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In the spring of 1981, Forrest Gan drove his newly purchased Ford pickup truck back to Greenfield, Alabama.

When he stopped the car in front of that familiar old house, he sat in the car and looked at it for a long time.

The house was older than he remembered; the paint was peeling off the walls, and the wood in the porch was somewhat rotten.

Mrs. Gan, the mother, has been living in California with her brother, Suning, for two years, and this place has been empty ever since.

“It’s time to rebuild,” Fores said to himself.

He returned with a detailed plan to rebuild the old house and build another house for his brother.

We won't build it now; we'll buy the land first and build it gradually.

Fores believed that his brother would come back someday.

Then Fores went to the town hall.

The mayor was still old Charlie, who was seventy years old, and he was very happy to see Fores.

"Fores! Long time no see! I heard your shrimp company has grown quite a bit, with ships all over the Gulf of Mexico!"

“Uncle Charlie, business is doing well.” Fores shook hands with the mayor. “I’m back this time to take care of two things.”

"You said."

"First, I want to demolish and rebuild my old family house. It will be on the same site, but bigger, so my mother will be more comfortable when she comes back from California."

“No problem, I’ll have someone process the reconstruction permit for you right away.” Old Charlie readily agreed. “And the second thing?”

“I want to buy that piece of land on the west side of town, by the lake, and build a house for my brother.”

Old Charlie was taken aback: "Give it to your brother? Your brother is a big boss now, living in a big villa in California, would he come back to this small place like ours?"

“My brother will definitely come back,” Fores said with certainty. “He always says Greenfield is his home. He’s busy now, but he’ll definitely come back to live here in the future.”

“That piece of land isn’t small, it’s twenty acres. Now the land price has gone up, it’s going to be $80,000.”

“I’ll buy it.” Fores pulled his checkbook from his bag. “We can sign the contract right now.”

Old Charlie looked at Forrest's hand as he signed the check and said with emotion, "Forrest, you've really made something of yourself. I remember how hard it was for your mother to raise you two by herself when you were little. Now one of you is a tech tycoon and the other is a fishing business owner. Your mother must be so happy."

“It’s all thanks to God.” Fores signed the check and handed it over. “Uncle Charlie, I’ll need your help with the house construction. I don’t know anything about construction, so I need to find a reliable construction team.”

“Leave it to me.” Old Charlie put away the check. “Old John’s Construction Company in town has the best craftsmanship and fair prices. I’ll take you to see John this afternoon.”

……

In the afternoon, Fores met with Old John, the owner of the construction company.

He was in his sixties and had spent his entire life in construction; he built half the houses in Greentown.

"Fores, you're going to build two houses?" Old John asked, looking at the blueprints.

“Yes, one is a reconstruction of my old family house, and the other is a new one built for my brother,” Fores said. “My brother’s house is a bit more special; he likes a modern style, simple and elegant. But my mother’s house is in a traditional southern style, with a large balcony, where she likes to sit and drink tea.”

Old John laughed: "You've thought of everything. What about the budget?"

“My brother’s house has a budget of $500,000. My mother’s house has a budget of $300,000,” Fores said calmly.

Old John's hand trembled, and he almost dropped his pencil: "Eight...eight hundred thousand dollars? Forrest, do you know that in Greenfield Town, you can build a very nice house for two hundred thousand?"

“I know,” Fores nodded, “but my brother’s house has to be made with the best materials and the latest technology. He’s used to living in a modern house in California, and he can’t come back with such a drastic change. My mother’s house also has to be nice; she’s worked hard all her life, and she deserves to enjoy it.”

What are your specific requirements?

Fores pulled out a notebook...

The book was filled with Su Ning's and his mother's preferences, all of which he had carefully noted down over the years.

“My brother likes big windows for good lighting. He wants a large study because he has a lot of books. He wants a separate office with video conferencing capabilities—although the technology isn’t mature yet, it will definitely be available in a few years. He also wants a wine cellar because he collects red wine.”

“Your brother’s request… is a bit ahead of its time in Greenfield Town,” Old John said, scratching his head.

“So please take this opportunity to help,” Fores said. “Materials can be shipped from elsewhere, and we can hire outside experts. Money is not a problem.”

"And what about your mother's house?"

“My mom wants a traditional southern-style mansion with a porch and a rocking chair. The kitchen should be large, as she enjoys cooking. The bedroom should be on the first floor, as she has difficulty walking. The garden should be beautiful, as she likes to grow flowers. There should also be a small pond with a few koi.”

Old John wrote it down carefully: "Fores, you're really good to your mother and your brother."

