Chapter 424: Haunting Spirits, Nowhere to Hide

The train departing from Jingcheng traveled westward for a day and night through towering mountains before stopping at a small county station.

This was a slow-stop station; only a handful of passengers disembarked, including the Jia family, who had just returned in defeat from Jingcheng.

The group checked their tickets and exited the station; seeing the county town with barely two streets, they were overwhelmed by a sharp sense of disappointment.

In the past month, the Jia family had wandered daily through Jingcheng, eating and drinking without worry, and for a while, they truly believed they were "city people."

But overnight, their dream of luxury vanished like a soap bubble, forcing them back to this dusty little county town.

And this small town wasn't even a place they could afford to stay.

"Donkey cart! Donkey cart over here!"

After sighing outside the station, they straightened their chests and lifted their chins, calling out to a donkey cart parked nearby.

These carts usually lingered near the station to haul goods, but occasionally, travelers with money would hire them as taxis.

The donkey cart driver heard the call and immediately approached.

He had already spotted the Jia family—five people, each carrying a bundle—were the only possible passengers on this trip.

"Where are you folks headed, big brother?"

"To Sanquan Township. I'll give you five yuan. Hurry up—we must arrive before dark!"

The donkey cart driver immediately frowned: "Sanquan Township is thirty li away! And there are several steep slopes. Five yuan won't even cover the soybeans for the donkey."

"You feed your donkey soybeans every day? Do you think we're fools? For a handful of fodder, five yuan is already too much!"

"Then I won't go. You're dressed so fancy, yet you offer only five yuan—you're looking down on me!"

"."

Before leaving Jingcheng, each member of the Jia family had received several flawed goods; naturally, they couldn't let others benefit alone—they each put on a new outfit.

Now, hearing the driver's complaint, their earlier despair vanished instantly.

【We've been to Jingcheng—we're not like them.】

"Here's ten yuan. Go."

"Ten yuan—that's more reasonable. Let me carry your bundle."

The reluctant driver helped take the Jia matriarch's bundle, conveniently obscuring his shrewd gaze.

The donkey cart, carrying five people, moved swiftly through the county town's main street—far lighter than hauling bricks or tiles.

As he drove, the cart driver chatted with the Jia patriarch: "Big brother, where have you just returned from?"

"We've come back from Jingcheng."

"Whoa! You've been to Jingcheng? That's incredible—living a lifetime and making it there once? Truly worth it."

"Absolutely. We stayed in Jingcheng for a full month! My son works as a high official there—in the Central Selection Department. You know that, right?"

"You think I don't know? Do you think I can't read newspapers or listen to the radio? Of course I know the Central Selection Department. Your son is truly accomplished."

"Cough, cough—of course he's accomplished."

The Jia patriarch felt uneasy and stopped answering the driver, turning his neck to glance around aimlessly.

The county town hadn't changed in years—still dilapidated; the only occasional change was the movie poster outside the cinema.

【Damn it!】

Just then, the donkey cart passed the cinema entrance. The Jia patriarch saw the poster and nearly tumbled off the cart.

"Spring Comes Again," with names like Gong Yu, Zhu Shimao, Liu Xiaoru—these names and faces were the humiliation he could never forget in eight lifetimes.

The donkey cart delivered the Jia family to Sanquan Township, collected their ten yuan, and happily turned back toward the county town.

But the Jia family walked nervously toward the small village halfway up the hill.

After seeing that movie poster, each of them felt a chilling sense of "haunting spirits, nowhere to hide"—afraid someone might suddenly appear and point at them.

People could behave however they liked out in the world, but in their hometown, their reputation must remain untarnished—otherwise, they'd have no grassroots support if they ever tried to reform.

Fortunately, upon returning to the village, the Jia family was immediately greeted with enthusiastic admiration.

In this tiny village, hardly anyone had ever been to Jingcheng, let alone stayed there for a month or two.

