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May 1996, Fengpu Township, Gutian County, Ningde City, Fujian Province.

The three black Mercedes-Benz cars parked in front of the Su family's old house attracted the attention of half the village.

The children curiously touched the gleaming car body, while the adults stood on tiptoe to peer into the yard.

In the courtyard, Su Ning was kneeling on the bluestone slab of the ancestral hall, offering incense to his ancestors.

Three incense sticks were steadily inserted into the incense burner, and Su Ning bowed deeply.

As he stood up, he noticed that his father, Su Mingde, had more gray hair at his temples than he had seen in a video three years ago.

The old Chinese medicine doctor, who has practiced medicine in the area for thirty years, is wiping the corner of his eye with his rough palms.

"Dad, I'm back," Su Ning said softly, her throat tightening slightly.

I never expected that the connection of bloodlines would be so magical, and that I would not feel alienated just because I am a transmigrator.

Su Mingde patted his son's broad shoulder, his voice choked with emotion: "Good, good, it's good that you're back."

Nine years ago, on that stormy night, when 17-year-old Su Ning boarded a cargo ship bound for Los Angeles in Changle, no one expected that this thin rural youth would make a name for himself in the United States.

At that time, the Su family owed hundreds of thousands in debt...

That was a high-interest loan that Su Mingde borrowed to help Suning smuggle himself to the United States. Looking back now, that investment was really worthwhile.

“Ah Ning! The money you sent back has paid off all the debts and even covered your younger siblings’ tuition.” Mother Wang Xiuqin walked over with a plate of freshly cut fruit, her eyes red. “It’s just… too dangerous.”

Suning took the fruit and smiled.

He didn't tell his parents that dozens of people were crammed into the hold of the cargo ship, and only a dozen or so made it to the other side alive; nor did he mention that when he first arrived in Los Angeles, he worked 16 hours a day in a Chinatown restaurant and slept in the worst basement.

“Everything’s fine now, Mom.” He looked around the newly renovated old house, his gaze falling on a yellowed photograph on the wall…

That was a family photo of him before he left home. He was wearing a faded blue cotton shirt and his eyes were full of confusion about the future.

Today, 26-year-old Suning is the chairman of Yongren Group, whose business has spread across both sides of the Pacific Ocean.

He started as a small appliance repair shop in Los Angeles' Chinatown and built a business group with more than 3,000 employees in less than 10 years.

"Brother!" A clear voice interrupted Su Ning's thoughts.

He turned around and saw his younger sister, Su Wen, standing at the door in a light blue dress, holding a thick stack of books in her arms.

Su Wen, 18, is a senior at Fuzhou University and is the first female college student from her village.

"Xiaowen has grown so much!" Su Ning opened his arms, and his little sister ran over and bumped into his arms.

He remembered that when he left home, Su Wen was still a primary school student with pigtails, and she always followed him around asking for candy.

"Brother, you promised me that I could intern at your company after graduation." Su Wen looked up, her eyes sparkling.

"Of course, but it also depends on your own abilities. I still hope you can study at Tsinghua or Peking University in China." Su Ning affectionately ruffled her sister's hair.

Over the years, the money he sent home not only paid off his debts but also enabled his younger brother Su Hao and younger sister Su Wen to receive the best education.

Su Hao is currently a sophomore at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He was unable to return today due to an important class.

A sudden commotion erupted in the courtyard.

As Su Ning walked out of the ancestral hall, he saw more than a dozen villagers gathered at the entrance, led by the village party secretary, Lao Chen.

"Su Ning! We've been waiting for you to come back!" Old Chen rushed forward and warmly shook Su Ning's hand. "The county leaders heard you were back and specially asked me to invite you. We'll be hosting a banquet for you at the county guesthouse tomorrow!"

Su Ning politely responded, but out of the corner of her eye she noticed her father's brows furrowing slightly.

He understood his father's worries...

Since news of his success in the United States reached his hometown, relatives and neighbors have been coming to his door every day, hoping he can help them take their children abroad.

Sure enough, after exchanging pleasantries, Old Chen rubbed his hands and said, "Su Ning, my son is graduating from high school this year with good grades. Do you think he could..."

