Back to the prime of life

Chapter 183: With the rear secure, victory is assured at the front.

On January 29, 2009, Lu Changge drove back to Jiangzhou after the Spring Festival. It was only the fourth day of the Lunar New Year.

He returned so early for two reasons: first, he came back early before the Lunar New Year; second, he wanted to avoid causing trouble for Yin Anyan's parents, who would be wondering whether their daughter was traveling with him.

There were no major conflicts between him and Yin Anyan, but after their unpleasant parting during last year's Spring Festival, Lu Changge stopped caring what Yin's parents thought.

According to the customs of this small town, even if he is not yet a formal son-in-law, it is always appropriate for him to visit the family during holidays.

Not to mention that he is now the deputy county head, and countless people are eager to ride on his coattails.

However, Lu Changge was unimpressed by this attempt to curry favor with someone who was cold to her. Yin Anyan was still debating whether to find an excuse for her to step in and improve their relationship when she unexpectedly received a call on the evening of the third day of the Lunar New Year. Lu Changge said that there was something going on at the company and left as soon as it was light the next day.

When Yin's mother noticed her daughter's sullen mood at home, she asked her why. After learning the reason, she was also stunned. She probably didn't expect that Lu Changge wouldn't even come over for the New Year.

Since the other party harbored resentment, they knew their daughter would inevitably suffer because of them in the future, and thus, a bitter feeling began to rise in their hearts.

“I told you before that you need to be decisive. Children from small families like his, once they become successful, their inferiority complex will turn into pride, and even two or three of you can’t tame them.”

These words were still harsh to hear.

Yin Anyan, emboldened by who-knows-where, said in a slightly fierce tone, "What small family? Is the Yin family related to royalty from which dynasty? Or a powerful clan with a thousand-year history? Mom, it's not that I'm getting too big for my britches, but back then it was all because you had too many ideas and interfered too much. Otherwise, how could things have turned out like this?"

Her commotion startled Mr. Yin, who was on the phone in his study. He quickly came out, looked at his wife who was somewhat gagged, and then at his daughter who was furious. "An Yan, what kind of talk is that? Your mother and I are doing this for your own good."

"That's what they all say! They say it's for my own good, but in reality they just cause me trouble! I don't know where your prejudices come from. What glory or ability do you get from working for the government? Anyway, I've made up my mind. I don't want to be a civil servant in the future."

They are free to decide for themselves what is right or wrong in their family situation.

Lu Changge had already driven onto the highway, with his aunt sitting in the passenger seat.

"...I'm not kidding. This time when I went home, I certainly had a grand entrance. All my aunts and uncles praised me, and even those who weren't related to me started claiming kinship with my parents. But Pulsego and Lumo are companies with a very young average employee age and relatively new industries, unlike traditional manufacturing where you can easily squeeze in one or two relatives. As for Hailan Bay, you put a lot of effort into that place, Aunt. Don't you want to make it more standardized instead of putting all those family members there? When you look up, you'll see relatives everywhere. How are you going to manage that?"

Aunt Lu Xiaohui seemed to be itching to get a brain out, scratching herself as she said, "But you can't just send me back like this. You're kicking me out with you."

"How could that be? I've been watching for over a year. The theme park and stadium built in our county are beautiful and quite large. Investing in a swimming pool at home would be a huge success. If we start now, it'll open during the summer vacation, and we'll be making money every day!"

This is a good idea that Lu Changge came up with.

This year's Spring Festival left him feeling somewhat exhausted, as he was constantly approached by people, mostly looking for jobs, with a few asking to borrow money. Introducing him to a job would be one thing, but the real problem was that some people made their own demands: stability, respectability, not too strenuous work, and high pay.

Lu Changge really wanted to say, "Why don't you take a piss and see what level you're at?"

However, his parents still had to live in the local county town, and out of consideration for their reputation, they didn't want them to be seen as arrogant or conceited after they became successful.

Actually, Lu's parents are alright. Before agreeing to anything, they will first ask for their son's opinion. If they can do it, they will reply with "okay." If they can't do it, they can only sigh.

As a result, Lu Changge just watched his parents sighing at home every day.

Because he really couldn't handle it! The two companies he managed, Zhou Shuang and Chen Xiaohe, were both people who couldn't tolerate any wrongdoing. If he brought a bunch of good-for-nothings from home over the New Year, even if they didn't say anything, they would curse him in their hearts and even think that the company had no future if things were handled this way.

Later, having no other choice, he came up with the idea of ​​simply investing money to start a business at home.

