A young boy from the 1970s, separated from his family, fled famine and led his younger brother into

"Ring ring! Ring ring!"

The urgent ringing of the telephone shattered the tranquility of the room.

Zhou Yayun, who was busy in the kitchen, quickly wiped her hands on her apron and rushed out.

"Here it comes!"

She picked up the black microphone, which could be described as a "luxury item," with a hint of nervousness and curiosity on her face.

"Hello? This is the Lu family. Who are you looking for?"

This phone line was a military-grade encrypted line that the Gu family used their privileges to apply for and install specifically for the Lu family.

A week ago, when the telecommunications workers came to my home to install the cables, it almost alerted the entire military compound.

Everyone craned their necks, watching with the eyes of someone looking at a peculiar spectacle as this black "iron lump" was placed in the Lu family's living room.

The envious and jealous looks in their eyes were even more exaggerated than when they saw that big refrigerator last time.

This was also Zhou Yayun's first time using this "high-tech" gadget, and she wasn't very familiar with the process yet.

It seemed like someone on the other end of the phone was saying something.

The tension on Zhou Yayun's face was instantly replaced by immense joy!

"Oh! It's Sister Lin!" Her voice suddenly rose eight octaves, filled with warmth and joy. "Hello, hello! We're all doing well! Everything's fine at home!"

"Nianci! Nianci, come quick! It's a call from Grandma in Beijing!"

She excitedly shouted towards Lu Nianci's room.

Lu Nianci's heart skipped a beat!

She put down the letter in her hand, which still carried the warmth of her brother's touch, and ran out of the room in a few quick steps.

"Mother!"

"Quick! Answer the phone!" Zhou Yayun handed her the receiver, her smile as bright as a blooming sunflower. "It's Grandma! Grandma says Wang Bei wants to talk to you!"

Looking north!

Lu Nianci felt her heart skip a beat!

She reached out her slightly trembling little hand and carefully took the heavy microphone.

She held the microphone tightly to her ear, so nervous that she forgot to breathe.

"Feed...?"

She tentatively uttered a soft "hello."

The voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly, due to excessive tension.

A faint static sound came from the other end of the phone.

Immediately afterwards, a familiar, kind voice rang out.

"Nianci, it's Grandma."

Lin Huilan's voice was full of laughter and doting.

"Hello, Grandma," Lu Nianci greeted her politely.

"Oh, okay, okay. Grandma's doing well," Lin Huilan said with a smile. "Grandma just wanted to ask if you received the letter?"

"I received it, I received it!" Lu Nianci nodded hurriedly, like a chick pecking at rice. "I just finished reading it! Thank you, Grandma! And... thank you, little brother!"

"Hehe, that kid, when he heard I was going to write you a letter, he insisted on drawing a picture for you. I couldn't stop him." Lin Huilan's tone was full of helplessness, but even more so, pride.

"Oh right, he's right next to me. He's been talking about calling you since he woke up this morning. Wait a minute, I'll have him talk to you."

A slight commotion came from the other end of the phone.

Immediately afterwards, a childish voice, tender and slightly anxious, that Lu Nianci had heard countless times in her dreams, came through the thin telephone line clearly!

"elder sister!"

boom!

Hearing this call, Lu Nianci's tears, which she had just held back, welled up again.

She covered her mouth, trying not to cry out loud.

However, the immense longing and grievances were like a surging tide, impossible to control!

"Sister? Sister, are you listening? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Gu Wangbei, on the other end of the phone, panicked when he didn't hear a response from his sister.

His voice trembled with a hint of a sob.

"Sister, are you... are you angry?"

"No! No!" Lu Nianci quickly took a deep breath, forcing back her tears, and said in a voice that was as calm as possible, with a thick nasal tone, "Sister isn't angry. Sister just... just misses you so much."

"I miss my sister too! I miss her every day!" Gu Wangbei immediately responded loudly from the other end of the phone.

That undisguised longing, like the warmest current, instantly flowed through Lu Nianci's entire body.

"Sister, let me tell you, the capital city is so much fun!"

Gu Wangbei started talking non-stop, like a chattering little sparrow, excitedly sharing his new life over the past month with his sister.

"Grandpa bought me a really, really big model airplane! It's bigger than our table at home!"

"Grandma cooks delicious food for me every day! There's meat! There's cake! And chocolate!"

"I even went to kindergarten! My teacher said I was really smart! She even gave me a little red flower!"

He used the most innocent and pure language to show off everything he had to his sister.

Lu Nianci listened quietly.

A gentle smile remained on her face throughout.

She could imagine her younger brother on the other end of the phone, looking adorable with beaming eyes and gesturing wildly.

very nice.

Her brother no longer had to live in fear and hunger.

He can finally enjoy the best love and education in the world, just like a normal child.

"Sister, when are you coming to the capital?"

After showing off, Gu Wangbei returned to the question that mattered most to him.

Grandma said she'll pick you up after your winter break!

"Sister, you absolutely have to come! Wangbei will take you to eat Peking duck! And take you to climb the Great Wall!"

"Okay," Lu Nianci replied, "I'll definitely go, sister."

"Pinky promise!"

"Okay, pinky promise."

The siblings, separated by a telephone line thousands of kilometers apart, reaffirmed their promise.

After chatting for a while longer, Lin Huilan felt sorry for the expensive phone call and urged Gu Wangbei to hang up.

Lu Nianci reluctantly put down the microphone.

But her heart felt filled with something else.

It feels warm and full.

Her brother's voice was like a powerful stimulant, making her will, which had been somewhat dampened by longing, become incredibly firm once again!

Let's go to the capital!

I got into the best university in Beijing!

This goal became clearer and more urgent in her mind than ever before!

……

The days passed by.

While frantically absorbing all kinds of knowledge, Lu Nianci began making final preparations for her "business".

She locked herself in her room and spent a day drawing up an outrageously detailed... "business plan".

From market analysis to product positioning, and then to cost accounting and profit forecasting.

Every step is clear, logical, and meticulously planned.

If any top business analyst in the future were to see this plan, they would probably be astonished and unable to believe that it was written by a five-year-old child.

After completing the business plan, Lu Nianci began her "market research".

She used her weekends to drag Li Hao, who had become her "little follower," all over the vegetable markets and cooperatives in Harbin.

She found it to be as she had expected.

As the weather gets colder, the variety of fresh vegetables in the market has decreased dramatically.

Apart from potatoes, cabbage, and radishes—the "winter essentials"—there are almost no leafy green vegetables to be seen.

Occasionally, a few rare vegetables might be transported from the south, but the price was outrageously expensive, far beyond the reach of ordinary people.

Huge market gap!

Unlimited business opportunities!

Looking at the desolate vegetable market, Lu Nianci's big, dark eyes shone with excitement!

Her plan is feasible!

Moreover, it is highly feasible!

That evening, she called a family meeting.

She solemnly placed her "business plan" and "market research report" in front of her father, Lu Zhenguo, and mother, Zhou Yayun.

"Dad, Mom."

She pointed to the large title she had circled in red on the project proposal and said, slowly and deliberately:

"My first goal—"

"So that everyone in Harbin can enjoy fresh vegetables even in winter!"