My heart is tied to that sky

In early spring in Kyoto, the wind feels like a hidden knife, stinging your face.

However, the construction site of Qingyang Industrial's northern hub was bustling with activity.

Scaffolding stood like a forest, machinery roared, and dump trucks kicked up clouds of dust.

Wearing a brand-new safety helmet, Gu Zhixing stood on the newly leveled core plot of land, gesturing confidently towards the name.

"Mu Yang, everyone's here! Old Zhang is personally overseeing things, no one dares to cause trouble here."

Tang Muyang stood to the side, his expression calm, but his gaze was distant.

Behind him stood Zhu Xiaohui, Lin Mo, and other core members, all standing quietly and waiting for orders.

"The wind from the north is really strong," Tang Muyang said in a low voice, his tone serious, "just like the road we're about to travel."

He grasped his wife's hand in return, his grip firm and steady, conveying an unwavering certainty.

"The stronger the wind, the more conspicuous the flag. Only by holding this position can the overall situation be stabilized."

Gong Yiqing gently put her 4-year-old son down from her arms and held his hand, then leaned close to her husband, her eyes full of tenderness.

"Let's have the brothers gather around the hot pot tonight to warm up."

Tang Zhenyang, who was wrapped up tightly beside him, had his small eyes darting around, full of curiosity about the unfamiliar environment.

From the floor-to-ceiling windows of the temporary command post, one can overlook the entire ancient city.

A thousand years of cultural heritage intertwines with modern prosperity, beneath which undercurrents surge.

The walls are covered with layout maps of the northern region, with key plots clearly marked one by one. Every line reveals Qingyang Industry's ambition.

Tang Muyang looked down and opened his phone. In those days, WeChat had just become popular. Holding down the button to speak was faster than typing, and it was free, making it the most convenient way to communicate.

"It's 2011, everyone's using new gadgets." Zhu Xiaohui handed over a glass of warm water, joking with a smile.

Tang Muyang chuckled, pressed the voice button with his fingertip, and sent a message to his brothers scattered across the country.

"After settling things down, we immediately headed to Hezhou. The Northern Campaign has begun."

The concise and powerful text officially announces the full-scale launch of Qingyang Industrial's northern expansion.

While Tang Muyang was stationed in the capital, the damp and cold air from the southwest was thoroughly permeating Sichuan.

The newly established branch office got off to a bad start, encountering obstacles at every stage of the approval process.

In the dead of winter, the real estate market is generally sluggish, and outside companies are facing repeated exclusion by local forces, making it difficult for them to operate.

The meeting room was filled with smoke, creating a suffocating atmosphere.

"Brother Hui, the planning permit has been stuck for half a month. We're being obstructed at every turn, and we can't move forward at all."

Pan Xingwang pointed to a stack of red-headed documents on the table, his voice hoarse and full of exhaustion.

"We are unfamiliar with this place and will find it difficult to move around."

The team's efforts over the past few days have yielded no results, and morale has plummeted to an all-time low.

Seeing her husband Pan Xingwang's progress stalled, Wang Li also frowned, filled with anxiety.

Peng Jiahui twirled his car key between his fingers, listened quietly to the report, and his expression instantly turned cold.

"Strictly adhering to procedures? That won't work here."

"Forced entry won't work; we need a change in mindset."

The following day, Peng Jiahui did not go to the government affairs hall again, but instead took Pan Xingwang to a dinner party with local building material merchants and media people.

He prepared a cooperation plan in advance, focusing on mutual benefit and win-win results throughout the process.

Over drinks, they negotiated resource exchanges, and a crucial phone call revealed the core logic for breaking the deadlock, giving the other party face while also showcasing Qingyang's strength.

In just three days, all the stuck procedures were successfully completed.

"Brother Hui, I can't learn that roundabout way of breaking the deadlock."

Pan Xingwang held the scalding hot certificate, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

"You have to keep your head down and pull the cart, but you also have to look up and see where you're going." Peng Jiahui patted his shoulder, his tone firm, "That's what it means to do real business."

With the final approval process completed, the foundation of the Chuandu branch has finally been firmly established.

Peng Jiahui stood in front of the newly leveled construction site, looking at the gray sky, but a raging fire burned in his heart.

Having accomplished his mission in the southwest, he awaits the rallying call in the north.

Meanwhile, the land of Xiaoxiang is filled with warmth and joy.

The Fuyi Jinyuan residential complex was completed and handed over to the public. Red ribbons were wrapped around the buildings, and firecrackers resounded through the sky, creating a festive atmosphere.

