The golden age began in 1977

Chapter 375 I'll Never Forget This (The End)
Spring in 1982 seemed to arrive earlier and warmer than in previous years.

Even before the Qingming Festival, the wind blowing from the Pacific Ocean was no longer biting, and began to gently caress the streets and alleys of the coastal city.

The willows by the roadside sprouted tender green buds, and the sycamores, which had been dormant all winter, quietly stretched out their branches.

This city, which has experienced major and minor disasters in the past two years, has begun to rejuvenate thanks to the trend of reform and opening up, as well as the help of projects such as old city renovation and old building upgrades.

Every street and every unit is brimming with vitality.

This is most evident in the villa office building at No. 037 Kunlunshan Road.

After careful repair, renovation and refurbishment by the construction team, this old building now looks brand new.

The Labor Assault Brigade has undergone comprehensive reform in its practical work and is now a very systematic team.

On Saturday, Qian Jin stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, enjoying the warm spring sunshine and taking a sip of spring tea to savor life.

After nearly two years of hard work and struggle, the Haibin City Labor Assault Team, which was entrusted to him by the city, has finally grown from a ragtag group initially established to solve the problem of food for unemployed educated youth into a comprehensive collective enterprise with four pillar industries.

This is the legitimate force in the economic market of Haibin City!
There was a knock on the door, and Qian Jin answered. Pang Gongbing handed him a document:

"General Manager Qian, this is a summary of our team's assets and current industrial development plans."

Qian Jin came over, returned to his desk, and began to carefully examine the current development of the brigade.

The four major industries are the foundation.

They have successfully established themselves in three of the four sectors of food processing, chain restaurants, construction teams, and garment factories.

There's no rush to finish the last '行'.

He had to wait for the reform and opening-up era to deepen, and for bicycle factories or machinery factories to go bankrupt. At that time, the brigade would invest in taking over the factories, adjust their direction, and then go on to conquer new territories.

The most important thing now is to do a good job in the four existing industries.

These four industries are very important; they are the four solid pillars of the Labor Assault Brigade, carrying the hopes and future of tens of thousands of members:
Among them, the People's Canteen has become a chain restaurant, which can be considered the original flagship of the Labor Assault Fleet.

The mobile food truck business remains booming, but now the main source of profit comes from restaurants.

No wonder people say that after the reform and opening up, there was money everywhere in the domestic market.

Take opening a restaurant as an example.

Last year, the Labor Assault Team opened branches in the core areas of the old city, such as Wutaishan Road, Songshan Road, Huashan Road, and Lushan Road, and business was booming!
There's absolutely no need to worry about whether ordinary people have no money to spend these days. Farmers may not have money, but workers do!

Moreover, the workers have a strong desire to spend money, or rather, they have a strong drive to pursue both material and spiritual enjoyment.

These restaurants all have uniform red and white signs, clean and bright glass windows, elegant and stylish environment, clean hygiene, and neatly dressed and enthusiastic staff.

All of these elements are very attractive to the citizens.

The hotel offers everything from breakfast to lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks, from light meals to main courses to set meals. Qian Jin really put a lot of effort into the state-run hotel in the coastal city.

Furthermore, the price tiers for restaurants have begun to take shape, offering small, simply decorated restaurants for those who want good quality food at reasonable prices.

If you want to treat your guests to a high-end, classy meal, there are restaurants available.

If you want to eat at home, there are food trucks that can deliver your meals to your door!

It can be said that it is suitable for people of all budgets.

The garment processing industry has now grown to a considerable scale, evolving from a small workshop at the Taishan Road service factory into a joint factory.

Today, it has three large-scale factories and a design and prototyping room.

By 1982, the bell-bottom trend had passed, and the factory was now busily producing flowing women's clothing in the style of Qiong Yao novels and fashionable jackets in the style of military overcoats.

Now, making money is effortless.

The design and sampling room specifically focuses on film and television magazines, cinemas, and television sets. In addition, they also arrange for female team members who are studying design to visit the south. As soon as a trendy element appears, the garment factory immediately follows suit.

With a dedicated design and sampling room to keep track of the market, garment factories can always keep up with the times.

Moreover, the connections Qian Jin had made at the supply and marketing cooperative began to come into play.

The garment factory now has a very high output. It not only sells its products to the outside world through its own stores, but also sells them to surrounding counties and cities through the supply and marketing cooperatives. It has become an important source of profit for the brigade and a respectable home for the female team members.

