Epiphanies of Rebirth Chapter 92 (Part 2)
Translated by Pure
Chapter 92.2 Extra [Returning in Glory II]
The collective influence of New Beginnings Conglomerate, Flux Realty, Haitang Non-staple Food, Family Restaurant, and Gao Sheng Film sent ripples through the entire Qunnan business community, drawing the attendance of all the prominent figures in the region.
Zhang Renbing, the chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce, displayed excellent conduct. Understanding that Lin Jingzhe and his party had a long and tiring journey, the reception the previous night was kept relatively simple. A dinner table was set up where everyone introduced themselves and raised toasts. Zhang Renbing explicitly mentioned that the guest of honor was not obliged to drink. A group of people waited patiently at the hotel entrance for over half an hour. They enjoyed a few bites of food and departed, showing a keen understanding of the situation.
Their efficiency and brevity left a positive impression on Lin Jingzhe and his party.
The next morning, everyone enjoyed a restful night's sleep and felt invigorated. Over breakfast, Mother Zhou even praised the insightful nature of the man surnamed Zhang from the previous night, mentioning the potential for cooperation due to overlapping industries.
Coincidentally, Zhang Renbing arrived at the hotel shortly after, informing everyone that a special vehicle to Liyun Town had been arranged.
This time, the group aimed to keep a low profile upon their return, and Zhang Renbing arranged for a discreet vehicle—a new air-conditioned bus that could comfortably accommodate dozens of people.
Given Qunnan's mountainous terrain with winding roads, Gao Sheng and Deng Mai vividly recalled the apprehension they felt during their initial trip to Shen City with Lin Jingzhe. Fortunately, in recent years, all expressways in Qunnan Province had been opened to traffic, making the journey more convenient.
It only took three hours to drive from Qunnan City to Liyun Town.
As they traveled along the expressway, they passed by active mines and villages situated near them. Observing the architectural styles of each village, it was evident that rural residents in Qunnan enjoyed a relatively high quality of life.
Zhang Renbing seamlessly integrated himself into the group. During the journey, he provided insights into the recent development and economic conditions of Qunnan. Mother Zhou, finding him agreeable, shared her sentiments, "Life is truly improving. If we look back just ten years, when we were younger, who could have imagined having so many houses to live in and cars to drive?"
While expressing her thoughts, Mother Zhou searched through the snacks that Zhang Renbing had provided for the bus ride, anticipating potential boredom. She leaned towards Lin Jingzhe, who was seated in front with his eyes closed, and asked in a hushed tone, "Jingzhe, would you like some chewing gum?"
Due to well-known reasons, Lin Jingzhe hadn't gotten sufficient sleep. Without opening his eyes, he responded, "No."
Zhang Renbing cast a quick glance at him and noticed Xiao Chi, who sat next to Lin Jingzhe. Xiao Chi, who hadn't shown much enthusiasm for conversation since their first meeting, now had his large hands on Lin Jingzhe's shoulders, giving occasional massages.
Deng Mai's attention was fully on his boss. "You should at least have some water. You’ve already skipped breakfast."
"I just want to take a nap," Lin Jingzhe yawned and whispered to Xiao Chi, "Arm..."
Xiao Chi shifted his hands from Lin Jingzhe's shoulders to his arm, gently massaging it. He then lowered his head and kissed Lin Jingzhe's face, seemingly oblivious to anyone watching. His expression carried a hint of apology.
"Is Mr. Lin alright...?" Initially assuming that the group should be led by the older individuals, Zhang Renbing observed that this wasn't the case. Due to the seat distance, he refrained from rushing to attend to Lin Jingzhe. Instead, he cautiously engaged in small talk with the few young people around him.
Gao Sheng, who was as smooth as a slipper fish, smiled and responded, "It's okay. I think he's just tired from yesterday's journey. A bit of rest, and he'll be fine."
While responding, Gao Sheng cast an unkind glance at Xiao Chi. He then took out his thermos cup, mixed a cup of warm water, and gave it to Lin Jingzhe to drink.
