My heart is tied to that sky

In the early morning of the mountain village after the Mid-Autumn Festival, a thin mist lingers among the mountains, the air is refreshing and slightly cool, mixed with the fragrance of rice ears and grass.

Smoke rises slowly from the chimneys, golden rice paddies ripple in the wind, and in the distance, roosters crow and dogs bark—a scene of peaceful and tranquil countryside.

Looking at his familiar homeland, Tang Muyang was suddenly filled with emotion.

In 1993, when I was 17, so many things happened to me.

From venturing alone into the special economic zone, becoming an apprentice, and working as a warehouse manager, to meeting Xiao Xiaoyan, falling in love, and then parting ways.

Then, I returned home and witnessed my sister's wedding... all within just half a year.

His life has long since undergone tremendous changes, transforming him into a completely different person.

All the sweat and tears, excitement and disappointment, struggle and growth, all fell heavily in this year.

He calmed his turbulent thoughts, and his eyes regained their firmness.

With the family secure and his sister's future settled, it's time for him to lead his brothers on their journey.

He followed closely behind his father, his steps light and steady. Today was the day the vow of youth was fulfilled.

Accompanied by his father Tang Zhiye, Tang Muyang walked five miles to Pengjiawan.

The three brothers reunited as planned, and their childhood pact was about to be fulfilled.

"Muyang, I've made up my mind." The three were reunited, their passion barely contained. Peng Jiahui pushed up his glasses and spoke first.

Tang Jianguo also firmly stated, "Muyang! I'm not going to study anymore, I'll go with you." His eyes were frighteningly bright.

"I said last year that Hengxin is currently hiring."

Seeing his brothers abandon their studies and decide to follow him, Tang Muyang stepped forward, and the three brothers embraced tightly.

Heading to the special economic zone together, brothers united, full of vigor.

Tang Muyang truthfully explained the factory's overview and the apprentice's career path.

He is open-minded and doesn't exaggerate; he guides his brothers with a pragmatic attitude, fully demonstrating the responsibility of a leader.

"The special economic zone is full of opportunities; we can't let you live a life of luxury there all by yourself," Tang Jianguo grinned.

A childhood friend and a classmate, Tang Muyang looked at them earnestly: "That place isn't heaven, it's a cannibalistic hell."

He didn't make empty promises, he just told the truth: "To get into the factory, you have to start as an apprentice, work twelve hours a day, and being scolded is a common occurrence."

"What are you afraid of! With you here, even if the sky falls, Jia Hui will hold it up!"

After Tang Jianguo finished speaking, he grinned as usual.

Peng Jiahui patted Tang Jianguo on the forehead: "Why aren't you the one taking the blame!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the three of them looked at each other and burst into laughter.

The hearty laughter echoed through the courtyard, warming the youthful spirit and deep brotherhood with a passionate and fervent atmosphere.

The lunch in Pengjiawan was very lavish, with the parents from all three families gathered together.

Although reluctant to let their child go far away, the three were determined and eventually nodded in agreement.

"We will share meals and hardships, and live up to the trust placed in us by our parents."

Tang Muyang publicly promised that he would take good care of his two brothers.

He told his two uncles about Hengxin's recruitment standards and apprentice requirements.

To pave the way for my brother's smooth entry into the factory, the industrial plan was implemented down to every detail.

The atmosphere in Peng Jiahui's main room was harmonious, filled with the smoke of cooking.

Tang Zhiye, smoking his pipe, looked at Peng's father and Tang Jianguo's parents: "The children have grown up and have their own paths. We can't stop them, and... we shouldn't."

In the afternoon, the three of them went to town together, and Tang Muyang bought each of the two brothers a decent pair of leather shoes.

Under the old locust tree at the village entrance, the autumn wind swirled up fallen leaves.

Tang Jianguo and Peng Jiahui carried bulging snakeskin bags containing changes of clothes and a few old books.

At the village entrance, the four parents bid farewell, their words of advice ringing in their ears.

The youthful spirit blends with the tides of the times, and Tang Muyang takes care of him all the way as an older brother.

The three embarked on their journey south.

"Go ahead, and don't come back until you've made something of yourself!"

The father, Tang Zhiye, turned his back, his voice hoarse.

Tang Muyang turned around, kowtowed heavily in the direction of his hometown, and when he stood up, his eyes were filled with a solemn and determined look.

"Walk!"

The three teenagers thus merged into the flow of people heading south to work.

Tang Muyang walked at the front, like a young lion that had just grown its fangs.

Returning to Hengxin Gem Factory, the three brothers settled down and were finally reunited in a foreign land.

Tang Muyang led the two straight to the personnel department, relying on his experience in finished product warehousing and process supervision.

He took the initiative to introduce his two brothers to his fellow villagers and recommended hardworking and reliable partners, demonstrating his vision and sense of responsibility.

Tang Muyang put aside the lingering emotions from his first love and devoted himself wholeheartedly to building the team.

He personally guided his colleagues to familiarize themselves with the factory rules and processes, with clear division of labor and thorough assistance.

"Listen," Tang Muyang said seriously as he laid out a factory floor plan in his dormitory.