Xilin City invited the Labor Assault Team to build a factory, but Qian Jin declined.

He had made up his mind that he would not expand the military before 1985, and would just stay in the coastal city and behave himself.

It's still a planned economy market, and the market can be quite turbulent. The Labor Assault Brigade is deeply rooted in Haibin City and isn't afraid of any storms, but it wouldn't be able to survive if it went to other places.

Therefore, Qian Jin's plan for the garment factory was to move out of Haibin City in 1985 and out of the province in 1990.

As for when to go abroad?
This requires taking advantage of the country's development.

In addition, he focused on developing the "Labor Glory" construction team.

This is the ironclad force of the Labor Assault Brigade, and it is also the team that Qian Jin is most proud of today.

From its initial days of carrying loads on its shoulders and making repairs, to now having over a thousand professionally trained carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers, and electricians, the construction team has undergone a complete transformation.

They not only successfully completed the first phase of the old city renovation project, but also provided countless residents with clean and hygienic public kitchens and toilets.

Now, they are moving around to various places, repairing and renovating old, dilapidated, and dangerous houses that have been scattered in the corners of the city for many years, turning waste into treasure.

These newly renovated factories and warehouses, in turn, benefited the brigade, providing valuable space for the expansion of the garment factory and food factory.

However, the construction team's profitability is very poor now; it's basically just enough to support its workers.

Qian Jin didn't care. He was waiting for the call to commercialize the housing market. Once that call was sounded, he would start by building houses for the members of the Labor Assault Team, and then upgrade the construction brigade into a construction company to start building houses!
So the construction brigade is still in the foundation-laying stage, and this foundation is so important that it's for the entire brigade.

Nowadays, the profits from the restaurant and garment factory are sometimes used to subsidize the construction team. There are some internal complaints, but they have all been suppressed by Qian Jin.

The food factory and pastry shop sector has developed the shortest but fastest period of time.

Labor Sweet Shop expanded to fifteen stores in just one quarter of 1982.

The city's extensive network of pastry shops has earned it another nickname.

Fragrant city.

This was first reported in newspapers, saying that "the entire city of Seaside is filled with the aroma of noodles, milk, and sweet pastries all year round."

That's not an exaggeration.

The light industry in Haibin City has always been a key focus of the province. In the past, the milk biscuits, fruit candies and fruit-flavored beer produced by the Haibin State-owned Food Factory were famous throughout the country, and now the intensity of development has increased.

What does Labor Sweet Shop sell?
Golden and glossy peach shortbread, crisp and sweet butter cookies, soft and delicious sponge cake, sachima coated in powdered sugar, and large loaves of bread with an irresistible milky aroma...

These items were rare throughout the 1980s. These snacks were not commonly seen in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, yet they were continuously flowing from the food factory production lines in Haibin City.

As a result, brands have now been established.

This is thanks to the tourist attractions of the seaside city.

Tourists visiting Haibin City, or staff from various places traveling to Haibin City on business, all bring home local specialty snacks.

That's how fame is built up without you even realizing it.

Qian Jin spent the entire morning reviewing all the relevant industries, tapping his fingers on the table as he began to ponder.

The four major industries are developing well, like four horses pulling a carriage, working side by side. They have done an excellent job in solving employment problems, creating considerable economic benefits, and helping Haibin City win an excellent reputation both inside and outside the province.

This satisfied him.

This is no exaggeration; Captain Qian's reputation has long since extended beyond Haibin City. People in the surrounding counties and cities all give him a thumbs up when they mention "Captain Qian."

Of course, this is nothing to be proud of.

His business empire is just beginning and is still in the foundation-laying stage.

This foundation must be solid!
He still lacks talent.

However, he was not in a hurry. Liu Bang was able to build a powerful Han Empire from just Pei County.

Besides, he now owns a coastal city that is much larger than Pei County.

There are enough people.

They just still need further training.

His training school was the Whampoa Military Academy of the Labor Assault Brigade.

After thinking about it for a while, it was noon.

When Pang Gongbing called him to go to dinner, Qian Jin stood up and said, "Call all the comrades at the rank of company commander and above over here. We'll have a meeting this afternoon."

Starting a business is difficult, and maintaining a business is even harder.

The theme of this meeting is to safeguard our family business and lay a solid foundation for our economic empire.

At the afternoon meeting, he set the tone for the development of the brigade as: "Steady progress, identifying and addressing shortcomings."

