Chapter 357: Inspired [8,000 Words]

Chapter 357: Inspired [8,000 Words]



Fucheng County.

A certain restaurant.

Deng Yunheng and the Qiu brothers were chatting idly while waiting for the dishes to be served.

Most of the conversation was between Deng Yunheng and Qiu Yongnian. Qiu Dage, the older brother, was the typical "strong at home" type. He was eloquent and articulate when chatting with villagers, but he became tongue-tied in formal settings, unable to express himself clearly.

After a while, Deng Yunheng asked, "Qiu classmate, are there many fishermen in your village?"

Qiu Yongnian replied, "Yes, many. We live by the sea, and almostmostmost- The majority of families in our village are fishermen, relying on fishing for a living. At least ninety percent of the households."

Deng Yunheng then"Is fishing at sea very dangerous?"

Qiu Yongnian nodded, "Fishing at sea is indeed dangerous. The unpredictable nature of the ocean, harsh weather, and rough seas all pose constant risks to the fishermen.

Collisions, capsizings, and fires on fishing boats also occur frequently, and human errors during fishing operations can lead to tragic accidents. Our village, along with neighboring villages, sees people lose their lives to the sea every year."

"Not an easy life for the fishermen!"

Deng Yunheng sighed, then asked, "Since fishing at sea is so dangerous, have the fishermen in your village considered aquaculture?"

Qiu Yongnian said, "I heard that a neighboring village tried it but failed, losing money in the process. Since then, no one has attempted it again."

Deng Yun"Aquaculture has a promising future, especially shrimp farming. The technology is now mature, and in Qingdao, the scale of shrimp farming has exceeded 100,000 mu, generating considerable income."

Qiu Yongnian, moved by this, asked, "Second Brother,2, is the county planning to support shrimp farming for the fishermen?"

Deng Yunheng smiled, "It's not the county's plan to support, but I personally see great potential in shrimp farming. I want to investigate the situation first. If it's suitable, I'll promote the industry in the county, providing policy support to see if we can get shrimp farming off the ground."

Qiu Yongnian, excited, said, "Second Brother, if we can secure funds and technical support, shrimp farming should be feasible. I have some influence in the village, and I can rally the fishermen to try shrimp farming. I believe many will follow."

This wasn't just talk. In this era, university graduates were highly respected, especially those from Tsinghua University.

University graduates were well-informed, and if Qiu Yongnian advocated for shrimp farming and his family tried it, persuading other villagers to join shouldn't be too difficult.

"Technical support is guaranteed. Without expert guidance, I can't let everyone start blindly."

Deng Yunheng said, "As for funding, bank loans are now harder to obtain. But if I promote the industry, I'll work hard to secure bank support. It shouldn't be a problem."

Qiu Yongnian said, "When I return, I'll discuss this with my parents and other fishermen in the village."

Deng Yunheng smiled, "Sure, go back and have a good talk with the fishermen in your village. See what their reactions are, and if they're willing to try shrimp farming, what else do they need from the county?"

Qiu Yongnian nodded, "Alright, I'll discuss it with everyone and report back to you, Second Brother 2."

At this moment, the dishes began to arrive.

The main dishes, naturally, were the mackerel and winter crabs (originally winter crabs, now winter crabs).

All were steamed, the best way to enjoy the original flavor.

The mackerel, which had been introduced before, is also favored by people from Guangdong. The flavor needs no elaboration.

Winter crabs, the colder the weather, the fatter and sweeter the crab roe. No dipping sauce is needed after steaming; the flavor is fresh and rich.

Though the Qiu brothers were children of fishermen, they couldn't always enjoy these delicacies, and even if they did, the taste wouldn't match the current quality.

Their mothers' cooking skills couldn't compare to the chefs in restaurants. The same ingredients, prepared differently, would result in vastly different flavors.

This meal left all three very satisfied. Deng Yunheng had to return to work in the afternoon, but a couple more drinks would have made it perfect.

During the meal, Deng Yunheng and Qiu Yongnian continued to discuss shrimp farming.

By the time the meal was almost finished, their conversation was also nearing its end.