"Jianguo, go to the warehouse. Jia Hui, go to the polishing workshop. The warehouse is a minefield. If any goods are lost, all three of us will be punished. This is Boss Lu's money bag, and it's our lifeline."

Tang Jianguo rubbed the back of his neck: "Muyang, isn't this burden too heavy?"

"It's our turn to shoulder the burden." Tang Muyang slammed a pen on the table. "As long as I'm here, no one can touch you. But the condition is, don't cause me any trouble."

Tang Jianguo focused on logistics and warehousing, while Peng Jiahui diligently learned production processes. The two lived up to expectations and quickly got the hang of things, forming a complementary trio.

Hengxin Gem Factory is experiencing business expansion, with a surge in orders and increased production capacity. The factory is bustling with activity and its industrial development is showing strong momentum.

A month later, the warehouse in Zone B was completely transformed, and Tang Jianguo had made the material cards very organized.

Every entry and exit from the warehouse is documented with a traceable signature.

In the polishing workshop, Peng Jiahui demonstrated amazing talent, and the scrap rate dropped sharply.

On this day, the supervisor led Lu Zhenting on an inspection tour. Seeing that the once chaotic warehouse had become orderly, they couldn't help but stop and look.

"Is that your fellow villager?" Lu Zhenting asked the supervisor, pointing to Tang Jianguo who was taking inventory of the goods.

"Yes, Chairman Lu. These three lads are like a good brick; they make a sound no matter where they're thrown," the supervisor replied with a smile.

Lu Zhenting didn't speak, his gaze passing over the crowd and landing on Tang Muyang, who was checking documents in the distance.

Seeing their excellent teamwork and solid performance, he showed a look of approval and began to include the three in his training program.

Tang Muyang spearheaded the streamlining of production line process standards, optimized the polishing process, and improved the yield rate, directly contributing to the increase in factory capacity.

The three brothers each performed their duties and complemented each other, overcoming difficulties together without shirking responsibility or harboring resentment; their friendship was strengthened through hard work.

After returning to Victoria Harbour, Lu Zhenting convened a meeting of the group's management.

Director Wang of the gemstone factory distributed a report to each of the senior executives.

"This is a detailed analysis of the production capacity and losses of each factory in the third quarter."

Mr. Liu, who was in charge of finance, adjusted his glasses and pointed to a section of the report.

"Warehouse B, zero inventory shortage? The books and physical inventory match 100%? Old Wang, have you verified this data?"

His tone carried a professional caution.

"Mr. Liu, I personally led a team to conduct three surprise inventory checks."

Factory Director Wang answered confidently and then turned to the previous page of the report.

"More importantly, the overall loss rate decreased by 18 percentage points year-on-year this quarter, with 70% of the decrease coming from the B area warehouse and the associated grinding workshop."

Another person in charge of production, General Manager Chen, sat up straight and pointed to another line of numbers on the report.

"Wait, Lao Wang. You mean, that workshop that used to be notoriously difficult to work in has reduced its defect rate by nearly 20%? And it's related to this 'Tang Muyang Group'?"

"Yes, General Manager Chen." Factory Director Wang raised his voice slightly: "They figured out their own method of first-piece inspection and last-piece comparison."

The meeting room fell silent for a moment.

Reduced losses translate to profits, and stable quality builds a good reputation. Everyone here understands the value of these figures.

At the head of the table, Lu Zhenting lifted his gaze from the report and lightly tapped his finger on the words "Tang Muyang Group".

He looked at everyone and said in a steady voice, "This young man named Tang Muyang needs to be closely monitored."

In a single sentence, everyone's attention was drawn to this name.

Soon after, Tang Muyang received a notification from the headquarters in Victoria Harbour.

He was selected for the group's first training program for outstanding young talents.

After three months of intensive training, he returned to the factory and went straight to the workshop instead of going to the warehouse first.

He called Tang Jianguo and Peng Jiahui aside, without taking any documents: "Jianguo,"

He pointed to the warehouse shelves, "From now on, materials arriving in the same batch will be arranged in three zones: red, yellow, and blue."

"Red indicates urgent orders, yellow indicates regular orders, and blue indicates reserves. Just by looking at the colors, you can tell which batch to process first."

Tang Jianguo nodded emphatically: "Understood. Prioritize them by color to avoid confusion."

He then turned to Peng Jiahui and picked up a newly polished ring face.

"Jiahui, keep the first batch of goods ground at the start of each shift and the last batch before the end of the shift separately and label them."

"Compare them side by side. If the beginning and the end match, the middle ones won't be too far off. This is called controlling both ends and protecting the middle."

Peng Jiahui's eyes lit up: "I understand! Keep an eye on the beginning and the end, and the whole process will be fine!"

In the dormitory late at night, a light is often on, and Tang Muyang uses it to illuminate the room.

They opened the book on small industrial enterprise management, which they had found at a secondhand bookstore in the special economic zone, and transformed the complex charts and formulas into plain language that the two brothers could understand.

"Jiahui, remember this: grinding stones isn't about speed."

"A suitable pace produces better results than blindly rushing. Try breaking down the process into several steps and setting a simple rhythm."