"Comrades, we are now a large and prosperous family, but the larger and prosperous we are, the more we must tread on thin ice!"

In the large conference room, Qian Jin addressed the heads of various industries and key team members, his tone serious and composed.

He now has a lot of leadership qualities.

"Lou Xiaoguang, your People's Canteen must continue to maintain its basic standards of good quality, low prices, cleanliness, and warm and attentive service."

"We can't take advantage of our good business and bully our customers. We also need to put the expansion of the new restaurant on hold. You should select a few chefs and excellent waiters and send them to a training school to conduct a few courses and train the team properly."

Lou Xiaoguang nodded to indicate that he understood and began writing names in his notebook.

Qian Jin pointed at Luo Lijuan: "Director Luo, your garment factory needs to keep a close eye on market changes and ensure quality. You can't rush things and neglect quality."

"And the construction team is our foundation. I'll repeat myself again and again—the construction team has three key priorities: safety! Safety! And more safety! The quality of the project cannot be compromised in the slightest!"

"Food factories are of paramount importance; food safety is of utmost importance! Labor Sweet Shop's pastries are now available all over the country, right?"

The person in charge of the food factory was Zhou Yaozu, whom Qian Jin had invited back.

The state-owned No. 7 Rubber Factory was in poor business and was teetering on the brink of collapse under the influence of the reform and opening-up policy.

Qian Jin simply called Zhou Yaozu back to be his helper.

Zhou Yaozu is calm, humble, hardworking and willing to learn, and Qian Jin has high expectations for him.

When Qian Jin called out his name, Zhou Yaozu nodded and said, "Yes, the first choice for us coastal citizens when visiting relatives and friends is our pastries and braised sausages. I plan to make a set meal according to your instructions, Mr. Qian."

Qian Jin said, "There's no rush. Don't keep focusing on new businesses; we need to be down-to-earth and make the most of what's in front of us."

"The reason we put these products in your food factory and pastry shop is so that people can eat with peace of mind and enjoy their food!"

"You'd better make sure food safety is done right. Our food doesn't focus on being cheap, delicious, or having a wide variety of options; it's all about food safety!"

Zhou Yaozu didn't quite understand why Qian Jin attached so much importance to food safety and even used it as a selling point.

In his view, ordinary people don't care about food safety at all; they care more about things like taste and price.

But Qian Jin was the commander-in-chief, and he was honest and reliable, so he immediately repeated Qian Jin's words, stating that he would put his efforts into the "food safety" brand and strive to create a golden brand for food safety.

After speaking with the relevant personnel in charge of the four major industries, Qian Jin issued instructions to the heads of the training school, repair team, and cultural and entertainment team, requiring them to serve the people wholeheartedly.

After reviewing the overall situation, he gave a separate speech to the newly established Labor Assault Brigade Management Department.

The management departments cover human resources, procurement, production, sales, logistics, finance, technology, and more.

The labor assault team has now set up the framework of a mature enterprise.

With the skeleton in place, all that remains is to provide the flesh and blood.

Qian Jin instructed the management to streamline the workflow, from procurement, production, sales to service, reviewing each link to identify loopholes and areas for optimization.

For example, are the canteen's procurement channels stable? Is cost control in place?

Are the fabric quality inspections at garment factories rigorous? What is the defect rate?
Do all members of the construction team adhere to the safety operating procedures?
Are the hygiene standards of the food factory being implemented properly?

The reason for emphasizing these processes is that he wants to improve management quality based on them.

Qian Jin decided to introduce more refined management methods to the brigade this year.

This is very simple...

The management books in the online store are truly vast...

Qian Jin didn't need to figure out any solutions himself; he knew which department should implement which rules and regulations, and which department should study which materials.

The books in the store are all explained clearly.

From this point of view, no one can beat the team he leads!
The current labor shock brigade is already implementing many systems that are only available in the future, which is unimaginable in domestic enterprises and factories at present.

For example, he started implementing a "project responsibility system" in the construction team. He first selected outstanding production backbones, and together with the skills of experienced workers, they were responsible for some small renovation projects to train their coordination and responsibility abilities.

For example, in the food factory, he strictly implemented the job responsibility system and the quality traceability system.

Do you want to live a muddled life like someone in a factory?

impossible!
The meeting didn't end until evening.

As usual, Qian Jin waved his hand and said, "Please go back, everyone. I haven't prepared a dinner for you."