Tang Jianguo was covered in dust, but his face was beaming with an undeniable rosy glow.

Under his coordination, Tang Pingsheng and Jiang Dashu persevered day and night, and their three years of hard work finally paid off.

"I didn't disappoint you, did I?" Brother-in-law Jiang Dashu leaned closer, grinning as he offered him a cigarette.

Over the past few years, Tang Pingsheng and Jiang Dashu have been overseeing the construction process, ensuring that all the steel bars and cement used are of high quality and without any compromise.

"Jianguo, I'll protect you. I haven't cut corners at all. I've done everything Muyang has ever put his heart and soul into." Tang Pingsheng said, patting his chest.

Looking at the completed Fuyi Jinyuan residential community, Tang Jianguo was filled with emotion.

This is not just a simple house; it is Qingyang's hometown solemnly giving back to its homeland.

He took out his phone and sent a voice message to Yang Liu, who was staying behind in Zhejiang.

"The ribbon-cutting ceremony for Jinyuan is about to take place, and everything is going smoothly. After I finish up, we'll head north to meet up."

Yang Liu's gentle reply came quickly on WeChat.

"I knew it, you may have a sharp tongue but a soft heart, you're capable of getting things done."

"I... I just miss my wife too much." Tang Jianguo scratched his head and shamelessly replied with a voice message.

Yang Liu complained irritably in the chat box.

"You're the old woman! Day after day..."

With the central government in Kyoto established, the foundation in the southwest secured, and the project in Xiaoxiang completed, the project is nearing its conclusion.

As night fell, Tang Muyang stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, silently thinking: Brothers, it's time to regroup.

Once the rallying order was given, the two groups of people set off immediately.

Upon receiving the voice message, Peng Jiahui rushed to the airport without hesitation, boarded the earliest flight, and sped from the southwest to the north.

In Xiaoxiang Qingyang's hometown, after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, a celebratory banquet was held with several rounds of drinks.

Upon receiving the order, Tang Jianguo slapped his thigh and his fiery temper flared up instantly.

"I've been holding back for ages!"

After the banquet ended, he patted his elder brother Tang Pingsheng on the shoulder.

"I entrust Fuyi Jinyuan to you. I am ready to depart at any time."

He haphazardly stuffed his luggage into his bag, forgetting even his longing to see his wife in Zhejiang, and with his upright and unyielding spirit, he boarded the train heading north alone.

Peng and Tang, one heading south and the other west, traveled along two separate routes, their target being Hezhou.

In the sweltering summer of 2011, Hezhou Airport was bustling with people, and a warm breeze was blowing.

As soon as Tang Jianguo stepped out of the station exit, he spotted Peng Jiahui, who had been waiting for him.

The two men stared at each other from a distance. Tang Jianguo grinned, strode forward, and delivered a vicious punch to Peng Jiahui's shoulder.

He laughed and cursed, "You scoundrel, I thought you were dead in Sichuan!"

Peng Jiahui staggered a bit and returned the punch, laughing and cursing in response.

"If you're not dead, how could I be?"

The clinking of fists is a greeting only brothers who have been through thick and thin understand, without the slightest awkwardness.

Pushing open the conference room door, Tang Muyang stood in front of the regional map.

The walls are covered with real estate policies and land information from various northern cities, making them easy to understand at a glance.

In 2011, the "New Eight Measures" were implemented, and purchase and loan restrictions were tightened across the board, causing the real estate market to suddenly face a downturn.

"You're here, have a seat." Tang Muyang turned around, looking at his two brothers who looked travel-worn, and spoke calmly.

Zhu Xiaohui and Lin Mo served tea and then quietly left, instantly creating a tense atmosphere in the secret room.

The three exchanged pleasantries and recounted the hardships and difficulties they had faced over the past few months.

Tang Jianguo took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed one to Peng Jiahui. With a click of the lighter, amidst the swirling smoke, it was as if he had returned to the days of starting his business in Zhejiang.

But when the topic turned back to business, that long-lost tacit understanding was instantly replaced by the anxiety of reality.

Peng Jiahui took a deep drag on his cigarette, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the table, breaking the silence first.

"Brother, Jianguo, the current situation is pressing."

"We must leverage high amounts of capital to acquire land and quickly seize prime locations."

"If we don't expand now, we'll have nothing when the policies tighten completely!"

He stubbed out his cigarette abruptly, his voice urgent and his eyes filled with urgency.

"This is the only chance to overtake on the curve!"

"Bullshit!" Tang Jianguo's newly kindled warmth vanished instantly, replaced by a surge of anger.

