Road to Revival

Tao Tang's plane arrived at Beixin Airport at 11:30 AM. Wang Fumin was there to pick him up. He had only received a text message from Tao Tang and didn't know why Tao Tang had rushed back on the second day of his holiday. Seeing Tao Tang's somber face, Wang Fumin didn't dare ask what had happened. "Everything's fine at the factory. I haven't heard of anything serious happening. What's wrong, Tao Tang?"

After getting off the plane and turning on his phone, Tao Meiling immediately called, saying that Xiao He's phone was off and they couldn't reach her. Was this a disaster? Tao Tang was frantic. A 16-year-old girl going missing was a terrible thing for any family.

Tao Tang didn't call the police, feeling there was something fishy going on. Perhaps Xiao He was planning a surprise for him, or maybe she really did have some friends in Pingquan. Given Xiao He's quirky and clever personality, she wasn't easily taken advantage of. So Tao Tang decided to go back to the factory first.

Just as the Audi was about to enter the factory, Tang Yikun called. "Old Tao, I bet you're as anxious as a cat on a hot tin roof right now, aren't you? Don't worry, just go do what you're supposed to be doing. Your daughter's at my house, don't worry."

Tao Tang's heart immediately settled, but then she felt puzzled. "What? At your house? I was so worried! How could she be at your house?"

"Hey, it's a long story. Anyway, don't worry. Oh, you owe me a favor."

"I'm back in Pingquan. Where do you live? Tell me your address quickly."

"You're back? Okay, Jinxiuyuan, Building A5. Come over here, I'll head back too."

"Do you know Jinxiuyuan?" Tao Tang asked Wang Fumin.

"I know, it's over at Feiyuan Reservoir."

"Go on, drive slowly." Tao Tang finally felt relieved and made several phone calls to his family to reassure them.

Tao Xiaohe was picked up by Tang Yikun's daughter, Tang Tian. The two girls met through QQ chat and became inseparable online friends. During the May Day holiday, Pingquan City hosted a star-studded concert, featuring many singers, including Lan Ni, whom Tang Tian and Tao Xiaohe both admired. Tang Tian invited Tao Xiaohe to Pingquan, and Tao Xiaohe readily accepted. She couldn't tell her grandparents the truth, so she secretly took the train. However, she was sensible enough to tell the two elderly people in Binjiang that she had gone to Pingquan. She didn't want to go to her uncle and aunt's house; having never lived in Pingquan, Tao Xiaohe had a distant relationship with them. Knowing her family would be waiting for her at the station, she got off early at Pingquan East Station and was picked up by Tang Tian, ​​who was waiting there with a car, and taken to the Tang family home in Jinxiuyuan.

When Tao Tang's Audi A6 arrived in front of Tang Yikun's villa, Tang Yikun and his wife were already waiting there. "You must be so anxious, right? Let me introduce you, this is my wife, Wei Fengru..." Tang Yikun said to Tao Tang with a smile.

"Hello, Mr. Tao," Wei Fengru said, extending her hand first.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you." Tao Tang grasped Wei Fengru's hand.

"No, it was all my daughter's doing. But we're really destined to meet, who would have thought the two kids were online friends?" Wei Fengru smiled and said, "President Tao, please don't blame the kids. Old Tang already talked to them about it."

"It's all my fault for not disciplining her properly. To be honest, I've spoiled Xiaohe rotten... I'm really sorry." Tao Tang then looked Wei Fengru up and down. From her face and figure to her clothes, everything about her was exquisite. For some reason, there was a feeling of sharpness about the woman that made Tao Tang feel uncomfortable.

"Please don't say that. Xiaohe told me about your family affairs. President Tao is truly a model husband and a model father. You must have had a hard time all these years." Wei Fengru couldn't help but glance at Tang Yikun.

"Don't just stand here chatting, let's go inside and talk," Tang Yikun said.

"The environment is really nice. It's just a bit far from the city center." Tao Tang looked at the flowers and plants in front of the villa. "But it's totally in line with the trend. Mr. Wang, could you please move the car and wait for me?"