"Please do your jobs well, and when you achieve results, there will definitely be a celebration banquet!"

The group left laughing, then went to a restaurant in small groups.

Qian Jin never shortchanged any of his comrades when it came to money.

These middle and senior managers have very good salaries and benefits, so eating out is no problem for them.

Qian Jin left Wei Xiongtu behind.

He put his arm around his brother-in-law's shoulder and said, "You'd better get on the training school thing right now."

Wei Xiongtu punched him on the shoulder: "Don't worry about that. The school has been strengthening its training efforts, and our vocational and technical training classes have never stopped."

"Soon after the Qingming Festival, we will launch a technical training program for young people in rural areas."

There are quite a few areas that training schools can operate in now.

In addition to relying on the four major enterprises to offer training courses in construction such as bricklaying, carpentry, and plumbing, as well as cooking, sewing, and food processing, etc.

In addition, there are various basic learning classes such as planting, animal husbandry, veterinary medicine, hairdressing, foreign language, and repair.

Qian Jin was very satisfied with this: "Good. The training school is not only for our labor assault team, but also for the whole society. This is my promise to the city when I started it, and I will do my best to fulfill it."

"Right now, the training schools aren't enough. Can you come up with a contingency plan for me to double the size of the schools this year?"

Wei Xiongtu was in high spirits and said, "Great, it just so happens that the city is going to approve the small park behind the school for us."

Qian Jin nodded.

Dry!
The roadmap is clear, and the direction of development is determined.

The entire labor assault brigade operated like a sophisticated machine, functioning efficiently and systematically under the principle of prioritizing stability.

The team members were full of energy because they saw hope and felt respected.

They were not workers; in the beginning, they were unemployed people who were secretly called "vagrants."

However, the rapid development of the Labor Assault Team transformed them from idle, unemployed youths into laborers and builders who created value with their own hands.

This sense of dignity and belonging is more precious than any material reward.

Just as the Labor Assault Brigade was developing rapidly, a major event also occurred in the development of Haibin City.

With the deepening of reform and opening up, more and more foreign businessmen and overseas Chinese have come to Haibin City to investigate investment opportunities.

In order to enhance the city's image and reception capacity, the municipal government has decided to build a modern, comprehensive hotel catering to foreign guests in the scenic Silver Beach area.

However, the city is currently under considerable financial pressure. Since the reform and opening up, development has been occurring in all directions, resulting in a huge funding gap for construction.

In order to raise funds, the city decided to revitalize some existing assets and publicly transfer the right to use or ownership of a batch of municipal properties.

This matter has a lot to do with Qian Jin.

Han Zhaoxin contacted him, asking him to upgrade the construction team into a construction company, and then the city was willing to contract out part of the construction of the foreign-related hotel to them.

The specific project is definitely beyond the capabilities of the construction team. They don't have that kind of strength. The hotel is designed to be quite high-end, with a total of 35 floors. Once completed, it will be the tallest building in the province.

According to the plan, the building will be the first hotel in the province to have internationally advanced room types such as presidential suites, deluxe suites, executive rooms and deluxe sea view rooms.

Such projects definitely require large state-owned construction companies to handle, but it's fine to hand over some minor projects to the Labor Glory Construction Brigade.

Qian Jin is also eager to take on these kinds of side projects, as the construction team is currently lacking the expertise to handle large-scale construction projects!
If the construction team gets involved in the construction of the hotel for foreign guests, then he can put in a lot of effort and send the workers to the site to learn. The experience and knowledge they gain will be invaluable!
But what was even more valuable was that when Qian Jin was looking at the list of transfer projects that the city was conducting to raise funds, he saw a name he had been longing for.

Kunlunshan Road Yintan Guesthouse!

It's my ancestral home!
Qian Jin's mind began to stir, and a strong thought surged into his mind: he had to find a way to get it back!

However, he is not currently able to acquire it on his own, since theoretically he shouldn't have such financial resources, and policy also doesn't allow it.

The transfer of these projects is not directed at individuals, but rather at other groups for collaboration.

For example, some factories and enterprises have good development prospects and need their own guesthouses, so they can invest in taking over the Yintan Guesthouse.

In this situation, the assets of the Yintan Guesthouse still belong to the collective; only the funds have been transferred between different collectives.

The role of the Labor Assault Team came into play.

At the relevant working meeting, he expressed a strong desire to repurchase the shares from Zheng and Han.

