frightfiction Chapter 1386 This was a sad year for Li Long.
Chapter 1386 This was a sad year for Li Long.
New Year's Day in 1993 was supposed to be a joyous occasion, but a sudden phone call instantly turned Li Long's mood sad.
The call was from Director Dai of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission's Beijing Office. The office was supposed to be closed today, but Director Dai was apparently working today because of something special.
"Comrade Li Long, I reckon Secretary Zhang didn't tell you about this, but it's quite serious, and I think it's necessary to tell you. It's just that that person's condition hasn't been good lately..."
When Director Dai called, Li Long was at the purchasing station, chatting with Fan Mingcheng, who had just returned from the port, about passing on his son.
Fan Mingcheng came not only to chat with Li Long, but also to get a new car. This time, he had his eye on the Land Cruiser that Li Long drove and planned to buy one from Li Long.
Li Long asked him, since he came from the port, there must be used cars for sale there. The price of the Land Cruiser brought here from the port included the transportation cost, so why not buy it there?
Fan Mingcheng smiled wryly and said, "I've traveled all over the border and the valley. Although there are cars like this, they are very few in number and very expensive, much more expensive than here."
Li Long was somewhat surprised. He felt that what he sold was actually quite expensive, but he didn't expect that Fan Mingcheng would consider it cheap.
Did you misprice it, or were you simply not greedy enough?
However, since Fan Mingcheng wanted to buy it, he naturally wouldn't refuse.
The fact that Fan Mingcheng could afford to spend over 100,000 yuan to buy this Land Cruiser shows that he has indeed made money in the past two years doing import and export trade at the port.
The car purchase process was extremely swift and efficient: payment, signing the contract, and handing over the keys. Fan Mingcheng simply inspected the car's condition and then smiled, saying that he trusted Li Long's reputation in business and that the car was definitely in good condition.
Fan Mingcheng had his son, who had come with him, drive the GAZ truck away, while he stayed at the purchasing station to chat with Li Long about foreign trade.
Although among the middlemen who went from the purchasing station to engage in import and export trade, Lao Fan was one of the earlier ones, and also one of the more capable and decisive ones.
But in his opinion, he was far inferior to Li Long in this respect, so he wanted to continue learning.
Li Long had just finished a business deal with an acquaintance and was in a good mood. He chatted with Lao Fan about gossip and discussed what would be the most profitable and worthwhile thing to ship next.
Just then, Director Dai's phone rang.
When Li Long answered the phone and heard Director Dai's voice, he was about to wish him a Happy New Year when he was suddenly struck by the news and was speechless for a long time.
“Comrade Li Long, this is the situation. Do you want to come over?” Director Dai’s voice was full of urgency, but he still carefully sought his opinion. “If you come, I will have Mingwei help you book a plane ticket.”
"I'll get there as soon as possible. Can you book a flight for today?" Li Long said quickly, realizing what was happening. "If it's possible today, I'll go today!"
"I'm afraid it won't work today, but it should be fine tomorrow." Director Dai's voice also changed and became calmer. "But you'd better get to Wucheng today, and take an early morning flight tomorrow."
After Li Long hung up the phone, his forehead and vest were covered in cold sweat.
He hadn't felt this way in a long time.
It seems that he has hardly participated in any funerals in the village since 1981.
The main problem is that most of the people in this newly formed village are around the same age as Li Jianguo or Lao Luo, in their thirties, forties, fifties, or sixties. While they may not be in their prime, they are generally still in their peak years.
Even if there are elderly people, most of them are like Li Qingxia, who moved here later, or a few scattered old local families.
As life improved, those who persevered through that era, even in their fifties or sixties, were still quite healthy.
When Li Long was around ten years old, there was a funeral in the village, but since he was an outsider at the time and didn't have much empathy, he didn't remember it.
The sudden news made him realize that some things, even if he could do it all over again, would remain unchanged.