"No, now that you're home, there's no reason to just leave. Master Wang, right? Please go back first; I'll take care of Mr. Tao." He waved, and a young man appeared out of nowhere, running over. Tang Yikun whispered something to the young man, and he ran off. "Please wait a moment, Master Wang." The young man immediately returned, holding two packs of cigarettes. Tang Yikun took them. "Master Wang, this is my first time here; it's just a small token, have some." He tossed the two packs of cigarettes into the car through the open window.

"Then go back, don't worry about me. Be careful on the road." Tao Tang waved to Wang Fumin.

"Please don't scold the child," Wei Fengru said to Tao Tang as she pushed open the heavy security door. "Children these days are not like we were back then. Being too strict often backfires. The child misses you too; Xiao He told me that herself."

Tao Tang smiled bitterly, speechless.

Tao Xiaohe felt a little embarrassed when she saw her father.

"Did you call Grandma and the others? Go, call Grandma, Grandma on your mother's side, and your aunts and uncles separately to put their minds at ease. You're so inconsiderate." Tao Tang saw her daughter "completely unharmed" with her own eyes and was completely relieved.

"Xiaohe is much more sensible than my Tiantian. She already called home just now. But you can't do that again, or your dad will worry," Wei Fengru said with a smile.

Seeing that her father wasn't angry, Tao Xiaohe stuck her tongue out at him. Tang Yikun, waiting for Tang Tian at the stairwell, waved, "Come and greet Uncle Tao."

"Hello Uncle Tao. Please don't blame Sister Xiaohe, I'm the one who invited her here," Tang Tiantian said with a smile.

"Sweetie, right? I'm sorry, Uncle came in a hurry and didn't bring you a gift."

"Please don't mention gifts. Xiaohe is so thoughtful; she even brought a big bag of local products from Binjiang, probably bought them at the station..." Wei Fengru waved to the two girls, "You two go upstairs and have some fun. Mr. Tao, please have a seat here."

Tao Tang followed Tang Yikun to the reception area and took a seat, only then did he take a look at the layout of the villa...

"Have some tea... Old Tao doesn't smoke... How about it? I told you we're destined to meet, right? We were just talking about getting together last night, Xiao He's here just in time." Tang Yikun laughed heartily, pouring half a cup of tea for Tao Tang in a small gold-plated teacup. "There's a concert at the stadium tonight, I heard a lot of big names are coming... How about it, interested? Why don't we go and join the fun?"

"President Tao, no matter how busy you are, you have to take the kids out to have some fun. Let's go together. Old Tang, hurry up and arrange for some tickets to be reserved for President Tao." Wei Fengru glanced at her watch. "You two chat first, I'll go check on the food. It's already 12:30, President Tao must be starving."

Upon hearing that Wei Fengru was also going to the concert, Tang Yikun inwardly groaned. He couldn't be sure that Wei Fengru didn't know about his relationship with Lan Ni. If it weren't for Tao Xiaohe and Tao Tang, Wei Fengru, who had never been interested in entertainment, wouldn't have gone to any concerts...

"Old Tang, I really envy you..." Tao Tang said with a smile as he looked around at the villa's furnishings.

"Why don't you come to Donghu? I'll make room for you as the CEO, and you can set your own salary."

"Stop joking, I know my own limitations. Old Tang, where's your son?"

"He went to his uncle's house... You'll see him tonight. Since that's the case, don't refuse. Give me your time today. Let's have a good chat. Old Tao, I only just found out about your situation. You didn't mention it at all last time. How have you managed all these years? No, I have to lend a hand and solve your personal problems as soon as possible... Haha, with your qualifications, you're a top-tier diamond bachelor."

"This girl, why does she tell you everything..."

"President Tao, let's eat. We didn't have time to prepare anything in the rush, so it's just some simple home-style dishes. Please forgive the inconvenience." Wei Fengru returned to the living room.

"Okay, let's eat." Tang Yikun pulled Tao Tang up.

