Chapter 275: Path to Prosperity, Love at First Sight (6000 Words)

Chapter 275: Path to Prosperity, Love at First Sight (6000 Words)



On the eighth day of the ninth month in 1983, the Deng clan of Naye would forever remember this day.

It was nine o'clock in the morning.

At the Bobai County bus station.

Under the watchful eyes of over a hundred clan members and hundreds of onlookers, ten brand-new buses revved their engines, ready to depart.

At the station's exit, eight clan members stood with fireworks in front of them, each holding a box of matches. They were waiting for the company's buses to pull out before setting off the fireworks.

Usually, at such a crucial moment, Deng Shirong, the clan leader and founder of the bus company, would give a speech. However, everything that needed to be said had already been said. Today, he only wanted the clan members to bear witness, not to hold a grand opening ceremony.

So, there was no speech.

At exactly 9:08, Deng Shirong waved his hand and shouted loudly, "The auspicious time has arrived. Let's go!"

The hundred clan members shouted in unison, "Smooth journey, wealth from all directions!"

Instantly, the ten buses began to move. Leading the way were two buses heading to Shenzhen, followed by two to Guangzhou, then Dongguan, Foshan, Zhongshan, and so on.

As the lead Shenzhen bus reached the exit, the fireworks shot up into the sky.

Amidst the fireworks, the ten buses one by one drove out of the station, heading towards the Deng clan's path to prosperity.

The clan members who witnessed this scene were filled with hope.

On this day, the entire county learned that the station now had buses to several cities in Guangdong. This news spread quickly, and it wouldn't be long before everyone in Bobai knew about it.

In the future, anyone wanting to travel to these cities in Guangdong could simply go to the Bobai station.

...

The ten buses all departed at once, and since their destinations were all in Guangdong, they would travel together for a long stretch of the journey.

In the lead Shenzhen bus, the driver was a seasoned professional hired by the company. Deng Silong and another brother from the village were the accompanying drivers. There were also about a dozen clan members on board, serving as ticket collectors. There were only three actual passengers.

The reason for having so many ticket collectors was to train them during the initial phase when there weren't many passengers. When the company increased its services, these trained collectors would be ready to take on their roles.

In simple terms, this was a training exercise for both drivers and ticket collectors.

These positions would naturally be reserved for clan members.

Seeing the bus leave Bobai and head towards the distant Shenzhen, Deng Silong couldn't keep the corners of his mouth from curling up.

He was already 28 years old. As the top bachelor in the village, Deng Silong couldn't deny the pressure he felt. His peers of the same age were already fathers to at least three children, while he remained a bachelor year after year.

It wasn't that he didn't want to get married. As a normal man, who would willingly live with a young girl forever?

However, his family was one of the poorest in Hengkou Village, which was itself one of the poorest villages in the Bangjie Brigade. Such a family situation made it impossible for Deng Silong to marry.

To put it bluntly, even if a girl agreed to marry him without a dowry, he still couldn't afford it.

His family didn't have an extra room, and bringing a wife home without a place to live was simply out of the question.

Originally, he thought he was destined to be a bachelor for life.

After all, his family's conditions hadn't improved, and he was getting older. It was common knowledge that the older a man got, the harder it was for him to find a wife.

In the past two years, Deng Silong had almost given up hope.

But who would have thought that in less than a year, his family's situation would change dramatically? Not only had they made a good amount of money from growing watermelons, but the three brothers had been chosen by Elder Gong to learn how to drive in the county. Now, they were officially bus drivers.

Moreover, they had shares in the bus company.

This series of changes left Deng Silong stunned and overjoyed.

Because he saw a glimmer of hope for marriage. His current situation was vastly different from before. Although they still didn't have a house, all three brothers were drivers, each earning several dozen yuan a month. With their combined efforts and another round of watermelon farming next year, they could build a new house soon.

Then, all the obstacles to marriage would be cleared.

If everything went smoothly, he should be able to bring a wife home next year and say goodbye to the young girl he had been living with for over a decade!

The thought filled him with joy, and life seemed more promising.

All these changes were brought about by Elder Gong, and Deng Silong would never forget this.

Actually, it wasn't just Deng Silong who was excited. The other clan members who had been chosen to learn driving in the county were also overjoyed. They were all from poor families, and now, as real drivers, they could earn several dozen yuan a month, a significant improvement from their previous lives.

The ticket collectors chosen to accompany the buses were also thrilled. Most rural people had never traveled far, so the opportunity to see the world and earn a salary was a dream come true.

In short, no one knew exactly how much the bus company founded by Deng Shirong would change the lives of the clan members.

But one thing was certain: the ship of the Deng clan of Naye had officially set sail today, heading towards the vast ocean.

...

Poxin Village.

Five large brick houses stood side by side, a new home built by Zhang Zhenfa last month.

Zhang Zhenfa had modeled the new houses after his in-laws' home. Four of the houses had a two-bedroom, one-living room, and a bathroom layout, each intended for one of his four sons.