He slammed his hand on the table, making the bowls and cups on it bounce.

His face flushed red, and he pointed at Peng Jiahui, shouting angrily.

"Blindly increasing leverage is gambling! It's playing with your life!"

"If it really collapses, who will the thousands of workers turn to for compensation? Are we just going to abandon the foundation of Zhejiang Water Resources?"

"I, Tang Jianguo, only believe in doing things practically!"

Before the two brothers could even catch up properly, their differing beliefs led them to each stick to their own arguments.

Radicalism and prudence, like two opposing torrents, collided fiercely in the conference room, neither willing to yield.

Tang Muyang silently watched the two of them, his heart filled with bitterness.

He knew better than anyone that Peng Jiahui sought "speed," fearing the group would fall behind and be eliminated; Tang Jianguo sought "stability," fearing the collapse of the family business his brothers had worked so hard to build, leaving them homeless in the end.

Ultimately, the meeting ended in discord.

Peng Jiahui led the Hezhou business and pushed forward the expansion plan; Tang Jianguo was stationed at the Kyoto branch and focused on the implementation of existing projects.

The two teams do not communicate with each other. Their official exchanges are limited to cold WeChat copy messages, and they have no private communication whatsoever.

The plaque on the office wall that read "Loyalty First" seemed particularly jarring at that moment.

Tang Muyang sat alone in his office, and in the dead of night, he couldn't help but sigh deeply, filled with helplessness.

In Hezhou in 2011, business banquets were filled with clinking glasses and extravagant displays of wealth.

Tang Muyang, as a newly minted real estate tycoon, was surrounded by a crowd at the center.

In the crowd, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure—Wang Lin.

She wore a long dress, still exuding charm, her eyes holding unspoken words. All these years, she had never married.

During the meal, someone deliberately stirred things up: "Mr. Tang, I heard that you and Miss Wang were a perfect couple back in the day, why don't you sing 'A Promise to Be Together Forever' together?"

The air froze instantly.

Tang Jianguo and Peng Jiahui, who were present, were immediately on tenterhooks. Tang Jianguo almost crushed the wine glass in his hand, his eyes fixed on Mu Yang, full of worry.

Tang Muyang took the microphone, his eyes calm and undisturbed.

He looked at Wang Lin, a polite but distant smile playing on his lips.

"Miss Wang, since everyone is so enthusiastic, let's sing a song."

Wang Lin picked up the microphone and sang with deep emotion, each word clear and distinct, as if she were singing to the past, carrying the echoes of time.

"I once fell for you, I once felt heartache for you, I know only my own heart..."

Tang Muyang listened quietly, his thoughts drawn back to his youthful days filled with both innocence and regret. He hummed along softly to the melody, his voice restrained and steady.

"I have been heartbroken for love, I have been lonely for love, but I have never held anything back in the depths of my heart..."

After singing a line, it was as if he were confessing his lost youth.

When Wang Lin sang with deep emotion, her eyes filled with tears, and she looked intently at Tang Muyang. Her song contained both farewell and relief, the most dignified goodbye in the adult world.

Tang Muyang remained calm, his eyes filled with deep respect for the past, without the slightest hint of overstepping his bounds.

Before the word "forever" could be uttered in the chorus, Tang Muyang cleverly handed the microphone back and turned to walk towards Tang Jianguo and Peng Jiahui.

He raised his glass, facing Wang Lin, his tone sincere and polite.

"The past is like smoke, I am grateful to Miss Wang for the kindness of meeting you back then."

"Let this song be a dignified farewell to youth."

After saying that, he stopped looking at Wang Lin, turned around and patted his two brothers on the shoulders, his tone relaxed but firm.

"Brothers, my heart belongs only to Gong Yiqing. Let's drink this glass."

Tang Jianguo and Peng Jiahui exchanged a glance, and their long-held anxieties finally subsided.

The three of them raised their glasses and clinked them together loudly.

"Dry!"

At this moment, there was no awkwardness, no suspicion, no betrayal, only the deep affection and restraint of men, only the trust and protection between brothers.

That evening, upon returning to their temporary residence, Tang Muyang made no attempt to conceal anything and recounted the entire story of the party to Gong Yiqing.

Gong Yiqing put down the picture book in her hand and looked at her husband calmly.

She was never a woman who would cause trouble; she understood Tang Muyang's kindness and trusted his bottom line.

"How do you want to help her?" Gong Yiqing asked softly.

"I want to arrange a position for her in the administrative department of the Hezhou branch, a non-core position, with room and board provided, giving her a respectable job. I want to put an end to this old score myself." Tang Muyang looked earnestly into his wife's eyes, without any concealment.

