Chapter 30: The Center of Attention
The familiar figure standing behind the captain was none other than Comrade Ji — the very same person Ning Xiyue had just parted ways with yesterday.
Standing not far from the stage, Ning Xiyue looked up and saw Comrade Ji glance back at her and nod slightly. That confirmed it — he had brought the certificate of merit and the commendation letter she had been eagerly waiting for.
She hadn’t expected him to come so soon — she had only arrived in the village yesterday afternoon, and here he was the next morning. Truly a good comrade of the people. It seemed that thank-you letter she wrote hadn’t gone to waste.
On the other side, Ning Xiaoxiao’s face changed drastically the moment she saw the man on stage. Shocked, she quietly stepped back several paces, trying to shrink into the crowd and reduce her presence. That man terrified her — even now, she couldn’t forget the sharp, penetrating gaze he had given her before.
On stage, the captain tested the loudspeaker with a couple of taps before his booming voice rang out:
“Comrades, quiet down. Today’s meeting is mainly about two things: first, the autumn harvest, and second, introducing the new educated youths who just joined our team…”
The captain spoke enthusiastically through the loudspeaker, spitting as he went on about the importance of the autumn harvest. Everyone, he said, must work together with full effort to bring in the crops as soon as possible. Once the grain was handed over to the state, the distribution would begin, and every family could soon enjoy the new harvest. He droned on with motivational speeches, though whether anyone was actually listening was another matter.
Judging by the way the villagers were whispering to one another, chatting, and minding their own business, it was clear they were only half-listening — if at all.
To the villagers, the captain’s speech was nothing new. It was the same thing they’d heard year after year — nothing fresh, nothing unexpected. Some who had good memories could practically recite it word for word.
It wasn’t until the captain began calling the new educated youths to the stage to introduce themselves that the villagers finally perked up.
The village gossips: Every time new educated youths arrive, things get lively. Looks like there’s a show to watch again.
The matchmakers: This batch is quite handsome — all of them are fine marriage prospects.
The young people: That female educated youth is pretty. That male one looks very cultured.
As Ning Xiyue stood on stage, she could feel the burning stares from every direction. She felt like a panda at the Sichuan Zoo — the team members were gawking at her like she was some rare exhibit, pointing and whispering, even cracking jokes.
She even faintly heard people discussing the scar on her forehead.
But Ning Xiyue had a thick skin — her face didn’t flush, her heart didn’t race. She stood confidently, letting them look and gossip all they wanted. Everything they said went in one ear and out the other. She even had the leisure to exchange a few words with the captain and greet Comrade Ji.
The same couldn’t be said for Liu Yao and Wang Mengmeng, who were standing beside her. They had never faced a crowd like this before and had much thinner skin. Their faces turned as red as monkey butts the moment they stepped on stage, and they looked unbearably shy.
“Hey, you rough lot, you’re embarrassing those two little educated youths. Tone it down a bit!”
But the more they were told to stop, the more excited the villagers became. In the end, the two girls’ faces turned even redder — even the male educated youths grew embarrassed.
When the captain felt that the teasing had gone on long enough, he picked up the loudspeaker and called out a few times:
“Quiet, everyone. You’ve all met the new educated youths now. Lastly, I have some good news to share.”
“Do you all see the two comrades standing behind me? Do you know why they’re here?”
“Captain, stop keeping us in suspense — just tell us already!” someone in the crowd shouted impatiently.
The captain looked down at the rows of curious faces below and decided to stop teasing. He raised his voice and said:
“These two comrades are from the county public security bureau. They’re here to deliver a certificate of merit and a commendation letter to one of our comrades. This comrade did a very good deed and greatly assisted the police. This recognition is both praise and encouragement — we hope more outstanding comrades will learn from their example, do good deeds, and serve the people.”
Whispers rippled through the crowd. “Who’s the captain talking about? Anyone know?”
“This comrade is one of our new educated youths — Comrade Ning Xiyue. Please come up and receive your award.”
All eyes turned to Ning Xiyue in unison, sparking a fresh wave of chatter.
“I knew this educated youth wasn’t ordinary. You didn’t believe me before!”
“And you were saying the scar on her forehead was ugly — maybe she got that while helping the police. That’s a badge of honor.”
“Easy to say now, hindsight hero.”
Down below, Ning Xiaoxiao stared at the stage in disbelief as Ning Xiyue received the award. Then her eyes darkened with envy and resentment. Why does every good thing happen to her? she fumed silently.
Ning Xiyue felt that the looks she was getting now were far more intense — people were practically staring at her with green, jealous eyes, as if they wanted to devour her whole. She was, without a doubt, the center of attention.
She honestly hadn’t expected the captain and Comrade Ji to put on such a grand display. It was a pleasant surprise.
But it was a good thing — now that everyone in the team knew about it, life here would become much easier for her. She’d be able to move around like a fish in water.
“Come on, Little Yue, take your certificate and commendation letter.”
Captain Zhang Dawei was grinning ear to ear. He’d always said this batch of educated youths — especially Little Yue — was something special. And look at that: she’d only just arrived and was already winning honors. Their entire production team would benefit from this — they were a shoo-in for this year’s “Advanced Collective” award.
“Comrade Ning, I’ve brought your certificate and commendation letter.” Comrade Ji’s face held a faint smile as he handed her the documents.
“Thank you, Comrade Ji.”
Ning Xiyue looked down at the certificate in her hands. To her surprise, it bore two official seals — one from the public security bureau of the provincial capital she had passed through earlier, and one from the county public security bureau of Da’an.
When she saw the latter, she smiled with deep satisfaction. That old comrade is truly kind.
The old comrade: I accidentally took credit for what Ji did — and I couldn’t be happier about it.
“Little Yue, this is a reward from our village. We hope you’ll keep it up and continue bringing honor to our team.” Zhang Dawei produced a brand-new enamel basin as a prize and handed it to her.
Ning Xiyue bent down to accept the basin and immediately responded with the perfect formal line:
“Thank you, Captain. I’ll continue to work hard, shine brightly for our Daliu Brigade, and contribute my strength toward helping us win the Advanced Collective title!”
