Epiphanies of Rebirth Chapter 92 (Part 3)
Translated by Pure
Chapter 92.3 Extra [Returning in Glory II]
Huayuan Road was no longer the most upscale and wealthy area in Liyun, but the old-style small buildings still stood quietly amidst the bustling times. This area hadn't been this lively in many years, yet today, the parking area was filled with countless luxury cars.
Despite reaching retirement age, Father Deng still harbored a strong work ethic. He maneuvered his tall, worn-out jeep, which hadn't seen maintenance in many years, and parked it amidst a crowd of people. This garnered disapproving glances from the affluent individuals present.
As soon as they laid eyes on the old car, it was evident that another small figure was attempting to make a display. Unlike other minor characters who knew how to keep a low profile, this individual seemed oblivious to such subtleties. Typically, the bosses might have reprimanded him, but given the unique circumstances of the day, no one was in the mood to do so.
Father Deng and his wife lingered for a while, but they still couldn't comprehend the intentions of the numerous strangers blocking the door of Lin Jingzhe's house. The people around them paid him no attention. Recalling that his son had recently called to inform him of his arrival in Liyun Town, Father Deng pushed open the door of Lin Jingzhe's house and decided to wait in the yard.
After all these years, the Deng couple had been responsible for overseeing the cleaning work at the Lin Family's old house, so he had a spare key.
However, just as his hand made contact with the doorknob, a stern voice from behind stopped him. "Hold it! Stop randomly touching things!"
He instinctively halted, turned around, and recognized a familiar face. "Factory Director Yao?"
It was Yao Zhengyi, the former director of the Liyun Thermos Factory. Over a decade ago, Father Deng had visited him when the Zhou couple faced layoffs, and the encounter left a bitter taste. Time had swiftly passed, graying Yao Zhengyi's hair, but his countenance retained an air of arrogance, as if he were unparalleled in the world.
Following the restructuring and enhancement of the state-owned enterprise, the Liyun Thermos Factory was sold for hundreds of thousands. Yao Zhengyi transitioned to another factory, but rumors circulated that things weren't going smoothly for him. According to the information Father Deng gleaned, it appeared that the other party had shifted focus to the rare earth resources recently discovered in Liyun Town. He had been frequently traveling with his son to establish more connections.
Yao Zhengyi clearly recognized him, and his brows instinctively furrowed in disdain. However, they were in a public place with many people, and he didn't want to reveal his identity by speaking to Father Deng. Observing the other casually pushing the door of the esteemed family's house he intended to invite for a conversation, Yao Zhengyi haughtily averted his gaze. His son beside him inquired, "Dad, my goodness, look at the crowd gathered here. Who could be visiting Liyun today, causing such a grand spectacle?"
"Shh." Yao Zhengyi hushed his son, signaling for him to speak more quietly and with a cautious tone. He explained, "Chairperson Zhang informed me last night that several distinguished guests from Yan City, Flux Realty, New Beginnings, and even the CEO of Haitang Non-staple Food are coming here. When you meet them, you must behave appropriately. I've already discussed the matter of the rare earth mines with Chairperson Zhang, and he has no objections. So, don't mess things up for me."
Little Yao gasped when he heard this. "Flux Realty? New Beginnings? And that Haitang, are you talking about the producer of the pickles and sauces we use at home?"
"Of course, what else could I be talking about?" Haitang Non-staple Food's influence has now permeated countless households. Although Yao Zhengyi didn't know much about this company, he could gauge its scale from the prominent space it occupies on supermarket shelves. For such a colossal enterprise, even a small share of its success would be enough for their whole family to live a lavish life. Hence, Yao Zhengyi did not dare to neglect and got up early in the morning to tidy up his appearance.
As he stepped out, he hurriedly used Best Partner Search to delve into the backgrounds of these companies and mentally noted the names of the company CEOs. The names sounded indescribably familiar to him, but for such renowned companies, he might have come across them at some gathering or meeting.
While contemplating this, he had a vague sense that something was amiss with this notion. However, before he could delve deeper into it, he heard a commotion from the outer perimeter of the crowd —
"They’re here! They’re here!"
They’re here!
Yao Zhengyi's eyes lit up immediately, and he seized his son's arm. Glancing back, he observed a group of people approaching on foot at the end of the road.
"Move it!" Yao Zhengyi was obstructed by Father Deng amidst the crowd's movement. He frowned impatiently and pushed the other party's shoulder.
He paid no attention to the other party's reaction and hurried toward the parking area.
Zhang Renbing's face was more familiar to all the enterprise owners in Qunnan than that of a superstar. His appearance caused a stir as soon as he emerged in the crowd. However, he was not the ultimate protagonist today. Yao Zhengyi squeezed into the crowd, greeted him hastily, and then smiled kindly, scanning the people present with a discreet yet inquisitive look.
They had been waiting here since dawn, enduring many hours just to catch a glimpse of them.
The most recognizable among the CEOs of these renowned companies were the two handsome faces who had openly announced their same-sex relationship. This fact was challenging for most of the onlookers present to accept, but when confronted with them face to face, even the most resolute individuals didn't dare to utter a peep unnecessarily.
After exchanging careful greetings with the other party and receiving a response, Yao Zhengyi felt overwhelmed by favor. He forcibly diverted his eyes from the intertwined hands of the two men, but not a second later, was slightly startled when he looked at the other faces.
