"Father, you can rest assured, I know what I'm doing." Lu Weimin nodded, "Going back to Nantang isn't the end of the world. Gold will shine wherever it is. Staying in the factory is good, but if I can't stay, going to the county for some training might not be a bad thing. I've thought it through. I'll go back to Nantang and show them what I'm made of. There will be a day when I'll stand out."
"Spoken well!" Lu Zongguang felt a surge of happiness, "Damin, I'm even happier and more at ease that you have this perspective than if you had stayed in the factory. Your mother has been a private teacher in Nantang for many years and has been doing well. You are a Communist Party member, and going to the grassroots will give you more opportunities to showcase yourself. I believe you can achieve great things in the county."
"Damin, what you said makes sense, but since Director Zhen invited you to dinner, it shows that he really values you. What about your relationship with Zhen Ni...," Chen Changxiu paused, seeing her son frown, she changed the subject, "If there's a chance to transfer back to the factory, I think you should talk to Director Zhen. He can find Secretary Gu and Secretary Guo. Even if it can't be done right away, what about in a year or two? This big 195 Factory, can't it accommodate my Damin?"
"Mom, I understand, but let's talk about this later. My transfer to the region is just settled, and it's too early to discuss these things now. It might leave a bad impression on the region and the county, right?"
Lu Weimin knew his mother was determined to make him a Changzhou resident.
His mother had taught in Nantang for decades but never managed to become a public school teacher. Now, even his second sister was a key teacher at Liyang High School, but his mother was still a private teacher in Nantang. This indeed made his mother feel very unbalanced, so she was determined to keep him in Changzhou and not let him return to Nantang.
After dinner, Lu Weimin stood by the window. The past two days had been busy helping Zhen Jingcai, and he hadn't had much time to think about other things. That night, he had a good sleep, and his memories gradually returned.
The scenes of the past twenty-one years flashed through his mind like a movie, some clear, some blurry, some detailed, some rough. Almost every detail made Lu Weimin sigh and marvel. He was completely immersed in this unimaginable reminiscence. If life could start over, what would he do?
"Zhendong? Deyong? Is that you? When did you come back?"
Lu Weimin saw a bicycle slide to a stop in front of his house, and two familiar figures got off the bike.
The one riding the bike had a pale, thin face and a slender build, while the one behind was chubby and wore a pair of black-rimmed glasses. Their faces were so familiar, but they were no longer the fixed images in Lu Weimin's mind.
After all, a twenty-year time difference made it hard for Lu Weimin to recognize these two young men with a layer of youthful fuzz on their lips as his closest high school classmates.
Lu Weimin attended the 195 Factory School during his high school years, but because his household registration was not in Changzhou, he had to return to his hometown, Nantang, to take the college entrance exam. This led to his allocation being heavily influenced by the most important policy—where you came from, you go back.
If he couldn't secure a job in the factory before the allocation, he would likely have to return to his hometown county.
This was why Lu Weimin had been working tirelessly to secure a position in the factory. Only if the 195 Factory agreed to accept him could he stay in Changzhou. However, he was unexpectedly kicked out at the last moment.
Of course, that was all in the past. Now, it didn't seem to matter much to Lu Weimin. He could face the world with confidence, excitement, and anticipation, whether fate pushed him to Nantang or Changzhou.
Qi Zhendong and Wei Deyong were the two closest classmates Lu Weimin had at the 195 Factory School.
Lu Weimin had good relationships in Class 1 of Grade 86 at the Factory School, but he only had a few close friends.
As the saying goes, people group together based on their similarities. The 195 Factory School was a key high school in the city, and Class 1 was the top class. Qi Zhendong and Wei Deyong consistently ranked in the top three in both science and humanities, while Lu Weimin's grades hovered around the top ten in the humanities. However, he performed exceptionally well in the college entrance exam and was admitted to Lingnan University, which he had never expected.
When he initially applied to Lingnan University, Lu Weimin didn't have high hopes. He thought a regular bachelor's degree would be enough, but he was unexpectedly admitted to Lingnan University as if by divine intervention.
Qi Zhendong was admitted to the Chengdu Institute of Telecommunications Engineering, now known as the University of Electronic Science and Technology, fulfilling his dream of becoming an electronics expert.
Wei Deyong was admitted to Fudan University, a significant achievement for the 195 Factory School.
Although the 195 Factory School was a key high school in the city, it was more so because of its good conditions. In terms of teaching quality and college entrance exam results, it still lagged behind other key high schools in the province. Wei Deyong's admission to Fudan was a historic first, with the best previous results being admissions to Tongji and Zhejiang Universities.
Besides Qi Zhendong and Wei Deyong, there was one more person who couldn't be overlooked—Xiao Jinfeng. He was a classmate who didn't have the best grades but was very close to Lu Weimin. Both were key players on the school basketball team, with Xiao Jinfeng as the forward and Lu Weimin as the point guard.
"Zhendong just got back last night, and I came back the night before last. I came to your house, but you weren't there. I came again yesterday morning and afternoon, and your mother said you hadn't been home for two days. Where have you been? Come clean, were you afraid that Zhendong and I would come back and bother you, so you went out with Zhen Ni for a romantic getaway?"
Wei Deyong had a carefree and straightforward personality, a typical character who didn't sweat the small stuff but was clear-headed about the big things. He was the closest to Lu Weimin in class and helped him a lot after they chose their majors. Lu Weimin's admission to Lingnan University was largely due to Wei Deyong's help.
"Filthy mouth! You're still the same!" Lu Weimin felt genuine excitement. The past twenty-one years had flowed back, and everything was so unbelievable, but the reality in front of him was indeed so.
"Hehe, embarrassed, huh? Damin, I was worried you might be upset, but the power of love can indeed soothe everything. Zhendong, I was right, wasn't I? Damin is not the type to be defeated by such things. Wherever he goes, he can still make a comeback in Changzhou. Why should he hang on to this one tree in the 195 Factory? If he gets angry, he might just quit and dive into the business world!" Wei Deyong glanced at the pale, thin youth beside him.
"Damin, seeing you like this, Deyong and I are relieved. We were worried you might be upset about not getting back to the factory." The pale, thin youth, wearing a simple white shirt and blue work pants issued by the factory, said somewhat embarrassedly, "I guess I was worrying for nothing."
"Of course, I was upset at first, but what can I do? I can't control the situation. I'm just a fish on the chopping block, and they can do as they please." Lu Weimin shrugged and gestured for them to come in, "Come in and sit down. The sun is too strong outside."
"Let's skip that. It's so hot, let's go to the swimming pool. The water was just changed yesterday." Wei Deyong said cheerfully, "It's more comfortable than staying at home."
"Sure, do you have your swimming trunks?" Lu Weimin felt sticky and was planning to take a shower. The sun was a bit strong, but he wasn't afraid of getting a little tanned, which would look healthier.
"We brought them, let's go. We haven't seen each other for a semester, and it's a good time to catch up." Wei Deyong smacked his lips, "Why don't you invite Zhen Ni too?"
"Let's just be the three of us." Lu Weimin shook his head and went back inside. After a moment, he found a red, slightly used swimming trunk from an old wardrobe. It was a side-tie swimming trunks, a style that was no longer seen in the 21st century.
Lu Weimin held it in his hand for a while before realizing it was the style of men's swimming trunks in this era.
Brothers, vote, collect, and click to help me get on the list!