Word that Li Jianguo's family had taken the tractor to the County Seat to visit the pregnant Gu Xiaoxia soon spread throughout the village, passing from Sister-in-Law Lu through the Team Gossip Hub.
At the General Store, Ma Jinbao had not gone out to herd sheep that day, leaving them to his son instead. Sitting on a bench, he took a slurp of liquor, set down his cup, wiped his mouth, and said:
"Heh, everyone else has the younger generation visit their elders, but the Li family has it backward. The whole family, young and old, going to visit a youngster-just because she's a state official! Being an official sure is nice. I'll have my grandson become one too!"
Nobody joined in.
Some might have thought the same way, but they would not say so lightly. Nobody could guarantee that their words would not reach the Li family's ears.
Ma Jinbao made his living raising sheep and did nothing else. Like a shameless deadbeat, he did not care what anyone thought.
The others were different. Over the past two years, Li Long had practically held the Team members' economic lifeline in his hands. If they really angered him and he said the word, barring certain people from those jobs or refusing to buy their goods, where would their money come from that year?
Cowards!
Ma Jinbao looked at the idlers gathered at the General Store with contempt in his eyes. Every one of them was older than Li Long, yet a young fellow had brought them under his thumb so easily. How disgraceful!
This was a slack season for farm work. The diligent ones still went out to weed their fields, while most could take a couple of days off and relax.
If the big elm tree at the village