"Jianguo, warehouse accounts shouldn't just record the numbers of inbound, outbound, and inbound goods. The accounts should speak for themselves. If inbound goods exceed outbound goods, then there's unsold inventory."

"If expenditures exceed incomes, you need to issue an early warning. You need to make the ledger itself indicate a shortage and call a halt."

Tang Jianguo valued the warehouse ledgers more than anything else, and every entry was neat and clear.

Peng Jiahui pondered repeatedly in front of the machine and made a small fixture himself, which reduced the defect rate even further.

"We are an inseparable trio, and none of us can be missing."

Tang Muyang would pat the two of them on the shoulder, his voice hoarse but carrying an undeniable strength.

These words were etched into the very bones of all three of them.

Their continuous progress has allowed this promise to take root and flourish, and everything is thriving.

Just as the foundation of the Iron Triangle was becoming more and more solid under everyone's watchful eyes.

On that late autumn evening, in a back alley of the factory, an unexpected turn of events suddenly dragged the three of them into the torrent of fate.

One late autumn evening, the back alley of the factory was dimly lit, and a cool breeze swept through the corners of the walls.

As darkness fell early and the crowds dispersed after get off work, this secluded alley became even quieter.

Peng Jiahui, who was finishing his early shift, was holding Tang Muyang's book on the management of small industrial enterprises when he turned the corner and heard a woman's suppressed sobs.

Three thugs, looking like hooligans, cornered a female worker against a wall and tried to snatch her bag. One of them was brandishing a fruit knife, the blade gleaming coldly in the dim light.

Peng Jiahui's mind went blank for a moment, his blood rushed to his head, and he charged forward without thinking.

With all his might, he slammed the thick handwritten copy hard against the back of the man's head.

"Run! Go back to the factory and get help!" he shouted at the terrified female worker, his voice firm and powerful.

He spread his arms wide, blocking the way in the middle of the alley with his thin body.

Books scattered to the ground, papers flew everywhere, and the thugs, enraged, overwhelmed him with fists, kicks, and flashes of knives.

He was hit hard in the cheek with the first blow, his vision went black, and he saw stars.

On the second strike, he struggled to disarm the knife, but the cold blade slashed across his arm, tearing open his skin and drawing blood that instantly stained half of his sleeve.

The pain was excruciating, but he didn't back down—he couldn't back down, because if he did, they would go after that girl.

On the third strike, he felt a chill on his side, followed by a burning, excruciating pain.

His strength drained away quickly with the warm liquid. He slid down against the wall, his hand instinctively covering his wound, which felt wet, sticky, and burning hot to the touch.

His vision began to blur, and cold sweat soaked his clothes, but he still stared intently at those people, refusing to lower his head.

This reckless ruthlessness momentarily intimidated the other party.

In that short time, Tang Jianguo, along with seven or eight fellow workers, roared and charged into the alley...

When the news arrived, Tang Muyang was checking the schedule in the workshop.

The pencil in his hand snapped in two with a "crack," and he turned and ran outside, his heart leaping into his throat.

The hospital corridor smelled pungent and cold, filled with the odor of disinfectant.

Without saying a word, Tang Muyang paid all the medical expenses and stood guard outside the operating room, not uttering a word, only his clenched fists turned white at the knuckles.

Tang Jianguo traveled to almost every pharmacy in half of the special economic zone before finally buying the best anti-inflammatory medicine available at the time.

When Peng Jiahui woke up, he saw his two brothers' anxious faces. He tried to force a smile, but he was in so much pain that he grimaced.

"I didn't...I didn't embarrass myself, did I?" he asked weakly.

"Bullshit!" Tang Jianguo cursed, his eyes red, but his hands trembled as he tucked the blanket around him, his voice choked with sobs.

The female worker's parents rushed over, tears streaming down their faces. They were about to kneel down to express their gratitude when Tang Muyang stopped them.

This incident, along with the photo of Peng Jiahui's blood-soaked handwritten copy, was published in the Special Zone Youth Daily.

The title is "Courage and Scholarship: A Working Man Sacrifices Himself to Protect His Fellow Worker."

On the blood-stained pages, the words "process optimization" and "inventory management" could still be faintly seen, which became a popular story.

Hengxin Group's reputation soared because of this act of bravery, reaching its peak in the local area.

In the group's annual evaluation, Heng Shin Gem Factory was recognized as an outstanding Hong Kong-funded enterprise for its standardized management and good reputation.

Peng Jiahui's righteous act became a significant plus, and Lu Zhenting planned to personally meet with the three.

Tang Muyang stood in front of the factory's wall of honor.

Looking back on the end of his first love, the reunion of his brothers, and the start of his career, he has completed the transformation from a young migrant worker to a core member of the team.

The year-end awards ceremony was held in a brightly lit auditorium.

Hengxin Group was awarded one of the top ten Hong Kong-funded enterprises of the year, and Peng Jiahui was honored with red ribbons and flowers and named a model of bravery.

That boy who was heartbroken, confused, and even a little disheveled in the summer.

At that moment, he died completely.

Standing here is Tang Muyang, the future creator of Qingyang Industry!