Starting as a Train Driver to Enter the Ministry
Chapter 23 - The Final Step of the Founding Land Reform!

Chapter 23: The Final Step of the Founding Land Reform!

As they spoke, they arrived at the bus stop. Chen Maihua, carrying a basket on her back, stood excitedly by the station, occasionally waving to her classmates.

“Chen Maihua, aren’t you going to school today?”

Chen Maihua grinned. “We’re taking the bus to my grandma’s house! My brother got married, and we’re visiting the bride’s family!”

A group of children watched enviously as Chen Maihua, exempt from school for the day, boarded the bus.

Once on the bus, Shen Youchu first wiped the seat clean, then gestured for Chen Shi to sit before settling down beside him.

Tugging lightly on his sleeve, she whispered, “Are you tired? Mom filled a thermos with hot water before we left. Do you want a drink?”

Qin Huairu and Jia Dongxu sat directly behind Chen Shi and Shen Youchu. Hearing Shen Youchu’s question, Qin Huairu immediately mimicked her, asking Jia Dongxu, “Dongxu, do you want some water?”

Jia Dongxu, eyes gleaming with amusement, shot a challenging glance at the back of Chen Shi’s head and raised his voice slightly. “Yes!”

Chen Shi raised an eyebrow and turned to Shen Youchu. “Ah—you feed me.”

Shen Youchu blushed furiously. “There are too many people here… Can I feed you when we get home?”

Chen Shi pouted. “Then just let me die of thirst! I refuse to live! You’ll be a widow!”

SMACK!

The moment the words left his mouth, Tian Xiulan’s palm struck the back of his head. “You just got married, and you’re already spouting nonsense? Quick, say ‘peh peh peh’ to ward off bad luck!”

Seeing Chen Shi get scolded, Chen Maihua stuck out her tongue at him. “Nyah nyah, serves you right!”

Chen Shi turned to Shen Youchu with a pitiful look. “Mom hit me so hard I can’t lift my arm… Only a kiss can make it better.”

Shen Youchu looked like she was about to cry, pleading softly, “Please stop teasing me…”

In this era, though people had no entertainment at night other than procreation, they were extremely reserved during the day.

On the streets, let alone feeding someone water in public, men and women walking together deliberately kept a distance of three meters to avoid gossip.

If two people were alone together, even a single word could make their faces burn so red they’d wish to hide in their pants.

And here was Chen Shi, shamelessly demanding a kiss!

Chen Shi relented slightly. “Fine, if you feed me water, I’ll stop teasing. Otherwise, I’ll kiss you until you cry!”

Shen Youchu had no choice. She carefully unscrewed the thermos lid, glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then gently lifted it to Chen Shi’s lips. “Be careful… it’s hot.”

Chen Shi turned his head and smirked at Jia Dongxu. “Hehe, my wife’s feeding me water and even worried it might scald me. Oh no—don’t tell me you have a wife but still drink water by yourself? Really? Really?”

His exaggerated tone made Jia Dongxu so furious he nearly threw his own thermos. Gritting his teeth, he glared at Chen Shi, seething but unable to retaliate.

Having won another round against Jia Dongxu, Chen Shi hummed cheerfully, enjoying Shen Youchu’s gentle care as she fed him water.

He really had found a treasure of a girl.

Qin Huairu, trying to salvage the situation, asked Jia Dongxu, “Dongxu, are you hungry? Mom boiled two eggs for you this morning!”

Jia Dongxu snapped, “Not eating! Put them away!”

He was too angry to eat.

Hearing there were eggs, Chen Shi immediately turned around. “Hey, Dongxu, if you’re not eating, I’ll take one! We’re all neighbors—Uncle Yi always says we should help each other. I’m starving!”

Without waiting for a response, he snatched an egg from Qin Huairu’s hand.

Jia Dongxu, stunned by Chen Shi’s audacity, nearly choked on his rage. Fuming, he grabbed the remaining egg and began eating it aggressively.

Qin Huairu watched Jia Dongxu eat, her eyes filled with satisfaction. She had married a city worker—a man who ate eggs for breakfast.

Thank goodness I didn’t choose Chen Shi, she thought. The more she saw of him, the more she believed he was nothing but a scoundrel.

Chen Shi, now happily in possession of a free egg, cracked it open and split it in half, offering one part to Shen Youchu. “Here, wife, half for you!”

Qin Huairu’s pupils trembled. She was utterly shattered.

When Jia Dongxu ate the egg, he hadn’t even thought of sharing. Yet this street punk Chen Shi willingly gave half to his wife.

Tears welled in Qin Huairu’s eyes as she stared at Jia Dongxu, her expression full of grievance.

Jia Dongxu awkwardly turned his face away, clearing his throat. “I’m the man of the house. I need to stay strong for work so I can provide!”

Shen Youchu, however, shook her head and insisted Chen Shi eat the entire egg. She instead took out the pancake Tian Xiulan had given her and nibbled on it quietly.

The bus rumbled along, soon arriving at their stop.

As Chen Shi stepped off, the village loudspeakers in Qin Village blared:

“Land Re-examination and Ownership Confirmation!”

“Fellow villagers, land re-examination is a crucial step in our land reform! The reason we must re-examine is that the land reform movement swept through like a storm—revolutionary changes were completed in mere months. Due to its rapid pace, some oversights were inevitable.”

“Though the enemy has been largely defeated, remnants remain. Mistakes were made—some of our own were wrongly targeted, and corrections were delayed. Most importantly, the people’s ideological awareness and organizational readiness still have room for improvement. In some areas, our hard-won victories are not yet fully secured…”

Chen Shi listened briefly. Based on his pre-transmigration memories, this was the final phase of the founding land reform—land re-examination.

Beyond consolidating their victories, the second purpose was to standardize agricultural tax collection. The policy was clear: Survey the fields, fix the yields, and levy taxes accordingly.

If he remembered correctly, the initial agricultural tax rate was set at 13%—a significant reduction compared to the exploitative burdens of the old regime.

Whether in urban industrial construction or the rural Four-Nine City, the principle was the same: Fairness and stability were paramount.

Qin Huairu’s eyes flickered as she whispered to Jia Dongxu, “Before I married, my father said the village was busy with this—surveying fields and fixing yields. He mentioned that if we moved the boundary markers slightly toward the roadside, our family could gain an extra 1.3 mu of land. I wonder if it’ll work…”

Jia Dongxu replied blankly, “It should…?”

Chen Shi knew better. This was impossible. The land survey was precise—not an inch of discrepancy was allowed.

Shen Youchu also mentioned her mother had tried adjusting the markers, but it likely wouldn’t succeed.

Chen Lao’han turned to Jia Dongxu. “Dongxu, you go ahead with Huairu to her family. I’ll take Little Chen Shi to the East Village first—his grandparents are waiting.”