After Deng Yunheng paid the bill, he said to the Qiu brothers, "I'll introduce you to the government compound. Next time you visit, if I'm not at work, you can find me there."

The Qiu brothers were pleasantly surprised. Being welcomed into a leader's home was a sign of closeness.

Back at the residential building, Deng Yunheng invited the Qiu brothers to sit for a while.

A few minutes later, the Qiu brothers bid farewell.

Then, Deng Yunheng took out a package of about two pounds of longan meat and handed it over, saying, "Qiu classmate, this is a specialty from our hometown, longan meat. When stewed with saishen (radix adenosmae), yuzhu (polygonatum), and pork bones, it tastes very good. If you cook eggs with longan meat and brown sugar, it's the ideal nourishing food for postpartum women or those who are weak after an illness. Take it home and try it."

Qiu Yongnian waved his hands, saying, "Second Brother, we can't accept this."

Qiu Dage also shook his head, saying, "We can't take it."

Deng Yunheng pushed the longan meat into Qiu Yongnian's hands and said, "You and Xiaosong are classmates, and you two brought such good fish and crabs to see me, and I didn't refuse and accepted them directly. Now, if I give you a little of my hometown specialty and you don't accept it, it would be a bit awkward."

With this said, the Qiu brothers naturally couldn't refuse any longer.

"Thank you, Second Brother!"

After accepting the longan meat, Qiu Yongnian suddenly had a new idea and said, "Second Brother, I heard from Yunsong that you won't be going home for the Spring Festival. Staying alone in the government compound during the New Year isn't much fun. If you don't mind, I'd like to invite you to spend the New Year at my home. I wonder if our family would have the honor?"

Deng Yunheng was moved by this and hesitated, saying, "Would that be too much of a bother?"

Seeing that Deng Yunheng didn't immediately refuse, Qiu Yongnian was overjoyed and said, "No bother at all, how could it be a bother? You coming to our home for the New Year would be an honor for us. My parents would be overjoyed to hear this."

Deng Yunheng thought about spending the New Year alone in the government compound, which would indeed be quite lonely. He had also planned to visit the countryside during the Spring Festival to talk to the fishermen about shrimp farming. Spending the New Year at Yunsong's classmate's home seemed like a good idea, and he could also discuss shrimp farming with the villagers.

With this in mind, Deng Yunheng nodded in agreement.

...

On the way home, Qiu Dage was still quite excited.

He never imagined that his younger brother would invite a leader to spend the New Year at their home, and even more surprisingly, the leader had agreed.

For rural people, the village chief was already a significant official, and everyone in the village had to listen to him.

As for the heads of the township, they were even more important. The village chief would have to approach them respectfully and listen to their instructions.

And a county leader like County Chief Deng was an even more powerful figure. Inviting such a big shot to spend the New Year at their home was something only his brother would dare to do; ordinary rural people wouldn't even dare to think about it.

Qiu Dage couldn't really explain the specific benefits of inviting a leader to spend the New Year at their home, but he knew there had to be some benefits.

Because there were other passengers in the car, Qiu Dage didn't bring up the matter.

When they finally got off the bus in their town of San Shan, Qiu Dage, who had been holding back his excitement, asked, "A'Nian, what were you thinking? How did you suddenly decide to invite the leader to spend the New Year at our home?"

Qiu Yongnian smiled and said, "I didn't think too much about it. I just felt that County Chief Deng would be quite lonely spending the New Year alone in the county town, so I tried inviting him to our home."

Qiu Dage was delighted and said, "That was a great idea. Let's hurry home and tell our parents this good news so they can prepare well. We need to buy more New Year's goods and make sure we treat the leader well."

Qiu Yongnian smiled and nodded in agreement.

...

Spending the New Year in the county town definitely didn't have the same atmosphere as in the countryside.

To make his grandchildren have a happy New Year, Deng Shirong bought a lot of fireworks from the Bobai Fireworks Factory. These were all new products developed by the factory this year, named "Air Battle," "Great Happiness," and "Hail (Strange Eggs)."

At that time, there were no restrictions on setting off fireworks in the county town; such restrictions would only be implemented in the 1990s.

After buying the fireworks, there was nothing else to do.

