Twenty years of cold chain

Hu Yuntong was admitted to a second-tier university and chose the Energy and Power Engineering major in the College of Civil Engineering at Qingning Agricultural University. In Qingning Province, Qingning Agricultural University is considered a top-tier second-tier university, and Hu Yuntong's score completely exceeded his family's expectations.

Neighbors on the outskirts of the county said that the Hu family had been blessed by their ancestors, producing two such rare college students, which became a hot topic of conversation. However, while outsiders saw them as thriving, the pressure on the Hu family was growing heavier. The problem wasn't the extra tuition fees, but rather the fact that their eldest son's situation had caused the Hu family much worry and unease lately.

On a September night, with the last vestiges of summer heat in the air, Hu Wankui, shirtless in a red vest, sat at a stone table in the courtyard. Moonlight shone on his arms, making them gleam with a sheen. His straight, stiff beard seemed to have weathered years of dust, bearing the marks of time. On the table were only a bottle of wine and a glass, half-filled, but the bottle cap remained untightened.

Seeing Hu Shutong running around everywhere, without a moment to rest at home, taking out bank loans and borrowing money from friends, single-handedly supporting that large industrial park, Hu Wankui always silently reminded himself that this was just how his family was, but gradually, his worries grew heavier and heavier.

Hu's mother saw everything. She only remembered that she hadn't filled up the gas tank before leaving home when the tricycle had already reached the field. She searched all over the field for the water pipe, but couldn't see it even though it was right in front of her. A few days ago, she hired three odd jobs to help load the vegetables, but the wages agreed upon by both sides didn't match up.

Hu Wankui has become less talkative, but his temper has worsened. The jar in the house is blocking the way, the TV is showing static and can't be tuned, the salt is too strong and the vegetables are too sour—things that weren't a big deal before now constantly bother him. He can't sleep well, has a poor appetite, and looks gloomy and listless.

Mrs. Hu came over and screwed the bottle of liquor back on. The aroma of this liquor dissipates quickly; it wouldn't be drinkable if left out too long. Then she took out a small, red cloth bag, about the size of her palm, untied the gold tassel around the edge, and revealed a bankbook with 24,000 yuan written in the lower right corner. After paying back so many debts to the north over the years, this was the first time the family's savings had been so substantial.

"Just say what you have to say. Who are you trying to impress all these days? This little bit of money won't amount to much for the boss. You might as well buy him something he urgently needs. Think about it."

Hu Wankui had clearly already planned this out. "I want to buy the boss a car. He's doing something big now. What kind of image would it be for the boss of such a large factory to be riding around on a motorcycle all day? He has raised a lot of money, but he still can't manage everything on a large scale."

Hu Wankui held the bankbook tightly. "I've asked Lao Luan about this. He can put in a good word for us. We can pay 40,000 yuan upfront and pick up the car, and then pay it back slowly later."

In those days, cars were a status symbol. The total number of cars in the entire Thanh Ninh province was less than one million, and private cars accounted for only half of them. Production was also very low; a Volkswagen Santana would cost at least 100,000.

Mrs. Hu went back into the house and brought out a black leather bag. This was the harvest from selling vegetables this year. Since the Hu family leased land, their income was much higher than in previous years. The couple carefully counted the money, and after deducting Hu Yuntong's tuition fees and the money needed for next spring, they still had more than six thousand yuan to spare.

"Our family owns one of the bigger estates in this area. I can talk to the store about it. How about we buy the pesticides and fertilizers for spring on credit, and borrow a smaller amount? That should make things easier!"

Mrs. Hu nodded repeatedly, "I'll do whatever you say. It'll be easier for the eldest son to run his business with a car, and he'll be able to handle things at home."

Hu Wankui slowly raised his wine glass, and his expression suddenly brightened. He was no longer the dull, unassuming man. He gazed leisurely towards the gate, his thoughts drifting far away.

"I thought it would be easy to borrow this money. The park is so big, and a single roof costs tens of thousands. Everyone knows how much our family will live in the future. If we lend a hand now, we'll all benefit from it later."

The aroma of the wine filled the air, and people felt more at ease.

Looking around the yard, I couldn't stand even the slightest mess. I should clean the tricycle tomorrow morning, and that diesel fuel can also be cleaned up.

……

Hu Shutong was very satisfied that Hu Yuntong was admitted to Qingning Agricultural University. The university has been established for more than 40 years and has many advantageous disciplines. He was also very optimistic about the prospects of the Energy and Power Engineering major.

Energy and power are directly related to environmental protection. The reason why Hu Shutong did not simply copy the material plan from Nanjiao, but instead spent more money to use Wanma's technology, was precisely because he recognized this. During his trip to Europe, Hu Shutong felt in many places that the emphasis on environmental protection, low energy consumption, and new energy sources abroad has penetrated into all levels, and there are more and more issues related to climate. Regulations concerning various environmental protections in export trade are also increasing significantly.

In just a few years, this will be a major transformation that will accelerate the change of enterprises that are heavily reliant on energy consumption and pollution, and may even force some enterprises out of the competitive arena.

Hu Shutong kept his promise and personally escorted Hu Yuntong to university. Now that his younger brother was in the city while he was in the suburbs, he could finally take care of him. Broadly speaking, their majors were similar, which would allow Hu Yuntong to gain practical experience during holidays or internships.

Stepping onto the university campus, Hu Yuntong felt a surge of pride, as if he had escaped confinement and was now free to roam the vast world.

"Brother, if I remember correctly, you said you were going to give me a present, right?"

Hu Shutong nodded repeatedly, then took out a CD. "I put a lot of effort into compiling this CD. It contains a lot of energy science information, both domestic and international, very detailed. Some of it might not even be available in the libraries of agricultural universities. You need to read it repeatedly. Also, improve your English. You need to pay attention; it won't be easy to fool me."

Hu Yuntong's expression gradually changed until it turned into a bitter face.

"You're really my brother!"

……

I've loved cold chain logistics for twenty years.