My heart is tied to that sky

Time quickly passed to the height of summer that year, and the Hengxin Gem Factory was sweltering in the heat.

The air was filled with the acrid smell of engine oil and sweat.

Tang Muyang stood at the junction of the polishing workshop and the finished product warehouse.

The fine cuts and calluses on his fingertips indicate that he has transformed from "survival" to "growth".

This is not just a promotion, but also a recognition of his character and work ethic by Hengxin.

In the jewelry industry, finished goods warehouses are crucial for guarding gold and diamonds.

Tang Muyang became the one who firmly upheld this responsibility.

In his heart, he was most grateful to his older brother Tang Pingsheng, who had paved the way for him in advance.

At this time, her older sister, Tang Xiuying, sent a letter from a neighboring town.

"Yang Ya Zi, I've resigned and I'm going home..." Tang Mu Yang read it carefully and understood.

His sister was preparing to go home to prepare for her wedding, and he was genuinely happy for her; she would finally have a home of her own.

The summer sun shines through the camphor tree leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground.

Xiao Xiaoyan, dressed in faded blue work clothes, stood quietly under the shade of a tree, clutching a series of well-preserved letters in her hand, waiting for Tang Muyang.

She has officially submitted her resignation, determined to return to her hometown to repeat her studies, and wants to bid a frank farewell to Tang Muyang, who is wholeheartedly working hard in the special economic zone.

Under the camphor tree in the factory area, the two calmly admitted that they had different pursuits in life, and their innocent first love officially came to an end.

There was no entanglement, only regret and fulfillment.

"Muyang, I've made up my mind. I'll go back to my hometown to repeat my senior year before September 1st." Xiao Xiaoyan's voice was very soft.

As if afraid of disturbing this tranquility, she said, "I don't belong here, and I don't want to spend my whole life on an assembly line."

Tang Muyang sighed softly. How did everything come together like this? His sister's return home to get married was a good thing, but Xiao Xiaoyan...

Thinking it over, he gradually felt relieved, looked up at her, and asked calmly, "Have you thought it through?"

His voice was a little hoarse.

"I've made up my mind." Xiao Xiaoyan nodded, took a letter out of her pocket and handed it to him. "This is for you. I'm leaving now. Take care..."

Tang Muyang took the letter. The envelope was light, but it felt heavy in his hand.

He didn't open it on the spot, but just held it tightly: "I wish you success in your exams."

Tang Muyang's voice was low and deep; he neither tried to stop him nor became hysterical.

He knew that what the girl in front of him wanted was a scholarly atmosphere and stability, while what he wanted was the throne in this steel jungle.

Xiao Xiaoyan gave him a deep look, then turned and left, her back view resolute.

As the day's work came to a quiet, under the dim light of the dormitory, his thoughts returned to his sister Tang Xiuying's wedding.

This was the choice she made for marriage and family, and it made him understand the weight of family ties even more.

Tang Muyang unfolded the letter and looked at his sister's delicate handwriting, which revealed her plans for the future of their family.

He suddenly realized that everyone has their own battlefield, and his sister was also of marriageable age.

But he still has a long journey to conquer.

He suppressed his disappointment and kept his emotions to himself.

Determined to focus on assembly line processes and finished goods warehouse management, his position and responsibilities became increasingly stable.

As he walked out of the factory area in late August, he saw Xiao Xiaoyan carrying her luggage.

Their bulging luggage was filled with books. The two walked towards each other, stopped a meter apart, and gazed at each other for a long time.

"Go! If you ever need me, as long as I'm still here..." Tang Muyang shook his head and smiled bitterly.

In the days when phone calls were forwarded via pagers, when that person no longer held the most important place in one's heart, one didn't know where to send that letter.

"You... can finally go and run towards the empire that belongs to you."

Xiao Xiaoyan raised her head slightly, her eyes glistening with tears.

Tang Muyang couldn't bear to look directly at it; it was the soft spot in the girl's heart caused by her first love.

This was the last time they passed each other in the factory area, exchanging brief greetings.

She... is really gone!

In the blink of an eye, this relationship, which began with intense affection, came to a sad end.

Tang Muyang transitioned from youthful feelings to a transformation of mindset, developing a hard shell in his heart and shifting from budding romance to composure and pragmatism.

He returned to the warehouse and completed the handover of warehouse management and supervision work according to the procedures.

Checking the last batch of shipping orders, the numbers were accurate to the decimal point, and the accounts and inventory cards were all in perfect order.

The supervisor patted him on the shoulder: "Tang Muyang, this business is in your hands now. Come back soon."

Tang Muyang smiled slightly, a smile that lacked the youthful arrogance and instead showed a touch of composure.

With clear old accounts and implemented process standards, he received affirmation from the workshop supervisor and the human resources department, and then took a week's leave.

Tang Muyang and his brother Tang Pingsheng packed their luggage and met their sister Tang Xiuying and future sister-in-law Huang Huifang at the agreed location.

The group took a minibus and then transferred to a train, listening to the clanging of the rails as they embarked on their journey home.