His father used to be an engineer, but Lu Changge persuaded him to quit. He said that doing that job in his past life had ruined his health, and if he really wanted to find something to do, he should give them money to open a small supermarket.

Moreover, he was very eloquent, so he said that the food and drinks outside these days are not healthy, so you two should just stay at home and honestly sell some real, high-quality products. Don't think about expanding the scale or making a lot of profit. When the time comes, the small supermarket can stock up on some real green fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, milk and other healthy foods and send them to your son.

This also saves him from eating food with pesticide residues outside.

Lu's parents were still shaken by the tainted milk powder incident, and since their own work wasn't very interesting, they were actually persuaded by him.

Having succeeded, Lu Changge thought about bringing his aunt home as well. The theme park was recruiting businesses, so they could build an indoor swimming pool there. It didn't need to be high-end; it would be enough since it was a small place.

Having worked at Hailan Bay for so long, Lu Xiaohui was quite familiar with how the swimming pool was operated.

"But after all these years away, I've ended up back in the county town. I can't stand it."

Lu Changge continued to persuade him, "It's different. Others come back because they're not doing well, but you come back because you've succeeded and are reinvesting. Besides, you know yourself that there isn't a single indoor swimming pool in the entire county. If you open one, it will be an instant hit."

The idea of ​​reinvesting after a successful investment stirred Lu Xiaohui's restless heart. "But... the way things are here, whatever makes money, a lot of people will immediately follow suit."

"Tsk, Auntie, are you stupid? Invest in other businesses before others follow suit. You have capital, experience in successful entrepreneurship, and management experience. Do some research and then try other businesses. I guarantee you'll be a successful boss with businesses spanning multiple fields in just a few years. Isn't that embarrassing?"

Lu Xiaohui finally smiled, "This actually seems quite interesting?"

“It’s so interesting. If I weren’t afraid of those complicated interpersonal relationships, I would have come back too.”

Lu Changge was thinking that he could support his aunt's business venture; it was just a matter of spending money, and they were going to support each other anyway. The advantage was that if anyone else asked for help in the future, he could just push it onto his parents and aunt.

Doing business in a small county town isn't as complicated as it is outside, and you don't need to compete with international giants. Looking around, your competitors are all the same boss and his family.

Well, it's not about saving money, it's about saving you so much trouble!
This also prevented his parents from constantly sighing and complaining. He understood that his generation cared a lot about whether or not someone was talking behind their backs.

Beside her, Lu Xiaohui's mind was already moved, and she was also happy. "You don't need to come back. Just do your job well outside. Your aunt is counting on you to support her."

"No problem, I'll make sure you have plenty of room."

"Then I'll make some preparations when I get back to Jiangzhou?" Lu Xiaohui nodded, then suddenly said with a smirk, "I ran into my old class monitor this year during the Spring Festival. He looked down on me back then. Ha, I'll show him what I'm made of back then, and all those other guys!"

As she spoke, she narrowed her eyes and made a fist.

What's going on here? How did such a small grudge turn into a huge upheaval, like the proverb "Don't underestimate a young man's potential"?

Well, Lu Changge didn't care about all that anymore. In any case, he had settled some trivial matters.

As for Yin Anyan, some problems can't be solved for the time being, so let's leave them for now and let things take their course.

In this way, he can focus on company affairs.

However, since it is the Spring Festival, the first thing to do upon returning is to do some social obligations. Face is mutual, so the necessary things cannot be omitted.

The only problem is that Chi Yong-sung hasn't found a wife.

I later found out that he had gone to the United States during his winter break.

Lu Changge could only scratch his head; it was as if he had taken the whole family to America.

If he couldn't find it, so be it. It gave him half a day free, a real steal of a moment of peace. Driving back to school, he soon spotted a familiar girl, who was shoving and pushing a boy.

There is a big difference in strength between men and women. The girl couldn't stop them at all and was pushed to the ground by the boy opposite her.

"Fuck me."

Lu Changge muttered a curse under his breath for such a violent act, then pulled over to the side of the road on campus.

The girl was none other than Ai Mai. At this moment, she was getting up from the ground and was about to push the boy away fiercely. However, although she was very determined, she had little effect. Not only did he not budge, but he also held her in his hands.

"Stop messing around, okay!"

Lu Changge only heard what was being said when he got closer.

"Let me go! I don't want to see you!"

Amy tried to break free, but failed.

Outside her sight, Lu Changge quickly approached, grabbed the boy's neck from behind, then turned her body, creating an angle to throw him behind her.

"Changge?!"

"Are you alright? What happened?"

