Chapter Forty-Seven: A Beautiful Vision

After transferring the money, Liu Weidong had less than a thousand yuan left in his passbook. Having little cash in his pocket made him uneasy, and his wife's college entrance exams were right around the corner.

He went to the Friendship Store, bought two tins of malted milk extract, picked up a few blocks of chocolate, and headed straight to Number One High School.

At the entrance of the main building of Number One High School, a blackboard with the college entrance examination countdown was erected, stating there were three days left. A banner hung across the main gate reading "Struggle Achieves the Future, Strive to be Pillars of the Four Modernizations" was full of the spirit of the era.

After delivering the chocolate, Liu Weidong looked back every three steps, wishing he could take the exams in his wife's place. With such a heavy study load, how could his wife's delicate frame possibly endure it?

After preparing dinner, Liu Weidong went to pick up Lou Yanru early.

His sister-in-law had gone to practice the piano these past two days, and he worried about his wife walking home alone so late. That Chen Hao fellow always rubbed him the wrong way.

As soon as Lou Yanru walked out of the school gate, she was quite surprised to see Liu Weidong: "Why did you come to pick me up? What are you worrying about for just a few steps?"

Liu Weidong hurriedly snatched her school bag and slung it over his own shoulder.

"Aren't I worried about you? Besides, your sister wasn't here, what if that pesky fly of a Chen Hao waylaid you again? Did the gatekeeper uncle deliver the chocolate to you?"

Lou Yanru nodded. "I was planning to wait until after the exams to eat it. Why did you buy such expensive things? Stop bringing up Chen Hao, or I'll get really angry with you."

Liu Weidong took Lou Yanru's hand, tucked it into the crook of his arm, and walked her slowly toward home.

"To buy the saplings, I poured all the money I had into it. But you have enough for your schooling, and you don't need to worry about living expenses at home at all."

Lou Yanru smiled. "What kind of hardships haven't the two of us been through together? Let me tell you some good news: today, a teacher from the Jiangnan Normal College came to Number One High School for direct recruitment and specifically looked for me because of that short story. I think getting into the Normal College will be a breeze."

Liu Weidong slapped his thigh in delight. "That's wonderful! If I had known there was such good news, I wouldn't have bothered cooking, I would have taken you out to a restaurant."

Lou Yanru hurriedly pulled Liu Weidong along toward home. "Let's hurry back. I want to rest early tonight too. With this heavy weight finally lifted off my mind, I can actually feel how tired I am. I still don't know how Yanhua will do."

After dinner, Lou Yanru stopped reviewing her textbooks. She washed up, lay down, and fell asleep almost instantly, while Liu Weidong pondered his next steps.

In three months, both the mung beans and the castor beans would mature, bringing some harvest for him as a professional manager, and the accounts of the Qingshan Primary School would hold around seventy thousand yuan in deposits.

Liu Weidong planned to take advantage of the school building renovation to construct a row of factory workshops by the South Great River as a school-run factory. He would use the byproducts separated from the oil mill for secondary purification, separating castor fibers and other secondary products.

He hadn't mentioned this separation method to the oil mill.

Chemical production methods would cause environmental damage, but Liu Weidong had a way to minimize the hazards of wastewater discharge.

Once the school-run factory made money, it could give back to the Second Production Team, funding agricultural cultivation and farmland improvement. He didn't intend to accumulate much personal wealth over the next few years, but personal connections and the business environment would be his own. Once the opportunity matured, he would be able to develop rapidly.

Looking at the sleeping Lou Yanru, a wave of ache washed over Liu Weidong's heart. In this month since his rebirth, Yanru had been so happy she couldn't even quite believe it, and perhaps even felt a little afraid. How could he have been such a bastard in his past life? If he had only awakened sooner, Yanru would never have died.

Liu Weidong didn't sleep at all that night. He just sat on the brick bed, letting his mind wander wildly until the sky began to brighten.

After eating breakfast, Liu Weidong finally lay down on the bed for a brief nap, and when he opened his eyes again, it was already noon. He quickly got up to call the Agricultural Research Institute.

Secretary Zhang answered the phone and laughed as soon as he heard Liu Weidong's voice: "Little Wang has already taken people to dig up the saplings, and I've also arranged for people to load pesticide and chemical fertilizer onto the truck. With any luck, they won't reach the Second Team until evening."