And he didn't mince words; he produced the ancestral land deed he had obtained in 77:
"Leaders, this property belonged to my family in the old society. Now that the city wants to transfer it, I implore the city to give priority to transferring it to our Labor Assault Team."

"Please rest assured, we are willing to pay the transfer fee according to the appraised value, and we promise that after taking over, we will renovate and upgrade it as our brigade's specialty catering and reception venue, continuing to serve the reception work of Haibin City. We are definitely not just putting up a false front to get it into my hands!"

After Zheng Guodong took the land deed and looked at it, he nodded: "As long as the procedures are legal and compliant, you can rest assured. Considering the contributions the Labor Assault Team has made to the development of our Haibin City, we will give priority to your acceptance request."

Han Zhaoxin also said, "Yes, I believe that handing this historic old building over to you and letting it be revitalized is the best outcome."

The finance department of the Labor Assault Brigade immediately sprang into action, gathering funds to acquire the building from within.

The price of the Yintan Guesthouse is still very high, and it has been valued at one million yuan at the time.

However, considering the merits and hard work of the Labor Assault Team over the years, the value was adjusted downwards, and it was finally sold for 800,000.

Upon signing the transfer agreement, Qian Jin was overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

He had long known that as time passed and the guesthouse faded from history, he would be able to reclaim this ancestral property if he had enough money.

But I didn't expect it to be so soon.

He predicted it wouldn't happen until the 1990s.

The development of Haibin City is different from what he saw in the "City Annals". According to the "City Annals", Haibin City only began to build its first large-scale foreign-related hotel in 1986, which is the future Haibin Dynasty Hotel, with a total of 25 floors.

Construction began in 82 and has now been completed, now consisting of 35 stories. Anyway, the Silver Beach Villas have been reclaimed.

The villa is well-preserved, unlike the office building at Villa No. 037, which is a guesthouse.

In this way, Qian Jin organized a skilled construction team to carry out protective restoration and modernization of this old building that carries the memories of his family.

The newly renovated Silver Beach Villa retains the original main structure and rustic style, but the interior has been modernized.

Qian Jin separated the fourth floor, blocked the staircase leading from the third floor to the fourth floor, and installed a separate elevator for the fourth floor.

The following three layers have been given new functions:

The first floor is "People's Canteen · Yintan Restaurant", which specializes in seafood and local specialties, making it a high-end restaurant in the People's Canteen.

The second and third floors remain the accommodation area, following the layout of the guesthouse.

In addition, as per Qian Jin's request, the courtyard was transformed into an exquisite garden landscape, facing the sea, where spring is warm and flowers bloom.

August is a hot summer month.

Qian Jin stood on the fourth-floor terrace, gazing into the distance.

Before me lies a blue bay, with rolling waves and soaring seagulls.

He breathed a sigh of relief.

Standing here once again.

This time, he is the master, and his identity is completely different from before.

He was the commander-in-chief of the Labor Assault Brigade!
The Haibin City Labor Assault Brigade is a giant ship—no, it's still a small boat.

But this small boat has been initially integrated, with an engine installed and an indestructible frame installed. In the future, it will surely be able to ride the wind and waves and sail to a wider world in the vast ocean of reform and opening up!
Yintan Restaurant opened to the public in August.

Qian Jin moved here in September.

Why is the fourth floor separated into its own section?
He definitely wants to reserve it for his own family to live in!

The Qian family returned to their ancestral home.

It is September, the beginning of autumn.

Of course, September in the Gregorian calendar is not yet the middle of autumn; it can only be considered the beginning of autumn.

In early autumn, the wind blowing from the sea has shed the summer heat and carries a refreshing coolness, drifting over the Silver Beach and rippling along the Kunlun Mountain Road.

Yintan Restaurant caters to the high-end market, so it has few customers.

Thus, the villa appeared exceptionally peaceful and serene under the clear autumn sky.

By September 14th, the commotion surrounding the relocation had subsided.

The fourth floor was also renovated.

The other three siblings of the Qian family each have their own rooms, and the children live together, making their living space quite spacious.

The villa is not actually four stories in the strictest sense; it has five stories as well, but the fifth story is an attic.

The villa was large, with many lofts, a total of six of varying sizes, all of which Qian Jin used for himself.

He and Wei Qinghuan lived in the attic, and his office was also in the attic.

Previously, when he was directing the construction team, which had been renamed Labor Glory Construction Company, to renovate the villa, he specifically reinforced the attic and provided rain and sun protection.