“It’s only right,” Fores said. “I wouldn’t have grown up without my mother. I wouldn’t be able to do business without my brother. Now that I’m capable, it’s time to repay them.”

……

That evening, after finishing everything, Fores called Babu from a small hotel in town.

Bab is now in charge of the shrimp fishing business in the Gulf of Mexico and is the company's second-largest shareholder.

"Fores, how's it going in Green Town?" Babu asked.

“The land has been bought, and the construction company has been agreed upon,” Fores said. “Construction will begin next month. Bob, I want to discuss something with you.”

"You said."

"Rebuilding the old house and building a house for my brother will probably cost around $800,000. This money will come from my dividends, but it might affect the company's cash flow. What do you think?"

On the other end of the phone, Bab laughed: "Fores, have you forgotten? The company has two million dollars in cash on hand right now. Last year was good, this year is even better. Eight hundred thousand? No problem. Besides, this is for building a house for your family, Dane and I will absolutely support it."

"Thank you, Babu."

“No need to thank me, we’re brothers,” Babu said. “By the way, Dan asked me to ask you if your brother’s house needs an elevator. Dan said it would be more convenient for Mr. Gan to go up and down the stairs when he gets older.”

Fores' eyes lit up: "That's a great idea! I'll talk to the construction company about it tomorrow."

Dann called right after Babu hung up the phone.

“Fores, send me a copy of the house design drawings,” Dane said directly. “I know a few architects who have designed modern villas in New York. Have them take a look and give me some advice.”

"Dan, you have trouble walking, don't worry about it."

“My legs are inconvenient, but my mind is sharp,” Dane said. “Your brother has been kind to us; without the two boats he gave us, the company wouldn’t be where it is today. Now that we’re building him a house, it has to be a good one. Send me the design plans, and I’ll have a professional look at them.”

Fores felt a warmth in his heart: "Okay, I'll scan it and send it to you tomorrow."

“Also,” Dane added, “your brother works in high-tech, so the wiring in the house needs to be ahead of its time. Network cables, telephone lines, TV cables—we might not need them now, but we definitely will in ten years. It’s better to bury them now so we don’t have to dig up walls later.”

"Yes, yes, I didn't think of that!"

……

The next day, Fores called his mother in California.

"Mom, I'm in Green Town, preparing to rebuild the old house."

On the other end of the phone, Mrs. Gan was pleasantly surprised: "Really? Mom dreamed about the old house a few days ago. What are your plans for rebuilding it?"

“A grand southern house in your preferred style, with a large balcony where you can enjoy tea and the view,” Fores described. “The kitchen will be the latest design, but with a wood-fired stove, as you say, food cooked over a wood fire is more fragrant. The garden will be planted with your favorite roses, and a small pond will be dug to raise koi.”

Mrs. Gan was delighted: "Great, great, Mom likes it all. But Forrest, don't spend too much money, you don't earn money easily."

“Mom, I have money now,” Fores said. “Last year, the shrimp company gave me a dividend of six hundred thousand. This year it’s even more. It’s worth every penny to build you a house.”

"What about your brother? Does your brother know?"

“I haven’t told my brother yet; I want to surprise him,” Fores said. “I bought twenty acres of land by the lake and will build him a house too. It’ll be modern; I’m sure he’ll like it.”

Mrs. Gan paused for a moment, her voice choked with emotion: "Forrest, you are such a good child of mine. You always think of your family."

"Of course, Mom."

"When are you going back to California? Mom will cook you something delicious."

“I’ll be back once construction starts, in about two weeks,” Fores said. “Mom, take care of yourself.” “I know. You be careful too, don’t overwork yourself building the house, leave it to the professionals.”

……

After hesitating for a few days, Forrest finally called his brother.

"Brother, I'm in Green Town."

"I know, Mom told me." Su Ning laughed on the other end of the phone. "You're going to rebuild the old house?"

“Yes, I’d also like to build one for you.” Fores said directly, “I bought a piece of land by the lake, twenty acres, with a really nice view. I’ll build you a modern house so you can live in Greenfield Town later.”

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds.

“Fores, there’s no need for that. I have a place in California, Greentown… I might only go back once every few years.”

“But we still need a place to stay,” Fores insisted. “Brother, I know you’re busy, but one day you’ll want to come back. Green Town is our root. Mom always said that no matter how far you go, you can’t forget your roots.”

Suning was silent for a moment: "Did you buy the land?"

"Bought it, $80,000."

What about the design?

"We've hired the best architecture firm, and the design is still being revised. Dane found a designer in New York to help review it, saying it needs to be forward-looking, with everything from wiring to the future." Fores said earnestly, "Brother, just tell me what you need, and I'll make it happen."

