Chapter 79: Changes

Since Lin Wei left home with a letter, Lin Qiao hadn’t seen him for over three years.

Since Lin Qiao followed Ji Duo to Yandu, Lin Wei hadn’t seen her and had not expected to meet here.

After a long moment, Lin Qiao regained her composure and looked him up and down, “You look like you’re doing well?”

Lin Wei was actually quite good-looking, but farm work had darkened his skin and roughened his hands, and he dressed poorly, always looking rustic. Now, he was well-dressed, with fair skin, looking even younger than when he left.

Hearing Lin Qiao, he instinctively scratched his head, “Not bad.”

He then asked Lin Qiao, “What about you? What are you doing here? Have you been well these years?”

“So many questions. Which one should I answer first?” Lin Qiao couldn’t help but laugh.

Lin Wei laughed, too, “I’m just happy to see you.”

This smile brought back some of his old self, and the initial sense of strangeness after years apart faded considerably.

Lin Qiao smiled and said, “I’m doing well, studying for my master’s degree here.”

“A master’s degree?” Lin Wei’s eyes widened.

Thinking of something, his expression turned a bit dim and guilty, “Well, you always had good grades when you were studying.”

Lin Qiao didn’t take the college entrance exam because her family didn’t allow it, not because she couldn’t. At that time, their grandmother’s health was already poor, and she needed to take care of her.

Some things were beyond his control, so Lin Qiao didn’t continue the topic, “Brother, are you looking for Professor Yan?”

“Professor Yan is looking for me,” Lin Wei said with an embarrassed smile. “I work as a technician at a fertilizer factory and recently improved a fertilizer formula, which Professor Yan found out about.”

“Improved a fertilizer formula?” Lin Qiao looked at him with a smile as if seeing him anew.

Her reaction embarrassed Lin Wei, “It’s just a small improvement, nothing like you studying for a master’s at Qing University.”

“Finish your business first, and then we can catch up,” Lin Qiao said, leading him to Yan Maoshan’s office.

However, Yan Maoshan was out at the experimental field and wouldn’t be back until the afternoon.

“I’ll come back in the afternoon then,” Lin Wei said, not seeming too disappointed.

Lin Qiao didn’t know the location of the experimental field, “Let’s eat first. I’ll treat you to a meal at a new restaurant nearby.”

As they walked out, Lin Wei remembered to ask, “By the way, you’re studying here. What about Ji… Ji…”

Clearly, he had only met him once and couldn’t remember the name.

Back then, not only Lin Qiao but everyone in the family thought Ji Duo was her childhood betrothed. After many twists and turns, she indeed married Ji Duo.

“Ji Duo,” Lin Qiao said with a smile, completing the name for him. “He’s on duty with the army, at the front line.”

“At the front line?” Lin Wei was surprised and then showed concern.

“It’s okay, he’ll be back soon,” Lin Qiao said, taking out a letter. “He sends a letter from the front line every three months.”

Lin Wei felt relieved.

The restaurant was in a small alley near the school, mainly serving students. Lin Qiao was clearly a regular and familiar with the owners.

After sitting down and ordering, Lin Qiao asked Lin Wei where he had been these past few years.

“In the neighboring province, not too far,” Lin Wei said. “The first year was tough, sleeping under bridges for several months.”

Without a household registration or introduction letter and little money, where else could he sleep but under bridges with the homeless?

“Later, I worked on a construction site for a few months, finally saving some money. The foreman saw I was reliable and introduced me to another job.”

It was more of a place to stay than a job, as it was hard for him to find a place to live as an undocumented person.

The person, who started as a farmer, wasn’t too particular about things. Using his skills in handling eggs, he hatched chicks himself and rode his bicycle for hours to sell them in the city.

“One thousand a day, leaving before dawn and returning after dark. My legs were stronger than chicken legs,” Lin Wei said with a laugh. “Later, I finally had some money and built a small fertilizer factory. I then learned to be a technician and have been doing that ever since.”

