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

The onlookers at the entrance of the county government guesthouse saw Chen Dong and his family being escorted out of the guesthouse by three policemen. They all tried to squeeze in to take a look, but were loudly reprimanded by the other two policemen accompanying them.

"Stop pushing! Mind your manners, there's nothing to see here, everyone disperse!"

"There are still babies here, everyone stop pushing, step back, everyone step back!"

In the end, the police's words had the desired effect. The crowd stopped pushing forward and naturally made way. Chen Dong pointed to the Maybach parked on the side of the road, which was surrounded by people, and said to Chief Wang, "Chief Wang, why don't you ride in my car and let the other two police officers take their motorcycles back to the station? Could you please give me directions?"

Upon hearing this, the two police officers first frowned and looked at their station chief. With their identities unknown, it was rash to let their leader sit alone. If these three were indeed enemy agents, their station chief would be in danger.

Director Wang smiled dismissively and said, "Alright, I'll ride back to the station in your car. Let me experience the American sedan and see how it differs from ours in China."

"Yes, Director Wang, please consider this. If you don't like it, feel free to criticize!"

Chen Dong stepped forward and opened the passenger door, letting Director Wang get in first. Then he opened the back door, letting his wife Zhang Yi hold their son Chen Hui and get in. Only then did he walk around to the driver's side, get in, and fasten his seatbelt. Seeing that Director Wang wasn't wearing his, he smiled and reminded him, "Director Wang, please fasten your seatbelt."

Zhang Yi, who was in the back seat, stepped forward and pulled on the seatbelt next to Director Wang's right ear. Chen Dong stepped over and pulled it, securing it before starting the car.

As soon as the Maybach started, Director Wang, sitting in the passenger seat, couldn't hear a single sound of engine noise. He couldn't help but marvel at it. Looking at the interior, he found it extremely luxurious, with pure-colored leather everywhere he looked.

Chen Dong slowly started up, and amidst the curiosity and exclamations of the surrounding workers, he drove away from the county committee guesthouse and headed towards the police station, followed by two other policemen on motorcycles.

Watching the Maybach drive away, Chen Zaixing couldn't help but sigh, "So impressive! I wonder how wonderful it would be if I could drive a car like that!"

After driving for nearly five or six minutes, under Chief Wang's direction, the Maybach steadily entered the gate of the county police station. Chief Wang's impression of the whole process can be summed up in two words: quiet and steady!

Although they were driving on the roads in the county town, Director Wang could feel how bumpy the roads in Nanshan County were when he rode a motorcycle. But when he rode in Chen Dong's car, he didn't feel any bumps at all throughout the entire journey.

Chen Dong didn't deliberately avoid the potholes; he just drove straight over them. The car remained perfectly stable and didn't sway. It has to be said that these days, cars from capitalist countries are indeed better than those made in China.

These were Director Wang's true thoughts at that moment, though he wouldn't say them aloud. Following Chen Dong's instructions, Director Wang opened the car door, got out, and said to Chen Dong, who was walking towards him, "Your car must be very expensive, right?"

"It's not expensive, only a little over 180,000," Chen Dong replied with a smile.

"US dollars?"

Chen Dong smiled and nodded. Director Wang realized that his question was a bit silly, since people in America used US dollars.

The four entered the police station, which was also poorly furnished: whitewashed walls, reddish-brown floor tiles, wooden tables and chairs. Apart from the incandescent light bulbs on the walls, the only electrical equipment in the entire station was an old-fashioned crank telephone.

Chen Dong and his wife Zhang Yi saw people using this thing when they went to Gu Ba for tourism years ago, and they never expected to see it here again.

Director Wang led Chen Dong and his family into a conference room, brewed a pot of tea for them, and after they were seated, Director Wang asked the police officer next to him, "..."

The questioning process was lengthy and detailed. Chen Dong had to repeat their origins and purpose over and over again, show them his passport, and even describe his grandfather Chen Shengyu's possible hometown address and the names of his relatives.

"This is a photo of my grandfather with my uncle, aunt, and uncle before he went abroad," Chen Dong said, taking his wallet from his wife Zhang Yi and carefully taking out an old black-and-white photo that had been sealed with glue, handing it to Director Wang across from him.

Director Wang took the yellowed old photograph and first looked at the three people in it: two men and one woman. The older man and woman were sitting on a bench, and the woman was holding a little boy in her arms. Behind them stood a younger man.

Pointing to the photo, Chen Dong told Director Wang, "This is my great-uncle Chen Shengyu, that's my great-aunt, my great-uncle Chen Xiangui, and the one standing behind him is my grandfather Chen Shengyu!"

Director Wang looked at it very carefully, flipped to the back of the photo and found a line written on it: "Taken in June of the tenth year of the Republic of China, by my younger brother Shengyu when he went abroad. This photo is a special memento!"

In Tuocheng, those who go out to sea to make a living are called "Guofan" (过番), and those who drift overseas and struggle alone in foreign lands are called "Fanke" (番客), constantly reminding these people overseas not to forget where their roots are.

Director Wang carefully placed the photos back in front of Chen Dong before saying in a deep voice, "Comrade Chen Dong, you cannot provide any domestic letters of introduction or identification documents, only these few American passports."

"Comrade Chen Dong, according to regulations, without a letter of introduction and valid identification, we cannot allow you to move around freely."

As soon as Director Wang finished speaking, Chen Dong and Zhang Yi hurriedly tried to reply, but Director Wang stopped them with a gesture. "It's not that I'm completely restricting your activities. Firstly, it's for your protection, and secondly, there are organizational regulations!"

"However, considering your special circumstances, how about this, Xiao Zhao," Director Wang turned to the police officer beside him who was still writing furiously, "you'll have to work hard for now and stay with Comrade Chen Dong and his family as a guide. Report to me immediately if anything happens!"

"Yes, Chief!"

Police officer Zhao Zhigang immediately stood up and saluted Director Wang before sitting down again to continue taking notes. Director Wang then said to Chen Dong and Zhang Yi, "As for the relatives in Lianzhai that you mentioned, we will immediately send people to verify and search for them. Once they are found, we will notify you immediately."

He paused for a moment, then said to Chen Dong, "Until we can verify the situation, you will need to stay at the guesthouse temporarily and not leave the county town without permission. This is for your safety and to comply with regulations. Xiao Zhao will arrange accommodation for you."

This was the best result they could get at the moment, so Chen Dong could only nod in agreement.

After listening to Director Wang's words, Zhang Yi frowned and asked Chen Dong in English, "Tony, are we being detained?"

"Mommy, did we break the law?"

"Don't worry, we're not being detained," Chen Dong squeezed Zhang Yi's hand tightly to reassure her, then smiled and said to his son Chen Hui, "Jimmy, we haven't broken the law. We entered the country legally. They're just protecting us, OK!"