My heart is tied to that sky

On a winter night in Kyoto, the cold wind was like a knife, howling sharply as it swept across the glass curtain wall of the Hengxin Building.

Tang Muyang is leaving, but he wants to leave with dignity; this is his final tribute to his professional career over the past few years.

On New Year's Day 2004, he returned to his office alone, filed the documents, and cleared his desktop, as if no one had ever been there, yet as if his mark was left everywhere.

HR Director Lao Zhang chased after them to the elevator, his eyes red-rimmed, clutching an envelope in his hand.

"Mr. Tang, this is just a small token of our appreciation from the brothers. It's not much, but..."

Tang Muyang grasped Old Zhang's hand, pushed the envelope back, and smiled gently but firmly.

"Old Zhang, business is business, and personal relationships are personal relationships. Even if I leave, Hengxin will still be a good company."

He paused, took a deep breath, and spoke with a sense of relief.

"Tell the brothers that Tang Muyang is starting his own business, not poaching anyone or causing trouble. We'll meet again in the martial world."

In the airport terminal, Gong Yiqing gently took his arm, and the two walked side by side.

She tilted her head to look at him, her eyes gentle yet playful.

"Muyang, we're about to register at Zhejiang Water Resources Bureau. Have you decided on a name for the company?"

Tang Muyang remained silent for a moment, countless thoughts flashing through his mind, finally settling on a simple word.

"How's Qingyang Industrial?

"Why did you put my name first?" Gong Yiqing said with a mix of reproach and laughter, giving him a light punch.

Tang Muyang took her hand, held it tightly, and spoke gently yet solemnly.

"Look! 'Qing' means 'sunny day,' and 'Yang' means 'to bathe in the sun'!"

After a moment's thought, Gong Yiqing realized that the sunny weather symbolized that no matter how strong the wind blew outside, there was always sunshine in one's heart.

Thinking of this, he smiled mischievously and said, "Okay, from now on... I'll listen to you when we're out, but you have to listen to me at home."

The two smiled at each other, intertwined their fingers, and walked side by side toward the boarding gate.

Two thousand kilometers away, the Zhejiang River is cold, moist, and sticky, like an invisible dampness that seeps into your bones.

When the plane landed, Tang Muyang was still wearing that dark gray cashmere coat.

As he stepped off the covered bridge, the chilly air hit him, and he shuddered slightly.

Gong Yiqing grabbed his wrist, took a beige cardigan from her bag, and draped it over his shoulders without saying a word.

Her fingertips inadvertently brushed against the still-warm name tag inside his coat, which clearly read "Tang Muyang, Hengxin Group".

She gently pressed the symbol of identity that was about to be abandoned, looked up at him, and a barely perceptible worry was hidden in her eyes.

"Mu Yang, now that we're on my turf, can you take my orders this time?"

Tang Muyang looked down at the unfamiliar city before him and took a deep breath of the moist and cold air.

He knew that from this moment on, he was no longer the regional president of Hengxin, but the "prospective son-in-law" behind Gong Yiqing, who needed to overcome numerous obstacles.

Gong Yiqing led Tang Muyang home. She didn't see her father, exchanged a few words with her mother, and then hurriedly drove off in her car.

The car was quiet and cozy.

Tang Muyang looked at the unfamiliar street scene outside the window, then at his lover driving calmly beside him, and suddenly chuckled.

"Well, you've been with me for a whole year, and you've been hiding your true abilities all along."

Gong Yiqing smiled, her eyes gentle yet open.

"You didn't ask me either."

She gently turned the steering wheel, looking straight ahead, the wind outside the car window ruffling her soft, tousled hair.

"The family's circumstances and the foundation laid by our parents are never something to be proud of. Our generation must rely on our own strength to create our own world."

She turned around and gave Tang Muyang a sweet and reassuring smile.

Tang Muyang felt a warmth in his heart and instantly understood.

She never cared what her family could provide; those favorable conditions were merely a convenient springboard for her to start a business, not capital to lie low with.

