Chapter 110

 

Every night, the desolation and coldness brought by the snow disaster were particularly evident.

However, the thick smoke billowing from the factory canteen’s chimney carried with it a strong sense of year-end warmth—gradually dispelling the oppressive gloom of a city sealed by heavy snow.

Ultimately, it was the enduring, simple wish in the hearts of the Chinese people that withstood the ravages of the heavy snow—

Three meals a day, a peaceful night’s rest; food in the morning, food in the evening.

As the situation worsened, production and transportation could no longer be maintained. If work had to stop, then it stopped; if shipments had to halt, then so be it—after all, Mingzhou wasn’t the only one affected. For Ming Xi, who had once been burdened with countless complicated problems, the escalating snow disaster simplified everything down to one essential concern: feeding her employees.

How to ensure that the workers stranded in the factory could spend a not-too-bad Spring Festival of 2008 there had become her foremost worry.

People possess different amounts of wealth; they dream different dreams at night and carry different burdens.

In the past, Ming Xi had only worried about whether she herself could get enough to eat. Who could have imagined that eight years later, she would be worrying about whether everyone under her care could eat their fill?

During this time, the factory suffered frequent power outages, and Ming Xi had nearly lost her temper over them. In any case, whenever the power went out, she would grab a hot water bottle and crawl into Boss Liang’s bed.

And when there wasn’t a blackout?

Naturally, Liang Jiancheng would take the initiative to climb into her bed instead…

In 2008, this rare southern snow disaster caused the Guangdong railway station to suspend normal operations for a full eleven days, leaving as many as 400,000 people stranded. Compared to the food shortages at the factory, the chaos at the station was even worse. To handle the crisis, authorities urgently deployed 40,000 armed police to maintain order and do everything possible to ensure the safety of those trapped.

In short, the reunion of Spring Festival 2008 was something everyone waited for anxiously—it did not come easily.

After a long eleven days, on Lunar New Year’s Eve—February 6—the Guangdong railway station finally resumed normal operations.

Many years later, when Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng once passed through a newly built railway station in Guangdong, they could still vividly recall how that “worst Spring Festival travel rush” of 2008 had helped drive China’s later transformation into an infrastructure powerhouse.

In later years, Miss Ming not only traveled across the vast landscapes of her own country but also visited many others. She once envied the overseas experiences shared by Jiangliu Dadao on an online forum; later, she went on to visit almost all those places herself—sometimes alone, sometimes with Liang Jiancheng by her side. Having seen so much of the world, she was certain of one thing: no country or city could surpass China, in its later years, in terms of public infrastructure and services.

History must be remembered; hardship forges glory. The Chinese people have always been able to rise tenaciously from adversity, ultimately striving to uphold a simple wish: a stable life and joyful reunions.

Just like this snow disaster—though it came fiercely, a once-in-a-century event—it didn’t stop people from celebrating the New Year with joy on New Year’s Eve, so long as even the smallest conditions allowed.

Ming Xi received a call from Factory Director Lou on the eve of New Year’s Eve. He excitedly told her that he would most likely be able to return to Ning City and take over the factory by the second day of the Lunar New Year.

That was wonderful!

After holding the factory together for ten days, Boss Ming could originally have returned to Haigang for New Year’s Eve. But when the day came, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to leave—it was that Boss Liang who didn’t.

Liang Jiancheng thought of it this way: they had already stayed at the factory for ten days, so there was no need to rush back just to reunite in Haigang. There would be many years ahead for them to spend the New Year together there, but a New Year spent like this—stranded in the Ning City factory—might be the only one in their lifetime.

Ming Xi didn’t know his reasoning. She assumed he wanted to stay for one thing only: the pork feast.

And, in fact, she wasn’t entirely wrong. Two days before New Year, meat had already become unavailable in the markets. At the critical moment, it was Boss Liang’s connections that made the difference. He gave the canteen clerk a number to call, contacting a pig farm owner. Soon enough, the owner personally drove a tractor over, delivering around four hundred jin of pork.