An insulation layer and a heat preservation layer were added to the outside, and an air conditioner was installed.

In this way, the villa's attic is more comfortable and secluded than the rooms below.

The largest loft room was converted into his study and office, where brand-new desks and chairs exuded a faint woody fragrance, filing cabinets were neatly arranged, and telephone lines hung quietly.

The room was bright and clean. Opening the window, one could see the azure sea in the distance, with the faint sound of waves carrying a sense of openness and tranquility.

Wei Qinghuan held her son, standing on the sun-drenched terrace, feeling utterly content.

Occasionally, seagulls would fly by from the seaside, and the little chicks would wave their little hands, making cooing noises.

Qian Jin stood behind them, his gaze passing over the backs of his wife and children, and looking further into the distance.

Wei Qinghuan turned to look at him: "What's wrong? Didn't you always want to move in? Why don't you seem so happy?"

Qian Jin shrugged: "It's not that I'm unhappy, it's just that my feelings are complicated."

“What’s complicated? Talk to Teacher Wei and Qian Wei’s mother.” Wei Qinghuan reached out and lifted his chin with her finger.

Qian Jin said, "The old tenement building has become vacant, and the neighborhood committee is going to hand it over to other families to live in."

Wei Qinghuan was taken aback and asked, "Are they 204 and 205?"

Qian Jin nodded.

He leaned on the railing, looking out at the sea, and finally said, "I've spoken to the neighborhood committee, and they're not going to arrange for anyone to go out yet..."

Wei Qinghuan immediately frowned: "You're not someone who would infringe on the legitimate right of two families to live in order to preserve your own memories."

Qian Jin laughed and said, "Of course not."

"I only have one request: don't arrange it out yet. Wait a few more days until September 15th, then you can arrange it however you like."

Wei Qinghuan was puzzled.

Qian Jin naturally couldn't explain the answer.

September 14th, Tuesday.

Qian Jin took a day off and brought Wei Qinghuan back to Taishan Road.

In the afternoon, sunlight slanted through the tall plane trees lining Taishan Road, casting dappled shadows on the uneven cement pavement.

Qian Jin returned on a bicycle, with his wife and child on the back.

The wheels rolled over the light and shadow on the road, as if rolling over fragments of memory.

Finally, the car stopped at the entrance of the old tenement building.

What he sees today is pretty much the same as what he remembers.

The red bricks of the courtyard wall are still so mottled, and there are still so many weeds at the base of the wall.

The clothesline was hung with faded bed sheets and work clothes, swaying gently in the wind.

The difference was that when he walked into the building, the walls were no longer lined with stacks of honeycomb briquettes sealed with tar paper, as they had been five years ago.

Now the honeycomb briquettes are being sent to the communal kitchen. Anyway, the communal kitchen has been partitioned into small individual rooms, so there's no fear of them being stolen.

With the removal of honeycomb briquettes from the building entrance and corridors, the building's cleanliness has improved considerably.

Qian Jin carried Qian Wei, and Wei Qinghuan took his arm as the family of three went upstairs to the second floor.

"Oh my, isn't this Mr. Qian? Teacher Wei, you're here too?" A frail yet delighted voice rang out.

It was Grandpa Sun, who lived in apartment 201. He was preparing to go downstairs to sunbathe, holding a small stool in one hand and an enamel mug in the other, when he bumped into Qian Jin and his two companions.

Upon recognizing the three people, the wrinkles on his face quickly smoothed out into a smile: "Oh my, what a rare guest! This little kid—hey, you must be the young master of Taishan Road?"

"I heard last year that you two had a child, and it's already so big! Just like you two, he's really handsome!"

The old man was as talkative as ever; before Qian Jin could even speak, he had already launched into a long speech.

"Sir, it's us, but there's no prince here, just some young punks from Taishan Road," Qian Jin replied with a smile. "How are you feeling, sir?"

"Great, great! Thanks to you, you've built toilets in our old tenement building. It's so much easier for me to go to the toilet now. It used to be such an uncomfortable place, but now it's much more comfortable." Grandpa Sun laughed heartily.

He leaned closer, his gaze landing on Qian Wei: "Hmm, this kid, if you look closely, his eyebrows and eyes resemble Teacher Wei, and his spirit is like yours. He's got a bright future ahead of him!"

A series of chaotic footsteps approached.

Then came an even more delighted roar: "Aha! Uncle Qianjin, Uncle Qianjin!"