His little butterfly wings could not ultimately stir up the torrent of the times.
"Boss Li, is something the matter?" After years of experience, Fan Mingcheng's ability to read people had greatly improved. He asked in a low voice, "If there's anything I can help you with, I'll do my best!"
"It's about Yanjing." Li Long realized what was going on and said softly, "I'm sorry, I have to go there right now. Let's talk later."
"Alright, alright, you go ahead with your work, I'll be going now." Fan Mingcheng hadn't expected Li Long's business in Yanjing to be so important, so he wisely got into his Land Cruiser and took his leave.
Li Long called over Song Jiaqiang and Liang Shuangcheng, instructing them to keep an eye on the purchasing station and to remember to call their father, Li Qingxia, if anything happened.
He called his older brother's house again, briefly explained the situation, and then returned to the courtyard.
Today is New Year's Day, a day off. Gu Xiaoxia was in the yard watching Mingming and Haohao build a snowman. When Li Long returned, she asked with a smile, "Is the purchasing station not busy today?"
Then, noticing that Li Long's expression was off, he asked, "What happened?"
Li Long briefly explained the situation to Gu Xiaoxia, then hurriedly went inside, tidied up, and came out with his bag.
Mingming and Haohao sensed the tense atmosphere. Seeing Li Long's attire, they knew their father was about to leave, and they said together, "Dad, be careful out there and come back soon!"
The two children were very sensible, which pleased Li Long. He patted their heads, put the bag in the passenger seat, and drove away.
He sped all the way to the top speed, and after arriving in Wucheng, he found a place to call Director Dai back.
Although it was past closing time according to the schedule, Director Dai was still in his office. After receiving the call, Director Dai told him to go to the Ethnic Affairs Commission's guesthouse as soon as possible, where a room had already been arranged.
Although it was dinnertime, Li Long wasn't hungry at all. He felt a little empty and numb, and didn't want to eat anything, so he went to the guesthouse.
He didn't know how he fell asleep that night, but he woke up before dawn. Then a staff member knocked on his door and took him to have breakfast. When Li Long boarded the plane, he realized that he couldn't remember what he had for breakfast.
Outside the airport, after picking up Li Long, Xiao Wang drove to the Beijing office of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission.
Knowing that Li Long was in a bad mood, Xiao Wang didn't say anything the whole way, or rather, he didn't know what to say.
In Director Dai's office, he first sighed and said to Li Long with a sorrowful expression, "Actually, I already knew about this before, but I didn't expect it to happen so quickly. Secretary Zhang didn't say anything, but I felt it was necessary to tell you."
Li Long nodded and said in a low voice, "Director, thank you."
"You're welcome, you're welcome. I'll call Secretary Zhang next, but he might not be available," Director Dai said. "If he's not available, do you think we should go directly to the hospital?"
"Let's make the call first," Li Long said, "and then we'll see how things go."
Director Dai immediately dialed the number and listened to the voice on the other end.
He hadn't told Li Long about this, but he had actually called Secretary Zhang beforehand to say he wanted to visit, but Secretary Zhang politely declined, saying that they didn't want to be disturbed.
So Director Dai thought of Li Long.
The phone rang for a while, but no one answered, so Director Dai put it down.
Li Long remained silent, but Director Dai spoke up, saying, "He might have just gone out. Let's wait a while before we call."
I called about every five minutes until the fourth time the call was answered.
"Hello, Secretary Zhang, this is Lao Dai." Director Dai said immediately. "Are you busy now? Okay, okay, by the way, Comrade Li Long is here... Yes, yes, he's in my office now. See... Alright, alright, let's go over after get off work."
After hanging up the phone, Director Dai breathed a sigh of relief and then said to Li Long, "He said we should go over after get off work this afternoon, pick him up, and then go to the hospital together. I've prepared everything for the visit. Since we're all here together, don't worry about it too much."