After Lin Jingzhe had the water, he leaned on Xiao Chi's shoulder and gradually fell asleep. Zhou Haitang stretched out his hand to check the air conditioner's temperature. He took out a small blanket from his bag, shook it out, and covered Lin Jingzhe. Xiao Chi tucked it in for him, then, as gently and quietly as possible, he lowered the back of Lin Jingzhe's seat to its lowest position.
Zhang Renbing: "………………"
Why was he being treated like a little emperor? Not even a son would receive such excessive pampering.
Feeling uncomfortable, he couldn't resist the urge to voice his curiosity aloud. Surprisingly, as soon as he opened his mouth, Father Gao and Zhou, who were sitting in the same row, turned to him and raised their fingers to their lips. "Shh!"
Lin Jingzhe slept for several hours and was awakened by Xiao Chi just before reaching their destination. After getting some rest, he felt revitalized. Strangely, Zhang Renbing, who had been quite polite at the beginning of the journey, inexplicably became more cautious around him after they got off the vehicle.
He was meticulous in both words and actions, as if Lin Jingzhe were a formidable tiger ready to pounce if he disagreed with anything.
What could be the reason for this sudden change?
Liyun Town had undergone a significant transformation, vastly different from its appearance in the dim, old photos from over a decade ago.
The mountain peak in the distance was now marked by numerous mine holes, a change Lin Jingzhe was familiar with from his previous life. As they drove along the main road, they could observe newly constructed buildings and the renovated No. 1 High School. The vibrant runway was easily visible from a distance. Now that it was summer vacation, there were no classes in session, only occasional groups of children could be seen running and playing inside.
Hu Yu's gentle face was filled with nostalgia. "The school is still the same; it's wonderful. I still recall when Jingzhe graduated, there were banners everywhere at the school gate. Unfortunately, I didn't take any photos."
"Banners?" Xiao Chi couldn't help but raise his eyebrows upon hearing this. "What do you mean?"
"Eh? You don't know?" This was one of the proudest moments in Hu Yu's entire teaching career. "In the year Jingzhe took the college entrance examination, he ranked first in Liyun City and was among the best in the province. The local news covered it for several days."
As she spoke, her face glowed with pride. Xiao Chi slightly tightened his grip on Lin Jingzhe's hand and looked at him. "That's incredible. Why have you never mentioned it before?"
The story was brought up again, and only Lin Jingzhe knew the inside details. He couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed. "It happened more than ten years ago, and it's nothing special. Why bring it up now?"
As he responded, memories flooded back, and his eyes took on a reminiscent, disappointed, and frustrated expression. This building, familiar yet unfamiliar, had stood there for a long time, stirring up memories buried deep in his heart. Many, many years ago, on a drizzling spring day, he stood in the same spot, gazing into the distance alone.
He couldn't recall how he felt at that time. In this moment, only Xiao Chi's palms, always exuding warmth, comforted him.
"Huh? Mrs. Hu? When did you come back to Liyun Town?" A surprised greeting suddenly came from the reception office near the gate of No. 1 High School, and then a gray-haired old man emerged. Hu Yu recognized him at a glance. "Mr. Zhao?!"
He was a highly qualified Chinese teacher at No. 1 High School, and both Lin Jingzhe and Gao Sheng still had some impression of him.
This old teacher didn't recognize any faces from the business world, so he assumed that Hu Yu was returning to her hometown to visit relatives. Colleagues who had been separated for more than ten years met again, and for a while, they held hands and engaged in endless conversation.
Upon learning that Hu Yu was now a professor at Yan City’s Teacher Education Institute, the other party expressed considerable surprise at her accomplishments. As Hu Yu finished recounting her journey, from being recommended to teach at the school after successfully passing the postgraduate entrance examination, he couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.