There was no need to prepare New Year's goods since the family's supermarket had everything.

There was no need to clean the house either, as Deng Shirong used the system space to keep the rooms clean every day, making them spotlessly clean.

There was no need to make rice cakes either, as there were no tools for that in the county town.

With nothing to do, Deng Shirong decided to take his grandchildren to the cinema across the street every day. This made the two little ones very happy. Although they had a TV at home, there weren't many children's cartoons and anime in this era, so movies were more appealing.

Besides watching movies, Deng Shirong also took them for rides on his motorcycle, just driving around the outskirts of the county town. For the children, this was even more interesting than watching movies. The siblings would wake up every morning and beg to go out with their grandfather.

Enjoying the company of his grandchildren was the kind of life many people dreamed of in their old age.

While Deng Shirong was busy taking his grandchildren out to play, time passed unnoticed, and it soon became New Year's Eve.

If they were at home, they would have been busy preparing offerings for the ancestral hall. In the county town, without the ancestral hall, the children and their spouses had nothing to do, so they just put up Spring Festival couplets and bathed and changed into new clothes like children. Deng Shirong, on the other hand, cooked a large, sumptuous meal.

Deng Yunzhu, who had bought a camera before the New Year, took photos from time to time to record this year's Spring Festival.

As they were about to start eating, Grandma Zhu looked at the table full of delicious food and said, "Dear in-law, your cooking skills are really amazing!"

Zhu Junjie also praised, "Dad, if you entered a chef competition, no other chef would stand a chance."

“Someone like me, who learned cooking on the streets, can't compare to a true chef with a proper lineage.”

With that, Deng Shirong called out, “Don’t just talk, everyone. Let’s eat while the food is still hot.”

“Alright, let’s eat.”

“Dad’s braised pig trotters are really delicious, I can never get tired of them.”

“I’m really starting to enjoy this spicy and sour cold mixed black fungus. It’s both tasty and refreshing.”

“...”

With such delicious dishes, it was only natural to have a few drinks to liven things up. In Bobai, there was a popular rice wine called “Sweet Glutinous Rice,” and this was what everyone was drinking, except for Deng Yunzhen, who was still in her postpartum period and was drinking ginger wine.

As for the underage Deng Yunhua and Deng Yunheng, they were drinking Jianlibao, just like their nieces and nephews.

...

At the government compound in the county.

Song County Chief’s family was also enjoying their New Year’s Eve dinner.

Song County Chief’s career was going smoothly, and he was expected to become the County Chief of Bobai next year. His eldest daughter had also excelled in her work over the past year, so both father and daughter had achieved notable success, which was certainly a cause for celebration.

The only blemish was that his eldest daughter’s marriage had yet to be settled.

At the end of last year, Song County Chief had visited an old leader in Nanning and asked the leader’s wife to help find a suitable match for his eldest daughter.

The leader’s wife naturally agreed and had indeed found two decent prospects for his daughter. However, after some time, neither of these otherwise suitable candidates managed to win her favor.

This had caused much worry for Song County Chief and his wife.

After all, his eldest daughter was getting older, and as she aged, it would become increasingly difficult to find a suitable match.

Despite knowing this, the final decision still rested with his eldest daughter. If she didn’t approve of a candidate, there was nothing they could do, no matter how anxious they were.

Song Yu was well aware of her parents’ concerns and, to divert their attention, said, “Dad, Mom, I have some news. My classmate Deng Yunheng is no longer working in Beijing. He has been transferred to a county in Fujian as the Deputy County Chief.”

Sure enough, this news immediately caught Song County Chief’s attention. He was surprised and said, “When did this happen? He was doing well at the National Development and Reform Commission. Why did he suddenly decide to work in a local position? But I must say, this classmate of yours is truly remarkable. Starting as a Deputy County Chief in a local position is a significant role, not something just anyone can handle.”

Song Yu smiled and said, “I’m not sure what he’s thinking, but his rank has now matched mine. I’ll have to work harder to avoid being overtaken by him.”

Song’s mother said, “It’s not so much about being overtaken in rank, but more about not being overtaken in marriage.”

