Chapter 56.1

Everyone returned to the office and looked at Qi Yangyan nervously.

This person is really rich.

Without much ado, he had already spent thirty to forty thousand at the farm.

Thirty to forty thousand!

What kind of concept is that?

In these times, when a factory worker only earned thirty or forty yuan a month, saving thirty to forty thousand would take years of not spending a cent.

Seeing such a generous and wealthy person, Secretary Huang became even more hopeful about the upcoming investment.

Cautiously, he asked, “Comrade Qi, what do you think?”

“One million.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire office fell into stunned silence.

What?

They wondered if they had misheard.

Secretary Huang held his breath, trembling as he asked, “C-Comrade Qi, how much did you just say?”

“One million!”

A collective gasp was heard throughout the room.

One million? How much money is that even?

They couldn’t even begin to imagine.

Secretary Huang’s eyes gleamed with excitement, looking at Qi Yangyan as though he were a golden treasure.

His eyes sparkled, “Really…really?”

Too shocked to maintain composure, Secretary Huang’s voice began to tremble, and his hands shook as if he had developed Parkinson’s.

Qi Yangyan nodded and then dropped another bombshell.

“This is just the initial investment,” he said, leaning back in his chair with his legs crossed. “Depending on how things go, I might increase the amount in the future.”

Amid Secretary Huang’s eager and expectant gaze, Qi Yangyan continued calmly, “Each time, the investment will be no less than one million.”

Secretary Huang was so shocked that he almost bit his tongue.

Heavens!

If Qi Yangyan weren’t sitting there, Secretary Huang might have slapped himself to check if he was dreaming.

It was simply too overwhelming.

It wasn’t just Secretary Huang who was taken aback. Even the officials from other counties were left speechless.

Considering the circumstances, Secretary Huang actually handled it well.

After the initial shock, he was moved.

Life in the borderlands was tough—this was no exaggeration. Seeing the barren land and relentless wind and sand, if not for his ideals, he would have left this godforsaken place long ago.

But here was someone, willing to invest millions.

In fact, if it weren’t too outrageous, Secretary Huang would have wanted to call Qi Yangyan “Dad.”

Damn, this isn’t just a person. It’s a savior.

“Thank you so much, Comrade Qi,” Secretary Huang’s eyes were red with emotion. “Rest assured, the people of the borderlands will definitely carve your name on a monument.”

Qi Yangyan: “…”

He wasn’t dead yet, so why were they talking about monuments?

Secretary Huang quickly realized his mistake, laughed awkwardly, and patted his own face, apologizing, “Comrade Qi, you see, I got too excited and started saying nonsense.”

“I meant a memorial plaque. It’s reserved for people who have contributed to the borderlands.”

Qi Yangyan nodded, “My assistant will be in touch with you for the details.”

“Of course, of course,” Secretary Huang now looked at Qi Yangyan with even more affection than he would his own father. “Don’t worry, as long as the request is reasonable, we’ll fully cooperate.”

The one paying is always the boss.

Secretary Huang had already started using honorifics without realizing it.

“No need to be so polite,” Qi Yangyan glanced at the others in the room, “There’s something I’d like to discuss with Secretary Huang in private. Would that be convenient?”

Secretary Huang looked at the others, and they quickly left.

“Convenient, of course, convenient.”

Once the room was clear, Qi Yangyan spoke, “Secretary Huang, to be honest, I noticed someone here who is an old acquaintance of my family. Would you mind helping me arrange a meeting with them?”

Secretary Huang didn’t hesitate and immediately agreed.

“Who are you referring to? I’ll have them brought here right away.”

“A couple who were relocated here with the surname Ruan,” Qi Yangyan added, “My grandfather had a connection with the Ruan family many years ago. Now that he’s getting older, he’s been reminiscing about old friends. Secretary Huang, don’t worry. I just want to catch up with them. That way, I can give my grandfather a proper report when I return.”

Secretary Huang knew exactly who Qi Yangyan was talking about.

When Xie Yanzhao found out that Secretary Huang was going to take up this position, he had asked him to look after his parents-in-law.

Honestly, people who were sent to the farm weren’t all bad. Most were just caught up in political upheavals. Besides, in recent years, the political climate had loosened up. There was a chance they might even get rehabilitated.

Secretary Huang wasn’t the type to follow the rules blindly.

But since he hadn’t received official word, he couldn’t go too far. Still, he did what he could to ease their burdens and build some goodwill.

“Absolutely!” Secretary Huang’s mind raced, but he quickly responded. “This is no trouble at all. I’ll have someone bring them over right away.”

In an effort to please his “god of wealth”, Secretary Huang even thoughtfully arranged a small office for the three of them.

When Father and Mother Ruan arrived, they saw Qi Yangyan standing in the room.

“Who are you?” Mrs. Ruan frowned at the unfamiliar man, but Father Ruan pulled at her sleeve.

“He’s our son.”

“Son?” Mrs. Ruan was genuinely surprised. She looked Qi Yangyan up and down several times, “Why doesn’t he look familiar… Could he be like us?”

“Exactly!”

