Chapter Seventy-Two: The Commander of the Roster

He Zhi Xing found himself unable to sleep that night. To be honest, if he really became the village chief, it would mean shouldering a great responsibility—responsibility for the future of everyone in the village. Moreover, Su Mei’s hope was for him to transform the entire town, to change the fate of a backward, impoverished mountain town that many believed was beyond hope. Such a task was daunting and arduous.

He hadn’t expected that as soon as Su Mei became town mayor, she would present him with such a difficult challenge. And this was no ordinary problem; every village and group in the town had piles of issues, compounded by unresolved matters left by the previous mayor. Whoever took over this mess would find it a thankless undertaking.

He was also surprised that Zeng Li would send his own daughter to fight such a tough battle. Perhaps they had their own deep considerations—either it would lead to new life and prosperity, or it would remain hopeless and lifeless.

Even Xu Wei, a famous singer from the mainland, had written a song called “Hometown,” in which he likened his homeland to a beloved woman. One line in particular captured Xu Wei’s deep feelings for his hometown: faced with its poverty and desolation, there was an inescapable pain, a mix of love and hate, joy and sorrow—a restlessness that anyone could understand.

The setting sun once again shone on my face, reflecting my restless heart. Why is this place still so barren? The endless journey feels so long.

I am forever a wanderer heading toward the distant horizon, while you are my woman in the sea of people. On the road away from home, on every cold night, this longing cuts into me like a knife. In dreams, I always see your helpless eyes.

Once again, my heart is awakened. Here I stand, recalling the moment we parted. You stood alone in the crowd, your heart broken...

This place was, after all, where He Zhi Xing had grown up. More than ten years of rural town life, no matter how poor or backward, it was still his root. The feelings were hard to let go. Every blade of grass, every scene, every emotion here was deeply imprinted in his heart.

Looking at his scarred and battered homeland, the heavy weight of poverty pressed down on every ambitious youth who grew up here, forcing them to bear humiliation in silence. Many promising young people saw no way out and had no choice but to leave for work elsewhere.

But who truly wishes to leave their homeland, to struggle and wander in a strange place? Isn’t it all because life gives them no other choice?

He Zhi Xing thought of his close classmates and friends, remembering the dreams and goals they had discussed before parting ways after graduation. Yet, over the years, he had rarely seen any of his old classmates in town. He wondered how they had been lately.

Back in middle school, among the older and younger students, few had made a name for themselves. He had only heard that Lian Jiasheng from Xi Village had opened a small leather goods factory in Guangzhou. Even with just thirty or fifty workers, that made him quite a figure among the five towns. Alas...

Early the next morning, He Zhi Xing drove to the town government office and found Su Mei. He went straight to the point, explaining his thoughts. After a long explanation, Su Mei finally understood and asked, “Zhi Xing, are you saying you want to pick your own candidates? But from what I know, the people you want aren’t even home—they’re all working outside. How are you going to choose them? Isn’t this just wishful thinking?”

He Zhi Xing replied, “Can’t I take advantage of this election, use your position and name to invite them back to run for village chief? Let’s see how many will return. Even if just two or three come back, that would make my work much easier. I really don’t want those useless village chiefs who only think about taking advantage of the state and lining their own pockets. Honestly, I can’t stand those who secretly fatten themselves on state funds and wipe their mouths clean afterward.”

Su Mei asked, “So what do you want to do, exactly?”

“My idea is this: I’ll give you the names of a few promising and ambitious classmates and friends. You help me write them down. Then I’ll go to their villages one by one, find their parents, and ask them to call their children to see if they can come back. I’ll talk to them myself, ask them to return and run for village chief, and help build our hometown. I’ll share my plans and offer support. I believe that, if they hear me out, some of them will return.”