Song Yu: "o(^_^)o"

She had managed to grab her father’s attention with this topic, only for her mother to bring it back to her marriage!

Seeing his eldest daughter’s dejected expression, Song County Chief didn’t want to dwell on the issue and simply said, “Marriage is something that should be done sooner rather than later. Your mother and I don’t want to keep pressuring you, but it’s up to you to decide.”

Song Yu said listlessly, “I understand, Dad.”

...

As the people of Bobai were enjoying their New Year’s Eve dinner, far away in Fuqing County, Fujian, Deng Yunheng was invited to spend the New Year at the Qiu family’s home in San Shan Town.

Ever since his son returned and said he had invited County Chief Deng to their home for the New Year, Qiu Jianguo had been in a state of high excitement. Such a high-ranking official willing to spend the New Year at his home was a matter of great pride, and he didn’t keep it a secret. By the end of the day, the whole village knew about it.

The villagers were envious and even more impressed by Qiu Yongnian, the village’s only college student. Even while still in school, he had connections with a county leader, a feat that no one could help but admire!

Even the village chief, upon hearing the news, immediately brought gifts and asked the Qiu family to accept them, hoping for a chance to join the New Year’s celebration when the county leader arrived.

In any case, Deng Yunheng didn’t come empty-handed. He brought a few sets of children’s clothes and a large bag of candies, cookies, sunflower seeds, and other snacks. The gifts weren’t expensive, but they were given with sincerity. As a county official, it wouldn’t be appropriate to bring overly expensive gifts.

The children’s clothes were for Qiu Dage’s two sons.

When they met, they greeted each other:

“Uncle Qiu, Aunt Qiu, hello! I’m Deng Yunheng. I’m sorry for the trouble I’m causing!”

“Hello, County Chief Deng. You’re too kind. Your visit is an honor for our family.”

“County Chief Deng, please come in and have some tea.”

“Thank you!”

Knowing that the county leader was coming, the Qiu family had prepared well in advance. The hot water was already boiled and stored in a thermos, and the tea was ready in the teapot. As soon as he arrived, they could serve the tea.

Snacks like candies, cookies, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and various dried fruits and pastries were immediately brought out.

After a few minutes of chatting, the village chief, who had heard the news, hurried over with a net bag of fruit.

Qiu Yongnian introduced him, “Second Brother, this is our village chief, also surnamed Qiu.

Deng Yunheng smiled and greeted, "Village Chief Qiu, Happy New Year!"

Village Chief Qiu's face was filled with excitement as he replied, "Leader, Happy New Year!"

It's no wonder he was excited. Apart from the People's Congress, how many village chiefs get the chance to sit at the same table and chat with a county leader? If he could catch the eye of a county leader, even without a promotion, a single word of praise to the Party Secretary or the town chief would be immensely beneficial.

After some small talk, Village Chief Qiu said, "Leader, I heard from Yongnian that you are interested in promoting the development of shrimp farming. I am very interested in this, but the lack of funds and expert guidance are the main issues. If you can help us solve these two critical problems, we are all willing to give it a try."

Deng Yunheng replied, "Expert guidance is definitely not a problem. I have already contacted the relevant experts, and they are willing to come and provide guidance. As for the funds, I am in charge of the major banks in the county, so that shouldn't be an issue either."

With the leader's affirmative response, Village Chief Qiu immediately expressed his willingness: "Leader, as long as these two issues are resolved, 36 households of fishermen in our village are willing to try shrimp farming."

Deng Yunheng was very satisfied. For the first batch of shrimp farmers, having this many households participate was more than enough.

As long as the shrimp farming went smoothly and these fishermen made money, many more would be willing to join in. With his support as a county leader, he believed that a top-notch shrimp farming base could be established in no time.

Most families in the country have their New Year's Eve dinner in the evening. Families like the Dengs who have their New Year's Eve dinner at noon are the minority. In Fuqing County, the New Year's Eve dinner is also in the evening, so they just had a light meal at noon to tide them over.

Deng Yunheng didn't stay at Qiu Jianguo's home all day. Accompanied by Village Chief Qiu and Qiu Yongnian, he toured the village, chatting with other fishermen who were interested in shrimp farming and listening to their opinions.