“Uncle Chen,” Su Ning interrupted him gently but firmly, “going abroad is not the only way out. I am planning to invest in building a factory in my hometown, which requires a lot of local talent.”

A hint of disappointment flashed across Old Chen's face, but it quickly returned to a broad smile: "That's right! That's right! President Su has a long-term vision!"

Just as Su Ning breathed a sigh of relief after finally seeing off the group of visitors, her cousin Su Qiang led five or six young men in.

"Brother Ning!" Su Qiang exclaimed excitedly, "These are all my classmates. They heard you were back and insisted on meeting the big boss from America!"

Suning looked at these young people in their early twenties, whose eyes shone with longing for the "American Dream," which reminded him of himself back then.

These young people, like Suning back then, only saw the prosperity of America.

“In the United States, people without green cards can’t even find legal work. Even if they get a work visa, they can only find the dirtiest jobs.” Su Ning’s tone became serious. “You can’t even imagine how much I suffered back then. And I’m only where I am today because I’m lucky. Most of the time, I would have been homeless, or even lost my body.”

A boy wearing glasses retorted defiantly, "But Brother Ning, didn't you succeed? We're not afraid of hardship!"

Su Ning shook his head: "Times have changed. US immigration policy in the 90s was much stricter than in the 80s. And..."

He pointed to his temple. "I finished high school in China, have a good foundation in English, and I also taught myself appliance repair. What skills do you have that would allow you to make a living in the United States?"

The young people exchanged bewildered glances. Su Qiang said awkwardly, "Brother Ning, you've changed. You used to be the most loyal friend..."

“Qiang, it’s precisely because I value loyalty that I can’t watch you jump into the fire.” Su Ning sighed. “Here’s what we’ll do! Those who want to continue their studies can sponsor their tuition; those who want to learn technical skills can find training positions at an electronics factory in Fuzhou. But I will absolutely not help you with the illegal immigration route.”

After dinner, Su Ning and her father sat in the courtyard drinking tea.

The evening breeze in May carries the scent of earth and jasmine, and the sounds of frogs and insects can be heard in the distance.

“Ah Ning, you did the right thing today.” Su Mingde took a sip of tea and said slowly, “These days, the villagers are going crazy. Some people sold their houses to raise money for smuggling, and some girls married overseas Chinese men in their fifties just for a green card… It’s a tragedy.”

Su Ning gripped his teacup tightly: "Dad, I'm planning to set up an education fund to support children in our hometown to go to school. The real solution lies in education, not smuggling."

Su Mingde nodded with relief, then his expression turned worried: "Your second uncle's son went to find a smuggler last month and we haven't heard from him since..."

Suning felt a pang of anxiety.

He recalled the 1992 Los Angeles riots, during which many undocumented Chinese people suffered, including young people who had illegally immigrated from their hometowns.

“I’ll ask around,” he said in a deep voice. “Dad, there’s a banquet in the county tomorrow. You should come with me. I have an investment project to discuss.”

……

The next day at noon, in the banquet hall of the Gutian County Hotel.

The county head, the director of the investment promotion bureau, and other local officials warmly welcomed this "patriotic overseas Chinese businessman."

"President Su is young and promising, a source of pride for Gutian!" The county head raised his glass, his face glowing. "The county will definitely give its full support to the electronic component factory project you mentioned!"

Suning smiled and nodded: "The initial plan is to invest 20 million yuan, mainly to produce computer peripherals, which can provide 500 jobs. But I have a condition..."

"Please speak! Please speak!" The director of the investment promotion bureau quickly pulled out his notebook.

"The factory must be equipped with a technical training center, and employees must have at least a high school diploma." Suning looked around at everyone, "I hope this investment will not only bring economic benefits, but also improve the skills and horizons of the people in my hometown."

"Great! We'll definitely discuss it at the meeting as soon as possible."

After the banquet, Su Ning declined the sightseeing tour arranged by the county and drove alone to Fengpu Middle School, where he had studied as a child.

The campus was more dilapidated than I remembered; the basketball hoops on the playground were crooked, and several pieces of glass in the classroom windows were broken.

"You are... Su Ning?" An elderly man with gray hair came out of the teachers' office and squinted at him.

