Chapter 260: In Prosperity, Remember Your Roots [6400 Words]

Chapter 260: In Prosperity, Remember Your Roots [6400 Words]



Fried bee larvae, fried squid, fried peanuts, garlic stir-fried chicken, yellow stir-fried meat, steamed eggs, stir-fried winter melon, pickled garlic sprouts, seasonal greens, and a glass noodle soup with sandworms—though the dishes weren’t numerous, the portions were generous, and the flavors were exquisite.

No one needed to be told how good Deng Shirong’s cooking was. Liu Ai Hong, who was tasting her uncle’s cuisine for the first time, was utterly amazed.

While she had always known her uncle was a skilled cook, she never imagined he could be this good. Even Zhang Guofu, a renowned chef, seemed to fall short in comparison.

Especially the fried bee larvae and squid—those were truly exceptional.

This meal left Liu Ai Hong more satisfied than usual. She even shared a half bowl of rice wine with her cousin Ah Zhen, truly enjoying herself.

After the hearty meal, Liu Ai Hong felt a sudden urge to cry. Before she married, she rarely ate meat at her parents’ home, and when she did, it was just a small taste. She had never had the luxury of eating her fill.

To say it bluntly, she had never grown tired of eating pork at her parents’ home. It wasn’t until she married Bu Dash and started working at her uncle’s restaurant that she began enjoying meat every day. Now, returning to her uncle’s home and having such a delicious dinner, she realized how hard her life had been before.

Marrying the right person was truly a blessing!

...

After dinner, the family gathered around the fire with their relatives to chat.

Zhang Xiuping spread her hands out, roasting them by the fire and smiling, “Dad, your wooden pavilion looks really nice. I bet it will be much cooler to sit in during the summer than inside the house.”

Deng Shirong smiled, “I had the family of Aunt Mei build it. They have three generations of carpenters, and their skills are well-known in the area.”

Deng Yunzhen asked, “Dad, you’re just going to leave the TV outside?” Although they hadn’t been home when their father bought the TV, they had heard about it.

Deng Shirong replied, “Too many people come to watch TV every day. If I put it inside, the house would be packed. It’s better to keep it outside; that way, it doesn’t matter how many people come.”

Deng Yuntai asked, “Dad, how many channels can we get?”

Deng Shirong said, “We can get four channels: Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, and CCTV. The TV show starts at 6:30. If you want to watch, go take a shower now. The water is hot, so you can fill up the hot water and then continue boiling more.”

In those days, rural areas had no running water, no water heaters, and no gas. In the summer, they washed with cold water, and in the winter, they heated water with firewood.

Typically, the cooking stoves in rural homes had several burners connected to a pot at the back. When cooking, the fire would heat the pot, which the locals called a “tail pot.” The water in the tail pot was used for showers.

If there were many people in the family and the hot water ran out, they would start another pot to boil more water.

In the Deng family, with many members, they used a lot of firewood if everyone showered daily. So, in the winter, the younger ones showered every other day, while adults showered every day.

Even in Deng Shirong’s home, which was better off, children usually just washed their faces and feet, showering every two to three days. Adults also showered every other day.

Firewood was scarce in those days, especially after the hills were divided among households. You could only gather firewood from your own hill. If you didn’t cut trees, the grass alone wouldn’t suffice.

After all, grass takes time to grow, and you couldn’t cut it every day.

Fortunately, the village had been planting orchards this year, and everyone had cut down the trees on their hills, so they had a temporary surplus of firewood.

But as the saying goes, "If you don’t plan for the future, you’ll have problems in the present." Once the hills were planted with fruit trees, the source of firewood would be cut off. To gather more firewood, they would either have to go to public hills or steal from others.

In short, firewood was an essential resource for every household, and without a stable supply, they had to use it sparingly.

Hearing this, the family members took turns to shower.

Soon, the villagers began bringing their stools to reserve spots for watching TV. They naturally greeted Deng Yuntai and the others with friendly chats.

After six o’clock, more and more villagers gathered to watch TV.

Seeing so many people come to watch, Deng Yunzhen and the others understood why their father had placed the TV outside. If it had been inside, the house would have been packed to the brim.

At 6:30, Deng Shirong turned on the TV.

Although he had bought it, Deng Shirong rarely watched it himself. He had little interest in the TV shows of that era, except for the Spring Festival Gala, which he looked forward to.

So, after turning on the TV, he let his children and the villagers enjoy it while he returned to the fire to warm himself.

Soon, Zhang Xiuping finished her shower. She had washed her hair and sat by the fire, drying and combing it.

Deng Shirong said, "Aiping, I’ve saved a spot for you. You can go watch TV now."

