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

Good evening, everyone!

"Today is Friday, December 2nd. Welcome to the news broadcast!"

"Today's program mainly includes the signing and groundbreaking ceremony yesterday in the Ningcheng Beilun Economic Development Zone of Zhejiang Province for the 'Xiaochi Power Automobile Industrial City' project, a foreign joint venture with a total value of US$500 million, which was approved and strongly supported by the State Council. Comrade Huang Bin, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Industry, attended the signing ceremony and delivered an important speech."

"..."

"Please see the detailed report below."

In the Chen family's old house in Lianzhai Street, Jiping Town, Nanshan District, Tuocheng, the 75-inch television in the main hall was playing CCTV's 7 PM news program. The Chen family had already eaten dinner and were sitting in the hall drinking tea and chatting when suddenly the television screen showed images of Chen Dong and Chen Zaixing. Little Rongguo shouted and pointed at the television, "Brother, my dad and Uncle Dong are on TV!"

The other adults who were chatting turned to watch the TV when they heard the shout. When they saw that it was indeed Chen Dong and Chen Zaixing, Chen Zailong couldn't help but chuckle, "The fifth one is doing alright now, he can even be on CCTV."

"Didn't they say they went to Shanghai? Why did they go to Ningcheng?" Chen Zaiguang asked, puzzled, looking at his second brother, Chen Zaisheng. "Second brother, where is Ningcheng?"

"It's in Zhejiang Province," Chen Zaisheng replied casually to Chen Zaiguang while watching TV. Chen Zaiguang curled his lip and said, "I don't know it. It's probably a small place. Why would they leave Shanghai to invest in such a remote place?"

"So you lot, we told you to study but you didn't, you have no cultural foundation. Ningcheng even produced Chiang Kai-shek, how come you're all just country bumpkins?" Chen Xiangui shook his head at his third son.

"Wasn't Chiang Kai-shek a native of Taiwan?"

Hearing what his fifth sister-in-law Wu Fangru said, even Chen Zaisheng, the second uncle, almost rolled his eyes. Chen Xiangui laughed in anger, "Forget it, forget it, you wouldn't understand even if I told you. Just watch TV."

On the television, the announcer continued to broadcast the news in a clear and resonant voice: "When Comrade Liao Yueming, Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee, met with Mr. Chen Dong at the Jinbo Hotel, he pointed out that the motherland is a strong backing for overseas Chinese businessmen, and the major investment of 500 million US dollars will surely promote a revolutionary acceleration in the quality of Zhejiang's industry."

"Today's groundbreaking ceremony for the automobile city in Beilun, Ningcheng marks a significant step forward in the integration of my country's coastal economic development with global industrial capital!"

"Tsk tsk tsk! Uncle Dong is really generous, investing five hundred million US dollars in Ningcheng all at once," Gu Ying exclaimed as she looked at the news. The others nodded in agreement. Lin Ruiqing said, "It would be better to invest this money in our Nanshan. Why invest it in Ningcheng? It's far away, and it could even boost our economy."

"You're all talk and no action. Ah Dong is scheming. Our Tuocheng economy is good now, but it's troublesome to transport the cars produced by Xiaochi to the north. Building a factory there would save a lot of travel time," said the old lady Wei Shufen, who had been lying in her chair, suddenly, silencing Lin Ruiqing who was about to say something.

"Ah Dong is a man destined for great things, unlike us, who only focus on our little corner of Tuocheng. I think it's a good idea for Lao Wu to go to Shanghai with Ah Dong. He'll definitely do better than us older brothers in the future," Chen Zaiguang said slowly, smoking a cigarette, showing no sign of being anxious because his younger brother was more capable than him.

"Brother, that's not how it works. We're taking things one step at a time, being down-to-earth," Chen Zailong said, crossing his legs. "Unlike the fifth brother, who can build a residential complex as long as he has land, Huaxingsheng Supermarket has to find good suppliers before it can open. It's not the same."

Just as they were talking, the gate of the old house was pushed open, and Chen Xianfu walked in with a dark face and his hands behind his back. Behind him were his eldest son, Chen Zaiming, and his wife, Zheng Ling, who also looked anxious.

Everyone in the room was curious upon seeing Chen Xianfu's face. Chen Zaiguang was the first to ask, "Second Uncle, what happened to you?"

"You ask this brat? I'm so angry with him I'm about to vomit blood," Chen Xianfu pulled up a chair and sat down, his face sour.

Upon hearing his second son's words, Chen Xiangui glared at him and cursed, "How many times have I told you to change your temper? You never change. Whenever something doesn't go your way, you act like someone owes you money. Were you a firecracker in your past life? You explode at the slightest touch."

"Zaiming, tell me, what made your father so angry?" Chen Xianggui pointed to a chair and asked Chen Zaiming to sit down first. After sitting down, Chen Zaiming was a little embarrassed and didn't dare to speak.

"I took 50,000 yuan from home a while ago to start a business. I went to Shenzhen with someone, but the money... was all swindled away, and I almost... couldn't come back," Chen Zaiming stammered, leaving the people present stunned.

Chen Zaiguang pressed further, "Who did you go to Shenzhen with? How did you get swindled out of all your money?"

Chen Zaiming could only vaguely name a man nicknamed "Pepper." Chen Zailong frowned and asked, "Is that Scarface Pepper from town? How did you get involved with him? He's a local thug and a scoundrel. You were swindled out of your money by him?"

"No," Chen Zaiming shook his head, then told the truth. It was mainly because the three branches of the Chen family had become wealthy in recent years. Chen Zaiming had money in his hands, but unlike his uncles and brothers, he was not busy doing business. Instead, he spent his days wandering around the village and was pulled into drinking and playing cards by some "idlers" from Lianzhai and the surrounding area. Gradually, they became familiar with each other.

Pepper introduced Chen Zaiming to a "capable person" who was always traveling. He would come back during holidays, riding a motorcycle, wearing a leather jacket, smoking a cigarette, and handing out money to everyone he met. Nobody knew what kind of business he was doing outside; they only knew that he was rich and generous.

Originally, these displays were nothing to Chen Zaiming. Having witnessed the extravagant style of his cousin Chen Dong, he knew that this man's ostentation was only something he could show off to people outside of Lianzhai Village.

"He said he had connections in Shenzhen and could get a source of smuggled electronics, which he could then resell for double the profit," Chen Zaiming's voice trailed off, as if he himself felt that his words couldn't stand up to scrutiny, "so I thought I'd make a quick buck."

"I went to Shenzhen with him, and he asked me to give him money to 'make arrangements'. I waited for three days, and when I called him again, I couldn't get through. I went to the guesthouse where he was staying, but he had already checked out."

"I only had less than three yuan left. After paying the room fee, I didn't even have enough money to buy a train ticket," Chen Zaiming said, looking down at his father, Chen Xianfu, who was still glaring at him angrily.

"If he hadn't been foolish enough to use those three dollars to pay for the room, and instead had made a long-distance call to the neighborhood committee asking me to wire the money, he would have starved to death in the Shenzhen Guesthouse," Chen Xianfu said, squeezing his cigarette box with exasperation.

"Second Uncle, don't be angry," Chen Zaiguang stood up, walked over to Chen Zaiming, and patted him on the shoulder. "Money can be earned back, it's good that everyone is alright. Did you report this to the police?"