PCJ – Chapter 622 Taking Root in the Countryside

“Secretary Gu, I’m planning to go buy some things during the next market day,” Zhang Jiaohua said. “I’ll still be eating at your place for a few more days, but after that, I think I’ll cook for myself. I’m not here for just a day or two, and it really feels wrong to keep troubling you. Besides, getting water here is truly difficult.”

“That won’t do,” Gu Baishui replied quickly. “You came here all alone to this rural area with such tough conditions. Eating at our place just means adding one more pair of chopsticks.”

But his wife, Liang Meihua, gave him a firm kick under the table.

Zhang Jiaohua smiled and said, “My family’s from the countryside too. When I was young, my parents went out to work, and I stayed home by myself. Although water is scarce here, I can manage. Still, the village can’t go on like this without water. We have to find a solution. I heard the village used to divert mountain stream water before. Why did it suddenly stop? And what happened to the canal?”

Gu Baishui nodded. “Yes, we used to bring in stream water from the mountains—it was plentiful. Several hamlets in Yingpan Village all used mountain streams. But in 1992, the water suddenly stopped. All the hamlets lost their water supply. Back then, the weather was still good year after year, and we never had famine, not even in the 1950s. Who would’ve thought that things would only get worse as time went on?

“As for that canal—it was dug back in the 1950s by the entire commune. With the stream water and the canal, Yingpan Village never lacked water. But a few years ago, they built the Guangshun Hydropower Station over there, put up a dam, and diverted the river. Now our canal gets no water.”

“Didn’t you report this to the higher-ups?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“What’s the use? That’s a huge hydropower station with major interests behind it. Who would care about us peasants? Besides, that river isn’t even under our town’s jurisdiction, so the town can’t intervene either. We villagers have no say. Most people have already moved away. Anyone who could settle elsewhere has done so.”

“Then why not pick a suitable place and build a reservoir or a pond to store water?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“We do have ponds. You should take a look when you have time. You’re an educated man—maybe you can figure out why the water in our ponds isn’t even fit for livestock. When we use it to irrigate rice fields, not even weeds grow,” Gu Baishui said, shaking his head.

“That bad? Was it always like this?” Zhang Jiaohua asked in surprise.

“No, it used to be fine. During the collective farming days, the pond was full of fish. We’d even bathe in it and catch fish with our hands. Now, there’s not a single living thing in that pond. The water is toxic. No one dares go near it.”

There were some discrepancies between Gu Baishui’s account and what Gu Chuangui had told him, but the general situation was consistent.

After eating at Gu Baishui’s house, Zhang Jiaohua headed to Tianbaqiao Town. He didn’t need to wait for the market day since the town had everything he needed. So he went and bought everything at once.

Unexpectedly, he ran into Zhao Ruiping again in town.

“Zhang Jiaohua, you couldn’t take it in the countryside either?” Zhao Ruiping slapped him on the shoulder.

“Just here to buy a few things. What about you?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“I’m not going back. That ghost place—how is anyone supposed to live there? If I had to stay for a month, I’d go insane. No water, nothing to work with—what’s the point? Even a god couldn’t fix that village. I heard Yingpan Village is just as bad as Wanyaoshu Village. You really planning to stay there?” Zhao Ruiping asked.

Zhang Jiaohua nodded. “I’m planning to buy a motorcycle. Otherwise, getting around is too hard. I’ll bring back some supplies, then figure out how to solve the village’s problems.”

Zhao Ruiping gave him a thumbs-up. “I respect that.”

“You really don’t plan to go back?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“Of course not! I’d die if I stayed. You don’t know—at night, the house was full of rats. They even climbed onto my bed. I was so scared I couldn’t close my eyes all night. That place is cursed!” Zhao Ruiping shook his head.

“What did Mayor Zhu say?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“He told me to work at the town office for now,” Zhao Ruiping said.

“Well, that works too. Want to come with me to buy a motorcycle?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“You really plan to stay long-term?” Zhao Ruiping asked, surprised.

Zhang Jiaohua laughed. “Nothing serious—just trying to make things easier.”

With nothing else to do, Zhao Ruiping tagged along. The motorcycle shop in Tianbaqiao Town was very basic, with just a couple of old domestic models. But they were cheap. Zhang Jiaohua picked one and added an iron box to carry supplies.