And after the Jia family gifted a few well-spoken relatives and friends each a new outfit, their sense of superiority returned at once.

【No problem—nobody in this backwater watches movies. Even if they did, who'd think of us?】

Their sense of luck made them complacent; they happily basked in the surrounding praise and congratulations—even the village committee treated them with great respect.

Others might not grasp the weight of the Central Selection Department, but the committee members knew perfectly well—the Jia family was ascending to heaven!

But just two days later, the village committee summoned the Jia patriarch with grim faces.

As soon as Old Jia entered, he recognized a familiar face: the township's Field Cadre.

But now, Field Cadre stood behind several others, his expression deeply troubled.

The committee members skipped pleasantries and asked directly: "Old Jia, have you seen the movie 'Spring Comes Again'?"

Old Jia's conscience was already guilty—he nearly jumped in fright.

He forced a weak smile and stammered: "What movie? I've never heard of it."

But his reaction couldn't fool the men in the room—what did they do for a living? They could see his obvious guilt.

The committee member spoke sternly: "Old Jia, in front of the township officials, tell us the truth—did the events in that movie really happen to you?"

"."

Old Jia, face twisted in distress, blurted: "What are you trying to do? I didn't break any laws!"

"Enough. Don't frighten the old man."

The middle-aged man in the center stopped the committee member, then asked calmly: "Comrade Jia, this is the situation: Comrade Yang Yu is now working in the Central Selection Department, correct?"

Old Jia nodded.

The middle-aged man continued: "Over the years, Sanquan Township has produced few college graduates, and only one who made it to Jingcheng and joined a central ministry—that's our pride, our opportunity."

Old Jia was confused—he didn't understand what the man meant.

But the next two sentences from the committee member made him feel utterly ashamed.

"Old Jia, if the movie's events didn't involve you, then we must maintain good relations with Comrade Yang Yu."

"But if they did, you must clamp your mouths shut—don't bring shame to Sanquan Township, don't bring shame to our county."

"."

The female lead in "Spring Comes Again" was named Huaihua, the male lead Chun'er—combined with the plot of a martyr's child entering Jingcheng and his biological parents appearing, how could anyone not suspect?

More importantly, if this movie was connected to Yang Yu, then Yang Yu was no ordinary junior clerk.

Even if the central authorities wanted to make a film, they'd need approval, funding, and six months at least to complete it.

But this movie—Yang Yu had powerful backers behind him!

So, for Yang Yu's case, the county would inevitably need to cultivate connections—and they had to clarify Old Jia's situation. If they misjudged and flattered the wrong person, the consequences could be catastrophic.

"I—we—"

Old Jia couldn't speak—he stammered, humiliated beyond words.

"Alright. You handle this matter."

The middle-aged man walked out coldly, leaving only Field Cadre and the committee members.

The committee members glared at Old Jia, but Field Cadre quietly pulled him outside.

"Old Jia, I advised you to go to Jingcheng to claim your son—how did you end up like this? Taking your two sons to Jingcheng and living off them for over a month? You're eating them out of house and home!"

"."

Old Jia blurted: "I went to claim my son—what's wrong with eating a few meals? He has everything—motorcycles, big color TVs—"

"Oh my heavens!"

Field Cadre slapped his thigh: "What did I tell you? The fact that he didn't throw you out on the spot and acknowledged your blood tie—that's your great fortune! You actually think you're his real father?"

"."

Old Jia stood frozen for a long time, then grabbed Field Cadre's sleeve: "What do we do now? Give me advice."

Field Cadre yanked his sleeve free and said coldly: "From now on, never tell anyone you have this relative—and never mention I gave you any advice. It's not just about shame anymore."

"."

"Shame isn't enough?"

"Hmph~"

Field Cadre gave a cold smile and said lightly: "Do you know what abandonment is?"

Some things don't need the person to speak—others will handle them for him.

(End of Chapter)