Volume One, Chapter Sixteen: Combating Desertification and Achieving Prosperity

"Dapeng, you ride your work's motorcycle and always park it in front of my house. That's not a good look. You should go patrol. Zhang Shengli and I can cook for my dad ourselves," Zhou Ling said politely, hinting at him to leave.

"But..." Liu Dapeng hesitated, scratching the back of his head. "My mom told me to help you cook. If I go back now... she'll scold me again."

"You really are an obedient child!" Zhou Ling sneered, pursing her lips. "You're already a grown man, yet you still listen to your mother like a child?"

"I..." Liu Dapeng's cheeks flushed red. He stood there awkwardly, unsure whether to stay or go.

Zhang Shengli quickly stepped in to ease the tension. "Let Officer Liu cook with us. He needs lunch too. We'll eat together, and then he can head back to work."

"Exactly! I don't even have a place to eat today. My parents are both working overtime!" Liu Dapeng smiled gratefully at Zhang Shengli for providing him an excuse.

"All right..." Zhou Ling couldn't insist on sending Liu Dapeng away and led both him and Zhang Shengli into the house, heading to the kitchen in the corner of the courtyard.

"Dapeng, start peeling the scallions. Zhang Shengli and I will check how many people my father needs to feed today," Zhou Ling instructed Liu Dapeng, then pulled Zhang Shengli along to the main house entrance.

Inside, they heard Zhou Yun speaking with several others.

"I've spent quite some time stationed in the lower townships and discovered that our biggest problems in Shacheng County are twofold: controlling the sand and increasing wealth," Zhou Yun said. "Shacheng is surrounded by desert on three sides. Over the years, the sand has encroached, people have retreated, and sandstorms grow ever more frequent. The ecological crisis is severe. If we don't make a determined effort to control the sand, Shacheng will be buried. I believe everyone here understands that clearly."

"Controlling the sand is Shacheng's top priority. Everyone knows it! If the Badain Jaran Desert and the Tengger Desert merge, Shacheng will cease to exist!"

"Half of our county's history is the struggle against sand. Ever since our ancestors, we've never relaxed our efforts to control it!"

"If the sand buries Shacheng in our generation, we will have failed our ancestors and wronged our descendants!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"And then there's the matter of prosperity..." Zhou Yun continued. "From the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee seven or eight years ago until now, we've had a decade of reform and opening up. Since the implementation of the household contract system, our people in Shacheng have enough to eat and wear, but life is still tight...

Some rural families with many children can't afford to keep their kids in school because of poor financial conditions. That's a failure on our part as officials!

After much consideration, I believe the villagers' mindset hasn't yet changed. They grow only a single variety of crops, and the economic returns are too low...

Take Qinghu Township, near the Tengger Desert—mostly sandy and saline land. The villagers still plant wheat as before, with low yields, just enough for their own consumption, and almost no economic benefit...

If we can help them free their minds, adapt to local conditions, and switch to cash crops, their income will surely multiply...

The honeydew melon I had you taste earlier was a gift from a young man in Qinghu Township. It's exceptionally sweet and should sell easily!"

"Indeed! That melon is so sweet it catches in the throat. If we grow more, they'll fetch a good price!"

"I know Qinghu Township. The large temperature difference between day and night makes its sandy soil ideal for melons. It should work well!"

"Not just honeydew, but also seed melons—there's strong demand in the market now. If we can grow them, the returns might be even better than honeydew!"

"There's also fennel, cotton, sunflower... These cash crops can be promoted in other townships according to local conditions..."

Everyone eagerly offered ideas and suggestions.

"Alright, you all hold a meeting with the agricultural institute, expedite the research, and next year start pilot projects for cash crops in some townships. If it works, we'll expand the initiative," Zhou Yun said.

Outside the door, Zhou Ling listened until the conversation wound down, then lifted the curtain and entered the main house with Zhang Shengli.

Inside sat five or six officials, gathered around Zhou Yun, discussing work. On the table lay the remains of the honeydew, the very one Zhang Shengli had brought.

"Ah, Lingzi, it's been days since I saw you. You've grown into a fine young lady!"

"I heard you now work at the supply and marketing cooperative?"

"We'll have to stay in your good graces, Lingzi. Who knows when we'll need you to buy some rare goods!"

The men all stood, greeting Zhou Ling warmly.

"Uncles, you only ever tease me!" Zhou Ling pouted playfully. "If you keep making fun of me, I won't cook for you at lunch!"

"Listen to her! Now that she's working, she's got some real attitude!"

"Exactly, she's even more formidable than Director Su!"

"When she gets married one day, who knows how fierce she'll be!"

The men continued to joke with Zhou Ling.

"Oh, you just keep going..." Zhou Ling blushed despite herself.

"You shouldn't spoil her so much. You've made her impossible to marry off!" Zhou Yun waved his hand with a smile. "As usual, everyone stay for lunch and have a taste of Lingzi's cooking!"

"County Chief Zhou, Director Su is working overtime today, so we'll take our leave and eat at home."

"Yes, usually with Director Su here, we can shamelessly mooch a meal, but with him gone, it's embarrassing to ask Lingzi to cook for so many!"

"We'll head out now!"

The men stood to say their goodbyes.

"What do you mean? You think my cooking isn't good enough? Today I even invited a master chef. I guarantee the food will be better than my mother's!" Zhou Ling laughed.

"A master chef? Where?"

The men exchanged puzzled looks.

"Right here!" Zhou Ling pulled Zhang Shengli forward, smiling. "He's Zhang Shengli, the master chef of Qinghu Township. His uncle is Master Wang from the county water conservancy bureau—you must have heard of him? Zhang Shengli learned his skills from his uncle!"

"Master Wang from the water bureau? I know him! He learned his craft at Lanzhou Friendship Hotel and is Shacheng's most famous chef!"

"Come the twelfth lunar month, families wanting to hire Master Wang for weddings or funerals can't even get a spot!"

"If young Zhang is Master Wang's nephew and apprentice, his cooking must be excellent!"

Everyone nodded, recognizing Zhang Shengli's uncle.

"Alright, stay for lunch. We still have matters to discuss and settle," Zhou Yun said, looking up at Zhang Shengli. "Young Zhang, have you registered your name?"

"I have," Zhang Shengli replied quickly.

"Then please, work hard and help Zhou Ling cook lunch," Zhou Yun smiled.

"No problem, I'll get right to it!" Zhang Shengli answered, a bit nervous.

Those gathered at Zhou Yun's house were surely major officials in Shacheng County, at least on par with Zhao Changqing. With Zhou Ling boasting about his cooking, Zhang Shengli felt the pressure.

"Just wait for a delicious meal!" Zhou Ling said, pulling Zhang Shengli out of the main house and into the kitchen, where Liu Dapeng had already peeled a huge bundle of scallions.

"Why did you peel so many scallions? Are we just eating scallions?" Zhou Ling exclaimed irritably.

"But... you told me to peel scallions," Liu Dapeng answered with a simple smile, wiping away tears caused by the scallions.

"You really are a blockhead. I said peel scallions, but couldn't you also peel garlic and prep the vegetables?" Zhou Ling scolded him, still annoyed.

"I..." Liu Dapeng lowered his head helplessly, like a child who had done something wrong.