Such a clear-headed, independent girl who was willing to endure hardship with him made him truly believe that she was someone he would cherish for a lifetime.

The car stopped in front of a time-honored teahouse called "Tingyuxuan".

With its blue tiles and white walls, the facade is unassuming, except for the two mottled stone lions at the entrance that exude an imposing and dignified aura.

Gong Yiqing did not get out of the car immediately; her fingers unconsciously twisted the seatbelt.

"What's wrong?" Tang Muyang noticed her worry.

"Mu Yang," she bit her lip, her voice trembling slightly.

"My dad is... you absolutely mustn't confront him directly. He's the one who has the final say in the Zhejiang Waterways Chamber of Commerce, and he values ​​his reputation above all else."

Gong Yiqing paused for a few seconds and gave repeated instructions.

"And... whatever you do, don't mention that we resigned from Hengxin. Just say you're here at Zhejiang Water Resources Bureau seeking opportunities, understand?"

Tang Muyang lowered his eyes, melted by the tenderness in her eyes.

He reached out, interlocked his fingers, and enveloped her slightly cool fingertips in his palm.

"Silly woman," he chuckled, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.

"I'm not going to challenge anyone; I'm going to meet my future father-in-law. Don't worry, I'm a professional at knowing how to keep a low profile and give face in front of an old hand like your dad."

He leaned down and whispered something in her ear.

"Besides, I'm not here to break up your family. It's just that... your prospective son-in-law is 'applying for official status'."

Gong Yiqing blushed, gave him a reproachful glare, but her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, strangely settled back into her stomach.

The teahouse private room was filled with smoke.

Gong Chong'an sat upright in the main seat of the rosewood table, holding a pair of shiny walnuts in his hands, which made a crisp "crackling" sound.

"Little Tang, right?" Gong Chong'an didn't even lift his eyelids.

"I heard he used to do quite well in Kyoto, maybe even... a high-ranking executive?"

Tang Muyang handed over the box of top-grade Wuyi rock tea with both hands, his back straight and his posture extremely humble, yet his eyes were clear and open.

"Uncle, I used to just work for others to make a living; I couldn't say I did well."

"Working?" Gong Chong'an snorted coldly, finally opening his eyes with piercing gaze.

"What's the point of working? We Zhejiang people don't care for those empty promises, we only care about practical things. Yiqing has been spoiled by us since she was little, if you take her out to suffer, I won't allow it."

For three whole hours, Gong Chong'an talked about everything from the macroeconomic situation to gossip about the Wang family next door, from the age of tea to where housing prices would skyrocket in the next few years, his thoughts roaming freely, but he never touched on the core issue of "agree" or "disagree".

He was waiting, waiting for Tang Muyang to lose his patience.

But Tang Muyang remained calm and composed, like a sponge, absorbing the old man's probing.

Just before leaving, Tang Muyang stood up and left behind a seemingly casual yet incredibly weighty statement.

"Uncle, I can't guarantee that Yiqing will be rich and powerful in the future, but I can guarantee that no one in this world will treat her better than me, and I will never let her suffer because she is poor."

Gong Chong'an's hand, which was fiddling with the walnuts, suddenly stopped.

He stared at Tang Muyang in silence for a long time. In the end, he said nothing, but nodded slightly, which was considered as tacit approval of this "prospective son-in-law".

It was already late spring of 2005, and early summer was just around the corner.

They met in the spring of 2002, and this was their third year together.

Tang Muyang chose to start from scratch in Zheshui City, a city with a thriving private economy. The business registration of Qingyang Industrial became the first hurdle on his entrepreneurial journey.

The service hall of the Zhejiang Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce was filled with a mixture of the smells of stale ink, sweat, and a distinctive damp, musty odor.

Tang Muyang held the number slip in his hand and looked at the uncles and aunts queuing in front of him. The sense of alienation he felt made him frown slightly.

