Road to Revival

On the evening of May 2nd, two cars took seven people from the Tang and Tao families to Pingquan Stadium at the foot of Dongshan Mountain. It wasn't completely dark yet, and the stadium was already crowded with people who hadn't been able to buy tickets, all making a final effort to secure a concert ticket.

Tao Xiaohe and Tang Tian were the most excited. Tang Tian bought a bunch of glow sticks on the spot, and Tao Xiaohe insisted on giving one to her father and one to her aunt.

"What would I do with this?" Tao Tang waved the glow stick.

"Don't be so old-fashioned, look at everyone else, they all have tickets!" Tao Xiaohe held her father's hand with one hand and Fang Ke's hand with the other, following behind the Tang family of four to have their tickets checked and enter the venue.

There were three types of seats, and naturally, three types of tickets as well. As the exclusive sponsor of the concert, Tang Yikun was reserved for the best of the first-class tickets. Upon entering the stadium, Tao Tang exclaimed in admiration, finding it truly impressive; the oval stands were already packed with tens of thousands of spectators.

"Sister Wei, I didn't know Pingquan had such a beautiful stadium," Fang Ke said to Wei Fengru after taking a seat.

"It was completed and put into use the year before last. For this, the city extorted a large sum of money from Donghu. Consider it a public welfare sponsorship fee... Not only that, Pingquan also wanted to set up a professional football team, but luckily Lao Tang held on. I was just talking to your brother-in-law this afternoon. Donghu may look intimidating, but it can't afford to offend anyone. How can it compare to your brother-in-law's Hongxing? Hongxing doesn't need to worry about the city's attitude."

"That's not necessarily true... I know he always suffered at the hands of the locals when he was in Binjiang." Fang Ke's gaze then turned to Tao Tang.

Wei Fengru scrutinized Fang Ke sitting beside her once more. A very elegant girl, with distinctive features, large, expressive eyes, and sensual lips. At 1.73 meters tall, she was well-proportioned and athletic, extremely eye-catching. Wei Fengru could feel the intense gazes directed at Fang Ke from those around them.

"Xiao Ke, do you often go to concerts in Yanjing?" In just one afternoon, Wei Fengru and Fang Ke had become quite familiar with each other.

"No, I've only seen Wang Feng sing a solo once at the stadium... I was dragged there by a friend. I'm not really interested in singing..." Fang Ke glanced again at the beautifully printed program on the long table in front of her. The singers performing tonight weren't very famous; she hadn't heard of most of them.

"I'm even more outdated..." Wei Fengru picked up her water glass, took a sip of tea, and looked away from Fang Ke's face to look at Tang Yikun. She saw him chatting with Vice Mayor Ji Zhenhui in the front row. Several important figures from Pingquan City had come to the concert: Bai Yongquan, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee; Cui Junjie, Standing Committee Member of the Municipal Party Committee and Minister of Publicity; and Ji Zhenhui, the Vice Mayor in charge of culture and sports. Their seats were in the front row.

Bai Yongquan has not yet appeared. It is estimated that he will go on stage to say a few words. Ji Zhenhui and Cui Junjie are sitting quietly in their seats.

"Let's stay a couple more days this time. I'll show you around. There are a few places to see in Pingquan... if you like cultural attractions," Wei Fengru said to Fang Ke.

"Thank you, Sister Wei, but I don't really like those historical sites... Besides, I don't have time. I'll just take a look at my brother-in-law's factory and then head back... I'm really sorry to have troubled you this time."

"You're being too polite. Now that you're in Pingquan, just do as I say."

Fang Ke truly felt the Tang family's power in Pingquan. These seats were definitely not something money could buy; the Tang family could get seven tickets at once. She had just noticed the Pingquan city leaders' attitude towards Mr. Tang. Facing the Standing Committee member of the Municipal Party Committee and the Vice Mayor, Tang Yikun treated them as equals, without any servility. She had never heard him mention having such a classmate before… Actually, she had learned that Xiao He had arrived safely before she set off for Pingquan, but she still decided to come to see the factory where he worked, to see the place where he was born and raised… Happiness had to be earned, and she firmly believed she could win him over. Now all the obstacles were cleared; her parents had finally acquiesced to her decision, her aunt, who had a great influence on him, had no objections, and a crucial factor—Tao Xiao He had also accepted her… Only he remained.

Fang Ke felt guilty whenever she thought about the hidden excitement she felt when her sister died. If there were a god, she would surely be punished. She didn't know when it started, but she had always been jealous of her sister. It was probably during a summer vacation at her sister's house during her sophomore year of college that she actually fell in love with her brother-in-law—how shameful! But he was just too outstanding; compared to those naive and arrogant boys, his attraction was simply too great… Her sister was gone, and the grief he desperately suppressed broke her heart. From that moment on, she decided on her life's purpose: to take care of him until he grew old, to bring him happiness again, regardless of worldly judgment. But he didn't accept her, clearly telling her that she would always be his little sister. She was very worried that he would fall in love with someone else, especially after he went to Binjiang. She had a college classmate who was the son of someone from Shengdong Company, and she went to great lengths to find out about him from that classmate, thus revealing her feelings. When her classmate told her that a stunningly beautiful female college student was pursuing him at Shengdong Factory, she panicked and rushed to Shengdong, defending her rights like a lion guarding its territory. It turned out to be a false alarm, but she became friends with the somewhat melancholic girl. The beautiful college student even invited her to be her bridesmaid at her wedding. She told her, "His heart is too hard, like a rock. You need to be fully prepared, or you won't succeed." He worked at Shengdong for nearly four years, enduring a series of rumors—about his private life and his finances—all stemming from the friend who had once pursued him. After that incident, she firmly believed all the rumors were slander. But he was still transferred. Her friend said he was too outstanding, too exceptional, and the system couldn't tolerate his existence. However, he was quickly reinstated and returned to his birthplace. Hongxing didn't have any friends there; she had never even been to Pingquan. Learning from Sheng Dong's experience, she wanted to make a public appearance at Hongxing to dissuade potential rivals like that friend from having any ideas. He was hers, and he could only be hers.

