Chapter 416: With this proud disciple, who darespects Me?

Chapter 416: With this proud disciple, who darespects Me?

In the large bus heading to Bobai County Town.

When everyone learned that Deng Yunheng had already become a deputy bureau-level official, both the school leaders, teachers, and students were stunned speechless.

As they were shocked, the way the students looked at Deng Yunheng changed. Previously, when the students gathered, it felt like it did ten years ago, with no hierarchical distinctions. They would joke around and tease each other as they pleased.

Even when it was known that Chen wenfeng had become a full department-level official, the head of the agricultural machinery bureau in Cangwu County, the students' attitudes didn't change much.

However, after learning that Deng Yunheng's rank was already deputy bureau, it wasn't just the students who felt awkward. Even the homeroom, the head teacher, and the school leaders all showed signs of unease in their expressions, and their attitudes unconsciously became somewhat respectful. How could they still joke around casually as before, knowing he was a deputy bureau-level official?

After all, this was a deputy bureau, and even though the students in the bus might not fully understand this level, they knew it was something far beyond their reach, the highest official they could ever hope to meet in their lifetimes. With this understanding, their attitudes naturally couldn't remain as casual as before.

Deng Yunheng's ability to read people's expressions and moods was well-known. Seeing the changes in the expressions of the school leaders, the head teacher, and the students, he smiled and said, "Everyone, teachers and classmates, no matter what rank I have today, I am still a member of our class 34. Don't treat me as a leader but as a classmate.

Today, we are here for a class reunion, not a job fair.

So, act as you normally would. Don't hold back just because of my rank, or the class reunion will lose its meaning."

Li Hong was already back from his excitement and echoed, "Classmate Deng Yunheng is right. No matter what identity he has outside, he is still a member of our class 34. The two years of classmate friendship will never change."

Zhu Chenglong raised his thumb in praise, "Brother Yunheng, you are really something else. You've become such a big official just a few years after graduation. I've got plenty of capital to brag about now."

Li Huaqiang was also excitedly said, "In the future, when I tell others that my best high school brother is an official even bigger than a County magistrate, it will surely scare them. This bragging capital will last me at least ten years."

With these two leading the way, the other students also got excited.

For them, having such a prominent figure among their high school classmates wasn't just a source of bragging rights, but also a solid personal connection.

Perhaps such a personal connection might not be useful for the students during their lifetimes, but it was like a country's nuclear weapons; you might not use it, but you can't do without it.

In life, no one knows what will happen next. Perhaps one day, one of the classmates would encounter a hard obstacle in life, and for Deng Yunheng, such an obstacle might be resolved with just a single word.

In short, as long as one's mind is normal, they would feel surprised at such a fortuitous personal connection and would never feel jealous or envious.

Chen Wen Feng was now thoroughly convinced. Being in the government, he valued such a personal connection even more., Yunheng, he asked with a full smile, "Old classmate, you must have gotten married by now, right?"

Deng Yunheng smiled and nodded, "I got married last year and became a father this year."

For the rest of the time, the teachers and students all gathered around Deng Yunheng, first asking about what Peking University, the top academic institution, was like, then chatting about the famous landmarks in the capital city, and then extending to the customs and sentiments of the capital.

After finishing the chat about the capital, they moved on to Fujian, asking Deng Yunheng about his journey from high school graduation to his promotion to deputy bureau level.

Once the teachers and students were about done with their questions, the large bus also arrived at Bobai County Town.

Although all the classmates from class 34 were from Bobai County, over 90% were from Songshan commune (Songwang Town + Shuangwang Township), with the rest coming from neighboring towns, some tens of kilometers away from the county town.

Among the 36 classmates, only about half had ever been to the county town, while the rest were visiting for the first time.

Whether they had been there before or were visiting for the first time, as the large bus passed Naye Deng's Neighborhood, they couldn't help but comment.

"This residential complex is really beautiful!"

"Indeed, I haven't seen many residential complexes as beautiful as this in Guangzhou either."

"I heard that Naye Deng's Neighborhood was built with funds raised by the people of Shuangwang Township. Classmate Deng Yunheng, you are also from Shuangwang Township and share the surname Deng. Is this residential complex built by your clan?"

"That's right, it was indeed built with funds raised by our clan."

"You're right, your clan is really impressive. A few years ago, our village didn't even have a few brick and tile houses, but your clan has built such a beautiful neighborhood in the county. It's truly remarkable!"

"In recent years, the reputation of Naye Deng has really grown!"

"..."

As they chatted, the large bus turned at the crossroads and stopped in front of Suifeng Hotel.

