Chapter 107: A Single Notice Shakes Shanwan; Lu Qingshan's Trip to Baishan!

Night deepened.

Shanwan Village's tranquility was left only with the low chirping of autumn insects and occasional dog barks.

Inside the Lu family's mud house, the dim yellow halo of the kerosene lamp stretched two silhouettes long.

Lin Yue'e carefully folded a spotless, well‑made shirt, then fetched a pair of equally fine trousers, meticulously brushing away dust that wasn't even there.

"Qingshan, on this trip to the city you'll be meeting senior leaders; you mustn't dress sloppily and be looked down upon."

Her voice was gentle, carrying a barely perceptible thread of worry and hope.

In the lamplight, her face, which had shown a hint of fatigue from labor, now glowed softly with the anticipation of the future.

Lu Qingshan took the garments his wife handed him; the fabric felt coarse, yet carried the fresh scent of sunlight and soapwort, soothing his heart.

He understood his wife's thoughts; it was not merely a few pieces of clothing, but her weighty expectations.

"Don't worry, Yue E, I know the limits."

He paused, then added, "You take extra care of the household matters."

"Hmm, you don't need to worry about home; Xiao Xue has me. As for you, when you go to the city, unfamiliar with everything, keep your guard up in all matters."

Lin Yue'e folded his spare underwear, placed them in a clean cloth bundle, and chattered instructions, as if reminding a child on a long journey.

Lu Qingshan felt a slight sourness at his nose; he grasped his wife's hand, which, worn rough from day and night labor, remained warm.

He pressed her hand to his cheek, feeling the solidity, a thousand words turning into silent tenderness.

Xiao Xue had already been sleeping soundly on the kang edge, her little mouth slightly pursed, emitting even breaths.

Watching his wife and daughter, Lu Qingshan's inexplicable agitation gradually settled, replaced by heavy responsibility and boundless drive.

Three days later, at dawn.

A half‑old green Beijing Jeep rumbled into Shanwan Village, stopping outside the Lu family's courtyard.

It was the vehicle the county had specially dispatched to take Lu Qingshan to the city.

Zhao Yongnian and Zhao Dazhi, two village officials, arrived early, along with Zhao Tiezhu, Liu Fugui, and several other youths, all to see Lu Qingshan off.

"Qingshan, when you reach the city, report properly to the leaders, don't be nervous, and tell them Shanwan Village's vigor and hopes!"

Zhao Yongnian patted Lu Qingshan's shoulder, speaking earnestly.

"Brother Qingshan, go without worry; the village affairs are with us!"

Zhao Tiezhu pledged in a deep, resonant voice.

Lu Qingshan responded to each, then gave Lin Yue'e a few more instructions, and only then, under everyone's gaze, boarded the Jeep.

The vehicle slowly drove out of Shanwan Village; amid swirling dust, he looked back to see his wife holding Xiao Xue at the courtyard gate, their figures shrinking until they vanished at the edge of his sight.

The Jeep jolted over the uneven, pothole‑riddled dirt road, each bump feeling as if it would toss a person's internal organs about.

Lu Qingshan's mood mirrored the road—up and down.

He felt both excitement and anticipation for the unknown future, and a lingering nervousness about the grand stage.

After all, he was merely a reincarnated mountain‑village hunter; in his previous life he had lived in confusion, and this life, though he leveraged foresight and a golden finger to achieve some success, still felt his heart pound at the thought of facing senior city leaders.

The journey was silent; the vehicle swayed gently until, by afternoon, it arrived at Baishan City.

Compared with Jiangyuan County town, Baishan City, as a northeastern industrial prefecture‑level city, was undeniably far more bustling; the streets were wide, the buildings taller, and fashionable men and women roamed the avenues, giving Lu Qingshan a fleeting, unreal illusion.

The Jeep finally stopped at the entrance of a place called the Baishan City Guesthouse.

The driver carried his modest luggage and led him through the check‑in process.

A clean, tidy standard room, with snow‑white sheets, gleaming wooden floors, and a private bathroom equipped with a flush toilet and showerhead.

Lu Qingshan touched the soft bed, feeling a flood of emotions.

It was probably the best place he had stayed since his rebirth.

In his previous life he had toiled in a big city, but always lived in cramped rentals, never experiencing such treatment.

Shortly after settling in, the door was knocked.

Opening the door, he saw a man in his forties, wearing gold‑rimmed glasses and a crisp Zhongshan suit, his expression courteous yet undeniably serious.

"Comrade Lu Qingshan, right? Hello, I am Zhang Wan Nian from the Municipal Party Committee Office, responsible for the affairs of this symposium."

The man extended his hand, giving Lu Qingshan a gentle shake.

"Director Zhang, hello, sorry to trouble you."

Lu Qingshan quickly made way for him to enter.

Zhang Wan Nian, unceremoniously, sat on the sole wooden chair in the room and got straight to the point.

"Comrade Lu Qingshan, tomorrow at nine a. m. in Municipal Party Committee Conference Room No. 3, a city‑wide symposium on agricultural production and characteristic economic development will be held; we hope you can attend punctually. This meeting mainly seeks to hear Shanwan Village's experiences and methods in medicinal herb cultivation and specialized breeding, as well as your personal thoughts and suggestions."

He paused, adjusted his glasses, and though his tone was even, the content gave Lu Qingshan a sudden jolt.

"This meeting is of a higher caliber; Municipal Party Secretary Zhang Zhidong, the Vice Mayor in charge of agriculture, and the main officials from the City Agricultural Committee, Forestry Bureau, and Animal Husbandry Bureau will attend. Jiangyuan County's Party Secretary Zhang Xincheng and County Mayor Liu Yuejin will also accompany you."

Zhang Wan Nian looked at Lu Qingshan, his gaze sharp.

"Comrade Lu, to be frank, the city's interest in your Shanwan Village originally stemmed from the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry Minister. The Forestry Minister is very interested in your model of leveraging local resources for cultivation and breeding to lift farmers out of poverty, and specifically tasked Secretary Zhang to investigate thoroughly, to see if it holds exemplary significance and promotional value."

"Ministry of Agriculture Forestry Minister!" Lu Qingshan felt a buzzing in his mind.

He had thought only Director Sun Ming's research report had mattered, never expecting such a big backing behind it.

Secretary Hu's attention was indeed significant.

It seemed the importance of this meeting far exceeded his expectations.

This was no longer just Shanwan Village's matter; it might even affect broader policy directions.

After seeing Zhang Wan Nian off, Lu Qingshan could no longer sit still.

He closed the door and paced the modest room, his mind racing through how to report tomorrow.

He mentally reviewed everything he had done in Shanwan Village during this period, from the early days of hunting for money, to leading villagers in clearing land for medicinal herb cultivation, expanding breeding operations, and his preliminary future plans.

He even fetched paper and pen, jotting down each key point, lest he miss anything.