After queuing for ages and handing over the documents, the clerk at the window pushed up his glasses and frowned.

"Tang Muyang? Never heard of him. Five million in registered capital? Where's the verification report?"

"Here it is." Tang Muyang handed over the document, his tone calm and steady.

"Your business scope also includes real estate development?" The clerk curled his lip and picked up Tang Muyang's documents, shaking them like he was throwing away waste paper.

"Young man, the policies are strict now; not just anyone can get involved in real estate. This regulation is written in a fancy way; go back and revise it."

Gong Yiqing, who was standing next to him, quietly squeezed his palm and gave him an encouraging look.

Tang Muyang looked at the rejected document and smiled bitterly to himself.

In Kyoto, he was a highly respected executive; here, he was just an entrepreneur being bossed around by clerks.

This is what it means to be brutally beaten by society. There's no warning, no buffer, just one slap that wipes out all your arrogance.

But he simply took a deep breath and put on a humble smile again.

"Hey, isn't this the Gong family's prospective son-in-law? What, here to start a business with your girlfriend?"

A middle-aged, overweight man who was there on business recognized Tang Muyang and came over to tease him.

"You've got guts. Anyone who dares to get involved in real estate is either crazy or a genius."

Tang Muyang recognized the bigwig from the Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce. His face twitched slightly, but he ignored the teasing and simply said politely.

"Uncle, thank you for your guidance. This is my first time starting a business, and I don't know anything about it."

After saying that, he turned back to the staff member and said politely.

"Comrade, where exactly is it not up to standard? We'll fix it."

This ordeal lasted for three whole days. It wasn't until through an acquaintance that they got in touch with Zhao Gang, the section chief in charge of investment promotion at the time, and after several meals and multiple communications, that the license was finally obtained, albeit with some difficulty.

On the day he received his business license, Tang Muyang looked at the thin piece of paper and let out a heavy sigh.

"Yiqing, you've taken that first step."

Saying goodbye to his former employer and making a graceful exit, Tang Muyang has delivered a satisfactory answer to his professional career.

As a new journey begins and the sun rises, he stands on the streets of Zhejiang, his heart filled with boundless pride.

On the day Qingyang Industrial was officially listed, there were no firecrackers or drums, only a simple ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Tang Muyang, dressed in a dark gray suit, stood under an inconspicuous sign, looking at the sparse crowd of onlookers with a calm expression.

Gong Yiqing nervously tugged at his sleeve.

"Muyang, isn't it... too quiet?"

Tang Muyang took her hand, his gaze passing over the crowd to the distant river. His voice was soft, yet firm.

"The excitement is for others to see. Today, the sun is rising. Even if it's just a glimmer now, one day it will illuminate the entire Zhejiang River."

In the early stages of his business, Tang Muyang established a clear strategic blueprint and personally took charge to stabilize the initial situation.

Jewelry as the foundation, craftsmanship as the hallmark – this is Qingyang's first stepping stone.

In order to find the best cutting master, Tang Muyang personally visited several jewelry distribution centers in Guangdong Province.

In a noisy and crowded workshop, he stared at an old craftsman carving for three whole hours.

The old man's name was Lin Mo, and he was known in the industry as a "ghost hand" with an eccentric temper.

Before leaving, Tang Muyang stopped Lin Mo, who was about to rush him to see the "manager".

"Mr. Lin, I don't care about the factory or the equipment; I just want to see the carving knife in your hand. I want to ask you to come out of retirement, not for anything else, but to create a piece of work that can be passed down through generations."

Lin Mo squinted at him for a long time, then put away the blank check he handed over and uttered two words indifferently.

"Give it a try."

By strategically positioning himself in the real estate sector and seizing opportunities, Tang Muyang keenly grasped the signals of urban renewal.

At that time, Zheshui City was at the forefront of the old city renovation project.

Tang Muyang, carrying a measuring tape and a camera, wandered through the abandoned factory areas on the outskirts of the city.

Accompanying him was Gu Zhixing, an architect he had specially recruited from Tongji University.

