Rebirth 03: Starting a Business After Giving Up a Secure Job

Chapter 142 The Warmth of Luxian

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Lin Feng had a simple breakfast, said goodbye to his parents, and drove directly to Luxian County in western Sichuan.

In addition to the gifts Lin Feng bought for Lin Xiaowen's family, Lin's mother, Li Huilan, also stuffed in a box of cured meat and sausages, saying that Lin's parents should taste Rongping's flavor.

"Drive slowly on the road, the mountain roads are slippery." Li Huilan stood by the car, repeatedly reminding him.

"Okay, Mom, you can go back inside. It's cold outside." Lin Feng closed the trunk.

Lin Guofu stood at the door, wearing a coat: "Call home when you get there."

"it is good."

The car slowly drove out of the residential compound. In the rearview mirror, the figures of my parents gradually became smaller and smaller until they disappeared from sight after turning the street corner.

Lin Feng turned on the music, and Xu Wei's "Once Upon a Time" filled the car. Listening to old songs during long drives can help one calm down.

The distance from Rongping to Luxian is over 300 kilometers. The first half is a highway, the second half is a national highway, and the last few dozen kilometers are a winding mountain road.

Lin Feng estimated that if all went well, they would arrive around 2 p.m.

There weren't many cars on the highway. On the third day of the Spring Festival, most people were still staying in their hometowns visiting relatives and friends.

As you travel further into western Sichuan, the scenery outside the window begins to change, with plains receding into the distance and mountains drawing ever closer.

Lin Feng recalled what his father had said last night.

"Your third uncle said that Xiaoyu wants to intern at your place during the summer vacation, and I agreed on your behalf. But let me make it clear beforehand, you should discipline her if necessary, and don't spoil her just because she's your sister."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

"And your uncle, he mentioned your idea for the Rongping local website to Vice County Head Wang, who is in charge of the county's economy. Vice County Head Wang is very interested and wants you to go to his office to chat after the New Year."

"So fast?"

"Your uncle worked in the system for thirty years, so he has connections. But Xiaofeng, when dealing with the government, you need to be careful. Be respectful when you should be, and stick to what you should stick to. Don't let others lead you by the nose, and don't be too arrogant."

"I see."

My father has really changed. Before, he would only say things like "Be careful" and "Don't take risks," but now I can talk to him about connections, about boundaries, and so on.

Discussing the relationship between politics and business.

This change pleased Lin Feng greatly.

At 10 o'clock, we rested at the service area. Lin Feng stood by the railing smoking.

In the distance, mountains rose one after another, mist clinging to their slopes. He took out his phone and sent Lin Xiaowen a text message: "Setting off. If the journey goes smoothly, I'll arrive around 2 PM."

After the message was sent, the other party replied instantly: "Be careful on the road. My parents slaughtered a pig, and we're having a pig-slaughtering feast tonight."

Lin Feng smiled and replied with "Okay".

We continued on our way. After passing Ya'an, the highway ended, and we turned onto National Highway 318. The road suddenly narrowed, and there were more cars. Most of them were driving to Kangcheng and Daocheng for leisure. The snow scenery in western Sichuan is truly spectacular this time of year.

Lin Feng drove steadily. The Audi A6 has a solid chassis, and body roll is well controlled when cornering.

He recalled the first time he walked this road in his past life, filled with trepidation. Now, with the car in good condition, his mindset was different.

I had a bowl of noodles at a roadside eatery for lunch. The proprietress spoke broken Mandarin, but her smile was warm and genuine. The noodles were handmade, chewy, and served in a broth made with lamb bones, sprinkled with cilantro and chili oil. I ate it until I was sweating profusely.

"To Luxian?" the proprietress asked.

"Yeah, it depends on my friend."

"What a great place! The spot where the Red Army seized the Luding Bridge." The proprietress gave a thumbs up. "The road is much easier to travel now; it used to be so difficult."

Lin Feng smiled and nodded, paid the money, and continued on his way.

