Tiantian had been quite tough at first, thinking that going back was no big deal. It was only when she finished packing her luggage and was truly put on the train that she began to panic. She had assumed she would be traveling alone. It wasn't until Qiao Qingqing boarded the train after saying her goodbyes to Zhou Lanfang that Tiantian felt relieved and happy again. She was, after all, still looking forward to the return.
Qiao Qingqing hadn't made this trip specifically for Tiantian. Her deep-sea fishing company, founded in the south, was set to open in a month, and she needed to use this time to prepare for the launch. Her meeting with Zhou Lanfang today had been at Lanfang’s request for help, and taking Tiantian back was a strategy they had agreed upon together. People only realize the value of a comfortable life when they are forced to endure hardship.
A few days later, Qiao Qingqing arrived back at Heyu Village with Tiantian. The village brigade was now a shell of its former self; with the household production responsibility system sweeping the nation, the brigade headquarters no longer served a purpose. Many in the village had built new homes—mostly sturdy brick houses with tile roofs, replacing the old mud-brick dwellings.
Chapter 452