Gong Yiqing, wearing high heels, walked on the uneven cement ground. Her heel got stuck in a gap, and she almost twisted her ankle.

Tang Muyang quickly caught her, sighed helplessly, and squatted down to help her take off her shoes.

"Don't come here again, it's dirty."

"If I don't come, who will get the blueprints for you?" Gong Yiqing rolled her eyes at him, flicked his forehead, and then took out a measuring tape and skillfully measured the column spacing.

"Mr. Gu, wouldn't it look out of place to add glass curtain walls to this row of red brick houses?"

Gu Zhixing pushed up his glasses, his eyes shining.

"No, this is called 'time-space folding.' Mr. Tang, your... friend is very talented."

Updating and empowering, integrating industry and city – these are Tang Muyang's killer features that distinguish it from traditional real estate developers.

At a government bidding conference, Tang Muyang's proposal was not initially favored by several well-funded state-owned enterprises.

But when the host asked how to preserve the historical features of the industrial heritage, while the other bidders were still flipping through the PPT, Tang Muyang took out a rusty red brick from his bag.

He raised the brick, and his voice carried clearly throughout the hall.

"Distinguished leaders, this is the memory we want to preserve. Qingyang doesn't act as a bulldozer; we act as repairmen. What we want to build is not a forest of steel and concrete, but a home with warmth."

Starting a business is difficult, especially in a new place where you have no connections or background.

The first life-or-death crisis that Qingyang Industrial encountered was the crisis of the broken capital chain.

With funds tight, my father-in-law stepped in; this was the most difficult time.

In the second half of 2005, with tight credit, Zhejiang Water Bank was extremely reluctant to lend to startups.

The night before payday, Tang Muyang sat on the sofa, his brow furrowed, smoking one cigarette after another.

After Gong Yiqing finished clearing the dishes, she silently sat down next to him, took the cigarette from his hand, and stuffed a piece of candy into it.

"Tight on cash?"

"Yes, we're still short 350,000." Tang Muyang's voice was hoarse.

"If this month's wages aren't paid, the team will fall apart."

Gong Yiqing remained silent for a moment, looking at him with a complicated expression, before finally making a decision.

"Muyang, I'll borrow this money from my parents."

Tang Muyang stubbed out his cigarette, clenched his fist, and looked at him with a complicated expression.

At this time, an investor approached him, promising to invest several hundred million yuan on the condition that he acquire land in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

Tang Muyang politely declined, silently thinking: This land in Zhejiang is waiting to be fully cultivated. A tree dies when transplanted, but a person thrives, and a company can easily damage its roots if it moves. I'll stay here and settle down.

He pulled himself back to reality, knowing full well that asking his future father-in-law for money would be tantamount to putting his self-respect on the chopping block once again.

"I'll go talk to him, I'm a man..."

"Don't go." Gong Yiqing interrupted him, a resolute glint in her eyes.

"I have to do this myself. I'll go ask my dad, and even if he scolds me, I can still borrow the money."

By treating people with sincerity, Gong Yiqing moved her father-in-law to tears, and her filial piety brought about a turning point.

That evening, Gong Yiqing went back to her parents' home.

The Gong family's villa is located in a well-known wealthy area of ​​Zhejiang. Its retro-style decoration is magnificent, and the light reflected by the huge crystal chandelier is so dazzling that it makes people's eyes ache.

This was a world apart from the shabby apartment Tang Muyang was currently renting, which was filled with building material samples and reeked of formaldehyde.

The atmosphere in the living room suddenly turned icy.

Gong Chong'an sat in the six-figure huanghuali armchair, twirling a pair of shiny walnuts in his hands. The crisp, cracking sound was particularly jarring in the empty living room.

Gong Yiqing looked at her father and recalled the afternoon in the rented room, when Tang Muyang faced the bill with a furrowed brow and the cigarette butts scattered on the floor.

That man who once dominated Kyoto could also have such a lonely and helpless moment.