The further west you go, the higher the mountains become, and the bluer the sky becomes.

At 1 p.m., after passing through the Erlang Mountain Tunnel, the view suddenly opened up before us.

The sky was a clear blue, and the sun shone down without obstruction, making the snow-capped mountains sparkle. The air was crisp and cool; one breath filled my lungs with a refreshing chill.

This is western Sichuan.

Lin Feng slowed down the car and rolled down the window. The wind blew in, carrying the scent of the snow-capped mountains.

In the distance, the Dadu River, like a green ribbon, meanders through the canyon. On the opposite bank, the town of Luxian, built against the mountainside, with its white walls and red tiles, stands out strikingly in the sunlight.

My phone rang; it was Lin Xiaowen calling.

"Brother Feng, where are we?"

"We just passed through the Erlang Mountain Tunnel and saw the county town."

"That'll be quick, we'll be there in half an hour. I'll wait for you at the village entrance."

"it is good."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Feng suddenly felt a strange unease. This was his first time visiting Lin Xiaowen's home. What was her home like? What were her parents like? What was the place she grew up in like?

The Audi descended the winding mountain road, with the Dadu River rushing beneath its feet.

The Luding Bridge spans the river, its iron chains gleaming, and its wooden plank deck swaying slightly in the wind.

Lin Feng slowed down and took a second look. This was the Luding Bridge, the one famous for the "Flying Capture of Luding Bridge," a name from history books, now right before his eyes.

After crossing the bridge, we entered the county town.

The streets are narrow but clean. Tibetan and Han-style buildings are mixed together, prayer flags flutter in the wind, and elderly people in Tibetan robes walk slowly while spinning prayer wheels.

The festive atmosphere here takes on different forms: the smoke from incense burning, the wind chimes on the eaves of temples, and the smiles on the faces of pedestrians on the street, their rosy cheeks reflecting the high altitude.

Following the address sent by Lin Xiaowen, Lin Feng left the county town and drove into the mountains.

The road was narrower, but paved with cement and relatively smooth. The farmland on both sides was bare at this time of year, and Tibetan villages were scattered in the distance, with white pagodas gleaming in the sunlight.

After driving for another ten minutes or so, we saw the entrance to a village.

Several children squatted on the ground playing with firecrackers, the sounds echoing through the valley.

Two people were standing at the village entrance. The one in the red down jacket was Lin Xiaowen, and standing next to her was a sharp-looking young man with a buzz cut, her brother Lin Xiaoqiang.

Lin Feng honked the horn. The two looked over at the same time. Lin Xiaowen's eyes lit up, and she jogged forward to meet him. Lin Xiaoqiang also grinned and followed.

The car came to a stop, and Lin Feng got out. Lin Xiaowen had already run up to him, her cheeks flushed from the cold, her eyes bright: "Brother Feng!"

Lin Xiaoqiang arrived as well, taking the things Lin Feng had just brought out: "Welcome to our hometown! You must be tired from your journey!"

"It's no trouble at all, Happy New Year!" Lin Feng greeted him with a smile.

Lin Xiaowen's ponytail was neatly tied today, and she smiled even more brightly than when she was at the company; Lin Xiaoqiang still looked as capable as ever, with a buzz cut and full of energy.

"There's a lot of stuff, let me help you carry it." Lin Xiaowen's eyes widened when she saw the trunk was crammed full. "This—this is way too much."

"Not much, just some New Year's goods for my uncle and aunt." Lin Feng started carrying them out.

"This physiotherapy device is for Uncle; it'll be good for his leg injury. Knee braces and medicinal wine. The down comforter is for Auntie; it's a tonic. These two sets of clothes are for you and Xiaoqiang. The shoes too. These are Rongping specialties: cured meat and sausages. And these are New Year's goods—"

He took things out one by one, and Lin Xiaowen and Lin Xiaoqiang took them one by one, soon filling their arms with them.

"Come on, take me to your home."