Huh?
Why did he get an inkling that these people looked...?
Zhang Renbing, having a good rapport with Yao Zhengyi, had the intention of introducing him to members of the Zhou and Gao families. However, he noticed Yao Zhengyi's smile gradually stiffening.
"Factory Director Yao?" Zhang Renbing observed his perplexing change in expression. "Are you feeling alright? Allow me to introduce you. This is Chairman Ding Xiang of Haitang Non-staple Food, and here is Chairman Ding’s husband, Zhou Neng, who also chairs the Family Restaurant franchise.”
Yao Zhengyi gazed at Father Zhou's face, nearly unchanged since his youth, and his lips quivered slightly.
He appeared to have temporarily lost his voice, taking a moment to respond in greeting. This brief pause was enough for Mother Zhou to finally recognize him. She furrowed her brow momentarily, then eased into a greeting, "Oh, it's you, Factory Director Yao. It's been a while. How have you been?"
"Fi—Fine..." Yao Zhengyi, still startled by her earlier frown, almost felt his liver trembling. He nodded repeatedly, unsure of what else to say.
"Huh?" Zhang Renbing asked curiously, "Chairman Ding, you actually know Factory Director Yao? This world is really small."
Yao Zhengyi remained speechless as Mother Zhou smiled casually. "Yes, the world is indeed small. Over a decade ago, my husband and I were just ordinary workers at the Liyun Thermos Factory."
Zhang Renbing was immediately flabbergasted.
Father Zhou's face was initially stern, but upon seeing his wife's smile, he finally relaxed. For many years, he harbored resentment towards the Factory Director, blaming him for making arbitrary decisions to settle personal scores. However, in this moment of reunion, he realized that the past frustrations no longer held the weight they once did.
Now, they have everything they ever desired, and the hardships that once seemed insurmountable became insignificant after overcoming them. Life, in its own way, had arranged everything perfectly.
He chuckled and extended his hand. "Indeed, we should express our gratitude to Factory Director Yao. If he hadn't orchestrated our layoffs, my wife and I might not be enjoying the life we have today."
Yao Gongzheng shook hands with him, feeling a tremor in his own grip. Suddenly, he met Zhang Renbing's sharp gaze, and it felt as if a bolt of lightning struck his head, his knees immediately felt weak.
The tension lingered in the air until the next moment when Father Zhou extended his arms and beckoned to the rear of the crowd, "Brother Deng!"
A melodious-like reply resonated from the back, creating a passage as the crowd split like the Red Sea. Father Deng, elderly but still energetic, stepped forward with purposeful strides and warmly embraced Father Zhou.
The infrequent encounters between the two parties always stirred emotions, often bringing tears to their eyes. Father Gao joined the warm embrace, and Lin Jingzhe, along with the other younger individuals, respectfully greeted the retired constable.
The group of business owners, who initially thought that this person was here to make a display: "……………………"
"Okay okay. Let's not linger here. They've had a long journey, so it's best to let Chairman Lin and the others go home and rest." The tension dissipated as Zhang Renbing, relieved, quickly directed the onlookers to disperse. He then guided the Zhou couple into the Lin Family's house.
"Chairperson Zhang..." Yao Zhengyi's face paled at the sight and he hurriedly chased after them, grabbing Zhang Renbing's hand, wanting to say more, "My son's rare earth mine..."
"No rush, no rush." Despite the lack of explicit objections from the Zhou Family, Zhang Renbing preferred not to engage with Yao Zhengyi at this moment. He artfully deflected, "We can discuss it another time."
As everyone entered the Lin Family's courtyard, Yao Zhengyi and his son remained behind. After a moment, they heard the screech of brakes behind them.
Jiang Xiaoyun quickly pulled her son out of the car, a bit surprised at the sight before her. "Why is it here?"
"Quick, don't stand there! Damn it, I didn't anticipate a traffic jam so early in the morning. Chairperson Zhang and the esteemed guests have already arrived," urged the person who facilitated the connection for her.
"Where?" Jiang Xiaoyun quickened her pace, glancing at the two unfamiliar figures standing on the roadside, a sense of foreboding settling in her heart.
A few minutes later, Yao Zhengyi noticed Jiang Xiaoyun reemerging in his line of sight after entering the yard. This time, she had a pale face and was leading her son away.
Jiang Run, still trying to comprehend the situation, looked back at the familiar large house. "Lin Jingzhe...?"
Jiang Xiaoyun hurriedly covered her son's mouth. Having worked tirelessly for over a decade and developed a natural sense of caution, she was now overly fearful.
"Quiet! Keep quiet!" The familiar face of the figure surrounded by people in the room flashed in her mind, and the thought of being discovered by that person made her feel on the verge of fainting, causing a pervasive discomfort. "Don't speak! We have to get out of here!"
In the yard, Lin Jingzhe, who spotted two familiar faces that quickly made a retreat before he could exchange greetings: "…………"
Xiao Chi inquired, "You alright?"
Lin Jingzhe hesitated for a moment, gently touching his own face, and questioned, "Do I appear menacing?"
"..." Xiao Chi gazed at his large, shining eyes and the adorable white teeth revealed when he spoke. He found himself in an uncommonly tricky situation, but after some contemplation, he ultimately chose to preserve his lover's self-esteem. Nodding solemnly, he responded in a genuine tone, "Absolutely."
You're absolutely terrifying in bed.