On New Year’s Eve, the female workers at the factory were responsible for making dumplings, while the male workers were busy shoveling snow.

Ming Xi, being the female boss, naturally joined the sisters and aunties in making pork and seafood dumplings.

Everyone praised Boss Ming, saying she was beautiful, capable, and even her dumplings were made with care… Ming Xi beamed with joy amidst the compliments. But this New Year’s feast wasn’t paid for by her; it was Boss Liang who treated them.

That’s right, this pig farm owner was also a friend of Liang Jiancheng.

Who would have thought that the elegant, refined, and charming Boss Liang had a friend who owned a pig farm? Ming Xi’s curiosity amused him, and he replied with a hint of pride, “Friendship among gentlemen—if you get hung up on differences in status, then the friendship loses its truth.”

Why did Liang Jiancheng suddenly sound so scholarly? Because he was busy writing Spring Festival couplets for the Mingzhou factory…

During this New Year spent stranded by the snowstorm, whether boss or worker, everyone was doing their part. Having been eating and living at the factory alongside Boss Ming, Boss Liang naturally had to contribute as well. He wasn’t just good with financial reports—he could repair diesel generators and write excellent couplets. If Boss Ming asked him to make dumplings, he could do that too. But he wouldn’t join the men shoveling snow—after all, as someone brought in by Boss Ming, he still had to maintain a certain bearing.

And yet, despite his air of distinction, Boss Liang was still well-loved by everyone in the factory—something that didn’t need to be said aloud.

Ming Xi was the same. In pursuit of her career, she had learned how to deal with people of higher status—speaking appropriately to whoever she met. But she knew clearly that if one day she could no longer communicate naturally with people like her former self, then all that effort would lose its meaning.

“Miss Ming, should we put some coins in the dumplings?” A young woman from Hunan in her early twenties offered a suggestion with a smile.

Ming Xi had no objection, but specifically instructed, “Make sure to wash the coins thoroughly, wash them several times!”

“Okay!”

Liang Jiancheng, on the other hand, personally paid for 400 jin of pork for the workers and also purchased several boxes of fireworks and firecrackers for the Mingzhou factory.

The conditions were harsh, the snow disaster merciless—but whether it was Boss Ming or Boss Liang, both were doing everything they could in the face of hardship.

On New Year’s Eve,

Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng gathered with nearly a hundred workers who stayed behind in the canteen to spend this special New Year together. The table was set with large pots of stew, and trays of dumplings were piled up like small mountains on the long table that had been pushed together.

As the boss, Ming Xi naturally had to speak to liven up the atmosphere. But in such a warm, festive atmosphere, she didn’t want to put on airs or deliver formal speeches. So she simply raised her glass and said, “Happy New Year! It’s a real pity that everyone couldn’t go home to reunite with your families this year. I hope that through our hard work, we can make the journey home easier in the years to come.”

After Boss Ming finished speaking, Boss Liang also toasted and chatted with everyone at the table, winning people over effortlessly.

Then, a worker asked with a grin, “Boss Liang, when are you and Miss Ming getting married?”

Liang Jiancheng smiled and replied, “I’m still working on it.”

“Well, better hurry—and have a few kids!”

“Alright! But that depends on what Miss Ming thinks.”

“The children of you and Miss Ming will definitely be beautiful—handsome for sure!” The speaker was a couple in their thirties who had stayed at the factory for the New Year, their voices thick with a Sichuan-Chongqing accent.

“Thank you! I’ll take that blessing,” Liang Jiancheng replied, pausing slightly as he raised his glass to clink with them.

Being a successful boss required skill and access to navigate the business world and higher circles—that showed intelligence. But remaining humble, polite, and respectful toward grassroots workers—that was true character.