The teachers and students all got off the bus and immediately saw the banner hanging at the entrance of Suifeng Hotel. The banner read in large letters — "Youth Unscattered, Revisiting Classmate Bonds."

Deng Yunheng smiled and said, "Everyone, teachers and classmates, we'll be having dinner here shortly. After dinner, we'll all go to the karaoke hall to sing and celebrate our ten-year reunion properly."

Seeing that Deng Yunheng had everything arranged, the classmates felt a bit excited.

It was only the early 1990s, and such graduation reunions were not yet common. Initially, everyone had come to this ten-year appointment just to see their old classmates from ten years ago, and perhaps share a meal before the reunion ended.

However, they hadn't expected Deng Yunheng to have everything so well-organized, bringing everyone to the county town for a celebration. This was truly beyond their expectations.

Entering the restaurant, Deng Yunheng greeted his sister and then led the classmates to the designated area.

This area was formed by eight long rectangular tables arranged into a large square "hollow" table, which was spacious enough to seat over forty people comfortably.

It was still a bit early for dinner, so after the waiters brought the tea, everyone sat down with their close classmates and started chatting.

Earlier on the bus, all the conversations had revolved around Deng Yunheng.

Now that everyone had a good understanding of Deng Yunheng's journey from high school graduation to the present, they began to gather in smaller groups to chat more casually.

Sitting with Deng Yunheng were none other than Zhu Chenglong and Li Huaqiang, his closest classmates from back then.

Deng Yunheng asked proactively, "A-Long, I heard you quit your job in Shenzhen and are planning to return home to start a business. Do you have any ideas about what you want to do?"

Zhu Chenglong shook his head, "Brother Yunheng, I haven't decided yet. You've seen and experienced a lot. Can you give me some advice?"

Deng Yunheng asked, "How much capital do you have? And do you have any specific industry in mind for your business?"

Zhu Chenglong replied, "I can manage to gather about 30,000 yuan. As for the industry, anything goes as long as it can make money."

Li Huaqiang was surprised, "A-Long, you're pretty awesome. You managed to save so much money after working in Shenzhen for a few years."

It's no wonder he was surprised. Even in the rural areas of the future, 30,000 yuan was not a small amount, let alone in the early 1990s. Apart from the village of Naye Deng, few families in other villages could afford such a sum.

Zhu Chenglong shook his head, "What's so awesome about it? My wife and I have been working in Shenzhen for several years, and we saved this money by living frugally."

Li Huaqiang said, "That's still pretty impressive. I worked in Beihai for ten years and only managed to save less than half of what you did."

Knowing that this money was hard-earned, Deng Yunheng naturally didn't want Zhu Chenglong to risk it on a high-stakes business. After some thought, he said, "A-Long, if you're not afraid of hard work, you could try running a night snack stand."

Zhu Chenglong was a bit surprised, "A night snack stand?"

Deng Yunheng nodded, "Yes, a night snack stand. You could specialize in dishes like eel congee and pigeon congee. There should be a market for these, and they're easy to learn to cook. You could also set up a snail stand and fry snails, which would go well with beer. The business should do well.

Of course, you could do both and even add some stir-fried noodles and dishes if you can manage it.

However, my advice is to start with one thing, gain some experience, and build a regular customer base before gradually expanding to other items. This way, it's more stable.

Most importantly, this small business doesn't require much investment. A few thousand yuan should be enough. Even if the business fails, it won't be a major loss, and you can always start over."

Zhu Chenglong nodded in agreement, "Brother Yunheng, you're really smart. I'll listen to you and try setting up a night snack stand."

Li Huaqiang, intrigued, asked, "Brother Yunheng, what do you think would be suitable for me?"

Deng Yunheng smiled, "So, you're also planning to return home and start your own business?"

Li Huaqiang replied, "Although my current job is good, with not much work and a decent salary, it's still working for someone else. I'll never get rich that way. If I can have my own business, it would be much better."

Deng Yunheng said, "In your case, you could try opening a wholesale store in the town. You can do both wholesale and retail. If you do it well, it can be quite profitable."

Li Huaqiang asked, "Brother Yunheng, what would I wholesale at the store?"

Deng Yunheng explained, "Your customers would be the small convenience stores in the village. You can wholesale whatever they need. Currently, these stores buy their goods from the supply and marketing cooperatives, but the cooperatives are becoming less reliable. You can buy directly from the wholesale points in the county town or even directly from the manufacturers. There's definitely potential in this."

Li Huaqiang nodded in agreement, "Thank you, Brother Yunheng. I'll spend some time researching this."

After discussing their plans, the three of them reminisced about the people and events from their school days.

Before they knew it, it was time for dinner. The waiter came to ask Deng Yunheng, and after getting his approval, began to serve the dishes.

