Reborn in 2012, building a new energy empire

Chapter 137 New Year's Family Feast

New Year's Eve, 4 PM.

In the kitchen of an old house in Zhenjiang, steam rises from a steamer.

Wearing an apron, Chen Fang was putting the last batch of eight-treasure rice into a steaming pot. On the stove, the chicken soup, which had been simmering for half a day, was bubbling away, its rich aroma filling the entire house.

In the living room, Jiang Jianguo and Chen Jingge were working together to move the large, extendable round table.

A brand-new red tablecloth had been laid out on the table, and a pot of golden tangerines sat in the center. Grandpa and Grandma sat on the sofa by the window, watching the Spring Festival special program on TV, slowly peeling peanuts.

"Where's Haoran?" Auntie came in carrying a plate of washed fruit.

"They're packing upstairs, saying they'll be down soon." Chen Fang wiped her hands and glanced towards the stairwell. "That child, she goes straight to her room as soon as she gets back, I wonder what she's busy with."

As they were talking, Jiang Haoran came down from the second floor. He had changed into a comfortable dark gray sweater and looked much more relaxed.

"Mom, is there anything I can help you with?"

"No need, no need, it'll be almost done." Chen Fang smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Go and talk to your grandparents."

Jiang Haoran walked to the sofa and sat down. His grandmother took his hand: "I heard from your mother that your tech company, what's this... has successfully developed a new machine?"

"Yes, we just finished testing before the holiday, and the data all met the standards," Jiang Haoran said casually.

Grandpa put down the peanuts he was holding and looked at him: "It's not easy. Working in technology is the most demanding."

"Fortunately, the team is very united and everyone works very hard."

At 5 o'clock sharp, the New Year's Eve dinner was ready.

The round table was laden with food: whole chickens and fish, symbolizing "abundance and good fortune"; braised pork belly glistening with oil; steamed sea bass with snow-white flesh.

There were also mixed vegetables, four-happiness meatballs, sausages, and cured meats.

These are all authentic Jiangnan New Year flavors. In the center of the table, the eight-treasure rice pudding exudes the sweet aroma of glutinous rice.

The whole family sat around the table.

Jiang Jianguo opened a bottle of Moutai he had treasured for many years, first pouring it for his father-in-law and mother-in-law, then for Chen Jinge and Jiang Haoran. When it was Chen Fang's and aunt's turn, he poured them freshly squeezed corn juice instead.

"This year," Jiang Jianguo raised his glass, his voice a little strained, "our family has changed a lot."

His self-sunlight fell on his son and paused for a few seconds.

"The factory went from almost going bankrupt to being alive now, with upgraded equipment, and I'm even more motivated to work. I'd like to toast Haoran first."

Jiang Haoran quickly picked up his cup: "Dad, you're too kind. The factory is the culmination of your life's work; I just lent a hand."

"It's not just the factory." Jiang Jianguo downed his drink in one gulp, the pungent liquor making him take a deep breath. "You led our family down a path we never dared to imagine before."

Chen Jingge also raised his glass: "Brother-in-law is right. Come on, Haoran, let me toast you too. Without you, I might still be just coasting along in my old job."

"Uncle, we've helped each other succeed." Jiang Haoran clinked glasses with Chen Jingge, and they both drank their drinks.

The atmosphere warmed up. Everyone started eating and chatting.

My cousin was most concerned about whether we could set off fireworks right after dinner, while my aunt mentioned that she planned to do some simple renovations on my parents' old house in the spring.

Grandpa and Grandma listened, nodding from time to time, their wrinkles smoothing out.

Halfway through the meal, Jiang Haoran put down his chopsticks and cleared his throat.

The table fell silent, and everyone looked at him.

"Since everyone is here, I'd like to share some good news." He said calmly, "Kirin Technology, the photovoltaic equipment company I invested in, completed the cutting test of its first prototype before the Lunar New Year. All key indicators, such as thickness, flatness, and line consumption, have met the design standards."

He paused, noticing the sudden gleam in his parents' eyes, and continued, "This means that our independently developed diamond wire cutting equipment has passed the test in terms of principle and basic function. We will begin pilot-scale production after the New Year, moving towards mass production."

Chen Fang's chopsticks froze in mid-air, then she smiled, a fleeting tear glistening in the corner of her eye. She didn't speak, but simply nodded vigorously.

Jiang Jianguo poured himself another glass of wine, but this time he didn't drink it immediately; instead, he held it in his hand. "Good—good indeed. That's how you do business, one step at a time."

"This is fantastic news!" Chen Jingge slammed his hand on the table. "Come on, let's drink to Haoran, to this breakthrough!"

The clinking of glasses echoed through the warm, cozy room.

Outside the window, the sky had completely darkened.

In the distance, sporadic firecrackers began to sound, crackling and popping, growing louder and louder. My cousin, who had been restless for a long time, finished the last few bites of his rice and stared longingly out the window.

"Go on, go on, be careful." Auntie waved with a smile.

My cousin cheered and pulled Jiang Haoran outside.

In the courtyard, Chen Jingge had already prepared a box of fireworks. The two carefully moved the fireworks to the open space by the door.

The first firework shot into the night sky and burst open with a "bang," its golden light illuminating everyone's upturned faces.

Then came the second and the third—vibrant colors intertwined against the night sky, the sounds of explosions, laughter, and the barking of neighboring dogs mingled together, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

Jiang Haoran stood under the porch, watching his family's smiling faces amidst the flickering fireworks.

The mother linked arms with the father, who looked up at the sky with a relaxed smile. The uncle protected the excited cousin, the aunt linked arms with the grandmother, and the grandfather leaned on his cane, smiling with narrowed eyes.

My phone vibrated in my pocket.

