Chapter Sixty-Four: Submission

Secretary Tao arrived, his face grim as iron. The person sent to fetch him had already explained the situation, and he trembled with rage.

“Uncle, you must stand up for me! The Sha family is bullying me!”

Xu Cuihua, upon seeing Secretary Tao, wailed as if he were her own father.

“Shut your crow mouth!” Secretary Tao erupted in anger. He was known as a gentle man, rarely losing his temper, and Xu Cuihua had never seen him like this. But she was no easy opponent—she had many tricks, and was well practiced in crying, cursing, and threatening suicide.

“So, Uncle, you’re siding with the Sha family to bully me… I may as well die, I have no reason to live, oh heavens… Tao Wen, you useless fool… your wife is being bullied and you don’t even dare show your face… woe is me…”

“Get out… If you want to die, go ahead, it’s none of our business. I’ll call the police right now and have them collect your corpse,” Secretary Tao said coldly. “If you want to die, that’s your own decision. Die however you please.”

“You’re driving me to death… I’ll report you all…”

“Tell it to the police when they arrive. Or go to Beijing to report it, I’ll shoulder it,” Secretary Tao replied, his face growing darker as he picked up the phone and started dialing. Xu Cuihua, realizing he was serious, was terrified and immediately clung to his leg.

“Uncle… please don’t call… I was wrong, isn’t that enough?” she sobbed, yanking out the phone cord. “Oh heavens, give me a way out… Uncle, I was wrong… I deserve to die… why haven’t I died yet…”

“Aren’t you fond of making trouble? Aren’t you fond of throwing tantrums? Go throw a tantrum at the police station for a few days, do as you please there.”

“I won’t make trouble anymore… not at all… I have three pigs and two piglets at home, who will take care of them if I go to jail… oh heavens… Uncle, please forgive me this time… woe is me…”

Secretary Tao’s hand shook as he held the phone, stamping his foot furiously, then glanced toward Sha Ler and Feng Shunya. Feng Shunya stood up with a smile.

“Secretary Tao, it seems the people of Lower Sha Village are really low on the totem pole here in Upper Tao Village,” she said, half joking, half serious.

“It’s nothing,” Sha Ler smiled as well. “People from Lower Sha Village are used to it—few in number and not very accomplished, so it’s only right to swallow a bit of pride, haha.”

He laughed it off, but his words were harder than nails. If Feng Shunya weren’t present, the people of Upper Tao Village would have dismissed such remarks as nonsense. But with her here, the implication was different. Secretary Tao felt as if steel needles were pricking his back.

Secretary Tao hadn’t expected things to take such a turn. For years, the people of Upper Tao Village had grown accustomed to bullying those from Lower Sha, feeling it was only natural, never once considering the villagers of Lower Sha, himself included. The blame lay with that wretched Xu Cuihua, who had the nerve to cause trouble without regard for her surroundings. He was even angrier at Tao Wen, the fool—he was nothing but a dumb pig, otherwise no one would care about this matter.

But things were different now. Lower Sha Village had produced Sha Ler, and behind him stood the town party secretary and even the county party secretary. The county secretary’s daughter was involved in the matter, and things couldn’t remain unchanged.

Moreover, Secretary Tao needed to make a statement now. If Teacher Feng was displeased, he feared the outcome would be unpleasant.

“Teacher Feng, rest assured, I’ll change this situation as soon as possible.”

“Old Secretary, this isn’t about me. I’m just a teacher here to support education, and I don’t have the authority to manage so much. I’m merely speaking to the matter at hand,” Feng Shunya waved her hand and sat down. “If Sha Ler hadn’t asked me to help rehearse the program, I’d have returned to the county already.”

Secretary Tao forced a smile. If she were just an ordinary teacher, he wouldn’t care at all, but she was the daughter of the county party secretary, and besides, his third son had already hinted that Feng Shunya came to teach here with ulterior motives, though Tao Shirong dared not guess what those might be.

“Thank you for your hard work, Teacher Feng.” Secretary Tao looked at Xu Cuihua who still clung to his leg, sighed, and said, “Teacher Feng, Ler, how do you suggest we handle Xu Cuihua? The phone line’s been pulled out.”

