Chapter 836 Taking a Break After spending three days leisurely strolling around the capital with Zhao Rui and his family.
Back at the courtyard house, he began making arrangements.
Zhou Fang is overseeing the garment factory, and the daily operations of the beverage factory and Xinweiju restaurant are also being managed by the deputy director. The pharmaceutical business is proceeding as usual for the time being.
He clearly delegated decision-making authority at several key junctures to ensure that no problems would arise even if he were away for a period of time.
"Are you really going to stay in the countryside for a few days?" Shen Mo helped him pack a few light clothes. "Won't the journey be tiring?"
"I've been so busy for so long, I feel like I'm under too much pressure. This is a good opportunity to go out and get some fresh air."
He paused, looking at her with a hint of apology, "I wanted to take you and the children with me to experience a different kind of life..."
Shen Mo smiled and interrupted him: "I was thinking, but you really can't get away. Don't worry about us. Your mother-in-law is retired now and wants to spend 20 hours a day with the two little ones. Aunt Liu is also happy to help out. You don't need to worry about the family. You can go and relax. Don't just focus on work, enjoy the scenery too."
Little Stone ran over and hugged his leg, saying, "Dad, go watch over the big rice at Brother Zhao Gang's house! Come back and tell me a story!"
Little Fish said, "Dad, show me the scenery there when the time comes."
Lu Qingyang readily agreed.
...
At dawn, the train station was bustling with people, and the sounds of train whistles and announcements mingled together.
Lu Qingyang, carrying simple luggage, followed Zhao Rui's family onto the green train heading southwest.
The hard-seat carriages were a bit stuffy.
Zhao Rui helped stuff the luggage under the seat, pushed up his glasses, and saw a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.
The train started with a clanging sound, and the urban landscape was gradually replaced by farmland.
Zhao Gang practically pressed his face against the car window, watching the telephone poles and fields rushing past outside, muttering to himself, "Almost there, almost there! In another ten or so hours, we'll see our mountain!"
The train arrived at a small station in Geji-do in the evening.
The group squeezed off the train with the flow of people. The humid air was filled with the scent of earth and vegetation, a stark contrast to the dryness of the north.
After a short rest, they squeezed onto a rickety long-distance bus.
The bus traveled along the winding mountain road, with terraced fields cascading down the mountainside outside the window, their surfaces glowing with a soft yellow-green hue in the twilight.
By the time the bus finally dropped them off in a small town nestled in the mountains, it was already getting dark. They spent the night in a small hotel in town.
The real test began early the next morning.
The last stretch of road back to Zhaojiatun was so narrow that even a tractor couldn't get through; we had to walk the whole way.
Zhao Gang insisted on carrying the heaviest luggage, and Zhao Rui also shared some of the load, leaving Lu Qingyang to carry his own light backpack.
The mountain path is rugged, leading uphill along the stream, with stone steps covered in moss.
But just as Lu Qingyang had hoped, the scenery here washed away all his fatigue.
The morning mist clung to the mountainside like a light veil, and in the distance, the forests were ablaze with autumn colors, as if an autumn palette had been overturned. The deep green was from the pines and cypresses, the golden yellow from the ginkgo trees, and the fiery red from the maples, interspersed with some other colorful hues that I couldn't name.
Along the mountain road, villagers have cultivated vegetable gardens and orchards according to the terrain.
Autumn is the harvest season. The heavy persimmons, like little lanterns, bend the branches, and a few ripe fruits lie under the orange trees, emitting a sweet and sour aroma.
In the vegetable patch, radishes revealed half of their plump white bodies, cabbages were wrapped with full hearts, and clusters of chili peppers were dazzlingly red.
"Brother Lu, look, these radishes were grown from the seeds you gave me, and they're growing really well!"
Zhao Gang pointed to a field of thriving radishes, his tone full of pride.
"Brother Lu, look! These radishes were grown from the seeds you gave me, and they're growing so well!"
Zhao Gang pointed to a field of thriving radishes, his tone full of pride.
Before I had gone far, I encountered an old man busy at the head of a citrus grove by the roadside.
The old man looked up and saw Zhao Gang, then immediately grinned: "Gangzi's back! And he brought guests?"
As he spoke, he casually plucked a few of the largest and yellowest oranges from the tree branch and shoved them into Lu Qingyang and Zhao Rui's heads. "Take them and have a taste. They're homegrown and very sweet!"
Unable to refuse, Lu Qingyang peeled one open. The orange segments were plump, and the sweet taste immediately soothed his throat.
As they continued climbing, an old woman drying corn in her yard saw them from afar, turned around and went into her house, bringing out a winnowing basket of freshly steamed sweet potatoes. Without saying a word, she shoved them into their hands: "Climbing hills and slopes must be exhausting, have some to fill your stomach, they're sweet!"
"Oh, Granny Li, you're too kind!" Zhao Xiu quickly accepted the gift and smiled apologetically at Lu Qingyang.
As they walked, they were constantly recognized by the villagers who warmly stopped them.
When they reached the halfway point of the mountain, their heads were stuffed with cucumbers still glistening with dew, crisp fresh dates, and fragrant roasted potatoes...
When they reached the crooked banyan tree at the village entrance, the group looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh.
Although it was still early before noon, my stomach was already bulging from the fiery, spicy flavors of home.
Zhao Gang patted his round belly and said to Lu Qingyang with a simple and honest look, "Brother Lu, look, how about this guy from our village?"
After resting briefly at the Zhao family's house and having a sip of hot tea, Zhao Xiu took the initiative to say to Lu Qingyang, "Brother Lu, before the sun reaches its zenith, I'll take you for a walk up the hill and show you our vegetable garden and orchard."
“Okay.” Lu Qingyang readily agreed.
The two walked one after the other on the damp paddy field ridge.
The morning dew hadn't completely dried, wetting Zhao Xiu's trouser legs, but she didn't care at all, and led the way with light steps.
After climbing a small hill, a bright and open view suddenly appeared before me.
In the terraced fields carved out along the mountainside, various vegetables are growing vigorously, spreading out in lush green.
Zhao Xiu pointed to a vegetable patch not far away, laden with fruit, her voice filled with joy:
"Brother Lu, look over there, the chili peppers! The new seeds you asked me to bring are producing so many good ones, and the color is perfect. They're much more productive than the old varieties!"
She then led him to another hillside where tomatoes were planted, their plump, red and green fruits a delightful sight.
"And this tomato, with its thin skin, sandy flesh, and rich flavor, is so popular that everyone in town wants it."
Passing through the vegetable garden, there is a well-maintained orchard.
The citrus trees were laden with green and yellow fruits, their heavy weight bending the branches.
Zhao Xiu tiptoed and gently lifted an orange, her face beaming with joy: "Look at this size, this color! In previous years, we never had such good oranges. It was rare to see even a few. Now, not only are there many, but they are also sweet. The children love to eat them."
Standing on the slope, she surveyed the vibrant land, her tone becoming more composed: "Brother Lu, to be honest, it's all thanks to the good seeds you gave us back then. The fruits and vegetables are growing vigorously and looking excellent. Your Xinweiju restaurant in Beijing, and several other restaurants there, regularly order our goods, so we don't have to worry about sales. The commune also supports us, helping us organize transportation. In the past two years, everyone has been very enthusiastic, and life is visibly getting better. Look over there."
She pointed to several newly built brick and tile houses in the valley, saying, "Those families just built new houses this year."
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