Liu Siding was about to go back to school after lunch when he suddenly saw Qian Jin and jumped up happily.

Since moving to the duplex, Qian Jin has had less contact with his four brothers.

However, Tangyuan still preferred to play with the four of them. In addition, the other children from the Qian family had just arrived in Haibin City and didn't have a social circle, so they also played with the four brothers.

The Qian family would occasionally invite the four of them to their home for dinner, so they didn't interact much, but they still met frequently.

The Qian family has been particularly busy these past two years, and recently they've been busy moving, so they haven't seen each other for ten days to two weeks at a time.

Liu Siding greatly admired the Qian family; he felt as if he missed them terribly if he didn't see them for even a day.

Hearing his shout, Liu Eryi ran down.

Qian Jiameng looked up.

The tall, thin Liu Eryi, dressed in a green military uniform, seemed to overlap with the figure of Liu Dajia from five years ago.

In terms of age, he is indeed about the same age as Liu Dajia in 77, but he is just tall and thin, no longer with dry yellow hair and a sallow complexion like Liu Dajia back then.

His parents are both factory workers, so raising four children isn't a big burden. With the help of the Qian family, the four brothers are all doing well.

Liu Eryi ran down and happily greeted Qian Jin.

Qian Jin's gaze softened more than ever before as he asked with a smile, "Where's your older brother?"

Liu Eryi said, "My older brother couldn't get into high school or vocational school no matter what he tried. My dad sent him to work as a laborer on a construction site, saying he'd use your connections to get him into the labor shock brigade later..."

"Let him learn to drive and become a driver in the future." Qian Jin had already arranged a path for Liu Dajia.

Liu Eryi chuckled: "That's great! When I get back and tell my parents about this, they'll be overjoyed."

"Uncle Qianjin, you're so good to my brothers."

Qian Jin laughed: "I'm good to you guys, right? Then listen to me, go up, and run down again—wait, go and grab your brother's tattered satchel."

Liu Eryi: "Huh?!"

Qian Jin nodded: "Hurry up!"

Liu Eryi was completely baffled, but he still resolutely carried out Qian Jin's arrangements.

Although the once taciturn boy has become much more cheerful, he still admires Qian Jin and is willing to unconditionally carry out Qian Jin's arrangements.

then.

The sound of footsteps rang out again.

Qian Jin stood at the entrance of 205 and looked over.

It feels like it was five years ago!

However, time flies.

It is now 1982.

"Mr. Qian? Teacher Wei?" Another familiar voice came from next door, it was Aunt Wang from next door.

She carried a winnowing basket outside to dry some things, and when she saw the couple, she quickly greeted them: "Oh! It really is you two back? Come in, come in and sit down, why are you all standing here?"

Hearing the noise, many of the elderly neighbors peeked out from their doors.

People came down from upstairs, and people came up from downstairs.

Unlike the four children of the Liu family who could visit the duplex from time to time, they rarely saw Qian Jin and Wei Qinghuan after Qian Jin moved away.

Now that they have met again, everyone is incredibly enthusiastic.

After all, this is no small sum of money; it's a large sum from Mr. Qian!
"Mr. Qian, what brings you two back here again?"

"Oh, we really have to thank Mr. Qian. If it weren't for you arranging a team to specially repair our old houses, our dilapidated houses would have collapsed after any snow or gust of wind!"

"The public toilets outside are really well-maintained, and there's even a communal kitchen. It's so nice..."

"Yes! Teacher Wei, look at you, you're still so young and beautiful!" A neighbor lady held Wei Qinghuan's hand affectionately. "This little one is so cute. Now that you've moved to a bigger place, don't forget about us old neighbors!"

"Chief Qian, your Labor Assault Brigade is really something now! Your news is in the newspapers every few days! We people on Taishan Road are so proud!" Sister-in-law Zhao said with a smile.

Qian Jin responded politely.

In fact, he didn't have deep feelings for most of these old neighbors. After all, when he got into a fight with Du Daozui from 204, these old neighbors didn't help him.

Wei Qinghuan, however, had a deep affection for her neighbors.

Because when she first moved in, her neighbors were very friendly to her. When she was bullied by outsiders, her neighbors stood with her and helped her defend herself.

Of course, Qian Jin understood the reason.

They'll help whoever wins...

After finally saying goodbye to their enthusiastic neighbors, Qian Jin and Wei Qinghuan carried Qian Wei to the doors of rooms 204 and 205.

