Nominal: My senior brothers are all big shots

On the first anniversary of the Pingjiang Rare Earth Exchange Center's establishment, Lin Feng stood in front of the electronic screen in the trading hall, looking at the numbers flashing on it, and remained silent for a long time.

The screen displays transaction data for the past year: 12.8 tons traded, 107.3 billion yuan in transaction value, and 8.6 million yuan in taxes paid.

These figures bear witness to the transformation of Pingjiang's rare earth industry from chaos to standardization, and also mark the beginning of Pingjiang's fiscal transition from financial hardship to abundance.

At the unveiling ceremony, Lin Feng didn't invite many people, just a few heads of relevant departments and staff from the trading center. He said there was no need for formalities; everyone just needed to understand.

Lu Jianping, representing the municipal Party committee and government, spoke, saying that the achievements of the trading center in its first year were the result of the correct leadership of the municipal Party committee and government, the joint efforts of relevant departments, and the hard work of all the staff of the trading center. Lin Feng listened without smiling or nodding.

He knew that behind these numbers were countless sleepless nights, countless arguments and compromises, and countless people gritting their teeth and getting through the days and nights.

From rampant illegal mining to regulated mining, from rampant smuggling to the inclusion of all transactions in platform supervision, from selling raw ore to engaging in deep processing, every step has been difficult. But the path we've taken is now visible.

With the trading center making money and its finances becoming more secure, Lin Feng began to think about how to let the people in the mining area also benefit. He proposed the "rare earth + poverty alleviation" policy—extracting 10% of the rare earth trading tax revenue to establish a special support fund for the people in the mining area, which would be used to improve the infrastructure of the mining area, help the people in the mining area find employment, subsidize the schooling of children from poor families in the mining area, and provide pension subsidies for the elderly in the mining area.

When this policy was discussed at the Standing Committee meeting of the Municipal Party Committee, some people objected, saying that the money should be used for industrial development and not scattered indiscriminately.

Lin Feng didn't refute, but only asked, "In those years, the people in the mining area were oppressed by criminal gangs, exploited by illegal mine owners, and tormented by the polluted environment. Now that the rare earth industry is profitable, shouldn't they also get a share?"

No one objected anymore.

Qian Shumo compiled a list at the municipal party committee office, listing the people most severely affected by the Zhou Mingyuan case from the mining area. Zhao Tiejun was listed first. Not because of his fame, but because the group he represented needed the money the most.

When Zhao Tiejun received his first grant, he was planting trees in the mining park.

People from the town government found him and handed him a bank card, saying it was issued by the city specifically for impoverished people in the mining area. Zhao Tiejun took the card, examined it closely, and asked, "How much is in it?"

The town government official said, "Twenty thousand."

Zhao Tiejun paused for a moment, put the card in his pocket, and continued digging holes and planting trees.

When he got home that evening, Zhao Tiejun took out the 20,000 yuan and placed it in front of his son's portrait. He sat in front of the portrait for a long time and said, "Xiaojun, this is money from the government. You always said that when you made money, you would build a road for the village. Dad will build it for you."

He paused, then said, "Don't worry, no one dares to bully us now."

The news of Zhao Tiejun's election as a municipal people's congress representative came on an ordinary Friday afternoon.

Lei Ming called Lin Feng, his voice tinged with rare excitement: "Secretary Lin, Zhao Tiejun has been elected as a representative to the Municipal People's Congress." Lin Feng paused for a moment, then smiled: "Good. I'm relieved to have him as a representative."

Zhao Tiejun himself remained quite calm.

When the town government officials notified him, he was repairing a road in the mining park. The road wasn't long, about two kilometers from the village entrance to the mining park.

He and several veteran miners dug shovel by shovel and pushed cart by cart for more than half a year until the road was finally completed. Town government officials stood by the roadside, waiting for him to jump off the tractor before handing him the notice. "Master Zhao, you've been elected as a representative to the Municipal People's Congress."

Zhao Tiejun took the notice, read it once, then read it again, folded it neatly, and put it in his pocket. He squatted down and continued paving the road.

The town government officials stood there, unsure what to say. After a long while, Zhao Tiejun looked up and said, "Please thank Secretary Lin for me."

At the municipal people's congress, Zhao Tiejun spoke for the first time. He stood on the podium, wearing a faded dark blue cotton-padded jacket, his hair neatly combed, his beard clean-shaven, but he seemed unsure what to do with his hands. He cleared his throat, his voice trembling slightly, but clear. "I am Zhao Tiejun from Longnan Town. I am here today to say a few words on behalf of the people of the mining area."

The audience fell silent. Zhao Tiejun said, "The roads in the mining area are difficult to travel; on sunny days you're covered in dust, and on rainy days you're covered in mud. The schools in the mining area have been in disrepair for years, and the children are always on edge when they go to class. The elderly in the mining area have difficulty accessing medical care; it takes several transfers to get to the county town. The young people in the mining area can't find work, so they've all gone out to work, leaving only the elderly and children in the villages."

