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Conducting public opinion surveys on sensitive topics like NIMBY ("Not in My Backyard") facilities among China's rural population (often voiceless) is challenging. To advance relevant research, a new mixed-method approach is proposed in this paper based on fieldwork in Huizhou, China, concerning the T Nuclear Power Plant. The approach combines the paper-and-pencil interviewer-administered questionnaires (PAPIAQ) and bystanding interviews (BI). While PAPIAQ prioritizes researcher neutrality, potentially creating a barrier for less educated respondents, BI fosters deeper interaction and clarifies responses. This strengthens both data reliability (through PAPIAQ illustration) and BI text validity (through deeper understanding). Coded BI texts and statistically analysed PAPIAQ data (via elaboration procedure) ultimately generate a more valid and reliable understanding of rural sentiments on sensitive issues.