"When you suddenly resigned, the teachers in the school were very worried about what problems you had encountered. Your name was frequently brought up in conversations after your absence. I didn't expect things to turn out like this." The other party's mindset was evidently calm, with no hint of jealousy in his eyes. He smiled with relief and said, "That's wonderful. Live a good life. If there's an opportunity in the future, we must plan to meet up. At our age, who knows how many chances we'll have to see each other again."
Hu Yu nodded with a smile and left her number. As the elderly man recorded it, he suddenly thought of something and raised his head to ask her, "Mrs. Hu, do you remember Ms. Li and Principal Tao?"
Hu Yu didn't react for a moment. "Who?"
"Ms. Li, Li Yurong, and Tao Fangzheng, that bald, big-faced, chubby one." Mr. Zhao gestured to his belly and the top of his head, "They did a lot of bad things in school before. You already forgot?"
Hu Yu finally remembered the past that had been sealed in her memory. Thinking of these two individuals who had caused her so much distress, she couldn't help but frown. "It turned out to be them. I haven't forgotten. I still remember."
The other party approached her solemnly and said, "Tao Fangzheng is dead!"
Dead? Hu Yu didn't expect to hear such news and immediately looked stunned. "How is it possible...? I remember he should be less than seventy this year?"
"Dead! He passed away in 2004!" Mr. Zhao scornfully curled his lips. "For someone like him, living to seventy was never in the cards, you know. After facing Shuanggui[1], no reputable organization would have him. His wife divorced him upon discovering his involvement with Li Yurong, and his two children didn't bother with him. Out of pity, Principal Qu hired him to work as a security guard back at the school. However, unable to bear the shame, he started making noise about leaving after just two months. Shortly after leaving Liyun Town, his children returned for the funeral, citing high blood pressure as the cause of his demise."
Hu Yu was stunned for a moment. This marked the first departure of an acquaintance from her life since entering old age.
Even if their relationship wasn't particularly amicable, the news of a life passing away left her with a sense of sorrow. "Alas, this really..." leaves her lost for words.
"And Li Yurong, you remember Li Yurong, right? She was so vexed by Principal Tao’s wife that she couldn't bear staying in Liyun Town any longer, so she abruptly left." Mr. Zhao, a year-round resident of Liyun Town and evidently well-informed about local gossip, became more animated in the conversation, continuing with a string of details. "Care to guess where she ended up? She started teaching at a primary school in Lin City! Unable to secure a permanent position, she had to settle for being a temporary teacher. After a few years, she couldn't continue any longer, so she landed a job as a translator in some company. Later, I heard she married a businessman from another province. Things seemed to be going well initially. However, Tao Fangzheng’s wife harbored intense animosity toward her. She went to Li Yurong's home to divulge her previous affairs with Tao Fangzheng to Li Yurong's in-laws. Since then, their household has been embroiled in daily quarrels, with her husband even getting into a physical altercation with Tao Fangzheng. Probably feeling embarrassed, the family moved away within a few years. No one knows where she went."
"Actions have consequences," Mr. Zhao remarked, concluding, "In this life, one must truly live in harmony with their own conscience."
Hu Yu sighed, shaking her head. Life's twists and turns were unpredictable. Back when she faced mistreatment from Li Yurong and Tao Fangzheng during her teaching days in Liyun Town, she could never have imagined the positive turn her life would take. Similarly, Li Yurong and Tao Fangzheng likely never envisioned the paths that led them to their current situations, did they?
Gao Sheng and Father Gao found considerable satisfaction in the unfolding events. Truth be told, after Father Gao, having had a successful career, learned about the injustice his wife endured during her teaching days in Liyun Town, had, at one point, proposed more than a hundred ways to address his wife's grievances. If it weren't for Hu Yu's open-mindedness consistently thwarting these suggestions, it's likely that the unfortunate fate of Tao Fangzheng and Li Yurong might have multiplied under the influence of the father and son duo.
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Footnote:
[1] Shuanggui - An internal disciplinary process conducted by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) – and its lower-level affiliates – on members of the Party who are suspected of "violations of discipline," a charge which usually refers to corruption but can occasionally carry other connotations as well.