After seeing off all two hundred and thirteen prospective college students, Dong Shu and the remaining few reassigned personnel also gradually received notices to return to the city for employment arrangements and the restoration of all their family properties.
The rest of the people returned home one after another, and even Dong Shu received an invitation from the Q University Literature Department. She planned to strictly demand and constantly encourage her two students, Qiu Fang and Lian Yue, in her capacity as the department head. The only one who declined was Feng Ju, who turned down the invitation from the B University Art Department and decided to stay in the Liu family village, dedicatedly teaching his only indoor disciple Lian En how to paint and write.
Old Yang also hurriedly returned and spent nearly two months dealing with his reinstated property and assets.
Then he returned, travel-worn, pushed his large suitcase aside, and shamelessly said to Lianshan and his wife, "I don’t care, back then you two saved my old man, gave me a new life and family-like warmth. Now I’m used to the warmth of this house and can’t adapt to the stormy life outside anymore.
You sowed the seeds, now you must bear the fruit and take responsibility for the rest of my life!
I don’t care, I want to settle in Liu family village, build my house next to yours. Let’s open a small gate between our courtyards, so we can come and go often and keep bustling."
Seeing Lianshan looking helplessly at Shuzhen, Shuzhen straightforwardly rolled her eyes dramatically.
It seemed that Old Yang, who didn’t manage to drive away his grievances, started to play the sympathy card again, "Anyway, you have no elders to care for, and I have a bunch of ungrateful scoundrels and half a caring relative. Isn’t it the right time to complement each other’s strengths and warm ourselves reluctantly together?"
Hearing this, Shuzhen couldn’t even be bothered to roll her eyes: "No, we’ve long passed the age of being fond and reliant on elders. We don’t need to take in someone else’s elder to warm us up. But our friendship of many years remains, if you really cherish this small plot in Liu family village, you can absolutely stay here to shine and contribute.
If there are places in need of help, we’ll definitely be there at the front without any hesitation.
Allowing you to build a house next to us, so we can be neighbors and look out for each other, continue to feel family-like warmth is not impossible.
But you have to restrain those ungrateful folks in your family. Don’t let them misunderstand that we got significant benefits from you or are coveting your inheritance."
"Of course, of course! A bunch of leeches, not just sucking blood but also betraying their benefactor in every way possible. Not just you guys, even I’m trying to avoid them. "Old Yang nodded repeatedly, deeply agreeing.
Originally, they were just distant cousins and nieces. Being able to support them after their father died early was all due to Old Yang’s benevolence.
A group of ungrateful scoundrels, when things went wrong, immediately cut the connection. To demonstrate their determination to break away from bad elements, they scolded and insulted his old couple in every possible way, worse than reactionaries. If it weren’t for their backstabbing, his wife wouldn’t have succumbed to anger and depression, falling into illness and dying early.
Now seeing him rehabilitated and regaining his property, they want to share a piece of the pie?
Humph, since the day it was confirmed that his beloved wife was too frail for pregnancy, he was prepared to have no descendants at all. He didn’t have the slightest desire for those scoundrel’s offspring to serve him after his death!
Just worrying about whom to hand over the future management of the Liu family village feather product factory, Old Yang returned right away.
Liu Shouren was naturally delighted upon hearing Old Yang had obtained his younger sister and her husband’s consent, so he immediately approved a piece of land east of Lianshan’s house for Old Yang to use as a homestead.
The news that Old Yang was settling in the Liu family village production team and planned to start building a house when spring came spread quickly, making Liu Shouyi and Chenchen very happy.
All four were defeated, and the college entrance exam had been fully restored. Presumably, opening up and economic revitalization were also just a matter of time.
Happening to be born in ’46, Liu Shouyi, who missed this college entrance exam, had long planned to become a successful businessman when things fully opened up. And Old Yang was the ready mentor on his business path!
Not caring about the situation’s intricacies or development potential, Chenchen, whose goal was to make a lot of money so that his mom, dad, big brother, himself, and his siblings could live without any financial worries, also idolized his Grandpa Yang. He just wanted to learn the ropes of business from him, hoping to become a prestigious factory owner with countless factories of his own in the future.
Now, hearing his idol was building a house next door and becoming neighbors, how could the little one not be overjoyed?
Since Old Yang’s three brick houses were completed and he moved in, the little guy frequently addressed him as Grandpa Yang and visited often.
Seeing that he indeed didn’t cause trouble, Old Yang liked him very much, in which Lianshan and Shuzhen didn’t interfere much.
And when the 11th CCP Third Plenary Session concluded successfully, bringing reform and opening up’s good news, the little guy had already learned a lot of business knowledge from Old Yang.
The ambitious Liu Shouyi became a junior apprentice of his second nephew and yet was not as smart or sharp as his "senior apprentice," who was favored by the master.
In Old Yang’s words: Age is not the problem, talent is!
It was only after he grumbled to his little sister that Shuzhen found out her silent second son had actually followed in his big brother’s footsteps and found himself a master.
But how could a child so small have such ideas about business?
"Mom, I’m already eight, almost nine years old! Really not that young anymore. Why can’t I have my own goals and ideals?" Having been tormented by his big brother with "You’re still young, can’t do this, wait till you grow up," for years. Being underestimated for being young was something Chenchen despised the most, without exception.
Having expressed his opposition again, Chenchen laid out his strong reasons, trying to persuade his parents to allow him to continue striving on the glorious path of business. "It’s not just a whim. I only think being a successful businessman with many factories of my own, earning endless money, sounds quite impressive! Moreover, once I’m successful, I can buy a lot of dowry for my sisters, making sure they stand tall at their in-laws’ homes, so no one dares to give them a hard time. Also, get hardworking, beautiful wives for big brother, Xiao Xi, and myself, so they can serve you and dad well. And..."
Shuzhen and Lianshan exchanged glances and burst into laughter. Listening to their eight-year-old son talk about saving dowries for his sisters and earning money to get good wives for Lian En, himself, and Lian Xi—it was overwhelmingly amusing, making it impossible not to burst out laughing!