Another house was a three-bedroom apartment with a living room, bathroom, and kitchen, which they lived in with their daughter and son-in-law. They also had a room reserved for their daughter and son-in-law, and another room for when other relatives visited.

These five houses had cost them about eighty percent of the money they had earned from their business.

However, the whole family agreed that the money was well spent. Living in the new houses was much more comfortable than the old ones, especially the design of the bathrooms, which greatly pleased Aunt Zhang and Aunt Zhang’s sister-in-law.

After all, they had long grown tired of the village’s communal latrines.

At that moment, the family was having dinner.

Once they were nearly finished, Mother Zhang said, "Calculating the time, Xiuping’s second child should be due soon. I’ll go up to help her in a few days, so the house will be in your hands."

Aunt Zhang smiled and said, "Don’t worry, Mother. We’ll take good care of the house."

Aunt Zhang’s sister-in-law also smiled and said, "Mother, you should stay for a longer time this time. Sister Ping’s sister-in-law has to take care of Little Dong, and if she has to look after the newborn as well, she’ll be swamped."

"You’re right. This time, I’ll stay until Xiuping is out of her confinement and we’ve celebrated the full moon ceremony for the baby."

With that, Mother Zhang looked at her third son and said, "While I’m away, see if you can find a suitable match for Xiaojun."

Zhang Shoujun scratched his head and said, "Mother, take care of Sister. My marriage can wait."

Mother Zhang said, "You’re twenty-one, and even if you’re not in a rush to get married, you should start looking for a suitable match. If you find someone suitable, you can get married next year. If not, you can keep looking."

Zhang Shoujun smiled and said, "We’ll see when I find someone suitable."

...

Guantian Brigade.

Lin Zhenxing, with his wife and children, knelt before a simple earth tomb, his eyes red as he said, "Father, today I’ve brought Ying, Xiaohua, and Xiaofang to see you. I have some good news to tell you. The injustice you suffered has been rectified by the Baise County Committee. The state has recognized you as a revolutionary martyr and has provided a substantial funeral allowance and pension. They’ve also arranged jobs for us, your dependents, and even plan to help us build a house. The people who persecuted you have been punished by the law. You can rest in peace now."

Zhu Ying knelt beside her husband, Lin Zhenxing. She had both admiration and resentment for her father-in-law.

Fortunately, everything was over now. They had endured and received the compensation they deserved. The future was finally filled with hope.

After talking to his father for a while, Lin Zhenxing turned to his son and said, "Xiaohua, come and say a few words to your grandfather. Remember, when you were little, he was the one who doted on you the most."

Lin Qinghua nodded, knelt down, and bowed his head before saying, "Grandfather, you’ve always been my hero. Now, under the correct leadership of the Party, our country is getting better as you wished. We are now enjoying the benefits of your sacrifices, and the future is full of hope. You don’t need to worry about us anymore."

After Lin Qinghua finished, it was Lin Zhengfang’s turn.

Although Grandfather had passed away when Lin Zhengfang was only four, she still had some memories of him.

After both children had spoken, Zhu Ying also bowed and said, "Father, rest in peace. We’ll come and visit you next year during the Qingming Festival."

With everything said, the family of four walked home with lighter hearts.

Lin Qinghua smiled and said, "Father, our family has a new beginning. Why don’t we find a place to have a celebratory meal?"

Lin Zhenxing thought about the hard times his family had endured over the past decade and nodded. "We should celebrate. Let’s splurge today and go to Sufeng Restaurant. We’ll wash away the bad luck and welcome a better life."

Hearing the name Sufeng Restaurant, Zhu Ying, who had been used to a frugal life, hesitated. "Husband, we can buy more vegetables and slaughter a chicken to cook at home. We don’t need to spend money at Sufeng Restaurant, it’s so expensive!"

Lin Zhenxing smiled and said, "We’re not going to the restaurant every day. Our family has suffered for so long, and now we don’t have to pay for the house, and we have a substantial amount of money. We can afford a meal at Sufeng Restaurant."

Lin Qinghua also smiled and chimed in, "Mother, we’ve saved for so long. It’s okay to splurge a little, to say goodbye to the hard times."

Lin Zhengfang also held her mother’s hand and said, "That’s right, Mother. Our family is different now. We don’t need to be so frugal."

Seeing that her husband and children were all in agreement, Zhu Ying gave in. "Alright, let’s splurge today."

So, the family of four didn’t go home and headed straight to Sufeng Restaurant.

Half an hour later.

The Lin family arrived at the entrance of Sufeng Restaurant.

They had seen this grand restaurant before, but they had only been passersby, not paying much attention.

Today, they were true customers, and the feeling was entirely different.

"Welcome."

As they walked into the restaurant, a waiter greeted them with a smile and guided them to their seats.

From the outside, the restaurant already looked large, but inside, it seemed even more spacious.

While the family looked around in amazement, the waiter brought them tea and handed them a handwritten menu, asking them to order their dishes.

