Chapter 75: The Grand Rural Initiative

At four o’clock in the afternoon, at the train station exit, He Zhixing went with the twin sisters, Ling and Yan, to greet Li Xianliang. The young man, now of marriageable age, had cropped hair, an oval face with thin lips, a hint of mustache, and a slender, tall figure. He wore trendy casual clothes, looking energetic and sharp.

He Zhixing gave him a warm hug, patted his shoulder twice, then let go and led him toward the outer square. As they walked, he asked, “Finally, I get to see my old friend. So, how’s life out there working? Not too bad, I hope?”

Li Xianliang replied, “Ah, don’t even mention it. It’s been a tough journey. You’re not very considerate, you know. You have such a big clothing company in the provincial capital, and you never told me. If I’d known, I wouldn’t be in this shape, having achieved nothing. If I’d gone to your company, at least I’d have had a chance.”

He Zhixing laughed, “Forgive me, forgive me. I was busy with business back then, and I couldn’t get in touch with you, so it just kept dragging on.”

Li Xianliang glanced at the beautiful twin sisters walking behind them and asked, “Are either of these lovely twins your girlfriend? They’re so pretty. How should I address them? By the way, you asked me back to run for village chief and start a business together—did you have a plan all along? I’m genuinely confused. In a remote mountain place like ours, what can we possibly do? I’ve thought of all sorts of schemes, but nothing seems feasible. Do you really think you can change our hometown? Do you actually have a plan?”

By then, they had reached He Zhixing’s SUV parked by the roadside. He Zhixing said, “This is Zhang Ling and this is Zhang Yan. We grew up together back home. As for the plan to rebuild and develop our hometown, let me keep it a secret for now. I’ll share it once all our old classmates are back. You must be hungry, right? Come on, get in. Let’s go eat.”

Li Xianliang took the back seat, the twin sisters sat up front with He Zhixing, and together they found a small restaurant for dinner. Afterward, they returned to Wu Town, dropped Li Xianliang off at Wa Bei Village, and went home.

Another day, early in the morning, He Zhixing drove again, bringing Yufang and their son, along with the twin sisters and their mother, to Zhang Village near the He family home to enjoy the scenery. He parked the car on a patch of unused land, then led them along the rugged, stone-strewn mountain paths. They played as they walked, and the little son, He Jin, happily held Yufang’s hand.

He Zhixing carried a camera, documenting various useful wild plants and fruits, deliberately taking good shots of four or five types of wild strawberry bushes and their berries. The two sisters, Ling and Yan, graduates of the agricultural university, followed closely and noticed that He Zhixing’s actions were focused, not merely for fun.

Zhang Ling asked, “Brother, there’s more to your photos, isn’t there? Let me guess—you’re thinking about developing the wild mountain treasures and fruits, and creating a brand?”

After finishing the shot of a wild strawberry, He Zhixing turned to meet the expectant gaze of the beautiful girl, gently tapped her forehead and stroked her hair, saying, “Clever girl. No wonder you’re a talented agricultural university graduate, you caught onto my idea so quickly.”

At that moment, Zhang Yan stepped forward. “Brother, you mean to create a unique specialty of wild foods in Wu Town, to turn it into a thriving, idyllic place?”

He Zhixing replied, “Exactly. For this path, I really need you as my right and left hands. You’ve returned with your agricultural expertise, just in time to put your knowledge to use. Would you be willing to help me?”

Both sisters answered in unison, “We’re willing.”

“To be with you every day, and to help with your endeavors—it’s what we both wish for. We’re truly happy.”

“Alright, it’s settled then!”