Tang Pingsheng's luggage was filled with special products from the special economic zone and his salary savings.

He was naturally open and honest, with no ulterior motives, and was having a sweet conversation with his future sister-in-law.

The elder sister, Tang Xiuying, is simple-minded. The three closest people each have their own feelings.

Tang Muyang's thoughts were not only on himself, but also on his family, brothers, and his future lover who had not yet appeared.

All of this is predicated on the premise that one is strong enough to provide them with a future they can rely on.

Inside the green train carriage, surrounded by familiar local accents, he gazed out the window at the receding mountains and forests, feeling both gratitude for his homeland and ambition for the special economic zone.

All I could hear was the tireless clanging of the train wheels against the rails, and the mountains and forests outside the window rushed past.

During the long eight-hour journey, Tang Muyang finally took out the letter he had been carrying in his pocket for a long time.

The envelope was warm from my body heat, and the edges were a little wrinkled.

He took a deep breath and tore open the seal.

As the train swayed, Xiao Xiaoyan's neat and powerful handwriting jumped into his eyes one by one:

"Muyang: Seeing this letter is like seeing you in person."

I'm leaving, not because I don't love you, but because I really can't stay with you any longer.

You have your distant horizons, I have my peace and security.

You want to conquer the world, strive for a bright future, and stand above everyone else; I just want to live a simple life, have a home, and live a peaceful and stable life.

We still care, but we're no longer on the same path.

I don't blame you, I don't resent you, and I won't keep you here.

Just keep moving forward, don't look back, don't think about me, and don't be soft-hearted.

You're so wonderful, you must go to the highest and farthest place.

From now on, no one will hand you a band-aid, no one will share a bowl of hot wontons with you, and no one will quietly wait for you and keep you company when you're tired.

Take good care of yourself, don't push yourself too hard, and don't overwork yourself.

Tang Muyang's hand paused slightly on the words "Don't try to tough it out."

The surroundings were filled with the noise of playing cards, the smell of instant noodles, and the smell of sweat, but at this moment, his world was so quiet that only this letter remained.

He remembered the girl who always secretly watched him from beside the assembly line.

The letter concludes with a resolute tenderness:

Wishing you a bright future and peace every year.

To meet in this life is a precious encounter; to walk together in this life is a journey without asking when we will part.

Goodbye, my boy.

——Xiaoyan

Tang Muyang folded the letter again and carefully put it back into his pocket.

He looked up and gazed out the window.

The train was passing through a long tunnel, and darkness instantly engulfed everything.

In the flickering light, Tang Muyang watched the familiar Hunan landscape rushing past the window, his gaze gradually becoming sharp and deep.

"Can't keep up anymore...?"

He silently thought to himself: Then let me run faster, until I reach a height that you can only look up to.

"Farewell, Special Administrative Region. When I return, you'll be begging for my attention."

On the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the four arrived at their hometown in southern Hunan. On the banks of the Fuyi River, the lights of the old house looked especially warm in the night.

The courtyard was tidy and filled with the aroma of cooking. Tang Zhiye stood at the door, tapping his pipe on the threshold.

When he saw his children return home, his face relaxed, and the fatigue from years of hard work was gone.

The nights in my hometown are so quiet that you can hear the crackling of the lamp wick burning.

Tang Muyang was wide awake. By the dim light of the oil lamp, he opened the book "Management of Small Industrial Enterprises" that he had found at a secondhand bookstore in the special economic zone.

The paper is of poor quality, but the contents are full of wisdom.

He skipped the familiar production processes and quality management chapters and flipped directly to the last few pages.

There he found the fundamentals of financial statements and corporate development strategies, which he studied repeatedly but still found difficult to understand.

The kerosene lamp cast his shadow large on the earthen wall, making him look like a contemplative giant.

A finger traces a line of text: The vision of the business operator determines the boundaries of the enterprise.

He recalled the roaring production line at Hengxin Gem Factory and the stones waiting to be appraised in the finished goods warehouse.

I think of those cold machines, dazzling gems, complex reports, and the checks and balances and cooperation between people.

Within the framework of this book, these fragments are suddenly strung together into a clear network.

The words on the pages were no longer dry theories, but rather his blueprint for understanding reality and building the future.

Every line was quietly building a mental ladder for him, leading him from a senior warehouse manager to a business operator.

He knew that he was not only exploring the intricacies of jewelry craftsmanship, but also a much larger and more complex field of knowledge called business management.

And this book was the first heavy stepping stone he used to open this door.

The flickering lamplight imprinted the boy's focused figure deeply onto the walls of the old house.

It also marked a deep night belonging to those who strive.

The Mid-Autumn Festival family feast was laid out, with mooncakes and fruits plentiful. My sister personally cooked, stewing an old hen, and of course, cured pork and pig's blood sausage were indispensable.

A table of authentic home-style dishes, the family sitting around chatting, moonlight filling the courtyard, a warm and rustic atmosphere.

Tang Pingsheng spoke up first: "Yang Yazi, this time I'm not going back to the Special Economic Zone."

He thought about his elderly father who needed care, and that he himself would be getting married soon after his sister's wedding, so he decided to stay in his hometown.