Over the years, Ming Xi had grown, and so had Liang Jiancheng. He had once greatly admired his mother and hoped to become someone like her—sharp, capable, and possessing a strong sense of the bigger picture. In many ways, he had indeed learned from her. Yet despite their bond, and the similarities in their thinking, Liang Jiancheng could only become himself—constantly evolving, becoming more mature.

After the factory’s New Year’s Eve dinner, manager Tian—who had a bit of an artistic streak—organized a small evening performance.

The event had actually been in preparation for five days. After all, whenever the power went out, work stopped, and no one could leave the factory. Manager Tian came up with the idea: idleness wasn’t the problem—idleness that bred trouble was. So he arranged for each department to prepare three performances for New Year’s Eve. It was a brilliant solution. Every morning, Ming Xi would wake up to the sound of the aunties practicing their vocal warm-ups in the factory yard…

Manager Tian had originally wanted to invite Ming Xi to perform as well, but a thought crossed her mind: this was her factory. Rather than having herself in the spotlight, she wanted Liang Jiancheng to shine in front of her workers.

So, when Manager Tian approached her, Ming Xi naturally looked to Liang Jiancheng for help.

Liang Jiancheng could only agree.

The New Year’s Eve party officially began. The host, Manager Tian, ​​took to the stage first, playing an erhu piece as an opening act, then warmly invited Liang Jiancheng up with enthusiastic applause.

The factory’s facilities were fairly complete—there was sound equipment, and with a phone connected via Bluetooth, they could easily create a simple stage.

Liang Jiancheng hadn’t sung at his company’s annual gatherings for years. But today, to fulfill Boss Ming’s wish, he stepped up to showcase his charm.

The moment he began singing, the entire room was stunned.

Back in 2000, Ming Xi already knew he had a beautiful voice, but in recent years, she hadn’t really heard him sing properly. Sometimes, Liang Jiancheng could be a bit sly—the more she was curious why everyone at Xinghai Foreign Trade praised his singing, the more he insisted he wasn’t good at it and refused to show off.

Before Liang Jiancheng took the stage, Ming Xi had no idea what songs he would sing. This was typical of Liang Jiancheng; if he decided to do something, he would not only do it wholeheartedly but also go to great lengths.

Of course…

Wasn’t it all to make her expect more from him?

In truth, when Liang Jiancheng accepted Manager Tian’s request, he had struggled to choose a song. Having studied in the United States in his early years, he knew more English songs than Chinese ones. In recent years, countless singers had emerged, and hit songs were everywhere. But he had been fully focused on Xinghai Technology and Miss Ming, long past the stage of chasing pop culture—he didn’t follow celebrities or learn current hits. The only songs familiar to him were the tunes Ming Xi often hummed.

Furthermore, Liang Jiancheng had certain standards for his own taste. Ultimately, he chose a song that matched the scene of heavy snowfall outside—”A Spray of Plum Blossoms.”

Back in middle school, he had studied bel canto singing in a club in the U.S. His natural voice was clear and steady, and the bel canto technique gave it a warm, refined quality—like polished jade.

No wonder the employees of Xinghai Foreign Trade never stopped talking about his singing—he truly had the skill.

On the small stage just a few steps away, Liang Jiancheng stood handsome and radiant; Ming Xi sat among the workers, looking up at him with a gentle, enduring smile.

After his performance came the workers’ own wonderful acts…

Later, Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng returned to the factory office. It was already late, yet laughter still echoed from the canteen.

Only the office had internet access in the factory. It had been down for the past few days, only returning yesterday. So, even though it was New Year’s Eve, as soon as Ming Xi got back to the office, she rushed to log into the communication software and email on the office computer to handle the backlog of work from the past few days.

Fortunately, Xinyu and Sister CC, whom she had been focusing on developing over the past few years, were now capable of handling things independently. Even without her in the company, they could manage all the year-end tasks effectively.

Ming Xi focused on her work, and so did Liang Jiancheng. About half an hour later, Liang Jiancheng suddenly had a playful idea: “Ming Xi, want to go set off fireworks in the snow?”

“…” It sounded like a good idea.