Li Long nodded without saying a word. He had been anxious when he arrived and hadn't prepared anything, nor had he had time to prepare anything.
From this perspective, Director Dai is quite thoughtful in his work.
The weather in Yanjing in January was cold; Li Long felt it was even colder than Wucheng.
The sky was overcast and gloomy, with no sun visible, creating a very oppressive atmosphere.
The car was driving on the main road. There were relatively few pedestrians on both sides of the road, and vehicles passed by from time to time. It was a little more lively than when Li Long came last time.
But Li Long couldn't care less about that anymore.
The car drove to the place they had visited before, but neither of them got out. Director Dai glanced at his watch, calculating the time.
There are still about ten minutes until I get off work, so I'll wait here for a while.
Before the appointed time, Secretary Zhang had already come out. Upon seeing the car, he walked straight over.
Li Long and Director Dai got out of the car, greeted each other, exchanged a few brief words, and then got back in the car and set off.
The subsequent process is omitted.
After leaving the hospital, Li Long remained silent, while Director Dai seemed to have accomplished some important task, his expression slightly relaxed, and he asked Secretary Zhang some questions.
Secretary Zhang's answer was brief. As he was about to get out of the car, he said to Li Long, "Comrade Li Long, please come again tomorrow morning. I have something to tell you."
Li Long nodded and said, "Okay, I understand."
Back at the State Ethnic Affairs Commission's Beijing office, Director Dai said to Li Long, "I was planning to host a welcome dinner for you today, but it's not the right time. I can tell you're not feeling well either, so let's go to the cafeteria for a meal and then get some rest."
You have to see Secretary Zhang tomorrow, so don't overthink it. Some things are beyond our control.
Li Long nodded slowly, and then Xiao Wang led him to the cafeteria.
I had no appetite and ate mechanically, but a scene flashed through my mind.
Long ago, he had already abandoned the perspective of an observer. Many things happened around him and to him, and the genuine feelings he experienced made it impossible to remain unmoved or stand by.
What we are experiencing today is yet another separation of life and death.
"Comrade Li Long, is your niece about to go on vacation?" Xiao Wang noticed that Li Long's expression was a bit off, so he deliberately started a conversation.
"Probably. I'll go see her after I finish my business tomorrow." Li Long thought for a moment. Tomorrow is Sunday, and Li Juan should be going to the courtyard house. It's already January, and the Lunar New Year is early this year, so their holiday should start early too. If the timing is right, he plans to go back with Li Juan.
After a simple dinner, Xiao Wang took Li Long to the reception room.
The room was warm and cozy from the heating. Li Long took off his coat and hung it on the hanger, then sat down in a chair and continued to stare blankly.
As the wheels of history rolled past this moment, Li Long felt a profound sense of powerlessness.
This incident made him think about how, in twenty or thirty years, his parents would also pass away one after another, and what kind of grief he would feel then.
Although birth, aging, illness, and death are inevitable in history, only each person truly understands the feelings they experience when faced with them.
Some people are naturally insensitive, while others are exceptionally sensitive.
Li Long felt conflicted at this moment. Although he knew that the old man's life was nearing its end and he might only have a few months left, this was the last time he would see him.
Let's not talk about it anymore.
The next day, after breakfast, Xiao Wang drove Li Long to Secretary Zhang's place.
Li Long originally thought that Secretary Zhang was going to talk about that person, but unexpectedly, Secretary Zhang talked to him about something completely unrelated to that person.
"Comrade Dajun told me that you have provided him with several pieces of very valuable information over the past period of time, and he thinks that some of your suggestions and opinions are very pertinent, and he hopes that you can continue."
“I will,” Li Long said hastily. “Actually, I should thank him, otherwise my business would have been really difficult to run.”
"Comrade Dajun also told me about the matter you mentioned," Secretary Zhang nodded and said. "We must trust our officials. Although some people may use their power to do things that harm the interests of the people, they are, after all, a minority."