Tao Tang summed up the Tang family lunch in two words: exquisite. However, it wasn't quite to her liking—it was too bland. Instead of baijiu (Chinese white liquor), a bottle of 1989 red wine from the French winery, Château Eden, was opened. During the meal, despite Tao Tang's attempts to stop him, Tang Yikun began recounting the story of the Pingquan Hotel from 25 years ago. Wei Fengru, who had been married to Tang Yikun for over a decade, was finally hearing the most authentic and complete version of the story.

"How should I put it? It's all about fate... It's a pity about that young man surnamed Xu..." Wei Fengru sighed.

Tang Tian and Tao Xiaohe listened with great interest. Tao Xiaohe said, "Dad, did you like her back then? Otherwise, why were you so impulsive? Oh no, I thought there really were such a romantic hero like you who was always faithful to his wife. Turns out you had a secret too. But don't worry, this won't damage your glorious image in my eyes."

Tao Tang smiled wryly. As she grew older, Xiao He became increasingly eloquent, and there was simply no way to refute this matter; the more she tried to explain, the worse it got.

"Don't listen to Lao Tang's nonsense. He was really young and naive back then. Honestly, he killed a good friend, caused another friend to spend three years in prison, and wasted a year of his own life," Tao Tang said to Wei Fengru.

Before Wei Fengru could speak, Tang Tian said, "So it was the two of you who caused this... Uncle Tao is really amazing, he actually got into Fudan University. My brother's dream is to go to Fudan University."

Tao Tang smiled and said, "That's great. You can study management in the future. Fudan University's management program is the best in the country, even better than Yenching University. If you study the theory well, you can take over your father's business in the future."

"Mr. Tao, when it comes to studying, my son is much better than this girl. I didn't have a proper education, but I know that exams were much harder back then. Mr. Tao, you must have some insights into study methods to get into Fudan University. It's a pity that Xiaotian isn't home today, otherwise I could ask you for advice. As for my daughter, I don't think she could even get into G University. Sigh, I think daughters are much more worrisome than sons, these kids..." Wei Fengru said.

Before Tao Tang arrived, Wei Fengru had already chatted with Tao Xiaohe for a long time. She didn't really care about Tao Tang's status; to put it bluntly, with Donghu's expansion to this point, Wei Fengru no longer looked down on Hongxing. So what if he was a geodetic master? Could he compare to Donghu? Donghu was hers. However, Tao Xiaohe's recounting of family matters made Wei Fengru feel a surge of affection for Tao Tang. People always connect things to themselves, and Wei Fengru, suffering from a deep-seated emotional wound, suddenly developed a strong liking for this classmate whom her husband valued so much. If it were Tang Yikun, let alone six years, he probably wouldn't have waited even six months; he would have married the vixen long ago. Tang Yikun's mention that the new secretary of the Pingquan Municipal Party Committee was actually Tao Tang's college classmate struck a nerve with Wei Fengru. While Wei Fengru resented and schemed against her husband in family matters, she was clear-headed about the future of Donghu, which is why she personally went out to greet Tao Tang. If Tao Tang knew the true character of Wei Fengru, the first wife of Pingquan's richest man, he would be surprised by her hospitality. And Tao Tang's casual remark about Tang Tianxue's good management skills and succession plans made Wei Fengru even happier. "President Tao, Old Tang is absolutely right. Our two families are truly destined for each other; it's almost like a father-son relationship."

After dinner, Tao Xiaohe and Tang Tian went to Feiyuan Reservoir for a stroll, naturally accompanied by someone. Tang Yikun finally had time to talk to Tao Tang about serious matters. Wei Fengru did not avoid the topic; it was during the casual conversation at the dinner table that Tao Tang learned that Wei Fengru was a director of Donghu Industrial and a business partner of Tang Yikun.

Let's start with the steel pipe factory. Tang Yikun told Tao Tang that the back wages had been paid and hoped that Tao Tang would take over the factory. "I have an idea. I've finally figured this out. Donghu Machinery needs to streamline. It's not just the steel pipe factory; there are probably many other factories that have business ties with Hongxing, such as mining machinery parts... At least you should start this work and give me a way out."

"I'll consider the steel pipe factory... I met with my boss in Yanjing yesterday and reported it. They agreed. Old Tang, Donghu also needs to streamline its operations. The current product development direction is unclear; there's no focus..."

