Reborn in 1985: Starting from Contracting a Ranch

Chapter 79 Returning Home in Glory

I slept at my brother-in-law's house for one night.

The next morning, I accompanied my brother-in-law to town in a horse-drawn carriage to deliver a jar of deer blood wine to Old Wolf.

My brother-in-law's family doesn't have much either, since they don't often hunt deer.

This jar was from the last time we hunted bears and deer. We could have gotten two or three jars, but unfortunately, a pack of wolves ruined it.

"We're family, so I won't say much in thanks. Thanks to you this time. Next time we catch a deer, I'll definitely get you another jar. If you need anything at home, just let me know, and I'll be there for you." Zhang Du sincerely thanked Shan Yaowen as they parted.

"Forget about deer blood wine. With my health, I could easily have eight sons."

Dan Yaowen waved his hand dismissively. He wasn't that enthusiastic about deer blood wine, after all, he was already very powerful!

There's absolutely no need for that thing to fix it.

"You'll know in two years," Zhang Du said to Shan Yaowen, looking at him with the air of someone who had been through it all.

"Hey, brother-in-law, you're a seasoned hunter with a wide network of hunting routes. If you catch a deer, keep it for me." Before leaving, Shan Yaowen asked his brother-in-law for another favor.

"A deer?" Zhang Du looked at Shan Yaowen with suspicion. "You're planning to raise deer?"

"Yes, a spotted deer would be best."

Zhang Du nodded and agreed to the matter without saying much.

"Okay, if you're going to raise them, will you have enough grass?"

"I plan to lease more pastureland after spring, don't worry about that."

Zhang Du shook his head. "No, I meant straw. I've been through this, and I'm too lazy to deal with these things anymore. From now on, I'll just hunt, farm, and enjoy a warm home with my wife and kids. I'm not going to bother with business anymore."

He finally understood that all the wonderful talk his friend had about the coastal reforms and how doing business there wouldn't be any problems was irrelevant to him.

Just like this time, even though it was only a few hundred kilograms of melon seeds and candies, he was still arrested and sent to a labor camp.

"Okay, just give me the straw, consider it as if I bought it at the original price."

"Go away, just pull it out, you're not going to buy it? You're not going to respect me at all."

Zhang Du glared at Shan Yaowen, then grumbled and drove back.

Shan Yaowen didn't go to his brother-in-law's house; he went back at the intersection.

Anyway, my brother-in-law's matter is over, and he hasn't been home for several days.

It's time to go back.

Besides, the Lunar New Year is just around the corner, and there are still many things to do at home.

"Holy crap, a mosquito."

When Shan Yaowen returned to the village, he heard a familiar voice halfway there.

"Dog Egg? What are you doing?"

Shan Yaowen was stunned for a moment when he saw Lin Hao carrying a large bag of things.

Dog Egg was carrying two large bags and some pieces of wood, like something for making chairs.

"A family in the next village is building a new house and ordered a batch of chairs from me. I just finished the job." Gou Dan unceremoniously put down the goods and stuffed half of them into Shan Yaowen's hand:

"Hold this for me."

Shan Yaowen picked it up and weighed it; it did have some weight to it.

"Wow, you've become a professional chef? You can even go door-to-door to make chairs for people now."

These pieces of wood were probably leftovers from making chairs. Gou Dan brought them back, probably thinking he could use them when he made chairs himself.

"Of course, you don't even know who I am. I've been studying for so long, following my master around every day, and all I've learned is how to make chairs. If I still can't learn it after a whole winter, I should really consider whether I'm suited to be a carpenter."

Anyway, having let it go, Gou Dan took the opportunity to rest and offered Shan Yaowen a cigarette. "What have you been busy with lately? I haven't seen you for several days. When I asked Lin Nian, she only said that your brother-in-law had an accident and you went to help."

The two men sat by the roadside, smoking and chatting over the pile of timber.

Shan Yaowen briefly recounted what had happened to him these past few days, and Gou Dan felt a deep sense of empathy, immediately launching into a tirade against that expert, Liu.

In the end, they insisted on seeing Shan Yaowen's identification and gun.

"So, you've finally secured a government job?"

Gou Dan looked at Shan Yaowen's ID with envy, touching the stamp on Shan Yaowen's photo. "Does that mean you can arrest people directly from now on?"

"You're overthinking it. I'm just an assistant; I have no law enforcement authority whatsoever." Shan Yaowen removed the pistol magazine and tossed it to Gou Dan to look at.

"You're so stingy! Two shots wouldn't kill you!"

"I want to drive it back to play with the long gun. I can't just drive this around like that. I have to report it every time I fire a gun."