Deng Yunzhen, being a generous sister, naturally did not skimp on the feast she prepared for her brother's teachers and classmates. Although it wasn't a grand banquet of exotic delicacies, the meal was still incredibly rich and varied. Roast chicken, duck, fish, and meat dishes were all present, and the dozens of dishes served, each beautifully prepared, made many of the classmates drool uncontrollably.

In this era, many families in the countryside still struggled financially. Even among the 36 classmates of Class 34, not everyone was living comfortably. Some families were still living in poverty, only able to afford meat a few times a month. Seeing such a sumptuous spread, it was no wonder they couldn't help but salivate.

Before the meal began, a bit of ceremony was still necessary. Deng Yunheng invited the principal, vice-principal, and homeroom teacher to give a few words.

With such delicious food in front of them, the principal and others were quite considerate and didn't drag out their speeches like they did at school. They each gave a brief toast and then ended their remarks.

Finally, everyone raised their glasses for a toast before settling in to enjoy the feast.

After a few bites, the classmates began toasting their homeroom teacher and the school leaders. Deng Yunheng, of course, did the same, raising his glass to toast his teachers and mentors.

Drinking the wine offered by his accomplished student, Li Hongjun was overjoyed. After this reunion, he would have more to brag about. In the future, within the boundaries of Bobai County, he wouldn't dare to walk around arrogantly, but he would certainly command respect from everyone.

The principal was equally delighted, his face glowing with happiness. Although Deng Yunheng was not his student, as the school leader, he could still bask in the glory. In the future, when he attended meetings at the education bureau, he would have the confidence to speak up.

In addition to toasting the teachers, the classmates also toasted Deng Yunheng one by one.

Seeing this, Deng Yunheng raised his glass and said, "Old classmates, let's all drink together. If each of you toasts me individually, I might not be able to handle it!"

Chen Wenfeng raised his glass and laughed, "Then let's drink together. Here's to the bright future of Class 34!"

The other classmates also responded, raising their glasses and drinking heartily.

With the toasts over, everyone relaxed and began chatting with their classmates about their careers, families, and the dreams they had back in school.

Chen Wenfeng, holding his glass, came to sit next to Deng Yunheng and said with a smile, "Old classmate, I've come to seek your advice."

"Class president, you're joking," Deng Yunheng said, raising his glass to clink it with Chen Wenfeng's. "The agricultural machinery bureau is an important department in the county. As the head, once the conditions for promotion are met and your father-in-law gives you a push, your promotion to deputy county will be a natural progression."

Chen Wenfeng took a sip of wine and said confidently, "Old classmate, you're right. My father-in-law is likely to advance further next year. With his help, my chances of being promoted to deputy county are quite high."

Deng Yunheng smiled, "Class president, then I'll congratulate you in advance!"

Chen Wenfeng quickly waved his hand, "That's still uncertain. Besides, even if I am promoted to deputy county, it's only at the deputy department level. Compared to you, I'm still far behind. If I could reach your current level in my lifetime, the ancestral graves of the Chen family would surely smoke with pride."

Deng Yunheng naturally knew this was true. Despite Chen Wenfeng being a university graduate, he was just an ordinary one. With his father-in-law's help, reaching the department level was feasible, and even the full department level was a strong possibility. However, advancing to the provincial level was a different story.

The gap between the department and provincial levels was vast, and not everyone could bridge it.

Without the support of a leader, Chen Wenfeng would need to achieve outstanding political performance to be promoted to deputy provincial, which would be extremely difficult.

Deng Yunheng consoled him, "Class president, who can predict the future? As a university graduate, you still have an advantage over others."

"I hope so. Being a county-level leader would satisfy me."

Next, Chen Wenfeng earnestly sought Deng Yunheng's advice on governance.

They had started their careers at the same time, but while Chen Wenfeng was still at the full department level, Deng Yunheng had already reached the deputy provincial level. The gap was significant, and while part of it was due to the difference between Peking University and an ordinary university, personal ability also played a crucial role.

Therefore, Chen Wenfeng genuinely sought advice from this old classmate, hoping to gain some insights.

Deng Yunheng did not hold back, sharing his experiences and insights from his years in the political arena with Chen Wenfeng.

Chen Wenfeng listened attentively, benefiting greatly.

The meal lasted from 5 PM until 7 PM.

Knowing they would be going to the karaoke hall later, everyone controlled their drinking to avoid getting too tipsy.

After all, karaoke was just beginning to become popular, and very few of the teachers and students had been to a karaoke hall. Everyone wanted to experience it, so they naturally controlled their drinking to avoid missing out, which would be a great disappointment.

Wine could be enjoyed anytime, but the opportunity to go to a karaoke hall was not always available.

