I couldn't take it anymore; when I went home for Chinese New Year, the family genealogy book ha

As dawn broke and the first rays of sunlight had not yet fully pierced through the thin mist, the entrance to the village committee compound in Jiangjia Village was already crowded with villagers eager to watch the spectacle.

Five huge trucks were parked there in a row, with a corner of the tarpaulin on the truck bed lifted to reveal a bright red area inside.

And bundles of colorful light strips wrapped around twinkling lights!

The bright red color was so dazzling that the villagers could hardly open their eyes.

"Oh my God, what is this thing?"

"Red lanterns? So many lanterns?!"

"Which big boss gave out this perk?!"

The villagers whispered among themselves, their faces filled with shock and curiosity.

Just then, Jiang Chen, along with Wang Dagou, Li Qiang, and more than twenty employees from the logistics company, walked over.

Jiang Chen held an old-fashioned megaphone and shouted in a loud voice:

"Dear fellow villagers, dear brothers and sisters!"

His voice pierced through the morning mist, reaching clearly into the ears of every villager.

Good morning, everyone!

Today is the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month!

"Was the Lantern Festival in our Jiangjia Village a bit quiet in the past?"

The villagers looked at each other and couldn't help but nod.

Yes, it's deserted, so deserted.

Jiang Chen waved his hand, pointing to the mountain of lanterns and colored lights behind him.

"Therefore! Today, I, Jiang Chen, have decided to give our Jiang Family Village a proper festival!"

"Our task today isn't to work, it's to hang lamps!"

"Every household can get two large lanterns for free at their doorstep! Anyone who wants more is welcome, as long as they can hang them up!"

"The trees lining both sides of the village road are all wrapped in colorful lights!"

"From this day forward, I want to make our Jiangjia Village the brightest and most vibrant village in the entire county!"

As soon as Jiang Chen said this, the entire village committee compound instantly erupted in excitement!

"Free lanterns?!"

"My goodness, Jiang Chen is really going all out!"

The villagers jostled and scrambled to get their lanterns as quickly as possible.

These villagers are usually quite active.

It's the Lunar New Year holiday now, and there's not much farm work to do, so everyone's basically just sitting around doing nothing.

Now that Jiang Chen has given the order, everyone has come out!

Some brought their own ladders, some brought electrical wires, and others brought pliers and scissors.

The entire village committee compound instantly transformed into a bustling construction site.

Jiang Chen's logistics company employees, dressed in uniform, moved quickly and in an orderly manner.

They are the main force behind this lighting project.

Wang Dagou and Li Qiang took the lead in their respective tasks.

Wang Dagou was in charge of organizing and coordinating, assigning tasks, and he had a loud voice, as if he wanted to call every household in the village to the scene.

Li Qiang led a security team, specifically responsible for high-altitude operations and electrical safety.

Holding insulated pliers, they deftly wrapped colored lights around the utility poles, their skills as practiced as special forces on a mission.

The colorful lights, coiled around the tree trunks on both sides of the village road, shimmered like colorful ribbons in the morning light.

One after another, bright red lanterns were hung high.

The villagers helped each other, some setting up ladders while others held them up, some tying ropes while others secured them, their faces filled with excitement and joy.

The scene was even more lively than during the Chinese New Year.

"It's crooked! Move it to the left! How did you guys hang it? You can't even hang a lantern straight!"

In the distance, Jiang Jianjun's familiar, loud voice could be heard.

Jiang Jianjun, the "chairman," was also busy.

Wearing a brand-new cotton-padded coat, he walked around the village with his hands behind his back, "inspecting" the village. If he saw that someone's lantern was crooked or that the colored lights were not wrapped evenly, he would give them a few pointers.

His face was filled with undisguised pride and smugness.

Now that his son is a big shot in the village, he, as the father, naturally has to put on airs.

This face was given to him by his son, so he has to cherish it.

Looking at this lively scene, Uncle Jiang Jianmin felt a pang of unease, as if a cat were scratching at his heart.

He stood in his own yard and said sourly to Sun Yumei next to him.

"What a waste of electricity and such a pointless exercise!"

"So many lanterns, so many colorful lights, how much electricity must this cost?"

"I think this is all just putting on a show of wealth when it's not; in the end, the cost will still be borne by the consumers!"

His voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for the neighbors to hear.

Several neighbors, holding lanterns, hesitated upon hearing Jiang Jianmin's words.

Yes, the lanterns are free, but what about the electricity?

If the village were to charge each household a share of the electricity bill, it would be a losing proposition.

Jiang Chen happened to be passing by, and with his sharp ears, he naturally overheard Jiang Jianmin's mutterings.

He stopped, turned around, looked at Jiang Jianmin, and had a faint smile on his face.

"Second Uncle, you're not right about that."

Jiang Chen's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear, reaching the ears of every villager present.

"Who pays the electricity bill? Of course, I do."

"Since I, Jiang Chen, said I would bring light to our village, I will definitely keep my word."

"I pay for not only the public streetlights, but also the electricity bills for the village committee compound."

"I can even promise that today in front of everyone!"

Jiang Chen's gaze swept over every villager present.

"From today until the sixteenth day of the first lunar month!"

"If any villagers hang lanterns or decorate their homes with colorful lights, I'll cover all the extra electricity bills for the next few days!"

"Everyone can just shine the lights and have fun to their heart's content; you don't need to spend a single penny!"

Jiang Chen's words were resounding and powerful.

The surrounding villagers erupted in uproar upon hearing this!

"What?! They even cover my electricity bill?!"

"My goodness, Jiang Chen is truly a living bodhisattva!"

"This is such a great deal! My light bulbs just happened to be broken!"

Jiang Jianmin, the second uncle, instantly turned a deep liver color.

He originally wanted to cause trouble and see Jiang Chen make a fool of himself.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Chen slapped him hard across the face.

And it happened in front of all the villagers; they beat him so badly he could hear the slaps.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but found that his throat was blocked by something, and he couldn't utter a single word.

He felt a burning pain on his face.

"What are we waiting for! Quick! Go and get two more lanterns!"

"Hanging it in the pigsty is fine too! It's free anyway!"

The usually stingy old folks in the village immediately got anxious when they heard they wouldn't have to pay for the electricity themselves.

They shouted at the top of their lungs, calling for their own grandson, as if afraid of being taken advantage of.

The entire Jiangjia Village was instantly transformed into a huge construction site filled with laughter and joy.

The large red lanterns swayed in the sunlight, and the colorful light strips flickered with tiny lights.

Everyone's face was filled with joy and anticipation.

They worked until sunset, tightening the last screw and wrapping the last ribbon of colored lights.

The village is filled with lanterns and colorful lights, like a vibrant painting.

Jiang Chen stood on the balcony of his second-floor apartment, holding a walkie-talkie in his hand.

He looked at the fruits of his labor after a busy day, a satisfied smile on his face.

The village's night is about to be filled with unprecedented light.

"Attention all units, this is the command center."

Jiang Chen spoke into the walkie-talkie, his voice steady and powerful.

"All personnel, listen to my command, three!"

His voice pierced through the darkness of the village night.

"two!"

The villagers fell silent, and all eyes were fixed on the high-hanging lanterns and the colorful lights wrapped around them.

"one!"

A confident smile curved Jiang Chen's lips.

"Lights on!"