Lin Xiaocui quickly became familiar with the eldest sister, learning that she was from the Ministry of Finance and named Chen Yuan, so she simply called her Sister Chen.
Chen Yuan knew that Lin Xiaocui was a reporter and was very excited. She seemed very interested in Lin Xiaocui's work and asked her to tell some interesting stories about her work.
The train journey took three hours, during which they chatted for a while.
Sister Chen is a native of Beijing. She married well and lives in a courtyard house inherited from her ancestors. She admires Lu Wanqing for buying the courtyard house to live in.
Although Lin Xiaocui came from the countryside, her manner of speaking and talking had completely changed her impression of country children, and she liked her very much.
When the train arrived, Chen Yuan and her colleagues boarded a bus to Baidaihe. Seeing that Lin Xiaocui would have to take another bus, she simply told the team leader and pulled her onto the bus as well.
"Sister Chen, I'll give you the money for the ticket. It can be reimbursed anyway." Lin Xiaocui took out five yuan from her pocket.
Chen Yuan couldn't possibly accept it, and hurriedly declined:
"This is a chartered bus, no tickets will be issued."
Lin Xiaocui had no choice but to put the money away. "Thank you then. I'll treat you to something to eat sometime."
Since we're both in Baidaihe, we might have many opportunities to meet in the future.
Even if there's no opportunity, there's no need to feel burdened. It's clear that Chen Yuan comes from a wealthy family and doesn't care about five yuan at all. She's used to working in a very serious manner and prefers to make friends with people like her.
Lin Xiaocui is also straightforward and never deliberately hides her past. She says whatever she thinks, giving people a sense of sincerity.
Upon arriving at the Baidaihe Sanatorium, Lin Xiaocui reluctantly parted ways with Chen Yuan and went to find a guesthouse outside the sanatorium to stay in.
However, before leaving, Chen Yuan told her that she could come to the sanatorium to see her when she had time.
The sanatorium is very close to the sea, less than a kilometer away, and you can faintly hear the sound of the waves.
There are two buildings here, specifically for accommodating cadres who come here for recuperation.
Not far from the center, there are villa areas surrounded by dense forests, which are said to be places prepared for higher-ranking leaders.
Lin Xiaocui walked out along the road she had come from and saw a stall not far away, so she went over.
Lin Xiaocui casually bought two pounds of apples and asked around for nearby guesthouses.
The vendor was very friendly and told her that there was a street of accommodations not far away, with guesthouses and restaurants, which was very convenient.
Lin Xiaocui sighed, saying that Baidaihe alone supports many people in the surrounding area.
She followed the information provided by the vendor and checked into a guesthouse.
......
At that moment, Lu Wanqing and her family were enjoying a lavish lunch on the plane.
There is bread, sausage, fruit, and even ice cream. In addition, there are five-star beer, Moutai liquor, and red wine to choose from, as well as soft drinks, cola, and coffee.
Everyone enjoyed their meal while listening to Teresa Teng's songs; it was incredibly pleasant.
A cigarette after a meal brings bliss, so it's common to see many men lighting up cigarettes at this time. It wasn't until several accidents caused by smoking that a smoking ban on airplanes was implemented.
Of course, all of these services are based on high ticket prices. For a family of five, the airfare alone would cost 224 yuan, which is simply unaffordable for the average family.
And this is only half the ticket price; to get from Shanghai to the port city, you'll have to spend just as much more.
In short, air travel has always been a high-cost activity, and ordinary people generally wouldn't consider this expensive mode of transportation.
But the port city is a place that many people yearn for, so illegal immigration has occurred.
At this time, anyone who goes to the port city can earn their first pot of gold as long as they are hardworking and down-to-earth.
After a brief stopover in Shanghai, the family boarded a flight to the port city.
That evening, they finally arrived at the port city, which was then known as one of the Four Asian Tigers.
The children were extremely excited. Although it was night, the place was brightly lit, as if the people here didn't need to sleep. The entire airport was still bustling with activity.
This also made things easier for them, allowing them to find accommodation smoothly.
Tom gave Lin Ye a hotel address; he could get there by taxi.
"There are five of you, and I can't fit everyone in my car."
The driver looked at Lu Wanqing helplessly and suggested that she take two taxis.
It was the first time Lin Ye and her three children had ever seen a taxi, and they all looked at her with admiration as she bargained for the price.
"I'll give you more money, squeeze in a bit." Lu Wanqing opened the car door and got in.
The driver finally relented after receiving twenty foreign exchange certificates and got out of the car to help stuff the luggage into the trunk.
After the taxi departed, Lu Wanqing said to Lin Ye and the others:
"The laws here are quite strict, and there are many things you can't do, with hefty fines. However, the security situation isn't very good at this time of year, so it's safer for us to stay together."
The driver chuckled twice, thinking she was very familiar with the city, and started chatting with her.
Lin Ye and his three children played and frolicked while listening, occasionally marveling at the bustling city outside.
"It's nothing, the mainland will soon be like this too." Lu Wanqing heard the driver's smugness and said with a smile.
Coastal cities, in particular, will be the first to become wealthy, and can catch up with the level of prosperity here in just over a decade.
Moreover, in another ten years or so, this place will return to the embrace of the motherland.
Thinking of these things, Lu Wanqing felt a surge of pride.
She was born in this vibrant era, so she should leave something behind.
......
The next day, the Lin family woke up to a cacophony of noise.
Land here is incredibly valuable, and the hotel Tom booked was in a prime location surrounded by houses.
The people of the port city are hardworking and get up to work very early. Before six o'clock, the whole street is bustling with activity.
Lu Wanqing walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, opened the window, and breathed in the slightly fishy-smelling air. She saw that the street was crowded with vehicles and pedestrians.
"Get up, my darlings. Daddy's going to work today, I'll take you out to play," Lu Wanqing said excitedly.
Lin Ye lazily lifted the thin blanket and held Miao Miao in his arms, playing with her.
"I'll take a day off from work today and explore the area with you all. We can see the unique architecture here."
This area is now filled with tall buildings, most of which are uniform in appearance, but there are also some distinctive buildings.
As for the location, he only offered his opinion; the final decision rested with Tom.
Upon hearing the news, the children were overjoyed and pounced on him, playing happily.
Unexpectedly, at that moment, a pungent smell of smoke came from the doorway. Lin Ye alertly opened the door and found that thick smoke was billowing from the window of a high-rise residential building across the street.
Soon, the area downstairs erupted in chaos, with everyone covering their noses and rushing outside.
Soon after, firefighters arrived with hoses to put out the fire.
Lu Wanqing and Lin Ye quickly helped the children get dressed and then hurriedly led them downstairs.
The buildings here are close together, and if the fire is not brought under control, it could easily spread.
Just after they came out onto the street, Lu Wanqing saw Manager Chen carrying an old lady on his back, walking briskly out of the building.
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