It's not that Shan Yaowen is stingy; although this weapon was provided to him by the Public Security Bureau, it's not as comfortable to use as the two Mosin-Nagants he dug out of the mountain.

After all, his current status is different.

"By the way, that bastard Chu Er stopped you at your wedding last time and asked for cigarettes. You're practically a special police commissioner now, aren't you going to teach him a lesson?"

Shan Yaowen waved his hand, "I'll deal with that kid, but not as a special police commissioner."

Fearing that Gou Dan might not understand, Shan Yaowen gave a special explanation.

Later, Gou Dan was still muttering to himself, "Why does it seem like you, as a special envoy, don't have much power?"

Shan Yaowen shrugged. "Even if you have it, you can't just use it recklessly."

In fact, Shan Yaowen knew about the development of the police special commissioners. Before and even now, the police special commissioners have indeed been the main force in maintaining public security in towns and villages.

After all, a township police station only has five officers, including the station chief. They are bound to be overwhelmed if they have to manage everything in the town.

Therefore, some special police commissioners would be selected to assist townships in maintaining public order.

When necessary, the special commissioner can even organize the militia of each village to work with the public security to deal with serious incidents that occur in each village.

Of course, this is only allowed in the event of serious incidents; he cannot organize the militia indiscriminately in ordinary situations.

However, in the following years, especially after the 90s, the special police commissioners were gradually abolished.

Because police stations have been established in almost every township across the country, and the number of grassroots police officers has been continuously increased, the grassroots police force has gradually grown stronger, so there is no need for special commissioners, and even the militia has been withdrawn.

This position only lasts a few years, and since he's a low-key person, he never intended to use it to show off.

However, since Shan Yaowen didn't want to show off, someone else did it for him.

After finishing their cigarettes, the two of them each carried a bag and headed towards the village.

As soon as Shan Yaowen and his companion returned to the village, they were surrounded by people.

"Awen, I heard you know the head of our town's police station. Could you arrange for my child to become a police officer?"

"Yaowen, I'm your third aunt, do you remember me? Your brother went to jail after just glancing at a woman in the city. Can you get him out?"

"Shan Er, you've become a special envoy now, and you even managed to get your brother-in-law out of trouble. Come over to my house for drinks tonight!"

"..."

Shan Yaowen and Lin Hao were so carrying their loads at the village entrance that they almost couldn't walk anymore.

He hadn't expected that news about him would reach the village before he did.

This made him gasp. Even though there were no cell phones and communication was inconvenient, news still spread very quickly.

He only stayed at his brother-in-law's house for one night yesterday, and the news reached his own village.

Looking at the enthusiastic villagers around him, Shan Yaowen had no idea when he had become so popular in the village.

Finally, when Li Baoguo passed by the Party Secretary's house, he heard the commotion and came out to help Shan Yaowen out of the predicament.

After the crowd dispersed, Lin Hao, carrying his belongings and panting heavily, said, "Tsk tsk, you've become a big shot in the village now, so many people are fawning over you."

Shan Yaowen put down his things, took out a cigarette and offered one to the Party Secretary and Gou Dan. "They came to me for favors just because they smelled me. Who thinks I'm some big shot? They didn't even offer to help me with all that stuff on their shoulders."

The two of them could have easily carried the load, but with people crowding around them, he almost couldn't carry it anymore.

Li Baoguo chuckled, lit a cigarette, and looked at Shan Yaowen, saying, "That's normal. Who would have thought you'd become a special envoy? You've managed to organize the militia in our town; you're a big shot."

"Uncle, stop teasing me. You know my personality. Everyone should just mind their own business. Unless there's a serious incident that could kill someone, I won't bother mobilizing the militia."

Upon hearing this, Li Baoguo immediately looked at Shan Yaowen with newfound respect.

He thought that once this kid became an official, he would use his position to his advantage and show off back in the village.

I didn't expect him to be so low-key, and I could still understand what he meant by saying those words.

As long as nothing major happens, everyone should continue to do what they normally do.

"Uncle, I'm leaving now. Come over to my house for a visit tonight."

"OK."

After saying goodbye to the Party Secretary, Gou Dan snatched Shan Yaowen's belongings and carried them away himself.

"What's wrong? Don't you want me to carry it for you?"

"I'm afraid if you carry me, I won't get home until dark."

Looking at Gou Dan's expression, Shan Yaowen shrugged. "It's easier for me if you don't let me carry you."

And Gou Dan was right. On his way back, Shan Yaowen met someone, whether he knew them or not, and greeted them first, then offered them a cigarette.

Dan Yaowen walked and stopped frequently, and it took him quite a while to get home.

Gou Dan had already gone home to put his things away, and then he arrived at Gou Dan's house before Shan Yaowen finally got home.