He then bought all kinds of cooking gear—completely preparing to settle down in Yingpan Village.

“Zhang Jiaohua, whether or not you really manage to stay there, the fact you’ve come this far—I already admire you. I couldn’t do it,” Zhao Ruiping said dejectedly. He had started off full of ambition but now had given up completely. He could tell Zhang Jiaohua had no intention of leaving.

At lunchtime, Gu Baishui’s grandson Gu Chenglin went to call Zhang Jiaohua for a meal. He opened the door and didn’t see him. If the luggage hadn’t still been there, he would’ve thought Zhang had run off.

In the afternoon, Zhang Jiaohua rode a shiny new motorcycle into the village. Gu Chuangui, playing at the village entrance, saw him immediately.

“Wow! A motorcycle! You really went and bought one? You city folks are so rich!” To Gu Chuangui, motorcycles were luxury items. Yingpan Village didn’t have a single one. Only medicine buyers from outside ever rode motorcycles in.

Zhang Jiaohua laughed heartily. “Chuangui! Help me carry stuff! All of you come lend a hand—I’ll give you snacks later!”

The kids swarmed over excitedly, scrambling to help unload.

Zhang Jiaohua pushed the motorcycle into an empty room and covered it with a rain tarp. The classroom was so dilapidated that holes in the roof looked like stars in the night sky.

He put the bike away and returned to his room. Though the snacks he bought were just in plastic bags, the kids didn’t help themselves. They squatted politely, waiting for Zhang Jiaohua.

“Why don’t you just help yourselves?” Zhang Jiaohua asked knowingly. He understood—they were like him as a kid. He opened the bag and handed out generous handfuls to each. “If it’s not enough, I’ll give you more later.”

“It’s enough! We didn’t really help much,” Gu Chuangui replied quickly.

The kids started munching happily. But Gu Chuangui only ate one piece and then stopped.

“Uncle, can I take mine home to eat?” he asked.

“Of course. Go ahead,” Zhang Jiaohua nodded. He knew—Chuangui was probably saving it for someone he cared about, not himself.

He remembered Chuangui mentioning wanting to buy painkillers for his grandfather. No doubt he was planning to give the snacks to him too.

Zhang Jiaohua watched as Chuangui skipped home with the treats in hand. It was like seeing a younger version of himself.

The other children also took their share home, not one of them being greedy. Zhang smiled and packed the rest into a box.

He organized his new kitchenware, along with rice, oil, and flour. From now on, he’d cook his own meals. He had long noticed Liang Meihua’s disapproving looks—he didn’t want to keep freeloading.

He pointed to a red plastic bucket full of clear, pristine water—it looked different. Luckily, the school, though abandoned, still had working electrical wires. He’d hooked them up the day before and bought extra supplies today. With electricity ready, the rice cooker and electric wok could be used.

By the time Gu Baishui arrived, the aroma of cooking filled the air.

“I smelled food and figured you must be staying for real now,” Gu said. “Good! It’s hard for you to feel comfortable living with old folks like us. If you need anything, just ask. Yingpan Village may be rough, but our people are kind.”

“Secretary Gu, why don’t you stay for a meal? I’ve been freeloading at your house—feel bad not inviting you.”

“Sure, I’ll try your cooking. If it’s no good, I’ll go back to choking down ours!” Gu Baishui joked and sat down.

Zhang Jiaohua didn’t cook much. Each had a bowl of rice and two stir-fried dishes. They used a beat-up old school desk and sat on wooden benches.

“Hey, this tastes pretty good!” Gu exclaimed after one bite. Of course, Zhang’s food wasn’t ordinary. Though the rice and vegetables were bought in town, the water he used was spiritual spring water from his cultivation space—how could the flavor be anything less than excellent?

Zhang Jiaohua just smiled.

“No wonder you don’t want to eat at my place anymore. Compared to this, our meals are like pig slop. Impressive! You’re something else,” Gu said, giving him a thumbs-up.

“Secretary Gu, now that I’m settled in, I plan to walk around the village over the next few days—to understand things better. It’ll help with my work later on,” Zhang Jiaohua said.

“Good! You’ve got ideas—go ahead and act on them. I’m old and don’t have the energy, but I won’t hold you back.”