He even conducted a site inspection of the areas suitable for shrimp farming.

In the evening, Deng Yunheng returned to Qiu Jianguo's home to have the New Year's Eve dinner with the Qiu family.

This year, the Qiu family's New Year's Eve dinner was the most sumptuous they had ever had. Apart from a variety of seafood, there were also various mountain delicacies and chicken and duck. In short, they brought out all their best-kept treasures.

Deng Yunheng, of course, did not want to burden them. When he accepted Qiu Yongnian's invitation to spend the New Year at his home, he knew it would cause them some trouble and expense. Therefore, he prepared two red envelopes, each containing 22.8 yuan.

Before the New Year's Eve dinner, Deng Yunheng took out these two red envelopes and handed them to Qiu Jianguo's two grandsons, smiling and saying, "Dahei, Erhei, this is your New Year's red envelope from Uncle. I wish you a Happy New Year. In the future, you should study hard and be as outstanding as your uncle."

Giving red envelopes during the New Year is a common custom, so the Qiu family slightly declined before letting the children accept them.

Then, the Qiu family started to serve Deng Yunheng the dishes.

Qiu's mother, a bit embarrassed, said, "Leader, my cooking skills are average. If it doesn't taste good, don't be offended."

Deng Yunheng tasted a few dishes and smiled, "Aunt Qiu, don't be modest. Your cooking is much better than mine. I usually cook for myself, but my dishes can only be described as edible. I rarely cook, usually just stewing a soup and making a dipping sauce."

Qiu Yongnian asked, "Second Brother, I'm curious, what is the New Year's Eve dinner like in your hometown in Guangxi?"

Deng Yunheng smiled and said, "New Year's Eve dinner varies by region in Guangxi. In our county, for example, we have it at noon, not in the evening."

Qiu Jianguo was surprised, "New Year's Eve dinner at noon?"

Deng Yunheng nodded, "Yes, on New Year's Eve, we wake up early, have a simple breakfast, and then start preparing by killing chickens and ducks. After cleaning and preparing them, we cook them whole in a pot along with a large piece of pork. Once cooked, we first offer them to our ancestors, and then we can start the New Year's Eve dinner.

Generally, the New Year's Eve dinner is ready between 12 and 1 PM, so most families have their dinner around this time."

Qiu Yongnian sighed, "No wonder the saying goes, 'Customs differ within a thousand miles, and practices vary within a hundred miles.' Today, I learned that New Year's Eve dinner can even be at noon. What about the evening meal?"

Deng Yunheng smiled, "The evening meal is very casual in our area. We usually just reheat the leftovers from the noon meal."

Then, they started discussing the different customs and traditions of the two provinces. This cultural exchange was very interesting, and both sides felt they had learned a lot.

...

At 9 PM.

In the Naye Deng's residential complex.

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Xiaodong, Dongzi, come on, Grandpa will take you upstairs to set off fireworks."

Xiaodong's eyes lit up, and he cheered, "Fireworks! Fireworks!"

Dongzi also cheered, "Fireworks! Fireworks!"

"Everyone, let's work together and move the fireworks upstairs." Earlier, Deng Shirong had bought 30 fireworks from the Bobai Fireworks Factory, 10 of each type: "Air Battle," "Great Happiness," and "Hail (Strange Eggs)."

Thus, everyone started moving the fireworks upstairs. With so many people, it only took two trips to move all the fireworks to the rooftop.

Deng Shirong smiled and asked, "Xiaodong, Dongzi, which one do you want to see first: 'Air Battle,' 'Great Happiness,' or 'Hail (Strange Eggs)'?"

Xiaodong immediately replied, "I want to see 'Air Battle.'"

Dongzi also said, "I want to see 'Air Battle.'"

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Alright, then you should tell Uncle Man to set off 'Air Battle' first."

Xiaodong immediately shouted, "Uncle Man, I want to see 'Air Battle.'"

"Okay, Uncle Man will set it off right away."

As he spoke, Deng Yunheng took one of the 'Air Battle' fireworks to the center of the rooftop and, under the watchful eyes of the family, took out a lighter from his pocket and lit the 100-shot fireworks.

