After finishing the formalities at the county government office, the sky was gradually getting dark.

A round window stuck on the second floor of the county house, and the red sunset was like Namu's face after hard work.

It's round and very rosy.

"I'm afraid you won't be able to go to Mengli Commune today."

Deputy County Magistrate Li said, "You have to wait until tomorrow. I will have someone stop a carriage for you. Then you can go to Mengli Commune."

Deputy County Li, who opened the landing certificate for Luo Xuan and Zhang Xiaoli, carefully tightened the pen in his hand.

He said to Luo Xuan, "How about you stay in the duty dormitory tonight!"

Luo Xuan felt that this arrangement was not good, "Why don't you use it, leader? This is within a unit of a county-level agency, and it's not suitable for us to live there."

Deputy County Li smiled slightly, "What's inappropriate? You have traveled thousands of miles to come to us to support our rural construction.

Behind this office building, there is a row of bungalows. There are dormitories for staff to rest when they are on duty."

The old deputy county magistrate smiled kindly and said, "There are rooms for both men and women. When the time comes, I will open a room for each of you. You can just move in with peace of mind."

Luo Xuan could only nod, "Thank you for your concern, leader. It's getting late now, leader, you haven't had dinner yet, right?"

How about I treat you to a casual dinner?"

Deputy County Li shook his head, "You have come all the way, and I am the elder, so please do it.

Don’t waste that money.”

Deputy County Li smiled slightly and said, "Everyone's life is not easy. If you can save money, save it.

After you go to the countryside in the future, there will be many places where you need money. It’s better not to spend money indiscriminately.”

This evening,

Deputy County Magistrate Li invited Luo Xuan and Zhang Xiaoli to have a light meal in the staff canteen of the county government.

This is really a simple meal: cold and spicy bamboo shoots, boiled water spinach.

The staple food is multigrain rice with more corn and less rice.

This meal made the corn lump in my throat.

Zhang Xiaoli frowned after eating!

The expressions on Luo Xuan and Zhang Xiaoli's eyes fell into the eyes of Deputy County Magistrate Li.

He smiled slightly and said, "You won't know what hardship is until you go to the countryside. Just for this meal, many people in mountainous areas still have nothing to eat!"

Zhang Xiaoli was very curious, "Well, since the villagers are short of food, why doesn't the commune sell them some counter-trade food?"

"It can't be transported in. Even if it is normal, it is very laborious to transport a batch of relief food."

Deputy County Li shook his head and sighed, "Moreover, the superiors at Mengli Commune did not let them hand over public grain. In this case, how can they get any rebate grain?"

No need to pay public food?

but,

Think about it: Mengli Commune is populated by mountain people from minority ethnic groups.

There are discounts.

Moreover, that place was very backward, still in a semi-primitive state of slash-and-burn cultivation.

The land is not considered fertile.

There are not many large and entire fields that can be cultivated by mountain people on a large scale.

With such a limited output, it would be good if they could fill their bellies, so what kind of food would they have to pay to the public?

Deputy County Li met Luo Xuan and Zhang Xiaoli, and they were considered smart people.

So he told Luo Xuan, "After you go there, adapt to it for a while, and don't act rashly or rush into any poverty alleviation projects.

Don’t take it for granted and impose your own ideas on the local mountain people.”

Deputy County Magistrate Li said, "The way people think in a place, as well as their thinking and living habits, have lasted for thousands of years.

Don't act too hastily, take your time and guide them bit by bit... Haste makes waste..."

On the way back to the dormitory,

Zhang Xiaoli was a little puzzled and asked Luo Xuan: Deputy County Magistrate Li just now, what did he mean behind his words?

Luo Xuan smiled slightly: "You may not understand what I am saying now. And there are some things that I dare not go into too deeply."

"After we go to Mengli Commune, we can slowly experience it for ourselves."

Luo Xuan pointed to his head, "If you want to change the current situation of poverty and backwardness in a place.

The first thing that needs to be changed is their thinking. If they are always waiting, relying, asking, and muddle along...then no one can help them."

After chatting for a few words, Luo Xuan and Zhang Xiaoli went back to their dormitories to rest.

A night of silence.

Wait until the next day.

Luo Xuan and Zhang Xiaoli sat on a creaking carriage and slowly walked out of the county town.

After the carriage actually arrived outside the county seat.

The scenery that catches my eye is actually better and much more beautiful than that in the city...at least it doesn't have the stinky smell in the city.

and the messy streets hampered my mood.

"Hey! Why did you come out so early?"

Namu jumped out of the forest next to the sidewalk, "Why are you in such a hurry to go back to the village? It's not fun in the village."

Luo Xuan chuckled, "In your little head, is it just a joke every day?"

"Isn't that right! Now, I'm not married yet, how can I have fun for a few years?"

Namu threw the luggage on her back into the carriage first, and then twisted her delicate body.

She got on the carriage very lightly, "What if I wait until I get married and have several children?"

I have to feed pigs, cut grass, crack firewood, carry water, and cook every day. I also have to plant rice in the rice fields and go up to the mountains to plant upland rice and corn.

I’m exhausted every day, and when the time comes to let me play, I’m afraid I don’t have the energy.”

The men in this area basically don't work.

In a home, women are basically doing all the farm work and housework inside and outside.

Zhang Xiaoli asked her, "What do the men in your village do every day?"

"What they did was a big deal."

Namu answered quite seriously, "Go hunting in the mountains, make wine, etc. And kill pigs and cows.

When meeting the gods of mountains and rivers, the men in the village are responsible for killing chickens and sheep for sacrifice."

Zhang Xiaoli was startled: Is this the so-called ‘big thing’ done by the men in the village?

These so-called "big things",

It can't do anything to improve the living conditions of the mountain people, improve their living conditions... not even a hair!

The more resources the sacrifice consumes.

On the contrary, it will increase the living burden and cost of living for those people in the village who are already in difficulty...

This is similar to those scholars in ancient times who monopolized the right to speak and bullied the masses into being illiterate.

Pretty much the same truth.

Those scholars eat and drink from farmers every day. Then these guys, those who know about Huhu every day, recite poems and make mistakes, and do nothing.

We can also call them euphemistically: They are doing big things, serious things!

In the village where Namu is located, the men meet for important occasions such as rituals and sacrifices.

It will completely exclude women.

When they perform rituals or sacrifices, the more solemn the ceremony is and the more complicated the procedures are.

The more pious you pretend to be.

It will make those women who basically have little IQ and little knowledge.

Unknowingly and subtly, I feel that the things men do are indeed very important and difficult to deal with...

In fact, these things are not only a waste of social resources.

There’s no point in using this shit!

But Zhang Xiaoli didn't know how to talk about this kind of thing.

Luo Xuan, who knew the inner logic, deliberately pretended not to say anything.

I didn't want to offend everyone just as I set foot on this land.
To be continued...