Li Xiang said there was no need for thanks, as they were all family.

Going back a few generations, they really were all one big family.

It was worth mentioning that when Li Xiang worked, he integrated his Breathing Technique and Body Techniques, causing a Misty Radiance to emanate from his entire body. The physical labor also made his internal heat and Spiritual Power circulate, giving his face a healthy, red glow. Everyone praised him for how handsome he looked.

"Xiang Ya is so good-looking. When he goes on blind dates during the New Year, he’ll definitely make all the young ladies swoon."

Many of the aunties in the village had already arranged potential matches for Li Xiang, just waiting for the girls to return home for the New Year to meet him.

...

Li Xiang helped people all the way to Village Chief Li Jinyu’s house. The village chief was incredibly gratified. He invited Li Xiang in for tea and pastries. He had seen Li Xiang’s performance and was delighted by it. ’This really is a fine successor.’

The village chief had to be a local, elected by the villagers. With Li Xiang’s reputation growing ever higher, his election was more or less a foregone conclusion. As for the village’s Party secretary, the position could be held concurrently by the village chief. In over 95% of rural areas, this "one-person-two-hats" arrangement was the norm.

Of course, the Party secretary also had to be elected, but this was done by the branch’s Party member assembly. In special circumstances, they could also be directly appointed by a higher-level organization.

Li Xiang had joined the Party in college. If Li Jinyu nominated him to the higher-ups, he could easily become a candidate. The rest would just be a formality.

This was because the positions of village chief and Party secretary were not considered civil service or state-affiliated roles, so no examination was required.

Only college-graduate village officials needed to take an exam. In some developed regions where the benefits were good and competition was fierce, an exam was also necessary.

That’s because college-graduate village officials were different. After their term ended, they could enjoy various employment benefits, such as getting a position within the state system or applying for selected trainee programs. A person chosen through a normal village election didn’t have this "room for advancement."

Li Xiang didn’t refuse the "olive branch" Li Jinyu offered. This was his hometown, and he planned to "develop" his base here. After taking on both roles, many things would become much more convenient.

He already had a detailed plan to build, step by step, a small-to-medium-sized base here. It was just that the time wasn’t right yet, and he didn’t have enough money.

He had no confidence in saving Earth or all of humanity, but sheltering ten or twenty thousand people, maybe even a hundred thousand, and preserving the kindling of civilization—that was a challenge he could take on.

In his past life, he was just a "small fry." Although he had a system in this life, he still didn’t harbor any grand ambitions.

After finishing shoveling the snow at the village chief’s house, Li Xiang finally arrived at Jiang Cai’Er’s home on the east side of the village.

Jiang Cai’Er, of course, wasn’t home. If she were, she definitely would have contacted him.

Although Li Xiang had bought her a phone last time, her school didn’t allow them, fearing they would affect students’ studies. So, Jiang Cai’Er left her phone at home, only using it during school holidays.

"Aunt Jiang, where’s Uncle?" Most of the snow at Jiang Cai’Er’s house had already been shoveled, with only a bit of icy slush left. Her mother was sweeping it up, so Li Xiang asked.

Jiang Cai’Er’s mother said, "He went to the school to pick up Cai’Er. Just left. Look."

Li Xiang looked in the direction she pointed. Sure enough, on the road at the village entrance, he could see a tractor moving through the snow in the distance. The figure on it was faintly recognizable as Jiang Jianguo.

Actually, Li Xiang wanted to go too, but it would have been awkward to ask.

Li Xiang saw some large chunks of snow that Aunt Jiang was struggling to sweep, so he went over to help shovel them away with his spade. Aunt Jiang started chatting with him as he worked.

She said a teacher from the school had just called this morning to inform them. Originally, there was still one day left before the holiday break, but because of the sudden heavy snow, the students’ clothes were too thin. They were worried the students would freeze, so they needed their families to bring more clothes.

But, if the parents were able to come, why not just pick up the children and take them home? Since there was only one day left anyway, they decided to let them out early.

As soon as Jiang Cai’Er’s father got the news, he set out immediately. He owned a four-wheel-drive farm tractor, the kind with two exceptionally large rear wheels. He wrapped iron chains around all four tires and drove off with a RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE.

Looking in the direction he had gone, Li Xiang could still see the tracks the tractor had left in the snow.

Li Xiang was still watching from afar when suddenly, the tractor’s front end lifted up, and it flipped over into the snow.

"Oh no!" Aunt Jiang cried out in alarm. She quickly threw down her broom, about to run over. Fortunately, at the site of the accident, a figure quickly climbed back up and began circling the tractor, seemingly unharmed. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Li Xiang stopped Aunt Jiang and said, "I’ll give Uncle a call."

Aunt Jiang stopped.

In their family, only Jiang Jianguo had a cell phone. Although Jiang Cai’Er had one later, it was the one Li Xiang had bought for her, and it was currently in her bedroom. The couple wouldn’t dare to touch it.

Li Xiang took out his phone, dialed Jiang Jianguo, and asked about the situation. Then he handed the phone to Aunt Jiang so the couple could talk for a bit.

Jiang Jianguo said he was fine, but he couldn’t get the tractor flipped back over. Li Xiang quickly said from the side, "Wait for me, I’m on my way!"

It seemed the tractor had flipped into a ditch. With the heavy snow making everything slippery, and the tractor being so heavy, it was indeed difficult for Jiang Jianguo to right it on his own.

So, Li Xiang set off. Aunt Jiang called out from behind, telling him to be careful.

Li Xiang shouted back, "Don’t worry, Aunt Jiang! I’m here! I guarantee I’ll bring Uncle and Cai’Er back safely."

Watching Li Xiang leave, Aunt Jiang’s anxiety eased slightly. From Xiang’Er’s tone, it sounded like he wasn’t just going to help move the tractor, but would also go along to pick her up. ’That’s good,’ she thought. ’Two people are always safer than one.’

When Li Xiang arrived, Jiang Jianguo had already been struggling for a long time. He was getting on in years, after all, and was panting with exertion. He really couldn’t do anything about this big hunk of iron.

Luckily, Li Xiang was there. He settled into a horse stance, bent down, and gripped the tractor’s frame with both hands. He channeled his Breathing Technique and Body Techniques and let out a sharp cry as he heaved. Jiang Jianguo helped from the side.

Jiang Jianguo had thought that even with both of them, it would be a huge effort and they might not even manage it. Who would have known? He suddenly felt the weight on his hands lighten. Before he could even react—holy cow, the tractor was already upright.

’This kid has some serious brute force! Look at those rippling muscles.’ Jiang Jianguo gave Li Xiang a surprised look, wondering, ’Did he really spend the last few years just studying at a university?’

Afterward, Jiang Jianguo picked up a bag from the snow, which contained the coat he’d brought for Jiang Cai’Er, and hung it back on the rollover protection frame.

Thankfully, he was unharmed because of this big "iron frame." In the past, older tractors didn’t have rollover protection frames, and countless people had been seriously injured or even killed.

This rollover protection frame could also be used to install a canopy, but Jiang Jianguo hadn’t installed one.

Of course, the thick snow had also cushioned his fall to some extent.

After checking the tractor’s condition and seeing it was fine, Jiang Jianguo climbed into the driver’s seat and started it up again. With Li Xiang pushing from behind, the tractor quickly got back on the road.