"Ms. Li!" Su Ning recognized her high school homeroom teacher with surprise. "You're still teaching?"

"You'll be retiring next year." Teacher Li smiled and shook his hand. "I heard you made a fortune in America. Not bad, not bad. Your intelligence back then has paid off."

While strolling on campus, Teacher Li told Su Ning that the school had lost many good teachers over the years, and many students dropped out of school after graduating from junior high to work.

"The most regrettable thing is that those who got into key high schools couldn't afford to be supported by their families, so they all went to work in Guangdong," the old man sighed.

Su Ning stopped and looked at the mottled classroom walls, then suddenly said, "Teacher Li, I'd like to donate money to build a new teaching building and set up a scholarship fund. Could you help me contact the principal?"

"Okay!"

That evening, Suning sent a long message to the Su family, announcing that he would sponsor all Su family members to complete their university studies, but with one condition: they must obtain a graduation certificate in order to receive further job arrangements.

Cousin Su Qiang immediately retorted dismissively, "Brother Ning, studying is so boring! My classmate Wang Lei went to New York with his uncle for only three years, and now he's driving a BMW!"

Looking at his cousin, whose mind was full of the "American Dream," Su Ning asked, "Qiang, do you know what kind of job Wang Lei does in New York?"

"Uh...it seems like we're in a restaurant?"

"Working 12 hours a day, living in a basement crammed with eight people, and earning less than half the legal minimum wage per hour," Suning said coldly. "Is this the life you want?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, then Su Qiang muttered softly, "But Ning-ge, you went through the same thing..."

“It’s precisely because I’ve been through it that I know how tough it is. That I understand that my success can’t be replicated.” Su Ning’s tone softened. “Qiang, you’re quick-witted. If you’re willing to study hard, you’ll be more than capable of being a regional manager in my company in the future. Why go to America to be a second-class citizen?”

"..."

Su Qiang didn't listen to him. Instead, he thought Su Ning was too stingy and unwilling to help his fellow townsman.

The village was quiet and peaceful under the cover of night, with only the occasional bark of a dog.

Nine years ago, when he left, he was focused on earning money to pay off his debts and support his family; now that he has returned, he carries a heavy responsibility on his shoulders…

Not only do we want to improve the lives of our families, but we also want to find a sustainable development path for our hometown.

The project plan was still open on the desk; it was the "Yongren Education Fund Implementation Plan" that he had his assistant prepare before he returned to China.

Suning picked up a pen and added a zero to the original budget.

He knew that changing the mindset of a place was harder than investing in building a factory, but someone had to start.

……

The banquet hall of the county guesthouse was brightly decorated, with a bright red banner hanging at the entrance...

"A warm welcome to Mr. Su Ning, a patriotic overseas Chinese businessman, to his hometown for inspection."

Two rows of hostesses in cheongsams, each holding a bouquet, greeted Suning as he entered the hall. Flashbulbs went off continuously, and the county television station's cameras filmed the entire event.

"General Manager Su, this is Director Zhang from our Provincial Overseas Chinese Affairs Office. He came all the way from Fuzhou." The county head bowed as he introduced them, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead.

In May, the weather in eastern Fujian was already unbearably hot and humid. Although the banquet hall was air-conditioned, the crowd of officials at all levels and local business people made the air feel thick and sticky.

Su Ning grasped the hand that Director Zhang extended, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw her father, who had been seated at the third table, awkwardly adjusting his suit and tie, which he had never worn before.

He turned to his secretary and whispered calmly, "Please seat my father at the head table."

"This... is against the rules," the secretary said, looking troubled.

"Either add a chair, or I'll go sit down." Su Ning's voice was soft, but her tone left no room for argument.

Three minutes later, Su Mingde was invited to the head of the main table with great trepidation, sitting between the high-ranking officials and Su Ning.

Before the banquet began, the county magistrate walked onto the stage with a five-page speech.

By the time Su Ning heard the third minute, his brows had already furrowed slightly...

His speech exaggerated the size of his company by at least three times and described him as a "modern-day Chen Jiageng who cares deeply about his hometown."

When he heard that "General Manager Su has decided to invest 5 billion yuan to build his hometown," he finally couldn't help but whisper to the director of the investment promotion bureau next to him, "Director Wang, my initial intention is to try 20 million yuan."