Deng Yunheng didn't keep everyone waiting long. Once the meal was over, he led the group directly to the Fuhao Hotel.

Upon arriving at the Fuhao Hotel, Zhu Chenglong asked in surprise, "Brother Yunheng, is the karaoke hall inside this hotel?"

Deng Yunheng smiled and said, "That's right, the second floor of this hotel has a karaoke hall, but everyone should first collect their room keys. We'll be staying here tonight."

The students all exclaimed in surprise. The Fuhao Hotel had only been open for a little over a year and was currently the most luxurious hotel in the county. Apart from a few classmates like Chen Wenfeng and Liu Limin who had seen the world, most of the students had never stayed in such a high-end hotel.

Deng Yunheng had made the arrangements in advance, so when they arrived, the staff immediately distributed the room keys to everyone.

Once the teachers and students had their room keys, Deng Yunheng said, "Everyone, please go to your respective rooms and check them out. If there are any issues, let me know. If everything is fine, we'll meet up at the karaoke hall on the second floor at 7:30 PM, okay?"

"No problem!"

The students responded enthusiastically and then went upstairs to find their rooms based on the room numbers on their keys.

Naturally, the luxurious rooms caused another round of exclamations from the students.

At 7:30 PM, the teachers and students gathered in the karaoke hall on the second floor.

Without a doubt, most of the teachers and students were experiencing karaoke for the first time. They were all amazed by this new entertainment. The popularity of karaoke across the country in just a few years was not without reason. Its appeal to people of this era was undeniable. After familiarizing themselves with the karaoke system, they began to sing with enthusiasm.

Under normal circumstances, some students might have been shy about singing, but after the drinks at Suifeng Hotel, their courage was bolstered. People tend to be bolder after a few drinks, and with the right atmosphere, each student bravely took the stage.

Deng Yunheng had booked the entire karaoke hall for the evening, so there were no outsiders. This was one of the reasons the students felt comfortable singing.

The teachers and students continued singing until 10:00 PM, and even then, they were still reluctant to leave. Afterward, they went out for a late-night snack together. Deng Yunheng then said, "Everyone, that's it for today. You've all had a long day, so go back to the hotel, take a shower, and rest. We'll meet again at Suifeng Hotel for lunch at 11:00 AM tomorrow."

The teachers and students all agreed and then returned to the Fuhao Hotel in groups to rest.

...

The next day.

At 11:00 AM, the teachers and students of Class 34 gathered again at Suifeng Hotel for lunch.

Even without Deng Yunheng saying it, everyone knew this was the farewell meal, and they all felt a bit reluctant to part.

After the meal was nearly finished, Deng Yunheng said, "Everyone, as you might have guessed, this graduation ten-year reunion is coming to an end after this meal. We will all go our separate ways, just like we did ten years ago. It will be difficult to gather like this again in the future."

Liu Limin couldn't help but interject, "Old classmate, can't we make another ten-year promise?"

"Yes, old classmates, why don't we make another ten-year promise? Ten years from now, we can gather again for our twenty-year reunion."

"I agree with another ten-year promise. No matter where I am, I will definitely come back for it."

"Me too."

"..."

The other students also agreed. None of them wanted to miss such a class reunion.

Deng Yunheng said, "I am willing to make another ten-year promise, but you know my current position. In ten years, I may be working in a different place, and it's uncertain whether I'll be able to make it to the reunion. I don't want to make a promise I can't keep and disappoint everyone."

Chen Wenfeng responded, "Old classmate, we can set the ten-year promise now. Everyone knows your situation. We can contact you in advance and arrange the timing around your schedule. That way, there shouldn't be any problems."

Li Hongjun laughed, "Chen Wenfeng is right. We can set the ten-year promise now. We don't have to stick to this exact time; we can choose another time for the reunion. As long as we plan ahead, I believe there won't be any issues."

The other students also voiced their agreement. The most important person for the reunion was Deng Yunheng. It didn't matter if others couldn't make it, but if Deng Yunheng didn't come, the reunion would lose its meaning. Therefore, everyone was willing to adjust their schedules to accommodate him.

Seeing this, Deng Yunheng nodded and said, "Alright, since everyone is so enthusiastic, I wouldn't want to disappoint you. I'll agree to the ten-year promise."

The students all smiled happily.

After the meal, Deng Yunheng said, "Everyone, I have prepared some small gifts for you, and they are already on the bus. We'll see each other again in ten years."

"In ten years, we won't miss this."

"In ten years, we won't miss this."

"In ten years, we won't miss this."

...

PS: Thank you all for your strong support these past few days. The monthly vote ranking has been steadily climbing, and it feels great.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end