“Your boss seems nice,” Lin Qiao said sincerely.

Lin Wei nodded, “Brother Liu and his wife are good people. They even gave me a share of the factory’s profits.”

At this point, he hesitated but finally asked, “How are things back home?”

Lin Qiao knew he would ask, “I haven’t been back much these past few years, so I don’t know much. I heard Lin Hui got married and has a child.”

Lin Hui, who was a year younger than Lin Qiao, had just reached the legal marriage age last year according to the revised Marriage Law of September 1980. However, rural marriages often happened early, even before the legal age. When mentioning Lin Hui’s marriage and her partner, Liu Yulan was vague, suggesting there might be issues.

Lin Wei, aware of the fallout with the Lin family, didn’t expect her to return, “What about Yan Zi? How is she?”

Lin Qiao knew more about Guo Yan than the Lin family did.

The year Ji Duo left, Fifth Yu was sentenced to death, followed by the eldest of the Yu family. The old man of the Yu family didn’t last long and passed away last spring.

With Ji Duo away, Lin Qiao personally accompanied Old Gu to the Yue family to express their gratitude and acknowledge Yue Hua. The child’s name remained unchanged, and the Yue couple accepted the godparent relationship, continuing their family ties with the addition of a grandfather. Due to this connection, Lin Qiao kept in touch with Guo Yan, especially after Guo Yan got a phone installed.

Seeing Lin Wei’s cautious yet hopeful expression, she remained silent.

Lin Wei grew anxious, “Do you not know, or has she found someone else?”

Seeing her silence, his eyes dimmed, and he forced a smile, “It’s been three years. She should have found someone.”

As the food arrived, he focused on eating, not speaking further.

Lin Qiao finally said, “A partner would only slow her down from making money.”

Lin Wei was stunned, then his eyes lit up, “She hasn’t found anyone?”

“Not finding someone doesn’t mean she’s waiting for you,” Lin Qiao poured cold water on his hopes. “She’s doing great now, having expanded from a small shop to a wholesale point.”

He left without a word, not even a letter in three years. Why would she wait for him?

Guo Yan had a knack for business. Initially, she might have started due to his departure, looking for something to do. But as she found her stride and success, she threw herself entirely into her career, with her shop growing larger each year.

As women become more successful, the number of men who can match them decreases, and the relatives trying to set her up with someone also dwindles.

Guo Yan enjoyed the peace and was now considering opening a branch store.

Lin Qiao’s straightforward words made Lin Wei lower his head, “I know, Yan Zi has always been amazing.”

“So, are you planning to go back?” This was Lin Qiao’s real question.

Not returning in the first two years was understandable due to his struggles, but now that he was stable, not going back seemed like avoidance.

This time, Lin Wei was silent for a moment before looking up, “I came to Yandu planning to visit home, but I didn’t expect to run into you first.”

Lin Qiao didn’t press further. The matters of the Lin family and Guo Yan were Lin Wei’s own business.

The siblings chatted about their lives over the years, and the meal quickly ended. Lin Qiao was about to pay, but Lin Wei, with his long legs, beat her to it.

Lin Qiao was a bit helpless, “I said I’d treat you, let me be a good host.”

“Next time,” Lin Wei said, “I’m still your brother. Give me a chance to show it.”

Lin Qiao didn’t argue, “I have a small courtyard nearby. Do you want to rest there or…”

“I’ll wait at the school.”

“I’ll find you a place. I have to cover a class for my mentor this afternoon.”

Zhang Changning had been unwell recently, and Lin Qiao had been covering his professional class.

Hearing this, Lin Wei followed her to the classroom, sitting in the back. He was surprised at how well she taught, especially popular with the undergraduates.

During the ten-minute break, Lin Wei went out and ran into Yan Maoshan, who had just returned, with mud on his shoes and pants.

Hearing that Lin Wei was the Xin Xin Fertilizer Factory technician, Yan Maoshan didn’t even clean up before taking him inside.

