Chapter 364 – Arrival
“Little sister, little sister…” Seeing Xu Jinning in the car from a distance, Xu Xiangbei excitedly ran over, ignoring the large and small bags he was carrying.
Xu Jinning hurriedly got out of the car.
As her brother unloaded the items and opened his arms, she immediately threw herself into his embrace.
“Little sister, I missed you so much.”
“Second Brother, I missed you too.”
Being able to hold his little sister made Xu Xiangbei feel immensely satisfied. If it weren’t for the fact that they were at a crowded and noisy train station, he might have found it hard to let go.
“Second Brother, let’s get in the car. Big Sister is waiting for you at home.”
“Alright.”
So, the large and small bags were put in the car, and Xu Xiangbei got in as well.
Xie Ting’an continued to drive, heading towards the small courtyard.
Xu Xiangbei looked at the car with excitement.
“Little sister, I’ve been learning to drive recently. Once I’ve mastered it, I’ll buy a car, and when you and Big Sister come home, I can drive to pick you up.”
“Really? Second Brother, that’s amazing!”
“Hehe.” Xu Xiangbei scratched the back of his head, his face lit up with a goofy smile from the praise.
“By the way, little sister, the roads in our village have started to be repaired…”
Xu Xiangbei remembered the saying his sister had mentioned before—“To get rich, first fix the roads.”
Qinghe Village, yes, starting this year, the name Qinghe Production Brigade, representing the era, had been changed to Qinghe Village.
The roads in Qinghe Village had previously been dirt paths, uneven and filled with puddles and mud whenever it rained.
After earning some money, Xu Xiangbei had been thinking about getting the roads in the village repaired.
So, he decided to have his father talk to the village secretary about whether the road needed repairing. If it did, Xu Xiangbei was willing to contribute some money.
Of course, he couldn’t cover the entire cost, but he was prepared to contribute a substantial amount.
He also asked his father to explain to the village secretary the benefits and significance of road repair. Repairing the road would undoubtedly be a good thing. In the future, people’s economic lives would improve, and villagers would likely engage more with outsiders and conduct business. Outsiders might even want to come to Qinghe Village.
However, if the road was in poor condition, it could deter people from coming or going, which would hinder the village’s development.
So, road repair was very important.
After listening to Xu Aiguo, representing Xu Xiangbei, the village secretary fell into deep thought.
If it were anyone else, the village secretary might not have paid much attention. But this was the Xu family—a family of smart individuals.
The Xu family had never made a wrong decision in their ventures.
Many who had followed their lead in the past had made money.
Since the Xu family proposed road repairs, it must be beneficial for Qinghe Village.
Moreover, the village secretary felt that the Xu family was destined for greatness and might eventually move out of Qinghe Village entirely.
However, Qinghe Village was their root. If the Xu family had a deep connection to their hometown, they would surely return to contribute to its development once they succeeded.
But if the hometown and its people left them with a bad impression, they might never return.
The village secretary had a strong premonition that listening to the Xu family was crucial. Only if the Xu family was involved could Qinghe Village hope to develop.
So, without much hesitation, he agreed.
Of course, the Xu family couldn’t cover the entire cost of the road repair. Since the road served the entire village, the entire village would naturally contribute.
The amount each person contributed was voluntary.
In recent years, with various aspects of life becoming more flexible, people had more ways to earn money and had saved up more. They were no longer living in poverty.
Therefore, asking everyone to contribute some extra money for road repairs was feasible.
After all, road repairs benefited the entire village and even future generations.
Indeed, once the village secretary proposed road repairs and mentioned that it was the Xu family’s suggestion, the entire village had no objections.
“The Xu family’s decision must be right; the road needs to be repaired, and it must be done!”
“Yes, those who followed the Xu family in recent years have earned a lot of money. The Xu family’s decisions have never been wrong.”
“I’ve saved up some money over the past two years and can contribute to the road repairs.”
“Repairing roads has always been beneficial for the country and the people; it must be done.”
“…”
So, the villagers contributed money or effort as they could.
“…The materials for the road arrived about half a month ago, and repairs have already begun. A significant portion has been completed.”
“Of course, I also contributed some money.”
Among those contributing, Xu Xiangbei provided the most funds.
The amount was substantial for Xu Xiangbei but still within his means.
“Brother, repairing the road is an absolute good for the whole village. I believe that the money you contributed will eventually be repaid to you in another way.”
“Mm, Ningning, I trust you.”
Repairing bridges and roads has always been a good deed benefiting both the nation and the people. Those who contribute money and effort naturally accrue merit.
If Murong Jing, who could see people’s luck, had been present at that time, she would have noticed that Xu Xiangbei’s fortune had significantly increased after his contribution to the road repair.
The concept of luck is mysterious, but strong luck often brings smoother outcomes in various aspects of a person’s future.
Perhaps this is similar to the principle of receiving good rewards for good deeds.
Throughout the journey, the siblings chatted continuously.
Xu Xiangbei talked about his recent business, changes in the village, and family matters, while Xu Jinning shared her experiences as a teacher.
As for the internship at the National Translation Department, since she hadn’t yet received a task or started working, there was nothing to discuss.
Even so, Xu Xiangbei thought his little sister was impressive.
As they talked, the car unknowingly arrived at the small courtyard.
The three of them carried the large and small bags into the small courtyard, and Xu Xiangbei quickly spotted his pregnant elder sister.
Seeing his sister, who was pregnant and still attending school, with her husband away, Xu Xiangbei, as her younger brother, felt a pang of sympathy.
Looking at his elder sister, his eyes unconsciously grew moist.
“Big Sister, you’ve worked hard.”
Xu Fanghua touched his head, her eyes full of tenderness. “Silly boy, what are you talking about? I’m doing just fine.”
“Come on in, sit down. You must be thirsty; have some water first.”
Xu Xiangbei settled into the small courtyard temporarily. The large and small bags he brought were opened, revealing items for Xu Jinning and Xu Fanghua. These included items prepared by Zhang Ailian and others, as well as things Xu Xiangbei had brought himself.
In the afternoon, Xu Jinning suggested, “Second Brother, would you like me to show you around our school?”
“Sure,” Xu Xiangbei replied. After resting for a few hours, he had regained his energy.
He was very curious about Beijing University, where his younger sister and elder sister studied. Although he knew he wouldn’t be able to attend such a prestigious institution himself, his admiration for the top university in the country was undiminished.
It was a sacred place in the hearts of many scholars!
