Returning wealthy individuals develop their hometowns and become rich in the 1980s

In the evening, in a private room of a state-run restaurant, Chen Zaiguang and his five apprentices sat around a table laden with dishes. Chen Zaiguang picked up his wine glass, looked at his apprentices, and suddenly felt a pang of emotion. He had worked in the meat processing plant canteen for more than ten years and then at Xiaochi for two more years. He had mentored more than just these few apprentices, but these were the ones who had been with him the longest.

"Come on, let me toast you. You've worked so hard following me all these years," Chen Zaiguang said, tilting his head back and downing the drink. His apprentices quickly followed suit, while Lin Zhende, who drank too fast, choked and coughed.

Huang Wentao put down his wine glass and looked at Chen Zaiguang. "Master, do you really not need our help with your fast food restaurant?"

Chen Zaiguang shook his head, "No need. The biggest help you can give me is to manage the canteen well. Xiaochi has thousands of people. If they don't eat well, Adong will hold me accountable."

The apprentices smiled as they picked up their chopsticks. Chen Zaiguang, perhaps having been holding back for a long time, became more talkative after a few drinks. He told his apprentices about his experience learning to cook when he was young, how he worked his way up from the meat processing plant canteen to Xiaochi, and his insights into mentoring apprentices over the years.

Huang Wentao listened most attentively, Lin Zhende occasionally interjected, and the other apprentices listened silently, nodding from time to time.

"Wentao," Chen Zaiguang patted Huang Wentao on the shoulder, "You've been with me for so many years, you've learned at least 70% of my skills. The remaining 30% isn't that you can't learn it, it's just that you haven't reached the right level of skill in cooking yet, it needs to be very substantial."

Huang Wentao listened attentively to his master Chen Zaiguang while holding his cup, nodding earnestly. "Yes, Master, it was indeed my own fault."

"You are a down-to-earth person, willing to learn, but sometimes you are too rigid. Cooking is like life, you have to know how to be flexible," Chen Zaiguang said, pointing to Lin Zhende. "Ade, you are the opposite of your senior brother. You are quick-witted and learn things fast, but you are too impetuous."

Lin Zhende chuckled and scratched his head. Chen Zaiguang instructed, "For us chefs, the basics are the most important. We can't rush it; we must practice diligently every day. After I leave, you all must listen to your senior brother, understand?"

"Yes, Master!"

"Work hard, Xiaochi, I won't treat you unfairly. In the future, when my business grows big, I will open a restaurant and let you all have shares. Then we, master and apprentices, will run the restaurant together properly," Chen Zaiguang said, finally expressing his expectations.

"Alright, then we'll wait for you to expand your business and take us to open a restaurant!"

When the party ended, it was already dark. Chen Zaiguang had drunk quite a bit, and Huang Wentao was worried about him driving back to Lianzhai, so he rode his bicycle back to the factory to sober up first. At the factory gate, they met Chen Zaisheng, who was about to drive home.

Chen Zaisheng saw his third brother being driven by Huang Wentao from the driver's seat. He stopped the car, rolled down the window, and simply said to Chen Zaiguang, "Get in!"

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Zaiguang opened the back door and got in. Chen Zaisheng waved to Huang Wentao before starting the car and driving it out of the factory area.

Neither of them spoke in the car. Chen Zaisheng focused on driving, while Chen Zaiguang, after drinking, looked at his second brother driving and, emboldened by his drunkenness, asked Chen Zaisheng, "Second brother, am I a terrible person?"

Chen Zaisheng didn't answer and continued driving, only turning the music volume down a bit. In the back seat, Chen Zaiguang continued to mutter to himself, "Actually, I really wanted to give all my salary to my family back then, but Ruiqing had just given birth to Rongrui and absolutely refused to let me give it all to her. I had no choice."

"Second brother, are you still angry with me? How about you beat me up like you did when we were kids?"

Chen Zaisheng slowed down the car and turned off the music. "Third brother, I have something to tell you: money is important, but brotherhood shouldn't be tested by money!"

"Let me ask you something. Back then, when I had tuberculosis, did you genuinely hope that your second brother would get better?"

"have!"

"Have you considered what will happen to your sister-in-law if I, your second brother, die from illness because I can't afford treatment, and Rongyuan and Rongxiong are still young?"

Chen Zaisheng's words stunned Chen Zaiguang. After a long silence, Chen Zaiguang suddenly slapped himself hard across the face, the sound ringing out clearly. "Second brother, I'm really not human!"

Hearing Chen Zaiguang sobbing in the back seat, Chen Zaisheng stopped the car on the side of the road, turned around and looked at Chen Zaiguang, "Third brother, I'll trust you one more time. Can you let me trust you one more time?"

"Can!"

"Okay, stop crying," Chen Zaisheng reached out and gently patted Chen Zaiguang's face, just like when Chen Zaiguang was a child and was beaten by Huang Lanzhi for doing something wrong, and he would squat in the corner and cry. Chen Zaisheng comforted him in the same way.

The car continued to drive along Nanzhao Highway towards Jiping. After returning to the old house, Chen Zaisheng helped the somewhat unsteady Chen Zaiguang into the main hall. The people drinking tea and chatting in the hall were surprised to see Chen Zaisheng helping Chen Zaiguang in, but no one said anything.

When Chen Zaixing saw the bright red handprint on Chen Zaiguang's face, he grinned. His third brother had taken a really hard slap. His second brother was ruthless. If he had slapped him, his hand would probably have been sore the next day.

Lin Ruiqing helped Chen Zaiguang into the house. Chen Zaisheng sat on the sofa. Chen Dong and Chen Zailong stared at him silently, making Chen Zaisheng roll his eyes. It was only when Gu Ying came over and called Chen Zaisheng to take a shower that the awkwardness was eased.

"Has Second Brother made up with Third Brother?" Chen Zailong whispered after Chen Zaisheng left.

"No way, I see such a big handprint on Third Brother's face. Second Brother probably took advantage of Third Brother's drunkenness to vent his anger," Chen Zaixing joked with a wicked smile. In fact, he knew from the moment Chen Zaisheng helped Chen Zaiguang in that the two had made up.

"You think everyone is like you, only knowing how to take advantage of others in distress?" Chen Zailong glared at his unreliable younger brother. "Second brother is a well-known gentleman and would never do such a thing."

"I was just kidding. Fourth Brother, you're so boring, even more old-fashioned than Dad," Chen Zaixing said. Chen Xiangui, who was innocently caught in the crossfire, snorted and was about to reach out to knock Chen Zaixing on the head.

Chen Zaixing dodged with a "Hey!" and ran into the room in his slippers. "It's late, I should go to sleep. I have to go to the construction site tomorrow, and I need to do a thorough inspection of the small park area, otherwise it will delay my trip to Shanghai."

"You brat, if you run a few steps slower, I'll smash your head into a pineapple. You never respect your elders," Chen Xiangui said with a laugh, throwing his slipper at Chen Zaixing's back, where it hit the curtain.

Chen Zaixing, who had already entered the room, suddenly poked his head out, bent down to take the slippers that Chen Xiangui had thrown over, and brought them into the room, closing the door behind him.

The others were both amused and annoyed by Chen Zaixing's unreliable behavior.