Back to 2008: I Helped My Dad Become the Richest Man

Time flies, and before we knew it, it was winter of 2008.

That year, another heavy snow fell in the south. Although it wasn't as severe as the ice storm earlier in the year, the weather was still bitterly cold.

As in previous years, the villagers of Luojia Village, dressed in thick cotton-padded coats, huddled in their homes, warming themselves around coal stoves, and gossiping about everyone's business.

However, the focus of their discussion this year was only one thing—the Luo family at the east end of the village.

"Have you heard? The Luo family's pork shop made over 30,000 yuan in profit last month alone!"

"That's not all! I heard from my relatives in the city that their pork is now the designated supplier for the Golden Bay Hotel in the city, and a piece of pork sells for more than beef!"

"You didn't see it, but a couple of days ago, Luo Xinde drove back in a brand new pickup truck! I heard he spent over ten thousand yuan on it! He uses it specifically for hauling pigs and delivering goods!"

"Sigh, it's true what they say, comparisons are odious. Who would have thought that just a year ago, the Luo family was the poorest in the village? Now, tsk tsk..."

The villagers' discussions were filled with amazement, envy, and a hint of jealousy.

Meanwhile, at the Luo family, the center of the discussion, the new house was well-heated, and the family was enjoying a sumptuous dinner together.

After six months of development, Luo's Farm has undergone a dramatic transformation.

The second phase of the project was successfully completed, with six modern pigsties neatly arranged and filled with grunting, plump pigs. The farm's stock has now stabilized at around one thousand pigs.

The farm has also acquired a number of new pieces of equipment. In addition to the brand-new blue pickup truck, Luo Xinde also bought a small feed grinder and mixer, which greatly improved the efficiency of feed preparation.

The "Luo's Safe Meat" specialty store in town is still doing booming business. After several months of operation, the "Luo's" brand has already made a name for itself in the town.

The town's residents, especially those families who value quality of life, have developed the habit of only buying "Luo's Safe Meat." Zhang Lan and Li Yan, the two shop assistants, now earn over 1,500 yuan a month in salary and commission, making them the envy of all the working girls in town.

This day is the Lunar New Year's Eve.

The heating in the Luo family's new house was on full blast.

That's right, the Luo family built a new house. It's a beautiful three-story building right next to the farm. Luo Xiyuan insisted on building it, saying that once she made money, the first thing she wanted to do was improve her family's living environment.

The first floor features a spacious living room and kitchen, the second floor houses the parents' rooms, and the third floor is the independent kingdom of siblings Luo Xiyuan and Luo Wen. Each room has its own bathroom and desk, and is even nicer than those in city apartments.

At this moment, the whole family, along with Grandpa Liu, are sitting around the huge round dining table, enjoying a sumptuous dinner.

The table was laden with a dazzling array of dishes. There was soup made with fresh pork ribs brought back from a specialty store, stir-fries made with organic vegetables grown from farm biogas residue, and braised fish specially prepared by Li Minxia.

"Come on! Everyone, raise your glasses!" Luo Xinde stood up, his face beaming. In his hand was a bottle of fine Moutai liquor. This was a New Year's gift that Wang Defa had specially sent to him.

"Today is our first family reunion dinner in our new home! It's also a bumper year for our Luo's Farm! This year has been absolutely transformative for our family!"

He glanced at his smiling wife beside him, then at his son and daughter who had grown quite a bit taller, and finally, his gaze fell on Master Liu.

"I, Luo Xinde, am not good with words and don't know how to say nice things. In short, I want to say: Thank you! Thank you, Uncle Liu, for your great help! Thank you to my wife and children for your unwavering support! And most importantly, thank you..."

His gaze finally settled on Luo Xiyuan's face, his eyes gentle, and the corners of his mouth lifted with satisfaction.

"Thank you to our family's greatest contributor, our commander-in-chief, Comrade Luo Xiyuan!"

"Hahahaha..." The whole family laughed good-naturedly.

Luo Xiyuan smiled too. She picked up her glass of juice and stood up. "Dad, you've got it backwards. I should be thanking you. Thank you for believing in me, supporting me, and being there for me, turning those seemingly unrealistic ideas into reality step by step. Without you, I couldn't have accomplished anything."

"Well said!" Mr. Liu stood up, raised his glass, and said, "We're a team! Cheers to a brighter future for the Luo Family Farm!"

"Cheers!"

The crisp sound of glasses clinking echoed in the warm room.

Outside the window, snow was falling heavily, turning the whole world into a pure white blanket.

After dinner, Luo Xinde and Grandpa Liu sat in the living room, drinking tea and excitedly discussing whether they should introduce an even better breed of pig next spring.

Li Minxia was in the kitchen, humming a little tune as she prepared for the New Year. She no longer had to worry about spending a few hundred yuan on New Year's goods. Now, she was thinking about what kind of high-end gifts to send to her relatives in the city.

Luo Xiyuan and Luo Wen, the siblings, went to the study on the third floor.

Luo Xiyuan's study is very large, with one wall being a floor-to-ceiling bookcase filled with all kinds of books, from agricultural technology to business management, from financial history to Chinese and foreign classics.

Luo Wen quietly tugged at his sister's sleeve and pulled her to the window.

"sister."

"Um?"

"Do you remember this time last year?" Luo Wen asked softly, pointing to the heavy snow outside the window.

Luo Xiyuan's heart stirred slightly.

How could she not remember?

This time last year, it was a snowy night like this too. The house was as cold as an icebox, and she and her younger brother shared a roasted sweet potato. Her father almost walked into that snowy night he would never return from, all for five hundred yuan for New Year's goods.

At that time, she felt uncertain and didn't know what tomorrow would bring.

And now...

She lowered her head and looked out the window. In the yard, the brand-new blue pickup truck sat quietly in the snow. In the distance, the lights from the farm's pigsty shone with a warm and resolute light through the wind and snow.

Everything has changed.

"I remember," Luo Xiyuan replied softly.

"Sister," Luo Wen looked up at her, his clear black and white eyes sparkling with a clarity beyond his years, "thank you."

He didn't say thank you for saving Dad, nor did he say thank you for making our family rich. He simply said thank you.

But Luo Xiyuan understands.

She knew that her brother was grateful because she had come back. It was she who had given this family new hope.

She smiled, reached out, and ruffled her brother's hair, just like she had done a year ago.

"Silly boy, why are you being so polite with me?"

She turned her head and looked again at the boundless snow and wind outside the window.

The snow of 2008 fell once again.

But this time, it brought not cold and despair.

Looking at the glistening snowflakes, Luo Xiyuan thought to herself that next year would be another year of hope and bountiful harvest.

Her gaze went beyond the wind and snow before her, beyond this small village, and toward a broader future.

But she wasn't afraid at all.

Because she is not fighting alone. Behind her are her family.

She took her younger brother's hand and whispered, "Come on, little brother, let's go see the fireworks. This year's fireworks are sure to be even more beautiful than last year's."