Director Wang's smile froze for a moment, then he leaned closer and whispered, "President Su, it's just polite talk! Don't worry, the final figure on the contract will definitely be up to you."

After several rounds of drinks, the waiter brought out a series of rare local delicacies...

Australian lobster sashimi, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, steamed grouper.

The county magistrate personally introduces each dish served, as if this is the standard of hospitality in Gutian County.

Suning noticed that her father barely touched his chopsticks, while several local entrepreneurs at the next table were secretly taking pictures of the dishes with their phones.

"President Su, I'd like to toast you!" A middle-aged man with a flushed face suddenly pushed his way forward, holding up a wine glass. "I'm Lao Lin from Yonghui Building Materials! The tiles you used for your old house renovation were from my factory!"

Just as Su Ning was about to raise his glass, Deputy Director Li from the county's investment promotion office interrupted, "Old Lin, what's the rush? It's Secretary Zhang's turn in order!"

He glared at the man as he spoke.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, Suning had already stuffed more than twenty business cards into his suit pocket.

Some wanted to become agents for Yongren Electronics, some wanted to contract construction projects, and some even claimed to be Hollywood agents who said they could help him make connections in American politics.

The most outrageous thing was the director of the county cultural center, who held up a yellowed family genealogy and insisted that he had verified that Su Ning was the 38th generation descendant of Su Zhe, a great writer of the Song Dynasty.

Suning excused himself to answer a phone call and fled to the restroom, where he loosened his tie in front of the mirror.

The reflection in the mirror showed a slightly flushed face, with fine lines appearing at the corners of the eyes.

Nine years have passed. The young man who used to vomit uncontrollably in the hold of a cargo ship has now become a "god of wealth" in the eyes of his hometown people.

He turned on the tap, and the cold water washed over his wrists, bringing him a moment of clarity.

A hushed argument could be heard coming from around the corner of the corridor.

Suning recognized the voices as those of Director Wang from the Investment Promotion Bureau and Old Lin, the building materials merchant from earlier.

"Hey Lin, do you even know the rules? Investments of Mr. Su's caliber are none of your small factory's business!"

"Director Wang, you still owe me 800,000 yuan for the construction project that repaired the county government last year!"

"Shut up! I'll settle the bill tomorrow. If you ruin this important investment attraction plan today, you'll regret it!"

Su Ning quietly retreated back to the banquet hall, already understanding seven or eight parts of the situation.

He recalled the warning from the Los Angeles Chinese Chamber of Commerce: the biggest fear when investing back in China is being "locked in and beaten"...

They use sweet words when attracting investment, but then create all sorts of difficulties once the funds are secured.

"President Su! We've been looking for you!" The county head greeted him with a beaming smile. "A reporter from the provincial TV station would like to do an exclusive interview, what do you think..."

"Excuse me! My father is getting old, I need to take him home to rest." Su Ning helped her father up and nodded to the guests in the hall. "Thank you all for your patronage. We can discuss the specific investment projects another day."

As I stepped out of the hotel, bursts of fireworks exploded in the night sky...

This was a "welcome ceremony" that the county government added on the spot.

The multicolored light shone on the father's deeply lined face, and the old man hesitated to speak.

"Dad, what are you trying to say?"

Su Mingde sighed: "A-Ning, those dishes... are enough to cover the food expenses of our village primary school for two years."

"That's normal! Some things are beyond our control."

On the way back to their old house, Suning's Mercedes convoy was stopped by a group of villagers holding banners.

His heart skipped a beat, and he rolled down the car window to see that the banner read, "Welcome Mr. Suning back to his hometown to invest."

"Mr. Su! We're from the Fengpu Township Citrus Cooperative!" a dark-skinned old farmer shouted through the car window. "We heard you're building a factory. Could you buy our oranges? The price has been driven down too much these past few years..."

Just as the secretary was about to shoo him away, Su Ning opened the door and got out of the car.

He recognized him as Uncle Li from the west end of the village. When he left home years ago, Uncle Li had secretly given him two hundred yuan.