They talked for a long time, and Yan Maoshan asked Lin Wei to stay in Yandu for a few more days, “Your direction is good, very inspiring for me.”

When Lin Wei came out, Lin Qiao’s class had ended. She had left a message for him to find her in the lab.

“You know Xiao Lin?” Yan Maoshan was surprised.

“Lin Qiao is my cousin,” Lin Wei was also surprised, “You know her?”

“Of course, I even wanted her to work on fertilizers with me, but her family was already involved.”

Yan Maoshan directed Lin Wei to Lin Qiao’s lab. When he arrived, he found another young man waiting for her.

The man, about twenty-four or twenty-five, wore a suit and tie, with hair slicked back with gel. Hearing he was also looking for Lin Qiao, he sized Lin Wei up.

The look was far from friendly, making Lin Wei wary.

They stood on either side, about a meter apart, waiting for Lin Qiao. When she came out, both approached her.

“Qiao Qiao.”

“Aunt.”

Hearing “Aunt,” Lin Wei was stunned.

Hearing “Qiao Qiao,” Ji Ze was also stunned, looking at Lin Wei with even more hostility.

Ji Ze has matured a lot over the past two years and has become a successful businessman. However, he still couldn’t hide his emotions well in front of family, which Lin Qiao noticed immediately. She found it amusing and introduced them, “This is my cousin, Lin Wei.” Then she pointed to Ji Ze, “My nephew, Ji Ze.”

Both of them felt a bit awkward, embarrassed by their earlier suspicions.

But Ji Ze, who was actually older than Lin Qiao by two years, had come to see his aunt dressed like a peacock showing off its feathers.

Lin Qiao also thought Ji Ze’s outfit was a bit flashy today. His hair seemed to have used half a bottle of gel, and his height…

She instinctively looked at his feet. Sure enough, he was wearing high-heeled shoes with a solid heel that looked about five centimeters high.

In the early ’80s, such men’s high-heeled shoes were in fashion. In her previous life, people were more reserved, only using hidden lifts.

Ji Ze wore such trendy shoes to be noticed and didn’t mind Lin Qiao’s scrutiny. What he cared more about was Lin Qiao’s address for Lin Wei, “Cousin?”

Then he realized it might be inappropriate, “Should I call you uncle? Cousin uncle?”

It was indeed awkward, as Lin Wei looked younger than him, and Lin Wei felt uncomfortable hearing it, given that Ji Ze was older.

“If you find it awkward, you can call each other whatever you like,” Lin Qiao said.

Ji Ze wouldn’t dare; his uncle still had to call Lin Wei “brother.”

Lin Qiao didn’t dwell on it and directly asked Ji Ze, “Did you make those plastic bottles I mentioned last time?”

“They’re all made, and I brought them. If you’re done, we can go downstairs and take a look.”

“Wait a moment.” Lin Qiao was almost done and went inside to inform her colleagues.

Knowing she had relatives visiting, they didn’t keep her and told her not to come back in the evening.

As the three of them left the teaching building, they saw a brand-new motorcycle parked by the roadside.

In 1983, motorcycles were rarer than modern cars, attracting attention just like Ji Ze’s flashy outfit.

Lin Qiao could guess whose motorcycle it was. Sure enough, Ji Ze unlocked it, “Shall we go to your place?”

The early autumn heat in Yandu hadn’t subsided, and there were still a couple of late lotus flowers in the large water tank in the courtyard. Lin Qiao opened the door and led them inside.

Ji Ze parked the motorcycle in the courtyard, then took down the cardboard box tied to the back seat and opened it on the ground. The box was filled with various plastic bottles of different colors, sizes, and shapes.

Ji Ze picked up a cylindrical one, “This is for dishwashing liquid as you suggested. I even filled one at the factory. Try it and see if it works well.”

Lin Qiao took it inside and squeezed it a couple of times at the sink, “It’s good, the amount is controlled smoothly.”