Sha Ler and Feng Shunya exchanged glances. Things had reached this point, and Secretary Tao had spoken so plainly, it would be inappropriate to call the police now. His dignity had to be given due respect.

“Uncle Secretary, it’s not such a big deal—calling the police would reflect badly on our village committee. I think we should let it go,” Sha Ler said with a smile. “However, if Sister Cuihua causes trouble again, there’s no need to rehearse any programs.”

Secretary Tao breathed a sigh of relief. Calling the police would have been a real headache.

“Xu Cuihua, aren’t you going to get up?” Secretary Tao said through gritted teeth. “If you dare set foot in this village committee again, don’t blame me for tearing off my old face. Your contract to clean the village ends today. I’ll have a good talk with that son-of-a-bitch Tao Wen.”

“Uncle… please… let me continue cleaning, I’ll change, isn’t that enough? Woe is me…”

“I’m telling you, get out now. I haven’t the strength to argue with you anymore.”

His face dark as iron, he strode out the door alone.

“Ler… Ler, my good brother, speak up for me, I’ll worship you like a saint from now on.”

Seeing Secretary Tao was serious, Xu Cuihua was deflated, but it was a lucrative job—two hundred yuan a month, practically free money.

“Sister Cuihua, I’m just a small errand-runner, hardly in a position to decide such things. Besides, please don’t worship me like a saint, it’ll only shorten my life.”

Sha Ler didn’t want to play mediator any longer, and walked off to the side. Such a troublesome woman deserved her misfortune, and as for Tao Wen, he’d soon learn what pots were made from.

Xu Cuihua then went to ask Tian Sihua for help, but Tian Sihua gave her no kindness. Tearfully, she left. No sooner had she gone, Secretary Tao returned.

“Ler, I forgot to mention something just now,” he said, a smile appearing on his face. “The village cleaning contract—find someone from Lower Sha Village. Upper Tao Village has held it for many years, it’s time to change.”

“Uncle Secretary, that’s not really necessary, is it?”

“I make the decision,” Secretary Tao said, his face sinking. Suddenly, he noticed Luo Yinxian nearby and his eyes lit up. “Ah… I don’t want to bother running down to Lower Sha. Since Yinxian is here, let’s give it to her.”

“Secretary Tao, this…” Luo Yinxian was overjoyed.

“What, you don’t want it?” Secretary Tao smiled.

“I do, of course I do—thank you, Uncle Secretary!” she replied.

Who wouldn’t want it? Two hundred yuan a month, only seven or eight cleanings, done in an hour each time. Out working elsewhere, she struggled for seven or eight hundred a month, but after expenses, only three or four hundred was left. With this, she wouldn’t need to leave home for work anymore.

She knew Secretary Tao was favoring her for Sha Ler’s sake; otherwise, it would never have fallen to her. She glanced at Sha Ler, and at the same time, Tao Haiying looked at her with jealousy and resentment, but dared not utter a word.

“That’s settled then,” Secretary Tao smiled. “Ler, Teacher Feng, I’ll leave the program rehearsal to you. If you need anything, just let me know. I’ll handle logistics.”

Secretary Tao left. After Xu Cuihua’s uproar, the village committee was awkwardly silent. Sha Ler walked up to Tian Sihua with a grin and pulled out a hundred yuan note.

“Director Tian, could I trouble you with something?”

“What is it? Tell me,” Tian Sihua smiled sweetly. “Don’t be so formal, call me ‘sister,’ it’s warmer.”

“All right, Sister, after our training, I’d like to treat everyone to a meal. There’s no restaurant here, so we’ll have to cook ourselves. Could I trouble you to buy two hens and a few pounds of meat?”

Sha Ler laughed brightly, as if nothing unpleasant had happened earlier.

“That’s a fine idea, I’ll go right away, there are sellers in the village,” Tian Sihua smiled, her eyes narrowing. “You little ones have a feast today—train well, or Sister will come back and spank you.”

Tian Sihua was clever and capable; with her words, the mood immediately lifted. Everyone laughed and looked at Sha Ler and Feng Shunya.