Moreover, we are constantly monitoring and correcting our own mistakes, continuously adjusting our direction, and at the same time, actively and humbly accepting public supervision.
Li Long simply listened as Secretary Zhang spoke.
"I will also be taking up a local post in a while," Secretary Zhang said, changing the subject. "Where exactly I'll be going is still uncertain. We might have less contact after that, but I believe you will definitely achieve new successes in the northern frontier."
I know that your cooperative project, which focuses on farming, is doing very well and has received high praise from many people. The direction is correct, and your hard work is commendable. Don't slack off; keep moving forward and set a good example for the farmers in your area.
After leaving Secretary Zhang's place, Li Long got into his car and asked Xiao Wang to drive him to the courtyard house. He didn't plan to stay in the reception room of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission's Beijing office anymore.
“The director told me to cooperate with you,” Xiao Wang said in the car. “He also said that you can’t come to Yanjing often, but as long as he’s here, the signs hanging in your courtyards will be effective.”
The director also said that whenever you come to Yanjing in the future, feel free to visit us. We're all family, and nothing will change because of certain people or events.
Li Long understood what Director Dai meant. In any case, it was a pretty good way of putting it, without much ulterior motive.
Upon arriving at the two-courtyard house, Li Long waved goodbye to Xiao Wang and the others. After the car drove away, he took out his keys, opened the door, and went inside.
The snow in the yard is cleared regularly, but it may have snowed again in the last few days, so there is a thin layer of snow on the ground.
Li Long put the bag inside the house, set up the stove, and then came out with a large broom to sweep the snow away.
The chill in the room wouldn't dissipate anytime soon, so he filled the stove with coal, then pressed it down with broken coal to let it burn slowly, while he went out to find Gu Xiaoyu.
To Li Long's surprise, he also saw Li Juan in Gu Xiaoyu's courtyard.
Li Juan was also surprised to see Li Long. She exclaimed "Uncle!" in surprise and then asked, "Uncle, when did you come to Yanjing? Why didn't you tell me? I could have picked you up."
"I arrived by plane yesterday; I have some things to take care of," Li Long explained simply. "You guys are about to go on vacation, right?"
"Soon, there'll be a holiday in another week." Li Juan nodded.
"Let's go inside and talk," Gu Xiaoyu said gently. "It's cold outside."
After entering the house, Li Long only explained that he had some things to take care of, without mentioning anything specific.
Gu Xiaoyu and Li Juan didn't ask in detail. Li Juan just kept asking about the situation at home. Although they would call each other once or twice a week, and Li Qiang would write to her, she always felt that she didn't know some things in detail.
Gu Xiaoyu didn't participate in the chat; she was preparing food. Now that Li Long was joining them, she needed to prepare more.
Fortunately, Li Juan is invited over every Sunday, and the food prepared is sufficient, so there's no need to go out and buy more.
While Li Juan and Li Long were still chatting, Gu Xiaoyu had already prepared the meal and brought it out.
Rice, three dishes, and a soup—the aroma was wonderful.
After meeting Li Juan and Gu Xiaoyu, Li Long suddenly felt hungry.
My mood has improved.
Ultimately, we still need to focus on the people in front of us and those around us.
Seeing Li Long eating so heartily, Gu Xiaoyu felt a pang of regret, realizing she hadn't cooked enough. In the end, all the rice and dishes were finished, not a single bite was left.
"Brother-in-law, if you're still hungry, I'll make you some more noodles," Gu Xiaoyu said apologetically.
"No, no, I'm full." Li Long waved his hand and said, "I'm really full, no need to trouble yourself. I've been quite busy these past few days and haven't had a proper meal. I'm so glad to have a full meal here."
If Xiao Wang and Director Dai heard what he said, they would probably complain.
Li Juan said that they would be on holiday in five days, and Li Long said he would ask someone to book plane tickets so they could go back together.