“Try this one,” Ji Ze handed over a pump bottle.

“This one has a stiff pump,” Lin Qiao said, pressing lightly without success and then too hard, causing the liquid to squirt out.

She grabbed a cloth to wipe the splashes on the counter, “You need to test this more. If they’re all like this, it needs adjustment.”

Ji Ze took the cloth to help her clean up. They tested five or six different plastic bottles in a row.

Lin Wei was stunned, “Qiao Qiao, you do this too?”

“No,” Lin Qiao put down the bottle and washed her hands, “I designed these for our family factory.”

“For your family factory?” Lin Wei was even more surprised.

Peking the bottles back, Ji Ze explained, “Muzi Chemical, a company I co-founded with my aunt. She developed the formulas.”

“Muzi Chemical? The one that makes liquid soap and laundry detergent?”

Lin Wei recognized the name. They had been selling those products in his area since last year, initially in bulk and later in bags. The market in Yandu was only so big. After the factory got on track, Ji Ze invested heavily last year in two trucks to transport raw materials and deliver goods. This expanded their sales to surrounding provinces and cities, and they introduced convenient plastic bag packaging.

With advancements in domestic petrochemical technology this year, plastic factories opened up everywhere. Lin Qiao wanted to produce dishwashing liquid and shampoo. They purchased two sets of filling equipment and ordered a batch of plastic bottles from a manufacturer.

Ji Ze came to show Lin Qiao the finished products. If there were no issues, their first batch of dishwashing liquid and shampoo would soon hit the market. Over the years, others had also developed liquid soap formulas. They planned to shift their production focus to degreasers and more targeted daily chemical products.

After testing, Ji Ze didn’t rush to leave and insisted on treating Lin Qiao’s cousin.

Lin Qiao wouldn’t let him pay and managed to send him off after some persuasion.

Looking at his sister after three years, Lin Wei felt a mix of emotions, “You’ve changed a lot.”

Studying for a master’s degree, teaching, and running a factory, she was no longer the silent girl who needed his secret help at home.

It was no longer like when she first crossed over. Hearing this, Lin Qiao was very calm, “Haven’t you changed a lot too, brother?”

“Yes,” Lin Wei felt a bit melancholic but also happy, “Three years apart, we’ve both changed.”

Meanwhile, at the military base, Ji Duo, covered in dust, walked into Commander Ding’s office, his resolute and handsome features still carrying a hint of sternness.

Seeing him, Commander Ding rarely smiled, “You’re back.”

“Yes.”

Ji Duo seemed even more reticent than when he left.

Having been on the battlefield himself, Commander Ding knew it took time to adjust after returning from the front line, “You haven’t taken any leave in years. Go home and take a break. Come back to resume your duties after your vacation.”

“Yes,” Ji Duo replied concisely.

Before he left, Commander Ding gave him a meaningful look, “You might not need to come back to resume your duties.”

Ji Duo had enough years of service and battle achievements. His promotion was already a certainty.

Ji Duo said nothing, and as soon as he returned to his quarters, he took his ticket and went to the bathhouse for a shower.

After showering and changing into a clean uniform, Ji Duo called Xiao Fang, “To Qing University.”

Though his expression remained as stern and composed as ever, his eagerness to see Lin Qiao was evident as he headed straight to her place without resting.

Xiao Fang drove quickly and steadily. As soon as they arrived at the courtyard, Ji Duo was already out of the car and opening the gate.

Thanks to his long legs, he moved swiftly without needing to run. In the blink of an eye, his tall figure disappeared inside the gate. But after only a few steps, Ji Duo stopped in the courtyard, frowning. His keen hearing picked up an unfamiliar man’s voice coming from the lit room – not just the voice but the window also showed two shadows, a man and a woman.

He frowned, looking around to confirm he hadn’t gone to the wrong place.

Could Lin Qiao have moved?

Just then, he heard Lin Qiao’s familiar clear voice from inside, “I have space here. You can stay with me for the next few days.”