Chapter 352: Chapter 352-353: Open and Aboveboard
From inside, Grandpa Wang’s voice came roaring, "Bullshit!"
"Absolute, rotten bullshit!"
Grandpa Wang’s outburst stunned not only the people inside but also Gu’er and the others. They’d never expected Grandpa Wang to curse like that.
"You— What kind of language is that! We’re government officials. How can you insult a government official?"
The man inside turned livid.
"So what if I cursed you? Back when I was fighting the devils, you weren’t even a speck of dust! What gives you the right to act all high and mighty with me? I said you’re full of shit, and you have the gall to deny it? Who reported Secretary Lin? Tell them to come out and face us! I don’t know how much money the state gave the township, but I know for a fact Secretary Lin wouldn’t line his own pockets. You can’t frame Secretary Lin like this!"
Grandpa Wang was intensely agitated.
"And how would you know? What’s your guarantee?"
The men inside were very displeased. They felt the old man was being incredibly stubborn.
"Don’t you get all high and mighty with me. Secretary Lin didn’t just build a road for our village; he built them for all the villages around here. Fifty thousand yuan... this old man has never earned that much money in his life, but I know building roads burns through cash. Secretary Lin used every cent he could. He even led the work himself! He ate the same coarse cornbread as us and drank cold water. We’re not blind. We know who’s putting on a show and who’s actually working for the people. We know what’s what. Do you know why this road was finished so quickly? It’s because everyone saw how hard Secretary Lin was working for us, so we all volunteered to help. The men helped build the road, and those who couldn’t do the heavy labor helped deliver meals. Go ask any of the surrounding villages. It was the same everywhere. There isn’t a single person who wouldn’t say Secretary Lin is a good man."
Grandpa Wang paused to catch his breath. "In the past, going to the city was one thing on a clear day, but when it rained, our carts would end up overturned in a ditch. This time, Secretary Lin didn’t just repair the roads, he also found buyers for our local produce. Go on, ask around! Ask if there’s a single family that hasn’t made money this year."
"And another thing! We have three childless elders here, with no sons or daughters. They could barely feed themselves, let alone anything else. Their houses... when it rained hard outside, it drizzled inside. When Secretary Lin found out, he specifically hired people to help repair their homes. He even arranged for grain to be given to the neighbors to help look after the elders’ meals. He paid for all of this out of his own pocket! Did you ever care about them? And what about Er Mazi’s family in our village? His old mother was paralyzed on the kang, Er Mazi himself had broken his leg, and his wife worked herself sick, collapsing from exhaustion trying to manage the house and the fields alone. They have three kids—the oldest only ten and the youngest just three—wailing from hunger at home. They couldn’t go on. They’d lost the will to live. When Secretary Lin found out, he not only brought them rice and money for a doctor, but he also helped them figure out ways to earn a living. That’s the only reason that family made it through. Where were you then?! Go and ask around the villages for miles! Is there any village Secretary Lin hasn’t visited? Is there any village that hasn’t benefited from his kindness? To say Secretary Lin is a bad man, to say he’s greedy... whoever said it, drag them out here! We’ll spit them to death."
Grandpa Wang spoke with righteous, heartfelt conviction. Standing by the door, Gu’er’s eyes welled up. They only visited occasionally and had no idea their father had done so much for the township and its villages. Lin Shan never spoke of these things when he came home.
"That’s right! If anyone says a bad word about Secretary Lin, they’ll have to go through me!"
A man in the courtyard, his eyes red, shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Exactly! Who’s spreading these rumors? If I find out who it is, I’ll beat them to death with my cane!"
A white-haired old woman huffed, brandishing her cane.
Many people in the courtyard were shouting their support, all willing to vouch for Lin Shan and listing his many good deeds. Inside the house, however, silence fell.
"Alright, we understand. We’re just gathering information, going through the process. If he’s really the man you say he is, we won’t touch him. There’s no need to get so agitated."
The calmer of the men spoke up.
"Hmph."
Grandpa Wang, clearly still fuming, just snorted.
"Well, you get some rest. We’ll be on our way."
After saying this, the men from inside came out. They paused for a second when they saw Gu’er and the others, but said nothing and kept walking.
Three men emerged in total. The one in the lead, a man in his forties, had a calm expression, but his dark, sinister eyes revealed he was not an easy person to deal with.