These two wooden doors, their paint peeling off, stand quietly at the end of the corridor.

Qian Jin took out his key and gently inserted it into the keyhole.

With a soft "click", the door opened.

"It's a pity the lock has been changed; it's not the old 'four-no-ling' lock anymore," he said with a smile.

Wei Qinghuan now understood: "You've come back to reminisce about the past, haven't you?"

"That's right. I remember you returned to the city in September 77? You didn't come back on the 14th, did you?"

Qian Jin laughed and said, "That's both right and wrong."

He didn't explain.

It cannot be explained either.

The office of the Labor Assault Brigade had long since moved to Kunlunshan Road.

The brigade office on Taishan Road has also moved to the neighborhood committee, so the two buildings have been vacant for a while and are now to be allocated to new residents.

The room's doors and windows remained locked, and upon opening the door, a smell mixed with dust, old wood, and a faint dampness wafted out.

The apartment has a poor layout and is rather dimly lit.

Back in 204, Wei Qinghuan leaned against the door frame and looked inside, a look of reminiscence involuntarily appearing on her face.

The room was almost empty.

Wei Qinghuan turned her head and smiled, "Actually, I really like it here."

Because so many of the beautiful memories she has of happened here.

“I may never have told you this, but this is the first time I’ve ever had my own room in this house.”

“When I was a child, I lived with my family; when I went to school, I lived with my classmates; when I was sent to the countryside, I lived with the educated youth; and when I returned to the city, I lived with my colleagues in the dormitory.”

She walked around the room with her hands behind her back: "Only here do I feel like I'm living by myself."

As she spoke, she walked to the window, stretched her arms, and yawned.
"I still remember the night I moved in. After unpacking and putting my little one to sleep, I felt so tired, so I stood here and stretched."

"When I looked out, I saw thousands of lights. Oh my, it was the most beautiful night view I had ever seen in my life!"

She turned to look at Qian Jin, her eyes sparkling: "At that moment, I felt—wow, life is so great! The future is so great!"

Qian Jin smiled at her and said, "I also saw the most beautiful night view of my life from this room."

Wei Qinghuan was somewhat surprised.

Qian Jin pointed to her shoulder blade: "I applied medicine and bandaged it for you back then..."

"You're really something!" Wei Qinghuan laughed and rolled her eyes at him.

She's quite charming.

Then she tugged at her collar: "Want to see the most beautiful autumn scenery again?"

Qian Jin went up and put his arm around her with one arm and held the child with the other, saying with great emotion, "Being with you, the most beautiful scenery is always in the next second."

Wei Qinghuan leaned against his chest.

Her husband's embrace was always the most beautiful and blissful feeling she experienced.

This beauty and happiness can transcend time and be etched deep in her memory.

She loves her husband's hugs.

The autumn wind blows along Taishan Road, entering through the windows and exiting through the door.

A few fallen leaves were swept up and floated at the second-floor window before gently falling and slowly landing on the ground.

The doors and windows of rooms 204 and 205 were open, and the afternoon sun quietly shone into the empty rooms, with dust particles dancing silently in the beams of light.

“Actually, both houses are empty, there’s nothing to see here,” Qian Jin suddenly said.

Wei Qinghuan lazily enjoyed her husband's warm embrace and the brisk autumn breeze blowing in from the window, and said, "There's nothing particularly beautiful about it, it's just that it used to be your home, and home is beautiful."

Qian Jin nodded: "Let's go take a look around next door. Let's go, our home isn't here anymore."

After wandering around for a while, he handed the child over to Wei Qinghuan and took a bunch of photos himself.

Finally, he glanced at the familiar door number and gently closed the door to room 205.

The door was locked.

With one arm around Qian Wei, who was about to doze off again, and the other hand tightly holding Wei Qinghuan's hand, Qian Jin left the second-floor corridor step by step.

Then there was that familiar yet narrow concrete staircase.

The stair railings were still cold, and the edges of the steps were worn smooth by years of footsteps.

The soles of his shoes made a sound as he stepped on them, and Qian Jin felt as if he were stepping on an echo chamber of time with each step.

His neighbors were also waiting for him outside, basking in the sun.
"Mr. Qian, are you leaving already?"

"Would you like to stay here a little longer, Teacher Wei?"

"When are you coming back? Don't forget this is your hometown..."

Qian Jin smiled and waved his hand: "I'll never forget it! I'll never forget it in this lifetime!"

The End

(End of this chapter)