“Uncle Li, the electronics factory probably won’t need oranges,” Su Ning said with a wry smile. But seeing the expectant looks in the eyes of the villagers around him, he changed the subject. “However, our group intends to expand its supermarket business in China. We can study the fruit supply channels then.”

The villagers cheered immediately.

Some people were trying to stuff their own free-range chickens into the car, while others were insisting that he try some freshly picked loquats.

This genuine warmth is far more comforting than the flattery in a banquet hall.

It was late at night when we got back to the old house, but there were still seven or eight relatives sitting in the living room.

Upon seeing Su Ning enter, everyone stood up in unison, and several teenagers were pushed forward by their parents to call him "Uncle" or "Uncle".

Suning recognized them as distant relatives he hadn't seen in years.

“Ah Ning! I used to hold you when you were little!” An old woman with a face full of wrinkles held his hand tightly. “My grandson is very smart. His teacher said he can get into Peking University, but he’s a little short on tuition fees…”

"Mr. Su, I've worked at the county's Administration for Industry and Commerce for twenty years. I'll take care of your factory registration!" A man who claimed to be her uncle patted his chest confidently.

Su Ning rubbed his temples and had his secretary bring over a stack of envelopes: "Thank you all for your concern. This is a small token of my appreciation. I hope the children will study hard and have the opportunity to intern at Yongren in the future."

Each envelope contained two thousand yuan...

It's enough to cover a high school student's tuition for a year, but not so much that it would give anyone the idea of ​​overspending.

The relatives left, expressing their gratitude profusely, leaving only Uncle Su Mingyi lingering until the very end.

After everyone had left, he suddenly knelt down: "A-Ning, please save your cousin!"

It turns out that Su Mingyi's son smuggled himself into the United States three months ago and is now being held in an immigration detention center. The smuggler wants to pay another $50,000 to bail him out.

“He gets beaten up every day over there… They say if they don’t pay him, he’ll be sold to Mexico…” My uncle pulled out a photo with tears streaming down his face. The young man in the photo, with his bruised and swollen face, was nothing like the mischievous cousin he used to be.

Su Ning stared at the photo, feeling a tightness in her chest.

He has witnessed far too many tragedies like this over the years…

Young people with the American Dream end up as slaves to shady employment agencies.

He helped his uncle up: "I'll contact a lawyer tomorrow. But you have to promise me that this matter must not be spread, otherwise more people will take the risk."

"Good! Good!"

In the stillness of the night, Su Ning stood alone in the courtyard of the old house.

The moon was just as round when I left home nine years ago, except that the loquat tree in the corner of the yard has grown taller than the eaves.

He took out his cigarette case and suddenly heard footsteps behind him.

"Brother, here." Su Wen handed over an enamel cup containing homemade loquat syrup. "Mom said you loved to eat this when you had a cough as a child."

The warm, sweet taste melted on her tongue, and Su Ning suddenly felt her eyes welling up with tears.

This tastes more authentic than any delicacy.

He looked up at the second-floor window, and his mother's figure flashed past behind the curtains...

The old man is still staying up all night for him.

"Xiaowen, do you think I should invest heavily in my hometown?" he asked softly.

Su Wen bit her lip and thought for a moment: "Brother, I think the same applies to human relationships. Some investments, even if you know you can't get them back, you still have to do them."

Su Ning looked at her younger sister in surprise.

The little girl who used to follow him around begging for candy can now understand the intricacies of his business plans.

“However,” Su Wen winked slyly, “we can learn from Walmart and open a pilot store first. If it works well, we can expand! We won’t feel bad if it fails.”

Su Ning burst out laughing and ruffled her sister's hair.

Perhaps true change doesn't need to be earth-shattering; it's like the loquat tree in the corner of the yard, which grows into a shady spot without you even realizing it.

He took out his phone and sent a message to his lawyer in Los Angeles:

"Help me draft two documents: one is the charter of the Yongren Education Foundation, and the other is the performance-based agreement for the investment in the electronics factory—if the local government fails to fulfill its promises, we have the right to withdraw our investment."

After sending the message, he took a deep breath of the night breeze carrying the scent of loquat.

Tomorrow, the county will definitely see wave after wave of visitors.

But at this moment, under the courtyard where he was born and raised, he just wanted to stand a little longer.

...(End of chapter)