As the fuse burned out, the fireworks shot up into the sky like a thousand troops, forming a magnificent and splendid aerial battlefield in the high sky.

"Wow, so beautiful!"

Xiaodong and Dongzi looked up at the sky, and the sound of the fireworks was not loud. With the use of various colors, the scene looked incredibly grand. No wonder the two little ones praised it; even the adults couldn't help but admire the beauty.

The Naye Deng residential complex was the tallest building in the city at the time. Setting off fireworks from the rooftop meant that the entire city could see them.

Under the city's attention, the 100-shot fireworks didn't last long before they were all set off.

Next, Deng Yunheng lit the 'Great Happiness' fireworks.

This new product was also excellent, combining sparks, stars, sounds, and smoke in a clever way. It launched red, yellow, blue, green, and orange fireworks, along with colorful beads that made sounds, into the sky in a well-ordered sequence. It looked like mountains and rivers, and like clouds on the horizon, truly a feast for the eyes.

Xiaodong and Dongzi were amazed, clapping their little hands red.

Finally, it was the 'Hail (Strange Eggs).' This was also very impressive. When set off, it combined light, sparks, lines, colored surfaces, smoke, and clever shapes, creating a scene like colorful clouds descending from the sky, with thousands of hailstones bursting open. It had the vibrant colors of fireworks and the crisp sounds of firecrackers.

The three types of fireworks were set off a total of six times before they stopped.

Deng Shirong said, "Xiaodong, Dongzi, that's enough for now. We'll set off the remaining fireworks at midnight."

Although the siblings were still a bit reluctant, they agreed.

So, everyone went back down to continue watching the Spring Festival Gala.

In this era, children had fewer forms of entertainment, and adults didn't stay up late either. They usually went to bed around 8 or 9 PM, and the latest would be 10 PM. Unlike in later times when children followed their parents' schedules and became champions of staying up late, even staying up until the early hours of the morning.

Xiaodong and Dongzi really wanted to stay up until midnight to see the fireworks, but by 10 PM, their eyelids started to droop.

Deng Shirong saw this and let them go to bed, promising to wake them up when the fireworks started.

After some persuasion and a pinky promise, the siblings finally went to sleep.

At 11:50 PM, although the siblings were sleeping soundly, Deng Shirong kept his promise and woke them up to see the fireworks. Xiaodong, being a bit older, quickly got up.

Dongzi, being younger, was still very sleepy. Even if money fell from the sky, he probably wouldn't be interested in getting up to pick it up.

At 11:58 PM, everyone except Deng Yunzhen and her son, as well as Dongzi, gathered on the rooftop.

They arranged the remaining eight 'Air Battle' fireworks in a circle. When the clock struck midnight, everyone lit the fireworks together.

At the same moment, the entire city's residents set off their fireworks and firecrackers in unison.

Instantly, the city was treated to a grand fireworks and firecracker show.

The Naye Deng residential complex, without a doubt, became the focal point of the city.

Setting off one 'Air Battle' was already beautiful, but setting off eight at once was more than just a simple multiplication of the effect.

Deng Yunzhu, with her camera, continuously captured these memorable moments.

After the 'Air Battle' fireworks finished, eight 'Great Happiness' fireworks followed.

Finally, eight 'Hail (Strange Eggs)' fireworks were set off, all at once. The effect was absolutely stunning, giving the entire city a rare and unforgettable fireworks show in just a few minutes.

Deng Shirong watched the magnificent fireworks and felt a sense of anticipation for the new year.

If everything went as planned, 1988 would be a year of great development for the Naye Deng family. The instant noodle sales were already booming, and once the factory in Wuhan was built and operational, money would flow into their pockets continuously.

Then, they could build uniform villas in their hometown and turn it into the first villa village in the country!

...

PS: Another 8,000-word chapter. The author has really been pushing hard over the past three days. There are only a few hours left in this month, so if you have any monthly votes, please cast them soon. They will expire at midnight. At midnight, the author will post a summary of the month and ask for support for the next month's votes.

From the 1st to the 7th of next month, monthly votes will be doubled. The author plans to continue working hard, and the motivation comes from you, dear readers. ^_^

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end