The Sweetness of the Seventies
Chapter 618 - 587 Change, Silent Companionship_1

Chapter 618: Chapter 587 Change, Silent Companionship_1

The day had finally come.

Although reluctant to leave her parents, He Tiantian knew that everyone had their own desired way of life and associated responsibilities to bear, so she understood her grandmother and parents very well.

He Tiantian nodded and said, "Grandma, I’ll be fine, don’t worry about me. Maybe after the policy changes, it will become much easier to travel between countries. I might be able to visit you abroad frequently, and you could also come to visit home."

"Hehe, yes, when I visited this time, I talked with that leader for a whole two hours. I found some of his views to be very insightful. Perhaps, in the not-too-distant future, Country H will undergo earth-shaking changes," said Bai Qiongyu. Although their previous conversation was merely a preliminary concept, if realized, traveling between domestic and foreign countries would indeed be much easier.

Reform and opening up!

These four characters flashed through He Tiantian’s mind!

In the future, Huaxia Country would change step by step!

"That would be wonderful," exclaimed He Tiantian with joy. With the capabilities of the Bai Family and the Qi Family, they would certainly be able to return to the country and start a factory. In doing so, not only could they gain a head start, but it would also make it more convenient to travel between places. Perhaps, they could even settle down in the country in the future!

He Tiantian was very much looking forward to this.

"Indeed, I can hardly wait to see the changes in Country H," Bai Qiongyu said. She had complicated feelings for this land; it was where she experienced heartache, yet it was also a place her son and his family longed for.

If possible, she too hoped for a family reunion.

However, her granddaughter was grown up and had her own life to pursue.

Third Grandma Qi was also discussing some matters with Qi Shuliang, as well as the upcoming changes.

"Mother, won’t you come abroad with me?" Qi Shuliang asked again, seeing his mother look a bit older than before, he felt very sad and thought himself unfilial.

Third Grandma Qi laughed and said, "Ah, as you can see, I’m old now. Where can I go? I don’t want to go anywhere but stay in Qijia Village. If you miss me, just bring the children to visit. If you don’t have time, write letters. I don’t want to go abroad; I wouldn’t even have anyone to chat with in a foreign land."

Seeing his mother insist, Qi Shuliang knew she would not go abroad with him. If that was the case, then he would have to find a way to frequently travel between abroad and Qijia Village.

"Ah, it’s useless even to talk about it," said Qi Shuliang, thinking about what he had said to the leader, he finally made a decision, "Since you don’t want to go, I’ll set up a factory in Taoyuan County. That way, I can visit Qijia Village often, and the children will be able to see you more frequently, too."

As his mother aged, each visit felt like there was one fewer opportunity to see her again.

"Ah?" Third Grandma Qi was startled, "But currently, all factories are owned by the state. Even though you are from Country H, your nationality is Country M, how can you establish a factory here in the country?"

That was against all common sense!

"This visit occurred after receiving signals from the authorities above; they want to make some changes and need our support," Qi Shuliang explained, "If the changes take place, the factories in the future won’t all be state-owned; there will be private ones too."

Third Grandma Qi listened and remained silent for a long time.

After a while, Third Grandma Qi finally said, "I think I’m beginning to understand what you mean."

Qi Shuliang raised an eyebrow and said, "Mother, then please, share your thoughts, and I will listen to your wisdom."

"Wisdom is an overstatement, but it’s true that everything being in the collective’s grasp really dampens people’s enthusiasm. Take, for example, the large groups in the village. Even though we have a work-point system, many still slack off, because everyone feels the land doesn’t belong to them personally, but to the village. Work more or less, the difference isn’t big, so everyone starts dawdling. Plus, think about it, before liberation, when the land was one’s own, or when one rented it from landlords, didn’t every household toil from dawn to dusk tending to crops? Because back then, if you didn’t farm well, you’d have no harvest and go hungry," Third Grandma Qi said. "That’s how it is in the countryside, and I guess the factories aren’t much better."

"Hehe, indeed it is so," Qi Shuliang said. "Now, due to domestic technological backwardness and low production efficiency, that’s why we face supply not meeting demand. However, all this is planned allocation, not spontaneous by the market."

"Since that’s the case, you should start preparing. There’s no need to move the factory over before the policy is out. Otherwise, you might end up being labeled as being part of the ’capitalist roaders,’" Third Grandma Qi reminded him, hinting that one should not make any major moves before the official paper is released.

"Yes, Mother," Qi Shuliang smiled and said, "Madam Bai and I have already discussed it. We are preparing now and will only take actual action when the policy is out."

"Hmm, that would be very good," Third Grandma Qi said, feeling relieved to see her son had insight, so she didn’t have to worry about him.

Listening to the laughter of his daughter and He Doudou playing in the yard, Qi Shuliang thought of his mother and said, "Mother, as far as I know, this time Madam Bai is coming, she is likely to take Jingyu’s family with her. Tiantian and Yingjie are taking the children back to Nan City, and then the house will be left with just you."

Third Grandma Qi chuckled and said sentimentally, "There’s no feast that doesn’t end. Having them around these past few years has made me very happy. Now they have their own lives to live, and it’s normal for them to leave. Besides, I’m not the only one at home, there’s also your second uncle!"

Qi Shuliang was momentarily startled, then nodded and said, "Second Uncle is also quite lonely. Come to our house, and I will find someone in the village to take care of your daily needs."

He was an adult, how could he not understand the affection between his mother and his second uncle!

Perhaps his mother didn’t want to leave this place also because of his second uncle!

When Qi Shuliang first suspected this, he felt a bit angry, but after talking to Anna,

Qi Shuliang understood that his father had passed away several years after leaving the mainland, and it took many more years for his second uncle to come back. There was nothing unethical going on between them. He also trusted his mother and his second uncle’s character and felt ashamed about his earlier anger. His mother was a strong woman, yet also a pitiable one.

Qi Shuliang hoped his mother would do what she wanted to do, even if it meant wanting to be with his second uncle, he would not oppose it.

However, they did not do so, out of respect for societal norms, and also because of him.

"I’ve been considering that too," Third Grandma Qi said, who had felt a bit embarrassed to mention it herself, but now that her son had brought it up, she had less need for excuses.

When one grows old, one desires companionship!

This companionship, different from love or kinship, is about silent togetherness.

All is understood without words!

Third Grandma Qi was happy inside, her son’s understanding.

For someone who has lived to her age, her life was complete!

*******

I recommend Feng Qingqing’s "The Wealthy Beauty of the Sixties," about a young intellectual gaining a space, cultivating spiritual springs, becoming the belle of wealth in the sixties, and making the most of that era.