Su Ning laughed on the other end of the phone: "I don't have any requirements, you can decide for yourself. But... the study needs to be big, with big windows that can see the lake."

"Got it!" Fores quickly wrote it down in his notebook. "Anything else?"

"If you have a wine cellar, make sure to control the temperature. I have a collection of red wine."

"We have a wine cellar! A temperature control system is already planned for installation!"

"Fores, thank you," Suning said gently. "How much? I'll transfer it to you."

“No money needed!” Fores immediately said. “Brother, this is a gift from me. You gave me two ships, which brought my company back from the brink of collapse. It’s only right that I give you a house.”

"That's different..."

“It’s the same,” Fores insisted. “Brother, let me do something for you. You’ve always taken care of me since I was little. Now that I’m grown up, it’s my turn to take care of you.”

These words warmed Su Ning's heart.

"Okay, then I won't stand on ceremony with you," Su Ning said. "Send me the revised design drawings so I can take a look and offer some suggestions."

"must!"

Suning had already come to regard Mrs. Gan and Forrest Gan as his own family, and had long since forgotten about the system mission.

Seeing how hard his silly younger brother was trying, Su Ning was deeply moved.

……

Two weeks later, the reconstruction of the old house and the construction of the new house by the lake began simultaneously.

The groundbreaking ceremony was simple, attended by Fores, the team from Old John's Construction Company, and a few old neighbors from the town.

Mayor Charlie also came.

“Fores, once these two houses are built, they will be the best houses in Greenfield Town.” Old Charlie looked at the renderings. “Your brother’s modern villa is top-notch even in the whole country.”

“My brother deserves the best,” Fores said.

The workers got busy.

First, demolish the old house and clear the foundation.

The land by the lake is being leveled and foundations are being laid for the new houses.

Fores spends his days at the construction site. Although he doesn't understand construction, he carefully observes every step of the process.

Old John told him, "Fores, we used the latest earthquake-resistant design on your brother's house. It can withstand an earthquake of magnitude 8—although earthquakes are rare in Alabama, it's just in case. The insulation materials are also the best, keeping it warm in winter and cool in summer. The windows are imported German triple-glazed windows, which are soundproof and heat-insulating."

"Thank you, Uncle John."

“The house your mother lives in is all made of solid wood, using traditional southern craftsmanship. I guarantee it will last a hundred years without breaking,” Old John said. “I built the stove in the kitchen myself, so that when your mother burns firewood, the smoke will go out and won’t be choking.”

"For your trouble."

A month later, the foundation was laid and the framework began to be erected.

Fores took many photos and sent them to his mother and brother in California.

The mother replied, "I saw the photos, they're really beautiful. I'm already thinking about going back to live here."

My brother called back and said, "The design is great, even better than I expected. Fores, you really put your heart into it."

Green Town is not a large town, and the simultaneous construction of two such luxurious houses quickly became the hot topic of conversation in the town.

In the town's cafes, people were talking about it.

"I heard that the house that Forrest is building for his brother has a budget of $500,000! My God, $500,000 can buy twenty houses in Greenfield Town!"

“Suning is a big boss now, so 500,000 yuan may not be much to him.”

“But this is what Foresh meant. The boy is honest and remembers his brother’s kindness.”

"Mrs. Gan is so lucky. Both of her sons are successful and filial."

"Fores ordered the best water pipes and the best electrical wires from me, all top-of-the-line stuff. He said they were for his brother and his mother, so they had to be the best."

“I pass by the construction site every day and see that the progress is really fast. I heard that it will be completed by the end of the year.”

“I asked my students to write an essay titled ‘My Hometown.’ Several children wrote about Fores’ building a house, saying that when they grow up, they want to be like him and give back to their hometown after they succeed.”

When these comments reached Fores' ears, he simply smiled.

He doesn't care what others say; what he cares about is whether his family can live comfortably.

Suning took some time to go back to Green Town.

He was very satisfied with the progress of the construction site.

"Fores, well done." Suning looked at the modern villa that had already been topped out. "It's even better than the one I had in California."

"As long as you like it, brother." Fores was very happy.

The two brothers stood by the lake, watching two houses gradually take shape.

One is traditional, the other is modern.

One building is for my mother, and the other is for my brother.

But ultimately, it's all for family.

It was in the simplest way that Forrest Gan said to his family: I love you, and I want to give you the best.

This sentiment is more precious than any luxury villa.

This is Forrest, a man who always lets his actions speak for themselves and always puts his family first.

At the beginning of the 1980s, he returned to Greentown and began to build not only two houses, but also a haven where his family could always return.

And this warmth of home is something that money can't buy.

It is also the most precious asset.

...(End of chapter)