He paused, his voice lowering. "Before, we didn't dare to speak up. Even if we did, no one would listen. Now, Secretary Lin is here, and the government is taking care of us. I'm here today to say on everyone's behalf—thank you to the government. And please help us repair the roads, repair the schools, ensure the elderly can access medical care, and allow young people to find work right in their neighborhoods."

The applause was enthusiastic.

Lin Feng sat on the platform, looking at Zhao Tiejun, his eyes slightly red. He didn't applaud, but just looked at Zhao Tiejun, as if seeing himself many years ago when he first arrived in Pingjiang.

After being elected as a representative to the Municipal People's Congress, Zhao Tiejun's first proposal was about the construction of infrastructure in the mining area.

The proposal was simple, without jargon or fancy words, but every point was practical—building roads, schools, clinics, and factories. Lin Feng approved the proposal to Lu Jianping, who then forwarded it to the Transportation Bureau, Education Bureau, Health Commission, and Development and Reform Commission. The heads of these departments sat down together and held meetings for several days before finally producing a plan.

Lin Feng signed the proposal. He signed slowly, each stroke deliberate, as if he were signing a weighty contract.

On the day Su Wanqing gave birth to her daughter in Beijing, it was snowing heavily in Pingjiang. Lin Feng was conducting research on mine restoration in Longnan Town when he received the call. He was standing in the snow, his hand holding the phone trembling.

The call was from Qi Xiulan, her voice filled with barely suppressed joy: "Xiaofeng, Wanqing gave birth to a girl, weighing seven pounds and six ounces. Mother and daughter are both safe."

Lin Feng paused for a few seconds, then smiled. Snow fell on his shoulders, his hair, and his eyebrows, but he didn't shake it off. He stood there, smiling, until his eyes reddened. "Mom, I'm going back now."

He entrusted the research to Lu Jianping and asked Lao Zhou to bring the car over. Lao Zhou drove through the snow all night and arrived at the provincial capital airport at dawn.

Lin Feng boarded the plane, leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and kept thinking about his daughter. He didn't know what she looked like, whether she resembled him or Wan Qing. He hoped she looked like Wan Qing, and as beautiful as Wan Qing.

It was already afternoon when the plane landed.

Lin Feng hailed a taxi and headed straight to the hospital. The corridor was quiet. He walked to the ward door, took a deep breath, and pushed it open. Su Wanqing was leaning against the bed, her face somewhat pale, but her eyes were bright.

Holding a small bundle in her arms, only a delicate pink face was visible. Qi Xiulan sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes red-rimmed. When she saw Lin Feng enter, she smiled. "Come and see your daughter."

Lin Feng walked over, squatted down beside the bed, and looked at the tiny life. Her eyes were closed, her eyelashes were long, her mouth was small, and her breathing was light, like a kitten. He reached out, wanting to touch her face, but then withdrew his hand, afraid that his rough hand would hurt her.

Su Wanqing smiled, took his hand, and gently placed it in her daughter's small hand. Her daughter's fingers moved, grasping his index finger.

Lin Feng's tears finally fell. He held his daughter's hand and cried for a long time. Su Wanqing didn't say anything, but just looked at him, her eyes also red.

Qi Xiulan stood to the side, wiping away her tears, and said with a smile, "Don't cry, you'll scare the child."

Lin Feng wiped away his tears, looked at his daughter, and smiled. "Daughter, Dad's home."

Su Wanqing said, "Let's name the child." Lin Feng thought for a moment and said, "Lin Wan. Wan as in Wanqing (meaning 'evening')."

Su Wanqing paused for a moment, then smiled. "It sounds nice."

During his stay in Beijing, Lin Feng didn't go anywhere; he spent every day with Su Wanqing and their daughter.

He changed his daughter's diapers, made formula, and carried her around the ward, humming off-key lullabies. When his daughter cried, he was more anxious than anyone else. When his daughter laughed, he was happier than anyone else.

Seeing his flustered state, Su Wanqing laughed and said, "You, the municipal party secretary, can't even soothe a child properly."

Lin Feng said, "Being a municipal party secretary is easy, but being a father is not."

Qi Xiulan listened from the side and smiled. She remembered Lin Feng when he was little, how she used to hold him like this, comfort him, and watch him grow up day by day. Now, he was a father too. She turned her head and secretly wiped away her tears.

There are still many things to do in Pingjiang, and Lin Feng cannot stay in the capital for too long.

On the day he left, he held his daughter and kissed her on the forehead.

His daughter stared at him, eyes wide open, lost in thought. Su Wanqing leaned against the bed, watching the father and daughter, and smiled. "Go on, Pingjiang is waiting for you. Don't worry about your daughter, I've got her covered."

Lin Feng gently placed his daughter in Su Wanqing's arms and kissed her forehead. "Thank you for your hard work," Su Wanqing said, shaking her head. "Go quickly, don't miss your flight."

Lin Feng walked to the door, then turned back to look at Su Wanqing and his daughter. His daughter was looking at him, her eyes sparkling, as if to say, "Dad, come back soon." He smiled, pushed open the door, and went out.