"Okay!" Lin Xiaowen led the way.

The village is small, with only a few dozen households, built against the mountainside. The road is paved with stone slabs, worn smooth, with withered grass peeking out from the cracks.

Most of the houses are brick and wood structures; some have been whitewashed, while others retain the original color of the wood. The roofs are covered with blue tiles, and strings of corn and chili peppers hang under the eaves.

A stray dog ​​was lying at the door. When it saw a stranger, it lazily raised its head but didn't bark.

"That's my home," Lin Xiaowen said, pointing ahead.

A two-story building with white walls, gray tiles, and wooden window frames, with several pots of hardy green plants on the windowsill.

The courtyard is surrounded by a brick wall about half a person's height, and a handwritten Spring Festival couplet is pasted on the gate: "Amidst the sound of firecrackers, the old year departs; the spring breeze brings warmth to the New Year's wine."

A neat stack of firewood stood in the corner of the yard.

Before even entering the house, footsteps could be heard coming from the courtyard. A middle-aged couple came out to greet us. The man was in his fifties, wearing a dark blue cotton-padded jacket, lean and wiry, with a dark complexion, and he walked with a slight limp in his left leg.

The woman was in her forties, wearing a floral apron, with a round face and a simple, warm smile.

The two were Lin's father and mother.

"Dad, Mom, this is my boss, President Lin," Lin Xiaowen introduced, then turned to Lin Feng, "Brother Feng, these are my parents."

"Uncle, Aunt, Happy New Year." Lin Feng stepped forward with gifts to greet them.

"Happy New Year! Happy New Year!" Lin's mother hurriedly wiped her hands on her apron, took the things from Lin Feng's hands, and said, "Come inside quickly, it's cold outside!"

Lin's father looked Lin Feng up and down, then warmly invited him in, "Please come in."

The house is spacious, with a typical layout for a main room in rural western Sichuan. In the center is a shrine where ancestral tablets are enshrined, and below it is an eight-immortal table.

On the left is the stove, where firewood crackles and burns in the firebox, and steam rises from the large iron pot.

On the right side were several bamboo chairs and a small square table. On the wall were several New Year pictures and children's award certificates, and some farm tools were piled up in the corner.

Although not luxurious, it was kept clean and tidy, exuding a down-to-earth and practical spirit.

"Sit down, please sit down." Lin's mother hurriedly brought over a bamboo chair and carefully wiped it with her sleeve.

Lin Feng sat down by the brazier. The charcoal fire was burning brightly, warming him from head to toe. Lin's mother picked up the copper kettle from the stove and brewed some hot tea.

The tea is local aged tea, with a bright red liquor and a fragrant aroma.

"You must be tired from your journey," Lin's father said, his voice a little hoarse. "Xiaowen said you were coming, so we prepared some simple food."

"It's no trouble at all, you're very kind here." Lin Feng accepted the teacup handed to him by his mother with both hands. "Xiaowen and Xiaoqiang have performed exceptionally well at the company. I must thank you, Uncle and Aunt, for raising such outstanding children."

These words were spoken sincerely and appropriately. A relieved smile appeared on Lin's father's face.

"It's good that they didn't cause you any trouble," Lin's mother said. "Xiaowen has always been a strong-willed child. When her brother came back from the army, he said he wanted to go out and make his way in the world, and she insisted on going with him. Her father and I couldn't stop her, and we worried about her every day. Luckily, she met you, otherwise she doesn't know how much hardship she would have suffered."

"Mom—" Lin Xiaowen whispered reproachfully.

"Did I say something wrong?" Lin's mother glared at her, then turned to Lin Feng, her eyes slightly red.

"Mr. Lin, to be honest, Xiaowen's father injured his leg in the mine years ago and can't do heavy work anymore. They only have a few acres of mountain land, and they don't earn much money all year round. When Xiaoqiang was discharged from the army and went to Shenzhen, I was extremely worried. Later, when Xiaowen wanted to go too, I couldn't sleep at night, afraid she'd be bullied outside, afraid she—"

"Alright, why are you saying all this?" Mr. Lin interrupted her. "President Lin has come all this way; it's embarrassing for you to say such things."