She seized the opportunity. She wouldn't go on the trip with Wei Fengru; of course, she'd accompany him. The opportunity was simply too good to pass up—the factory was on holiday, and Xiao He was the only one there. But there was no way around it; she had to manage her relationship with Xiao He well. For six years, she had done this exceptionally well, very successfully. That afternoon, Xiao He had quietly said to her: "Auntie, tell me honestly, you didn't come to see me, did you? Don't worry, I'll give you time and space."

Six years have passed. Xiaohe has grown from a little girl with pigtails into a graceful young woman, while he has turned gray at the temples, yet he never listens to her advice to dye his hair...

The factory lights dimmed by half; the concert was about to begin. Four hosts appeared, and deafening cheers erupted from the audience. Tao Xiaohe tossed aside her glow stick and picked up the binoculars provided to her, aiming them at the stage illuminated by the spotlights.

"Oh, Daddy, look..."

"You see what happens," Tao Tangchong's excited daughter smiled slightly.

"You're so boring. Dad, you're still young, don't act like an old man."

After a long and tedious opening, the concert finally began. Tao Xiaohe stopped chatting with her father and immersed herself in her joy. In particular, the appearance of her favorite singer made Tao Xiaohe extremely excited. She waved two glow sticks in her hand and hummed along to the rhythm.

Tao Tang had no interest in singing whatsoever; the only songs he knew were a few popular ones from his university days, and he was completely clueless about current hits. In stark contrast to his daughter's excited shouts, he simply closed his eyes and pretended to doze off amidst the deafening music. He had no idea that a pair of binoculars in the side stands was constantly observing him.

Lü Qi and her family also came to the concert. Fan Yue was a music fan, and Lü Qi also loved music. It was a holiday, so they bought second-class tickets to the stadium. Fan Yue brought binoculars, and before the show started, Lü Qi instinctively took them and looked around, searching for familiar colleagues. However, she inadvertently spotted Tao Tang sitting opposite the stage. This discovery surprised Lü Qi; ​​she had assumed Tao Tang had gone home.

Naturally, Lü Qi "studied" Tao Tang's surroundings. She recognized Tang Yikun and guessed Wei Fengru, but she was unsure about the others. Judging from the girl next to Tao Tang, she was probably his daughter, at least in terms of age. But she was puzzled by another tall woman. She was definitely not on Tang Yikun's side, because she was talking more to Tao Tang's daughter (which Lü Qi assumed was Tao Tang's daughter), clearly on Tao Tang's side. Who was she? She was definitely not his sister. She knew Tao Meiling, but she had never seen this woman before... After the performance started, Fan Yue took Lü Qi's binoculars, the stage lights dimmed, and Lü Qi's questions lingered in her mind.

"What does her identity have to do with you?" Lü Qi cursed herself inwardly. For some reason, her mood darkened. Even when Lan Ni, the most anticipated singer of the concert, appeared, Lü Qi lost all interest.

Lan Ni's appearance thrilled Tao Xiaohe and Tang Tian. Tao Tang looked at her daughter, who was in a frenzy, with surprise. "Is it really that bad? A third-rate singer has driven you this crazy?"

"Do you know? This song, 'The Wind,' is her own work..." Tao Xiaohe whispered in her father's ear amidst the deafening shouts.

On stage, Lan Ni sported an odd hairstyle, wore a short, low-cut black dress with a low neckline, and high-top leather boots that accentuated her snow-white skin. Her voice was somewhat husky, and her songs were rock-influenced, with energetic dance moves, making her seem like a witch performing a spell… This was the impression Lan Ni left on Tao Tang. Tao Tang thought to himself, “Is it really that good? I don’t see anything special about her. Sigh, that’s the generation gap. Like that Taiwanese singer, Zhou Moumou, I just can’t understand how someone who only talks can become so popular…”

"Dad, could you ask Lan Ni to sign something for me?" On the other side, Tang Tian pestered Tang Yikun.

"no."

"Why not?"

"I don't even know her. Stop with the idol worship. You're just a kid, just watch the show."

At this moment, Vice Mayor Ji, who was sitting in the front row, turned around and said, "President Tang, after the concert, why don't you join me for a meal with the performers and staff? Secretary Bai and Minister Cui will not be joining us."

"I'll pass, I'm not interested."

"Your Donghu is a sponsor; without your support, this wouldn't have been possible. Excellent, the results are great. Several groups of reporters from the provincial TV station came today; this is also publicity for Pingquan and Donghu. We definitely need to go."

"Okay, okay, Daddy, you have to take me! I want to see Miss Lan Ni, I want her to sign my clothes!" Tang Tian exclaimed excitedly. "I want to go with Xiao He."

Tang Yikun was immediately overwhelmed with anxiety.