Lin Zhenxing took the menu and looked through it, seeing the names of the dishes and their prices.

When he decided to come to Sufeng Restaurant, Lin Zhenxing had prepared himself for the high prices, so he wasn’t too surprised by the menu. Instead, he discussed the dishes with his wife and children.

In the end, the family of four ordered braised pig’s trotters, sweet and sour pork, mountain spring tofu, and stir-fried bean sprouts—two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes.

After the waiter left, Zhu Ying whispered, "I didn’t expect the food at this restaurant to be so expensive, yet so many people still come to eat here."

It was noon, and the restaurant was bustling with customers.

Lin Zhenxing whispered, "In this world, there will always be both the poor and the rich. Take our family, for example. We used to be so poor we couldn't even afford a meal, but now we're sitting here eating. Times have changed."

Lin Qinghua added, "With the country's reforms and opening up, over a dozen people from our village have started businesses in the past two years. They've all made money, and life is definitely better than it was a few years ago."

Zhu Ying chimed in, "I don't care about how others are doing. Right now, my only wish is to see our house built and find a wife for Xiaohua. Our family has had only one child per generation for three generations. We need to find you a wife to carry on the family line."

Lin Qinghua, who was 22 years old, nodded. "We'll take our time. I want to find a virtuous wife."

Zhu Ying agreed. "Of course. In the past, I would have been happy as long as you found a wife, but now our family is different. We can afford to be picky. I'll talk to Auntie San and ask her to help find a suitable bride for you."

As they spoke, the waiter began to serve the dishes. First came the boiled pig's feet and stir-fried bean sprouts, followed by the utensils and a large pot of rice.

"Please enjoy your meal. The other two dishes will be ready soon. If you need more rice, just let me know."

"Thank you."

Lin Zhenxing responded. Once the waiter left, he sighed, "No wonder this is the largest and most upscale restaurant in the county. The service is excellent!"

Lin Qinghua and the others nodded in agreement. This was their first time dining at a restaurant, and the service was indeed a stark contrast to the indifferent salespeople they were used to, some of whom even had signs posted to prevent customer abuse. The service at Shuifeng Restaurant was clearly a step above.

The family began to eat, and the food was so delicious that they couldn't stop praising it. By the end of the meal, everyone's belly was round and full.

After finishing their meal, they lingered for about twenty minutes before heading to the cash register to pay.

Zhang Xiuping was close to her due date, so Deng Shirong had her stop working. Instead, Deng Yunzhen was handling the cash register.

"Hello, sir. Your total comes to 11.8 yuan."

Lin Zhenxing paid without hesitation. In the past, that amount would have lasted them a month. Now, it was spent on a single meal, which was indeed a luxury. However, the experience was worth it, and he felt satisfied with the expenditure.

While his father was paying, Lin Qinghua couldn't help but observe the young woman at the cash register. She wasn't particularly beautiful, but she had a unique aura that Lin Qinghua found hard to describe. It made her incredibly appealing.

At that moment, Lin Qinghua thought to himself that if he could find a wife like her, he would be content.

After his father finished paying and they left the restaurant, Lin Qinghua finally found the right word to describe her: confidence. She had a confidence that other girls lacked.

"Brother, what are you thinking about? Did you like the girl at the cash register?" Lin Zhengfang asked, noticing her brother's distracted look.

Lin Qinghua was snapped out of his thoughts and blushed. "Xiaofang, don't be silly. Nothing like that."

At this, their parents also noticed something was off with their son.

Zhu Ying's eyes sparkled. "Xiaohua, don't be shy. If you really like that girl, I can ask around to see if she's engaged. If she's not and has a good character, I can have a matchmaker set you up."

Lin Qinghua, though tempted, remained rational. "Mom, let's not. This is a private restaurant. She might be the owner's daughter. I can't possibly match up to her."

"In the past, that might have been true, but things are different now. Your father is a small leader at the agricultural machinery bureau, and we all have stable jobs. Even if this restaurant belongs to her family, you are a match for her."

Zhu Ying was right. In those days, even though businesspeople might earn more than those in public service, their social status was lower. This bias, though not as severe as in ancient times, was still prevalent. It wasn't until the 1990s, when many civil servants started their own businesses, that the status of businesspeople began to rise. By the 21st century, money was everything.

With his job and promotion, Lin Zhenxing was also more confident. "Xiaohua, your mother is right. We all have stable jobs now, and our social status has improved. If you really like her, we can ask around."

Hearing this, Lin Qinghua gathered his courage. "Alright, Mom, you can ask around."

Zhu Ying beamed. "Great! I'll talk to Auntie San. She knows a lot of people and can help find out more quickly."

Lin Zhengfang laughed. "Looks like our family's visit to Shuifeng Restaurant was well-timed. If you really find your wife here, it must be Grandfather's guidance. You should bring her to pay respects and bow a few times."

Lin Qinghua chuckled. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. We'll see what we find out first."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end