At that moment, the last trace of hesitation in Gong Yiqing's heart disappeared.

More than her father's furious outburst, she couldn't bear to see her beloved break down alone in the dead of night.

She walked three steps away from Gong Chong'an and spoke calmly.

"Dad, I know you mean well. But Mu Yang isn't just messing around; he wants to build a home that truly belongs to us, for himself and for me."

She took out a well-worn business plan and a pre-written IOU from her bag, handed them over with both hands, and spoke firmly.

"Consider this 350,000 yuan a loan. I have a job and a salary, and I'll pay it back with interest within five years. If he loses it, I won't blame him; we'll pay it back together."

Gong Chong'an looked into his daughter's stubborn eyes, eyes that were just like his own when he was young.

He looked again at the densely written plan that thoroughly analyzed every source of repayment. The walnut in his hand stopped, hovering in mid-air for a long time without falling, and a pang of sadness rose in his nose.

Gong's mother, Su Wanqing, brought in the brewed Longjing tea. Upon seeing this scene, she quietly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, slammed the teacup down on the table, and a few drops of tea spilled out.

"Old man! Listen to how ambitious this boy is! Mu Yang is a responsible young man. Stop focusing on rules and social status. The boy is truly in love and working hard. Why can't you see that?"

Gong Chong'an remained silent for a long time, then let out a long sigh, a sigh that seemed to express decades of vicissitudes.

He finally reached out and slowly pushed the IOU back.

"Interest waived, but you need to make sure he spends this money wisely. If he loses it, he'll be back at work right now!"

With tears in her eyes, Gong Yiqing solemnly bowed to her father.

"Thank you, Dad! Thank you, Mom!"

Integrity builds character and earns a good reputation; Tang Muyang held firm to his principles in the face of temptation.

Having resolved the immediate crisis, Tang Muyang convened a general meeting of all employees.

The projector displayed all of the company's bank statements, accounts receivable, and accounts payable, with each transaction clearly shown.

"Brothers, it's true that the company is broke right now. But I'll show you the bare minimum." He pointed to the deficit on the screen.

"But the money to pay everyone's wages this time was borrowed by Yiqing from her parents. Following me, Tang Muyang, may not make you rich overnight, but I promise you, I will never let you sweat and cry."

After saying that, he looked at his lover with a grateful gaze.

Gong Yiqing stood quietly to the side, gazing at him with gentle eyes.

In the volatile business environment, Tang Muyang has always maintained gratitude towards his family and friends, sincerity and rigor towards his team, and reverence for the real economy.

Rejecting hype and focusing on product quality is the foundation of a successful business.

He led the designers straight into the workshop, and while his peers were all hyping up concepts and telling stories, he often stayed in the workshop until midnight.

Once, while adjusting the setting technique of a piece of jewelry, he personally operated the pliers and cut his finger, causing it to bleed profusely.

Gong Yiqing rushed to the hospital to get her bandaged up, and she was so heartbroken that she kept crying.

"You're the boss, not a worker! Do you know how precious your hands are?"

Tang Muyang gently wiped away her tears with his bandaged hand and smiled.

"The boss's hands have to be able to get covered in machine oil and hold a carving knife properly. Otherwise, the finished product will be unreliable."

Rooted in the soil and deeply cultivating the region, Qingyang Industry does not expand blindly.

With initial success and a promising future, Qingyang Industry is quietly rising in Zhejiang.

By the end of 2005, Qingyang Industrial's team had stabilized, the jewelry business had entered trial operation, the urban renewal project had entered the preliminary coordination stage, and cash flow had begun to improve.

Tang Muyang stood by the office window, looking at the night view of the Zhe River outside, and let out a long sigh of relief.

He picked up his phone and sent messages to the two people.

"Jianguo, come to Zhejiang Water Conservancy."

"Jiahui, get ready to go. Let's get together and get things done."

After sending the message, he said something softly.

"The sun has risen; the next step is for brothers to work together."