Li Juan was quite happy, but she wasn't sure if she, as a college student, could book a ticket. Li Long said he would arrange it.
In the afternoon, Li Juan went back to school, and Li Long saw her off. Li Juan was quite happy and took Li Long on a tour of the school, introducing him to some of the more famous spots on campus.
After Li Long returned, Li Juan went back to her dormitory, where her roommates asked her if she had been walking around the school with a male senior that day.
"A boy? A senior?" Li Juan chuckled. "That's my uncle. He came to Yanjing on business and stopped by to visit me. I showed him around our school."
She never expected that taking her uncle for a walk around the school would cause some misunderstandings.
"Then you'll have to be prepared to explain," my roommate said with a laugh. "Quite a few people saw it today, aren't you afraid your partner will misunderstand?"
"What's there to be afraid of? Just explain it clearly, right?" Li Juan said nonchalantly. "If he won't listen to my explanation because of this, then there's nothing to talk about. We still need to have basic trust."
Not long after they started talking, someone outside shouted that someone was looking for Li Juan.
Just as Li Long and Gu Xiaoxia had heard from Gu Xiaoyu, Li Juan was dating at school. Her boyfriend was her senior, a year ahead of her, and also from northern Xinjiang.
After Li Juan went downstairs, one of her roommates asked another, "Do you think what Li Juan said is true?"
"I don't know, but I heard that the guy she brought was tall and handsome, and looked to be in his early twenties. If he really is her uncle, then he is quite young."
Li Juan's boyfriend, Wang Yusheng, had indeed come to ask about this matter. After hearing Li Juan's explanation, he smiled.
He hadn't seen it himself; he only found out after his classmates spread the word. He was quite worried about Li Juan, so he came over to ask what was going on. He believed Li Juan's explanation; after spending some time with her, he knew she wouldn't lie about these things.
Li Long was unaware that his arrival had caused a small misunderstanding for Li Juan. After leaving the school, he hailed a taxi and returned to the courtyard house.
Since Li Juan wouldn't be on vacation for a few more days, Li Long planned to book the tickets first and then travel around Yanjing City for the next couple of days.
I've been to the city several times before, but it was always just a quick look. This time I have several days to explore it in detail.
The next morning, I got up early and bought a pancake nearby, eating it as I went to the State Ethnic Affairs Commission's Beijing office.
When Li Long arrived, Director Dai was not there; he had already gone to a meeting. Li Long then told Xiao Wang his request, asking if he could help book two plane tickets.
"The director said there's definitely no problem with this," Xiao Wang said with a smile. "Once the time is set, I'll go and order it for you."
"Thank you so much," Li Long said. "Should I come to pick up the tickets this afternoon, or tomorrow?"
"I'll order it and deliver it to you this afternoon," Xiao Wang said. "Our company has a car, so it's convenient for you to travel back and forth."
Li Long originally planned to go for a stroll in the square in the afternoon, but he decided to change his plans.
He suggested they go and thoroughly clean the other two courtyards, and then wait there in the afternoon.
When Xiao Wang brought the tickets over, Li Long was shaping the snow in the yard.
"You really have a lot of leisure time," Xiao Wang said with a smile. "The yard looks much more elegant now that you've decorated it like this."
"Sigh, I have nothing to do and I'm not in a good mood, so I'll do this to distract myself," Li Long said.
“That’s true.” Xiao Wang understood instantly.
The next day, Li Long got up early to watch the flag-raising ceremony, and then wandered around the neighborhood. Around noon, he went to find Li Juan and told her about the plane tickets.
When Li Juan came out of class with her books and walked back to her dormitory, she saw Li Long, as well as Wang Yusheng not far away.
The two people looked at Li Juan at the same time, which made her feel a little uneasy.
Li Long noticed the young man looking at his niece. He thought of what Gu Xiaoyu had said and smiled.
PS:
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Spicy Noodles (End of Chapter)