He took it out and saw a message from Wang Qiming: "President Jiang, Happy New Year. Let's work hard again after the New Year."

"9

He replied: "Happy New Year. Please give my regards to my family. Let's work hard together after the New Year."

As soon as I put it down, the screen lit up again.

Zhou Mingyu's message came directly: "Haoran, Happy New Year. Several of Jiutian's old clients heard about our liquidation and are inquiring about the second phase of the loan. Let's talk again after the New Year."

Chen Zian and Cheng Yirou also sent their New Year's greetings.

Zhao Haichuan sent a voice message; in the background, you could hear children's laughter: "President Jiang, Happy New Year!"

Gu Qiushi's message carried the practicality of a technologist: "President Jiang, Happy New Year. I have another idea for optimizing the cooling system; I'll report back to you after the New Year. Wishing your whole family good health."

The phone screen kept flashing amidst the flickering fireworks, one after another, from different cities, connecting different networks of relationships.

Investors, partners, key technical personnel, classmates and friends.

Behind each message lies the network of connections and business empire he has built little by little over the past year on different battlefields.

Just as he was about to put his phone away, a special nickname popped up.

Lin Miaomiao.

He walked into the room, paused slightly, and swiped to answer the call.

"Are they setting off fireworks?" Her voice came through the receiver, with the sound of wind in the background, suggesting it was also outdoors.

"Yeah, I was just in the yard with my little brother setting off fireworks." Jiang Haoran closed the door. "What about you? Are you home or not?"

"I'm alone in my room. My dad's downstairs chatting with some uncles, so I sneaked up." Her voice was lowered, carrying a hint of familiar intimacy. "I saw your post on WeChat Moments. Congratulations on the successful prototype test."

"This is just the first step." Jiang Haoran's voice softened unconsciously. "The real challenge begins after the New Year."

"I know." Lin Miaomiao paused. "My dad brought up the factory construction in Southeast Asia again during dinner today. I argued with him about it a bit."

Her voice was tired, but even more so, it was firm: "But I didn't back down. I went over the logic you gave me last time, and the successful diamond wire test, with him again. This time—he didn't immediately refute me."

This is a subtle signal.

Jiang Haoran understood that for a stubborn industrialist like Lin Guodong, not immediately denying it was, to some extent, the beginning of acceptance.

"Take it slow," he said gently. "Facts speak louder than words. Let's wait until our pilot-scale test unit comes out after the New Year and let the data speak for itself."

"Mmm," Lin Miaomiao responded, her voice warmer. "That's what I wanted to tell you. And also—Happy New Year."

Haoran, I miss you.

She spoke the last few words very softly, yet they landed precisely on the softest spot in his heart, like a feather.

"Happy New Year, Miaomiao, I miss you too," he replied, his voice equally soft. "Take care of yourself. Everything will be alright."

"You too." She paused, as if she wanted to say something more, but in the end she only said softly, "Then I'll hang up now, my dad seems to be calling me. See you in Shanghai after the New Year?"

"Okay, see you in Shanghai."

The call ended. Jiang Haoran held the still-warm phone and looked up at the night sky.

Almost simultaneously, another call came in.

Bai Xiwei.

"Happy New Year, senior!" Her voice was clear and bright, filled with the joy of the holiday. "Did I disturb you?"

"No. Happy New Year, Xiwei."

"I just saw the photos of silicon wafers posted by Engineer Wang on WeChat Moments, they're amazing!" Bai Xiwei's tone was full of admiration.

"When I told my parents that this was something we created for the competition, they were both amazed. My dad even said, 'You really lived up to everyone's expectations.'"

Jiang Haoran smiled and said, "Please thank Uncle Bai for me. The project's success wouldn't have been possible without your help in the early stages."

"What's a little help we could offer? The key is that you seized the opportunity yourself, senior." Bai Xiwei changed the subject, her tone tinged with curiosity.

"Senior, can I go back to the lab early after the New Year to help out? I'm just sitting at home doing nothing anyway."

"No rush, spend more time with your family. You'll be busy after the New Year if you want to come," Jiang Haoran politely declined, but his tone was gentle. "We'll decide on a specific time after the New Year."

"Okay then—" She was a little disappointed, but quickly cheered up again, "Then have a good New Year, senior! By the way, I've compiled a list of the latest developments in domestic and international photovoltaic policies; I'll send it to your email after the holiday!"

"Okay, thank you."

After ending the call, Jiang Haoran stood there for a moment.

Two telephones, two completely different temperatures and weights.

One is a promise that connects emotions and the future, burdened by the obstacles of reality and a shared struggle; the other carries pure appreciation and following, simple and bright.

It's late at night; the time for staying up all night to welcome the New Year has passed.

Grandpa and Grandma are elderly, so they went back to their room to rest first. My cousin was tired from playing and dozed off on the sofa. After the adults finished cleaning up the dishes, they sat around in the living room, brewed a pot of hot tea, and watched a rerun of the Spring Festival Gala.

Jiang Haoran leaned back in the old sofa, covered with a blanket his mother had brought.

The aroma of tea wafted through the air, and the laughter and cheerful voices on the television seemed distant. His eyelids grew heavy.

In a daze, he recalled that year.

Only half a year has passed since that summer when I was reborn.

The turbulent financial markets, the round-the-clock hard work in the laboratory, the heated debates at the negotiating table, and now, the warm and comforting light in this old house.

All the running around, all the pressure, all the calculations and perseverance, seem to have found their original and most fundamental meaning at this moment.

Outside the window, sporadic firecrackers continued to sound, as if bidding farewell to the old year and celebrating the new year.

Jiang Haoran closed his eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep amidst the low murmurs of his family.

This Spring Festival was very heartwarming.