"The board of directors intends to thoroughly overhaul the current diversified state of Donghu Machinery. The current battle lines are too long, and we are seriously lacking in energy, but the city has many concerns... By the way, Lao Tao, I heard that you are very familiar with Secretary Lu?" Tang Yikun asked.

"You're really well-informed. It's true we were classmates, but we've all been busy with our own lives since then, so we're not really close anymore... Let me be honest with you two, we only studied together for a few years. Besides, Secretary Wang's appointment hasn't come through yet, has it? Lu Yaozu will have to wait until Secretary Wang is promoted before he comes."

In truth, Lu Yaozu and Tao Tang were no ordinary classmates; they weren't just bunkmates for four years. They were true friends who supported each other morally and corrected each other's mistakes. Without Lu Yaozu, Tao Tang's career would never have been so smooth. It's hard to say that Lu Yaozu wasn't a factor in Feng Shizhao's high regard for Tao Tang. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but there was indeed a causal relationship between Tao Tang's rise within the Brilliant Group and Feng Shizhao's discovery of Lu Yaozu's relationship with Tao Tang. This incident cast a shadow over Tao Tang's heart, though he never mentioned it to anyone.

"All that's left is the procedure... Zhou Hongyou is going to be anxious now, haha. Old Zhou is eyeing Shangguan's position, while Mayor Shangguan is plotting to succeed Wang Yi. Pingquan is like a red star now; nobody expected Secretary Lu to be parachuted in... Old Tao, I really consider you a friend. A while ago, an inspection team came from above. At first, they said it was to go through the necessary procedures for Wang Yi's promotion, but later there were rumors that they had other missions. It's making the city very nervous..."

Tang Yikun's words were somewhat untrue. Zhou Hongyou was not qualified for the position of mayor; he was only aiming for the position of executive vice mayor.

"Old Tang, the personnel changes in Pingquan don't have much to do with me. We just occupied a piece of land in Pingquan. In my opinion, it has nothing to do with you either, right? Donghu has reached its current scale; it doesn't need to be at their beck and call anymore, does it?"

"It's not like you said... Without government support, Donghu is nothing. Lao Tao, what I'm most worried about is the planning of Pingquan New City. We've suffered a lot from planning issues over the years. Every top official has their own ideas, and we in the real estate business are practically sleeping on a powder keg. We can't not acquire land, but acquiring land is like carrying a ticking time bomb. Lao Tao, when Secretary Lu comes over, could you help me make a connection and let me report to him?"

"This doesn't seem to require my involvement, does it? With your influence in Pingquan, wouldn't the municipal government handle things like a piece of cake?"

"There's a difference between giving a report and doing it at the dinner table. It's a completely different story. Don't try to fool me. We're friends."

"Okay, I'll do my best," Tao Tang agreed.

Just then, Tang Yikun's phone, which was on the coffee table, rang. Wei Fengru picked it up first and said, "Ah, it's Zhou Hongyou." She then handed the phone to Tang Yikun.

Tang Yikun did not get up, showing no intention of avoiding Tao Tang. "What instructions does Vice Mayor Zhou have? What? Not a promotion by a superior? This is really unexpected... Is the news true?" In front of Tao Tang, Tang Yikun started to make up stories.

Tao Tang's gaze was fixed on the enormous tropical fish in the tank, but his ears naturally caught every word Tang Yikun said. It seemed Zhou Hongyou had just received the news, a beat slower than Tang Yikun, probably from a different source… Moreover, Tang Yikun seemed wary of Zhou Hongyou; otherwise, he wouldn't have pretended to have just found out. It seemed their relationship wasn't exactly close…

"...I really don't know. Think about it, you only just heard about it yourself, where would I find out such confidential information? So, tell me, what do you need me to do?"

Tao Tang stood up and pretended to go to the restroom to hide. When he came back from the restroom, he looked a little uneasy. "Old Tang, could you please use your car? Xiao He's antics have startled her aunt, and she's at the airport now."

I just received a call from Qiu Xiuying, who said that Fang Kefei has arrived in Pingquan after learning the news.