"It's nothing." Amy's face was bitter.

Lu Changge looked warily at the boy who was rubbing his neck as he got up, and asked Ai Mai, "I vaguely remember him, isn't this your boyfriend?"

"No, he is no longer."

"I haven't agreed yet."

Lu Changge stepped closer to him.

Amy continued resentfully, "You've already found someone else, so go ahead and do it. Why did you come back to me?"

Perhaps fearing she would continue to be chased, she got into the car by herself.

The boy was more impulsive. He went straight to the passenger side and tried to open the door. When he couldn't, he pounded on the window and shouted, "Get out! I came here specifically to see you. I can explain things clearly."

At the same time, seeing Lu Changge approach, the young man immediately pointed at him and warned, "What are you doing?! You'd better not drive today! Open the car door now!"

Lu Changge instantly got angry, so she stared at him with wide eyes, slowly opened the car door in front of him, got in, and started the engine.

The young man was so angry his face turned green.

After the car drove away, Ai Mai could no longer hold back and covered her face, bursting into tears.

Lu Changge didn't know what to say, so he drove to a secluded corner and parked it under the willow trees by the river, letting her cry her heart out.

After what seemed like an eternity of time, with the hazard lights flashing, Amy finally spoke, "He cheated on me."

"I can see that," Lu Changge said, turning her head. "These kinds of things... require patience."

Amy's eyes were red and swollen. "You talk as if you've experienced it yourself."

Lu Changge only smiled slightly, because he had never experienced it and didn't know what it felt like to be cuckolded, so Ai Mai's question was correct.

"Where's An Yan? Didn't she come back with you?"

"No. Her mother will bring her over."

While wiping her nose, Ai Mai also realized that as Yin Anyan's good friend, she knew some things. "It's her mother's fault. Don't blame her. Anyan still likes you very much."

"Why did he cheat on me?" Lu Changge didn't want to discuss his own affairs.

Ai Mai stared blankly ahead, "There are so many... suitors around me. Yi Huan warned me about it, but I didn't believe it at first. Now it seems that all men are probably the same."

After she finished speaking, she glanced at Lu Changge.

"You're making a huge sweeping generalization. Besides, I'm not as handsome as him."

Amy chuckled dryly, "There are probably even more women who want to get into your bed."

Lu Changge: "..."

"What are you men thinking?"

"what do you mean?"

"You mean those other pretty women who also have feelings for you?"

Lu Changge took a deep breath and said, "No matter what, don't let disappointment fill your heart, because some things will become unimportant after a while."

"What things? Does that include emotions?"

"It includes," Lu Changge said with certainty. "Go ask those over forty who are still struggling to make a living how they view love, and they won't even bother to talk to you. But if you ask those financially independent, lonely elderly people, they will tell you that money can't bring happiness, and that a sincere relationship might be more precious. Human beings are actually always trapped in some kind of pendulum, wanting to go to the other side no matter which side they are on."

"You're even more pessimistic than I am."

Lu Changge said, "On the contrary, I am not pessimistic. I remember Romain Rolland once said that there is only one true heroism in the world: to see the world as it is and to love it."

This quote has been cited many times since then, but this is the first time Ai Mai has heard it.

Words can sometimes be powerful. She finally turned to face Lu Changge and said, "Thank you. I'll be ready before I go to work."

"Ah."

"Actually, An Yan's mother really shouldn't have objected. I'm curious about what kind of person she would be satisfied with."

Right? Looking around, Ai Mai can't find anyone more dazzling than Lu Changge.

Lu Changge himself was too lazy to figure it out, and said nonchalantly, "Who knows?"

In fact, he didn't have time to figure these things out.

With 2009 fast approaching, he himself is the kind of middle-aged man who doesn't get caught up in his love life, as he describes himself. Who wouldn't like him? There's no chance he'd even think about it. And it's not that he's being stubborn; he genuinely doesn't care at all.

As evening approached and Lu Changge's stomach growled, he prepared to go eat. However, just before leaving, his phone rang. It was Zhou Shuang calling.

"Happy New Year, Sister Zhou."

"Happy New Year! I have some good news for you during the Lunar New Year. In the United States, Chatter users are growing rapidly and have already exceeded 20."

Lu Changge raised an eyebrow; this was more interesting than he thought.

Moreover, both he and Zhou Shuang are industry insiders. There is a very simple common sense in the industry: Internet products are very extreme. They either don't work out and die quickly, or once they do work out and start to grow, the growth momentum is explosive. In just six months, the difference can be huge.

"That's really good news!"

(End of this chapter)