As Qi Yangyan approached, he immediately recognized Father and Mother Ruan.

Though they looked frailer, more haggard, and slightly worse for wear… aside from those things, they didn’t seem too different from his parents in his previous life.

“How did you end up here as well?” Mrs. Ruan didn’t seem pleased. In fact, she frowned deeply. “What on earth is going on?”

Could this all just be a dream?

But no, when she pinched herself, she felt the pain.

Qi Yangyan repeated the same explanation Ruan Mingfu had given before.

“I don’t know either,” he said.

He was searching for clues as well.

Unfortunately, they didn’t have any leads. They couldn’t even figure out why they were here in the first place, so expecting to find clues seemed absurd.

Qi Yangyan had thought of seeking help from scientists or specialists.

But their situation was too extraordinary to risk exposing to anyone outside their small circle. No one else could know.

“Let’s just accept it,” Father Ruan said, taking things in stride. “We’re already here, so let’s make the best of it.”

He sat down in a chair.

Qi Yangyan was silent for a moment. “Dad, that’s what my sister said too.”

“See?” Father Ruan beamed. “I knew my daughter and I would be on the same page.”

Mrs. Ruan rolled her eyes at him.

“Dad, Mom, you shouldn’t stay here,” Qi Yangyan said firmly. Now that he knew Father and Mother Ruan were on the farm, there was no way he would allow them to continue suffering. “I’ll work on pulling some strings so you can come back with me to Hong Kong.”

To his surprise, Father Ruan was the first to oppose the idea.

“I don’t agree.”

Mrs. Ruan also chimed in. “Look at us. Going back with you to Hong Kong would only burden you,” she pointed out. “That family you’re involved with, it sounds like their internal conflicts are intense. We won’t add to your troubles.”

Father Ruan nodded. “Your mom’s right.”

Qi Yangyan’s biological mother was the first wife, but there were second, third, and even fifth wives—all of whom had sons.

One could only imagine how fierce the infighting was.

“By the way, how is your biological mother in this life?” Mrs. Ruan asked, her tone conflicted.

After all, she had invested so much effort in raising her son, only to see him become part of someone else’s family in the blink of an eye.

Where was the justice in that?

“She passed away. Five years ago.”

Mrs. Ruan: “……..”

She honestly felt a pang of sorrow.

Her son’s life had been incredibly difficult.

“That’s how it is in Hong Kong,” Father Ruan muttered in distaste. “They all fool around with multiple wives and concubines. But the first wife is always the one who suffers the most.”

He couldn’t stand people like that.

In his previous life, as the head of the Ruan family, he didn’t have to tolerate such people. He rejected all of them at the door.

Over time, those people realized that Father Ruan despised anyone with a chaotic personal life. So, even if they were secretly promiscuous, they made sure to present themselves as faithful spouses.

Qi Yangyan sighed. “That’s true.”

His mother and he had both died because of it. How much worse could it get?

“Since you’ve seen your sister already,” Father Ruan continued, clearly focused on his daughter, “how is she doing?”

Remembering how devoted Xie Yanzhao was to Ruan Mingfu, Qi Yangyan struggled to find the right words.

“She’s doing well.”

“That’s it?”

Qi Yangyan nodded.

Father Ruan pressed on. “Come on, tell me more.”

Mrs. Ruan gave her husband a light slap on the leg. “You care so much about your daughter, why did you marry her off? When we get back, have them get divorced, and you can keep your daughter by your side forever!”

Father Ruan rubbed his sore leg. “…”

He felt wronged. Was it so bad to care about his daughter?

Ruan Mingfu had been pampered her entire life. She had never faced any hardships. When Father Ruan found out that she had been sent to the countryside as an educated youth, it had broken his heart.

He hadn’t slept a wink that night.

Qi Yangyan sighed inwardly. “So what about me, your son? Just forget about me?”

“Alright, enough,” Mrs. Ruan gave her husband a look. “Let’s talk about serious matters.”

“Son, you focus on building your career in Hong Kong,” Father Ruan straightened up, his tone more resolute. “Life here may be tough, but it’s stable. I want to start from this farm and work my way up.”

Qi Yangyan frowned. “Dad, are you thinking of getting into politics?”

“I’ve been the head of the Ruan family my whole life,” Father Ruan said thoughtfully. “Getting a second chance, I want to live differently.”

His mind was filled with visions of a future fifty years ahead of this time. With such foresight, why not choose a more challenging path?

After all, who doesn’t dream of building a stronger nation?

Now that he had been brought to this era, Father Ruan felt a decade younger. By his estimation, he had at least twenty more years to make a difference. Besides, he was a natural when it came to economics.

As grand as his plan seemed, there was one glaring obstacle.

“Dad, you were sent here as part of a reeducation program.”

“So what?!” Father Ruan responded like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, nearly jumping out of his chair. “I’ll draft a proposal as soon as I get back. I guarantee it’ll blow Secretary Huang’s mind.”

That had been his plan all along.

Father Ruan had a keen eye. Secretary Huang was an idealist, someone who genuinely wanted to serve the people.