Zhang Xiuping replied, "I’ll watch TV later. My hair is still wet, so I’ll dry it first. I also want to update you on the restaurant’s business this year."

In July, Deng Shirong had used the system space to earn over 200,000 yuan in just a few days. While the restaurant’s profits weren’t a major concern for him, he had set it up as a practice ground for his son and daughter-in-law, so he naturally wanted to know how they were managing it.

"Alright, go ahead and tell me!"

Zhang Xiuping, who handled the restaurant’s accounts, rattled off the numbers effortlessly: "Dad, our restaurant opened on May 18th. As of yesterday, it has been operating for a little over seven months. The total revenue is 25,687 yuan, with a net profit of 12,493 yuan. On average, we make about 1,780 yuan per month."

Hearing this, Deng Shirong nodded with a smile. "That’s pretty good. Since the three of you are mainly responsible for the restaurant, each of you is earning around 600 yuan a month. That’s not bad, considering the pottery factory that Yun Gui and I run isn’t much better.

Moreover, the pottery factory doesn’t have much room for growth. It’s good to maintain our current income, but the restaurant’s current earnings are just the beginning. With the country’s reform and opening up, farmers are becoming wealthier, and everyone’s living standards are improving. More people will be dining out, so as long as you manage it well, the restaurant’s business should only get better."

Zhang Xiuping had been managing the restaurant for over half a year. Excluding large customers like the bicycle parts factory, the revenue had been increasing month by month.

Therefore, she fully agreed with her father-in-law. "Dad, you’re right. Our restaurant’s business is indeed getting better. The main reason is that we don’t have any competitors. State-owned restaurants have poor environments and service that can’t compare to ours. I believe next year’s business will be even better than this year’s."

Deng Shirong smiled. "Just do your best and gain more management experience. Let Yun Tai network more and build useful social connections. In a few years, when the time is right, I’ll have you take on a more promising business."

The restaurant was just a practice ground for his son and daughter-in-law. His goal for them had always been to run a chain of supermarkets.

Zhang Xiuping didn’t know her father-in-law’s plans or what business he intended for them, but she knew he had high expectations. The more promising business he mentioned would definitely be more profitable than running a restaurant.

She also guessed that this new business might be related to the second and third floors of the restaurant. After all, her father-in-law had invested a lot of money into building the three-story building, and it wasn’t just for show. Combining this with his words, the answer seemed clear.

Of course, even if she guessed that the second and third floors were related to the new business, she couldn’t figure out what kind of business it would be. Her father-in-law’s foresight was far superior to hers, so she would just follow his lead when the time came.

After discussing the restaurant’s profits and future, Zhang Xiuping said, "Dad, we’ve decided to reopen the restaurant on the 16th of the first lunar month next year. We’ve also discussed the year-end bonuses. Everyone will get a month’s salary as a bonus, and we’ve given Grandpa Zhang 100 yuan. Do you think this is okay?"

Deng Shirong praised her, "You’ve done a great job."

Encouraged by her father-in-law’s words, Zhang Xiuping smiled and said, "Dad, I’ve saved all the restaurant’s profits in the bank. I’ll bring you the passbook tomorrow."

Deng Shirong waved his hand. "Why give it to me? Keep it yourself. In the future, save all the money the restaurant earns and use it for other businesses."

Touched by her father-in-law’s trust, Zhang Xiuping shook her head. "Dad, I can’t keep the money. It’s the money you borrowed from the credit union, and it needs to be paid back. You’ve invested all of it into the restaurant, and if we don’t take the profits, how will we pay it back?"

Deng Shirong smiled. "Don’t worry about it. I have my ways. Just keep saving the money. If I need it, I’ll ask you for it."

Zhang Xiuping thought for a moment and said, "Alright, I’ll keep the money safe and won’t touch a penny. If you need it, just let me know, and I’ll give it to you."

Deng Shirong poked the burning charcoal with a fire stick and said, "Spend the money when you need to. Saving alone won’t do much. The key is to earn more. If you earn money but don’t spend it, what’s the point of earning it?"

Zhang Xiuping smiled and agreed, but in her heart, she decided to spend small amounts but not large ones. Even though her father-in-law seemed unconcerned about the large loan from the bank and seemed to have a way to handle it, she would still be cautious and save where she could until the loan was paid off.

After chatting with her father-in-law for a while and drying her hair halfway, Zhang Xiuping said, "Dad, you stay here and warm yourself by the fire. I’ll go watch TV."

Deng Shirong nodded. "Go ahead. I’ve saved a spot for you."

...

The next day.

After breakfast, Bu Dashishi said, "Uncle, we’re heading back now!"

Deng Shirong nodded and said to his eldest daughter, "Azhen, give your cousins a few pounds of squid to take back."