Gong Yiqing was silent for a moment, then reached out to help her husband loosen his tie, her tone gentle yet clear.

"Muyang, I trust your judgment."

"As long as you have me and Zhenyang in your heart, you can make your own decisions about what happens outside."

"But remember, don't let her become a source of trouble for our family."

"Don't worry, with you here, my heart is a safe haven, free from storms."

Tang Muyang held his wife's hand, lowered his head and gently kissed her palm, his eyes filled with doting and gratitude.

The next day, Wang Lin received an offer letter from Qingyang Industrial's Hezhou branch, with the position of administrative specialist.

She instantly understood Tang Muyang's deeper meaning, and with tears in her eyes, she calmly accepted this dignified farewell.

On a weekend evening, at an old-fashioned hot pot restaurant in Hezhou Old Street, a private room was booked in advance. There was no lavish banquet, only a hot and spicy hot pot and aged, mellow liquor.

The warmth and comfort of everyday life are the best way to resolve a man's inner conflicts and estrangements.

Tang Muyang did not inform anyone else, but only invited the two brothers who had fallen out.

Tang Jianguo and Peng Jiahui arrived at the invitation, both looking somewhat embarrassed. The three sat around the table in silence for a moment.

The hot pot broth was bubbling and boiling, its aroma filling the air, yet it couldn't dispel the tense atmosphere at the table.

Tang Muyang poured three glasses of strong liquor first and raised his hand to take the glass.

"Today, let's not talk about work or projects, but only about the brotherhood we shared back then."

The three wine glasses collided heavily, the crisp sound breaking the silence.

The spicy liquor warmed my stomach and also scalded back long-forgotten memories.

The second glass of wine was immediately filled, and the hardships of starting a business and the camaraderie that had accompanied them along the way instantly flooded the hearts of the three.

After a few rounds of drinks, the two gradually relaxed their tense defenses.

Peng Jiahui's eyes reddened, his usual sharpness vanished, and his voice trembled with emotion.

"My insistence on expansion isn't about seeking personal credit, but about fearing falling behind..."

"I'm afraid of holding everyone back, afraid that Qingyang won't be able to reach a higher level."

This heartfelt honesty instantly dispelled the long-standing misunderstanding between the two.

Tang Jianguo's eyes reddened, his fiery temper softened completely, and his voice became hoarse.

"I'm holding my ground at every step, not out of cowardice!"

"It's been incredibly tough for us to get to where we are today, starting from Zhejiang!"

"I'm afraid of losing, afraid of collapsing, afraid my brothers will end up homeless!"

"I, Tang Jianguo, may not be well-educated, but I know how to work hard. However, I cherish Qingyang and my brothers more than anyone else!"

He had seen too many companies that blindly expanded and then declined; he only wanted to protect Qingyang and the empire that his brothers had worked so hard to build.

The two looked at each other and smiled, their eyes glistening with tears. All the conflicts, arguments, and misunderstandings vanished.

Despite differing business philosophies, the deep-rooted brotherhood between them has never wavered.

Seeing the two reconcile, Tang Muyang finally felt a huge weight lifted from his heart.

He raised his glass again, his eyes earnest and his tone resolute.

"The three of us are an inseparable trio; we can only rely on each other for offense and defense."

"Jia Hui's sharpness is the spear of pioneering, while Jian Guo's composure is the shield of protection."

"Only with the perfect combination of spear and shield can the sun move forward steadily without fear of wind and rain."

The three raised their glasses and drank together, finishing the strong liquor in one gulp.

All differences were wiped away, and the three renewed their vow to walk hand in hand.

"Starting tomorrow, the two headquarters in Hezhou and Kyoto will operate under a single office, sharing resources!"

Tang Muyang stood up and solemnly finalized the new management layout.

"Break down internal barriers, unify our actions, and regain lost time and market share!"

Night fell over the streets and alleys of Hezhou, where stars twinkled and lights shone softly.

Tang Muyang walked slowly out of the hot pot restaurant, feeling refreshed and all his fatigue vanished.

Peng Jiahui and Tang Jianguo walked side by side beside him, their former tacit understanding returning without diminishing in the slightest.

The trio of brothers who had weathered storms and remained united were finally reunited.

Having withstood this test, Qingyang Industry has completely returned to the right track.

From now on, let us unite as one, brothers, and embark on a new and glorious journey.

The fierce competition in the northern market has officially begun.

The three brothers, united in purpose and action, will surely write a new legend for Qingyang Industry on the vast northern land.