Liu Weidong repeatedly said any time was fine and instructed Secretary Zhang to just send a driver directly with the saplings; he would arrange for someone to receive them.

Hearing that they would be delivered at night, Liu Weidong actually felt it was safer. Once the sun went down in the countryside, everyone went to sleep, allowing them to quietly transport the saplings up the mountain without anyone knowing. Wang Jianguo had told the forestry station they were planting trees; he hadn't dared mention medicinal herbs.

Calling the Second Team directly, Liu Weidong laid out his thoughts, and Wang Jianguo was overjoyed to hear the saplings would be delivered at night.

"I'll arrange for reliable people to gather at night. No matter what time it is, we'll definitely get the saplings up the mountain. You've had to front a lot of money for this again; once the mung beans are harvested, your uncle will pay you back principal and interest alike."

"Uncle Jianguo, the more covert this matter is, the better. If the commune finds out now, there's a good chance we won't be able to grow these Chinese medicinal herbs. Not only will we fail to make money, but we'll also end up owing the Agricultural Research Institute over three thousand yuan."

Wang Jianguo made a solemn pledge: "Don't you worry, Weidong. Even if your uncle loses this official cap of his, I won't let this matter get botched. Our team can't afford to take losses, and we certainly can't drag you down because of the collective. You've already done more than enough for our village."

Even after hanging up the phone, Liu Weidong still felt uneasy. Everything had gone far too smoothly since his rebirth.

Saving his wife was one turning point, and now, with his wife taking the college entrance exams and his efforts to overturn the Second Team's traditional production model, another turning point had arrived.

None of this could afford even the slightest mistake; otherwise, not only would all his previous efforts go to waste, but he might also plunge into heavy debt, which was the last thing he wanted to see.

Because the cash in his pocket was scarce, Liu Weidong still felt unsettled, so after making the call, he went to find Wang Li.

Liu Weidong wasn't foolish enough to ask directly when the Hong Kong businessmen were coming; instead, he asked whether the Second Chemical Plant and the paint factory had any connections.

"What else are you trying to pull, kid? One minute you're helping the oil mill innovate, the next you're helping the Number One Machinery Factory build machines—aren't you busy enough with all of that?"

Wang Li shook his head repeatedly.

"Brother Wang, the castor beans will be harvested this autumn, and the oil mill will go into trial production. I want to buy back the oil residue for secondary processing, and the products happen to match the Second Chemical Plant and the paint factory, so I have to pave the way in advance."

"You want to run a factory? The risks are simply too high. Right now, leave Bingjiang aside; there isn't a single precedent for a private individual running a factory anywhere in the country. Aren't you afraid of getting arrested without a business license?"

Liu Weidong smiled. "Brother Wang, am I that stupid? The castor experimental field belongs to the school, and if I run a small refinery, it will also be established as a school-run factory. I'll definitely apply for a business license, complete with invoices and proper bookkeeping."

Wang Li wore an expression of complete incomprehension.

"What are you even aiming for by doing this? Putting in all this exhausting effort and taking on risks, just for the sake of the village?"

Liu Weidong chuckled. "You've been lingering in the business world for many years; you know very well how long it takes to build a large enterprise. Connections, products, policies, and opportunities are all indispensable. Even though running a school-run enterprise carries risks, the experience and channels I accumulate will be entirely my own. Once the policies open up, it will be as if I'm starting out standing on the shoulders of success. Does Brother Wang understand what I mean?"

Wang Li burst into laughter. "I knew your little self wouldn't lift a finger without profit in sight! Once the policies improve, you'll have to help me plan things out too. I called the Foreign Trade Bureau yesterday, and they said the Hong Kong businessmen are arriving in the next few days—heard it's a cultural exchange delegation. I dropped a word to Secretary Ding at the Foreign Trade Bureau, mentioning that you have quite profound insights into Northeast culture and antiques. It's very likely the Foreign Trade Bureau and the Propaganda Department might invite you to be a tour guide."

Liu Weidong felt secretly pleased, but outwardly he belittled himself for a moment. After chatting a little longer, Liu Weidong left.