoshan's face!

"Ah, Young Yang, this water is so refreshing!" In the scorching heat of a summer afternoon, Yang Tian sat under the large pear tree in front of the village office, gazing into the distance at the rolling, barren hills, his brow tightly furrowed.

At that moment, Old Ruan sauntered over. Ever since Yang Tian brought water into Stone Village, Old Ruan carried a grayish-white coarse cotton towel with him wherever he went, frequently wetting it in the roadside ditches to wipe his sweat. His weathered face radiated pure satisfaction.

"Old Ruan, you've lived in this village for many years and have plenty of experience. Tell me, what kind of trees grow easily on the hills around here without easily dying of drought?" Yang Tian shifted his weight, making space for Old Ruan on the bench.

"Ah, asking me, Old Ruan, is asking the right person, Village Chief! In our region, the ones that grow tall and fast are Chinese scholartrees, mulberry trees, chinaberry trees, and apricot trees seem to do well too!" Old Ruan seated himself steadily beside Yang Tian, lit a cigarette, and expounded knowledgeably.

"Then why didn't you plant some around the village and on those hills? Not only would it anchor the soil here, but it would also provide a convenient shaded spot for everyone to escape the heat in the summer!" Yang Tian asked with a smile. As for other tree species, Old Ruan and the others might not have been able to procure them since the village lacked money to buy saplings, but Chinese scholartrees, mulberry trees, chinaberry trees, and apricot trees were abundant in the countryside. Transplanting young saplings onto the hilltops would yield lush, green trees in just a few years.

"Young Yang, you don't know the half of it. We planted them in the past, but before the trees could even grow up, the people from Dahua Village would chop them down to use as firewood for their stoves. Half of those hilltops belong to their village, and they claimed they had the right to cut firewood!" Old Ruan took a sharp drag from his cigarette and coughed.

"If we plant them now, I reckon they won't dare cut them down anymore!" Yang Tian said calmly with a smile. The villages here still cooked with stoves and cauldrons, which required firewood.

"That's true, that's true!" Old Ruan nodded repeatedly, thinking to himself: *With you, Village Chief Yang, here, let alone the villagers of Dahua Village, even the town committee secretary wouldn't dare come here to cut anything down!*

"Alright, go round up a few strong men; we're going to find some saplings!" Yang Tian stood up. They said it takes ten years to grow a tree, so if he wanted to radically transform the local greenery, he had to take action immediately.

Old Ruan was slightly startled at first, but after a moment's hesitation, he got to his feet. Although he sensed that the new village chief was somewhat impulsive, young people had this redeeming quality: when they decided to do something, they did it right away, acting with far more efficiency than old bones like them.

Over the next few days, the hills surrounding all four hamlets were filled with newly planted saplings, varying in size from one-foot-tall shoots to three-meter-tall young trees.

Since it was currently summer, there was no guarantee that every sapling would survive, but looking at the hills from afar, a faint green hue emerged, and smiles appeared on the villagers' faces once more.

Under Yang Tian's instructions, the young men of the village went up the mountains during their free time to water the plants and apply organic fertilizer, helping the saplings survive.

Meanwhile, Yang Tian placed a call to Village Chief Song of Big Willow Tree Village, asking him to send over some willow trees, along with some silk trees and bamboo—varieties that were plentiful in Yang Tian's greening nursery.

When Yang Tian planted bamboo all around the front and back of the village houses, established a large bamboo grove behind the village office, lined the winding riverbanks with weeping willows, and planted silk trees at the village entrance, the entire village was utterly astounded.

Was this really just a village chief? He was even more capable than a town mayor; once he decided to do something, he executed it thoroughly, and the results looked remarkably professional.

By evening, the sunset burned like fire. Yang Tian sat on the flat roof of the two-story village office building, gazing out at the western sky and the fruits of his labor over the past two days. He felt immensely pleased—acting on impulse occasionally yielded wonderful rewards.

He had just called Huang Juan. As soon as she heard that he could watch fiery red sunsets every day and sit under the shade of a large willow tree to escape the heat, she was immediately tempted and mentioned that she and Yang Xueling would come visit him in a few days.

Yang Tian naturally hoped they would come; he hadn't seen them in days and missed them dearly!

"Missing home?" Zhang Xiaoshan climbed up just then. The wooden ladder leading from the second floor to the roof was difficult to climb, leaving her panting for breath.

She hadn't spoken to him for several days, presumably still harboring anger over the incident involving Zhao Shilei, but she seemed alright now, finally wearing a smile.

"A little, but this place is pretty nice too. I want to stay here a few more days; once the semester starts, I won't be able to live here often! Since I've taken on the role of village chief here, I should do something for this place; otherwise, it's like occupying a latrine without taking a dump!" Yang Tian chuckled heartily. He knew deep down that it was probably Zhang Xiaoshan who missed home. Considering her background, she was undoubtedly a pampered girl at home. Wandering around was one thing, but running off to this remote mountain village would inevitably stir up some homesickness.

"You picked up the local slang so fast? I didn't take you for this type. I thought you were just like the other civil-service-exam village officials who only come here to pad their resumes and take free money without doing any real work!" Zhang Xiaoshan sat down beside Yang Tian. The evening breeze ruffled her short hair, and the fiery glow of the sunset illuminated her fair face, casting a subtle, rosy ripple across it.

"That's the style of bureaucrats; I am no bureaucrat!" Sitting beside Zhang Xiaoshan, Yang Tian could catch a faint scent of sweet osmanthus blossoms. The young women and brides of Stone Village all liked to bathe in osmanthus petals, so it seemed Zhang Xiaoshan had truly adapted to local customs.

"You're suffering from a classic case of wealth prejudice. Are all bureaucrats like you say? People also say college student village officials are delicate, but you don't seem very delicate at all, do you?" Zhang Xiaoshan narrowed her eyes and pouted slightly. Living in the countryside, she cut a remarkably striking and picturesque figure.

"Right, right, right, no prejudice against wealth!" Yang Tian suddenly remembered that Zhang Xiaoshan came from a wealthy background herself, and he hadn't meant to direct his words at her.

"By the way, do you remember the time we went singing together after the King of Fighters tournament?" Zhang Xiaoshan suddenly turned her head, speaking with excitement.

"I remember. Everyone had a great time that day!" Yang Tian smiled and nodded. How could he possibly forget? After the King of Fighters tournament, he, Huang Juan, Zhang Zhi, Zhang Xiuxiu, Zhao Shilei, Zhang Xiaoshan, and Zhou兵 had gone out to sing and celebrate, drinking a little and singing through the entire night with boundless enthusiasm.

"I remember you sang *A Man Shouldn't Let a Woman Cry* back then, and you sang it really well!" Zhang Xiaoshan began to softly hum the tune: *"You say I make it hard for you to see clearly, you say you're afraid of losing your way in love, I can't bear to see you cry. If it's me making you feel helpless, let me tell you how much I care about all of this..."*

Yang Tian chimed in, humming along as well. Back then, he had sung that song for Huang Juan, and he had vowed never to let her cry easily!