Chapter 21: It Has Arrived

Shen Yi and his men helped Professor Lian move into his new quarters. The professor did not have many daily necessities, but he did have a collection of private books that required careful handling and had to be kept out of sight.

"Girl, come here," Professor Lian said, sitting on a small stool and beckoning Ji Ling over.

"This is a formula I studied in my spare time. I haven't had the chance to put it into practice many times, so take a look and see if it's feasible. If not, I can make adjustments."

Ji Ling took the paper from the professor’s hand. The first thing that caught her eye were the bold characters: "A Study on Mutton Fat Soap." Her eyes widened, and the corners of her mouth curled upward. Looking from the paper to the professor, she realized she had been limiting her perspective by focusing only on food and clothing, never considering such possibilities.

"Thank you, Professor Lian. It’s definitely feasible! This is a tremendous gift for us. I’ll see if I can get you some more mutton fat. I’ve heard that if the proportions aren't right, it won't set properly."

"Also, Professor, could we add essential oils or fragrances to the mutton fat soap? I’m thinking of creating some molds to make different varieties, and perhaps adding different ingredients to categorize them for washing hair, bathing, or laundry."

"That’s possible; I can certainly try. As for the other materials, don't you worry—this lad here will take care of it." Professor Lian cast a glance at Shen Yi. Compared to Ji Ling, he found the young man increasingly lackluster.

"Ji Ling! Ji Ling!" Just as the three were deep in discussion, Brother Qiang, Grandma Zhen’s son, ran in, panting heavily. "Ji Ling, hurry! The people from above are arriving soon. The village chief told me to fetch you immediately."

Ji Ling paused, her brows furrowing. This sudden development made her tap her fingers on the table as she began to weigh her options.

In the August heat, the sun blazed like fire. The entire village was shrouded in a thin layer of shimmering heat waves.

Under the large locust tree at the entrance of the village, the village chief, the other village cadres, and Secretary Li were craning their necks, peering into the distance with anticipation.

Ji Ling checked her appearance: she was wearing a slightly wrinkled white shirt and black high-waisted straight-leg trousers. Her long, lustrous hair was swept up into a high bun, making her look both refined and capable.

Elderly folks stood along the sides of the road, discussing the event with great excitement. "I heard inspectors from above are coming. I wonder what it will be like?"

"Goodness, my old bones have never seen anyone from the higher-ups."

"Indeed, indeed. Who would have thought that leaders would ever visit a village as poor as ours?"

"It’s all thanks to that girl, Ji Ling."

"Right, right. If it weren't for her, we wouldn't have anything to look forward to."

As the crowd murmured, a dilapidated car slowly crawled into the village. The vehicle looked like a model retired generations ago, rattling violently along the road. Seeing how narrow and bumpy the village path was, the officials stepped out of the car.

Ji Ling and the cadres hurried forward to greet them.

The car door opened, and the first to emerge was the director of the commune's Women's Federation.

She spotted Ji Ling immediately, her face breaking into a bright smile. She took Ji Ling’s hand warmly and said, "You must be Ji Ling. The article you wrote truly spoke to the hearts of us women. Your words are simple yet powerful, capturing the diligence and resilience of rural women with such clarity."

"Ji Ling, to be honest, I’ve come today specifically to invite you to join our Women's Federation. What do you say?"