Deng Yunzhen responded and went back to the kitchen to fetch the squid.

Bu Dashishi hurriedly refused, "Uncle, there's no need. Keep the squid for your drinking sessions."

Deng Shirong smiled, "I have plenty here. I’ve taught you how to fry it. Take some back for the New Year. You can also bring some to your in-laws on the second day of the New Year when you visit with your wife."

Bu Dashishi knew his uncle was generous and always kept a well-stocked pantry, so he didn’t argue much. After his cousin brought the squid over, he said a few polite words and had his wife accept it.

After saying goodbye to the rest of the family, the couple left happily with the squid and their luggage.

Seeing her younger sister and a few younger brothers vying to take Xiaodong out to play, Zhang Xiuping greeted her father-in-law and then headed to her friend Ouguo Hua’s house.

Yesterday had been busy, and although she had seen her friends Ouguo Fang and Ouguo Hua, they had only managed a brief chat. Now that she had some free time, she naturally wanted to catch up properly.

Ten minutes later, Zhang Xiuping and Ouguo Hua arrived at Ouguo Fang’s house.

"Xiping, you’re here! Come in and warm yourself by the fire. Dong, get the water boiling for tea. Fang, you and your sisters chat while I prepare lunch by killing a chicken."

This was said by Yunfeng’s wife. When her daughter-in-law, Ouguo Fang, had gone to the county town to give birth, Zhang Xiuping’s family had warmly hosted them. They had a dedicated room and ate at fancy restaurants every day. She had never forgotten their kindness. Moreover, this year’s early and prolonged cold and frost had been unprecedented. If it hadn’t been for Uncle Jiu’s early warning, their oxen would have surely been among those that froze to death.

Given all these reasons, it was no surprise that Yunfeng’s wife was so enthusiastic.

Zhang Xiuping waved her hands, "Yunfeng’s wife, there’s no need to be so formal. We’re just visiting, not relatives. You don’t have to go through all this trouble. We’ll just chat, and you don’t need to worry about us."

"My chicken is nice and fat, waiting for you to return. You must stay for lunch today."

"Yunfeng’s wife, really, it’s not necessary."

"I’m not being formal. If you refuse, that’s being formal."

"Um..."

Seeing Yunfeng’s wife already heading to catch the chicken, Zhang Xiuping couldn’t refuse anymore. She glared at her friends, "Why aren’t you saying anything?"

Ouguo Fang joked, "What’s there to say? I can take advantage of your presence to eat more chicken."

Ouguo Hua also laughed, "Today, we all get to benefit from Sister Ping’s visit."

Zhang Xiuping: "..."

After a bit of banter, Ouguo Fang led the two friends into the room and said, "Sister Ping, my mother-in-law isn’t just being grateful for the hospitality in the county town. There’s also a great favor from your father-in-law!"

Zhang Xiuping was surprised, "A great favor from my father-in-law?"

Ouguo Fang didn’t answer directly but said, "Sister Ping, since you’ve been in the county town, you might not know how severe this year’s cold and frost have been. Many villages have lost not only sweet potatoes and tobacco but also countless oxen."

Zhang Xiuping really hadn’t known. People in the county town didn’t farm, and the conditions in nearby villages were much better than in the rural communes. There were no reports of frozen oxen, and the loss of crops like sweet potatoes and tobacco was considered minor and not worth mentioning.

Hearing her friend’s words, she was genuinely surprised, "No way? Even oxen froze to death?"

Seeing that her friend was genuinely unaware, Ouguo Fang and Ouguo Hua took turns explaining the impact of the frost on various villages and communes. Zhang Xiuping listened in shock, realizing the extent of the damage caused by this year’s cold weather.

After explaining the severe consequences of the cold and frost, Ouguo Fang smiled and asked, "Sister Ping, our Bangjie village is the only one in the county where no oxen froze to death. Do you know why?"

Zhang Xiuping wasn’t stupid. She quickly figured it out, "This has something to do with my father-in-law?"

Ouguo Fang nodded, "You guessed right. It’s because of your father-in-law."

Ouguo Hua continued, "In the eighth month of the lunar calendar, Uncle Jiu predicted that this winter would be extremely cold based on an old saying: 'Rain in early August, winter will freeze the oxen.'

He then told the team leader and gathered the entire village to warn everyone to prepare their oxen for the cold."

Ouguo Fang added, "He specifically sent someone to inform my father-in-law to prepare in advance. That’s why our oxen are still alive and well."

Hearing this, Zhang Xiuping finally understood. No wonder Yunfeng’s wife had been so enthusiastic. There was more to it than just gratitude.

She knew that the dozen or so oxen at the Yunfeng family were their most important assets. If anything happened to them, the loss would be enormous.