"Don't laugh," Lin Feng said earnestly. "Auntie, I understand. My parents are the same; when their children are away, parents worry about them every single day."

These words struck a chord with Lin's mother.

She wiped her eyes and laughed, "Look at me, I've gone off-topic. Mr. Lin, have some tea, have some tea."

Lin Feng took a sip of tea. The aged yin tea was mellow and sweet, with a faint smoky flavor. He actually preferred green tea, but he could taste the sincerity in this cup.

"Is everything alright at home?" Lin Feng asked.

"Okay, everything's good," Lin's mother quickly said. "The harvest was good this year, and with the money Xiaowen and Xiaoqiang sent back, we even fixed up the house. It's just that—"

She glanced at Lin's father's leg: "It's her father's leg that hurts terribly on rainy days."

Lin's father waved his hand: "It's an old ailment, nothing serious."

Lin Feng put down his teacup and took out a physiotherapy device and medicinal wine from the gifts he had brought: "Uncle, I had someone buy this physiotherapy device from Hong Kong. It's helpful for the recovery of my leg injury. Using it for twenty minutes every day can relieve the pain. This medicinal wine is a prescription from an old Chinese medicine doctor. It dispels wind and dampness and promotes blood circulation. Please give it a try."

He then picked up knee pads and thick thermal pants: "These are what you usually wear, they keep you warm. And this down jacket, it's lightweight and warm."

.

Looking at the items, Lin's father became somewhat agitated: "This—this is too much of a waste."

"It's no expense, these are all things we can use." Lin Feng said calmly, "Xiaowen and Xiaoqiang have made great contributions to the company, this is what I should do."

Lin Xiaoqiang scratched his head and smiled sheepishly. He thought to himself that his boss was a very thoughtful person.

"Oh, right, and these too." Lin Feng then took out the down comforter, tonics, and new cotton-padded clothes for his mother, as well as brand-name winter clothes and leather shoes for his brother and sister.

"These are for Auntie, and these are for Xiaowen and Xiaoqiang. And these are Rongping specialties, cured meat and sausages, please try them."

The items were laid out one by one, taking up almost half of the main room.

Looking at these things that she usually couldn't bear to buy, Lin's mother didn't know where to put her hands.

Lin Feng then took out two thick red envelopes. "Uncle, Aunt, this is a small token of my appreciation. Happy New Year!"

"This—this is too much trouble—"

Lin Feng smiled, "It's the New Year, this is just a small token of my appreciation."

"No, absolutely not!" Lin's mother waved her hands repeatedly. "We'll take the things, but we can't take the money!"

"Auntie, this is the company's rule," Lin Feng said sincerely. "The families of outstanding employees receive a New Year's bonus."

Xiaoqiang and Xiaowen performed exceptionally well last year; this is what they deserve.

He spoke flawlessly. Lin's mother looked at her children, and Lin Xiaoqiang grinned, "Dad, Mom, just accept it; it's the boss's kind gesture."

Lin Xiaowen nodded, "Mom, please accept it."

Lin's mother then accepted the red envelope with trembling hands. She could feel its thickness.

This is not just about money; it's about respect and recognition, and the dignity that children earn honestly and respectably while they are away from home.

"I'll go cook." Lin's mother excitedly turned and went into the kitchen.

Mr. Lin, leaning on his cane, stood up: "Mr. Lin, shall I show you around the village?"

"it is good."

The three went outside. A yellow dog emerged from behind the woodpile, wagging its tail as it followed.

The village is built against the mountain, and the stone-paved roads are clean and tidy. Every household has Spring Festival couplets pasted on their doors, and some houses also have red lanterns hanging under their eaves.

Several children were chasing and playing in the courtyard. When they saw Lin Feng, a stranger, they stopped and looked at him curiously.