Inheriting the skills of bricklayers, they established themselves in the countryside with their craft, demonstrating their strong sense of family responsibility.

"Brother, this is fine too." Tang Muyang nodded silently, respecting his brother's choice, but his resolve to go out and make a living became even stronger.

The brothers share the same belief in making their family's life better, despite their different roles.

Father Tang Zhiye filled his cup with rice wine, raised it, and said with a slightly choked voice, "Yang Ya, you've grown up. I'm relieved!"

"Father is getting old, and I'm worried about him," said Tang Xiuying, the older sister, softly as she put food into Tang Muyang's bowl.

Tang Muyang looked at his older brother and sister, his gaze sweeping over his father's no longer upright back, and nodded heavily: "Brother, I'm at ease with you at home."

At that moment, the two brothers made a silent pact: one would guard the roots, and the other would spread the branches and leaves.

After the family dinner, the two brothers had a long talk under the moon: "Hengxin is still pretty good, brother. I hope you continue to work there."

Tang Pingsheng spoke earnestly.

"From now on, I won't be there anymore, so you'll have to rely on yourself for everything!"

"Brother, I know," Tang Muyang replied simply, but secretly promised that once he had established himself, he would bring his family to enjoy a comfortable life.

The bond between brothers grows stronger as they share a common mission, and their kinship and career goals reach a tacit understanding.

It was late at night, and he and Tang Pingsheng were gazing at the moon in the sky.

The moon in the countryside seems larger and colder than in the district.

"I'm not stupid, I can tell you're the kind of person who gets things done!" Tang Pingsheng handed him a cigarette, but didn't light it himself, just smelled it.

Tang Muyang took it, lit it, and took a deep drag: "Brother, wait for me."

"One day, I will come back to take Dad, you, and sister-in-law away!"

He looked up at the night sky, thinking that he should first establish a foothold in the special economic zone.

In his mind, he had already begun to sketch out a blueprint for his return to the special economic zone: not only to manage the process and do warehouse management.

We also need to thoroughly understand production, and even... grasp the pulse of this business.

A few days later, the wedding of her elder sister, Tang Xiuying, was held in a lively ceremony in their hometown.

Rural weddings in the 1990s, without luxury cars and diamond rings or extravagant displays, were dignified, lively, and celebrated throughout the village.

As soon as it was light, the wedding tractor, adorned with red ribbons and the character for "happiness," chugged up to the village entrance, its loudspeaker blaring festive folk songs, attracting villagers along the way to stop and watch.

The courtyard was packed with onlookers, young and old, who gathered by the roadside, laughing, talking, and praising, filling the courtyard with blessings.

The main room was filled with about ten rough wooden square tables and a row of long benches. Relatives, neighbors, and people from near and far crowded in, creating a lively atmosphere.

The firewood crackled in the stove, and the village aunties and grandmas were busy helping out. Steam rose from the iron pot, and the aroma wafted out of half the village.

The old hen was stewed until tender, the cured pork had a wonderfully smoky aroma, and pig's blood sausage, fried tofu, and country-style stir-fries were all served together, while the sweet aroma of rice wine was intoxicating.

Firecrackers crackled and popped at the gate of the courtyard, scattering red paper scraps all over the ground, making the whole courtyard feel festive.

My sister was wearing a brand-new red cotton gown, with her short hair neatly combed. Her face was flushed with a shy yet serene blush. She was the most simple yet touching bride of that era.

Brother-in-law Jiang Dashu, dressed in a clean blue cloth shirt, was honest and steady. He held his sister's hand tightly and bowed repeatedly to the villagers in the courtyard.

"Thank you to all the villagers and elders for coming to see Xiuying off. We will definitely live a good life together!"

The villagers laughed and cheered, saying, "Big Tree, you must treat Xiuying well!" "Xiuying is a good girl, you will definitely be happy!"

Following the customs of the countryside, the older sister toasted the elders and thanked the villagers, her expression gentle and dignified.

"Thank you, Uncle and Aunt, thank you, Uncle and Uncle, please enjoy your meal!"

The father, Tang Zhiye, sat in the main seat, puffing on his pipe. His usually strong features softened, and his eyes were slightly red.

After raising his daughter for many years, he finally found a stable home. He felt both reluctant to part with her and extremely gratified.

Tang Muyang stood beside the crowd, quietly watching this scene, his heart filled with a mixture of bitterness and warmth.

He stepped forward and gently took his sister's hand before she left.

He secretly slipped the money he had saved by scrimping and saving in the special economic zone into her hand: "Sister, live your life in peace. With me here, no one can bully you."

Tears welled up in her eyes instantly. She nodded heavily, turning back every few steps, and boarded the tractor that was there to welcome her.

"Yang Ya, you need to take good care of yourself too..."

The tractor sputtered and slowly drove away, carrying the newlyweds, accompanied by applause and blessings from the entire village.

Looking in the direction his sister had gone, Tang Muyang clenched his fist, and the thought of ensuring his family's peace and happiness took deeper and more firmly rooted in his heart at that moment.