Understanding the reason, Zhang Xiuping couldn't help but admire her father-in-law. To be able to predict such a rare extreme weather event after so many decades, her father-in-law was truly amazing.

After talking about her father-in-law, the three sisters then caught up on their recent lives.

Overall, all three sisters were doing well.

There was no need to mention Zhang Xiuping; among the tens of thousands of women in the county, very few could match her comfortable life.

Ou Guohua was also doing well. Although her mother-in-law and sister-in-law might not like her, her husband was the backbone of the family and always stood up for her. No matter how dissatisfied they were, they only dared to grumble in private and never said a bad word to her face.

As for Ou Guofang, her life was getting better and better, especially after she gave birth to a son. Her status in the family had changed completely.

They chatted for what seemed like hours until Yunfeng's wife called them for dinner. The three sisters smiled at each other and walked out of the room.

...

As the New Year approached, every household began to prepare for the holiday, cleaning the house, making various types of glutinous rice cakes, and those with the means started slaughtering pigs for the New Year. Even those who couldn't afford to slaughter a pig would buy a few pounds of pork.

On the 28th day of the 12th lunar month, Deng Shirong led his children and their spouses to make glutinous rice cakes, a must-have for the New Year.

Meanwhile, in the capital city, Deng Yunheng and over a dozen fellow Guangxi natives, including Song Yu, braved the cold to climb the Great Wall at Badaling.

The cold wind howled, and snowflakes danced in the air, covering the bricks of the Great Wall. The dozen people stood atop the wall, gazing at the vast snowy landscape, feeling as if they were in a fairy-tale wonderland. Their faces were filled with awe.

All they could see was a vast expanse of white, almost covering the entire world in snow. Snowflakes flew from the peaks of the mountains, and thick fog enveloped the Great Wall. In the distance, layer upon layer of mountains emerged, vast and majestic, like a poem come to life.

Song Yu exclaimed, "What a beautiful snow scene!"

Deng Yunheng couldn't help but recite the leader's poem: "The northern landscape, a thousand miles of ice, ten thousand miles of snow. Looking at the Great Wall, all that remains is a vast wilderness; the great river, suddenly losing its turbulent flow. The mountains dance like silver snakes, the plateaus gallop like waxen elephants, eager to challenge the heavens."

"I've known this poem for a long time and understood its meaning, but only now do I truly grasp the poetic imagery it conveys. This snow scene is truly breathtaking!"

Liu Xiaoman, also filled with awe, said, "Although we had to wait for over ten days for this snow, seeing such a beautiful scene makes it all worth it, even if we had to wait another ten days."

Zhao Changzheng couldn't help but praise, "This snow scene is indeed breathtaking. We all owe it to Song Yu for suggesting this trip."

Song Yu smiled, "You boys have taken care of our food and lodging for the past ten days. It's we three girls who should be thanking you."

Lin Jianjun added, "Song, if you want to thank someone, thank the president and Brother Heng. They covered most of the expenses, and we all benefited from their generosity."

Earlier, Deng Yunheng had said in front of everyone that the three girls' food and lodging would be covered by the boys to take care of the financially struggling Ding Qiulan. But with his emotional intelligence, he couldn't really let the boys split the cost equally. In private, he and Zhao Changzheng, the president, agreed to cover the majority of the expenses, while the other boys would contribute according to their means.

Lin Jianjun, feeling grateful, now openly credited the president and Brother Heng as the main contributors.

Song Yu, who knew the most about Deng Yunheng's family background, had already suspected as much. Hearing Lin Jianjun's words, she now understood even more clearly. She immediately smiled and thanked the president and Deng Yunheng.

Liu Xiaoman and Ding Qiulan naturally joined in the thanks.

"Don't be so formal, we're all fellow Guangxi natives," Deng Yunheng waved his hand and joked, "All of you here are promising Peking University students. Right now, the president and I still have the chance to help you, but once you start your careers and become important leaders, the president and I might not even be able to get a spot at your dinner table!"

Zhao Changzheng laughed heartily, "Brother Heng is right. You all will be important leaders, and we are just trying to curry favor with you in advance!"

"Ha, Brother Heng, President, you two are too humble. Although everyone here has a bright future, I believe in you two the most. We might not become important leaders, but you two definitely will. If anyone needs to curry favor, it's us with you!"

"Exactly, I consider myself quite talented for getting into Peking University, but compared to the president and Brother Heng, I still fall short. When you two achieve great success, please give us a hand!"

"Riches and honors forgotten, we remain true friends!"

"..."

On the snow-covered Great Wall, the dozen young people were full of spirit and joked with each other.

No one knew where these young people would be in twenty years.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end