They were just about to leave and enjoy a moment of their own when a cautious knock came at the office door.

Ming Xi opened the door to find the couple, who were still working at the factory, standing there, looking nervous and a little apprehensive. The woman spoke first: “Miss Ming, I’d like to ask you for a favor, I don’t know if it’s possible. We’d like to use your computer to go online and have a video call with our children. They’re spending New Year at their second uncle’s house—they have a computer there…” As she spoke, she took out a slip of paper with a number written on it.

Ming Xi glanced at the number; it was a QQ number. She was probably asking her to add this number as a friend so they could video call their child.

“No problem!” Ming Xi readily agreed.

Soon, she added the contact and let the couple sit across from the desk to video call their children. Their speech carried a strong Sichuan-Chongqing accent, though Ming Xi couldn’t tell exactly where they were from.

During the call, the couple spoke with teary eyes, repeating simple, heartfelt concerns: “Are you cold?” “What did you eat for the holiday?” “Do the new clothes we sent fit?”

Ming Xi didn’t usually feel much resonance with familial affection, yet hearing this, the corners of her lips couldn’t help but soften slightly.

Liang Jiancheng filled a hot water bottle and gently placed it in her arms to keep her warm—it would be cold outside when they went to set off fireworks later.

The couple, simple and honest, stood up soon after, even though Ming Xi told them to talk longer.

“Judging by your accents, you’re from Sichuan-Chongqing—where exactly?” she asked.

“Wenchuan!” they said with a smile, revealing their hometown.

“Wenchuan?” Ming Xi frowned slightly—she had never heard of it. Probably a small county.

She turned to look at Liang Jiancheng.

Liang Jiancheng hadn’t been to Wenchuan either, but he roughly knew its location—near Dujiangyan. “…Is that so?” Liang Jiancheng asked with a smile.

“Yes, yes, we’re very close to Lixian.” The simple-minded man mentioned another place name. Unfortunately, Lixian was also a small, relatively unknown county. The man racked his brains and finally thought of a slightly more famous place: “We’re also very close to Mianyang! You know Mianyang, right? Mianyang rice noodles are very famous!”

Mianyang… Ming Xi blinked.

“We’ll go back for a visit in the spring, Miss Ming. Shall we bring some back for you? Next time you come to the factory, you can take some back to try!” The woman was more sociable than her husband and said enthusiastically.

When they mentioned Mianyang, Ming Xi didn’t react much, but Liang Jiancheng’s discerning gaze lingered on her for a second.

She spoke calmly, “If possible, bring your children here to study. Your daughter is very smart—she even ranks first in her school. Don’t let a child like that stay in the countryside.”

At that, the couple seemed to have found a benefactor and began pouring out their concerns. They wanted to send their children to a migrant workers’ school in Ning City, but even those had strict quotas.

This was something Ming Xi, as the boss, felt she should help solve.

Liang Jiancheng wasn’t usually the kind of “saint” who would readily lend a helping hand to anyone in trouble. But ever since Ming Xi’s accident, when real troubles were placed before him, he was willing to lend a hand—if only to accumulate some good fortune for her. Coincidentally, his uncle was a leader in the local education bureau. Although his relationship with his uncle wasn’t particularly close, a simple phone call would surely resolve such a small matter.

“If you really have this idea, I can help you find a school so your child can study in Ning City.”

Wenchuan was indeed a small county town; before the 5.12 earthquake, most people in the country probably hadn’t even heard of it. Who could have imagined that Ming Xi’s casual question, coupled with Liang Jiancheng’s act of helping her out of a desire to accumulate good karma, would bring such great blessings in the future?

The long eleven days finally came to an end.

New Year’s Eve in 2008 fell on February 7, and on February 9, Factory Director Lou finally returned from Guangdong.

On the second day of the new year, Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng headed back to Haigang together. After that, there were only three days left before their agreement expired.

Ming Xi didn’t just return alone—she also brought back the “little advertisement” card she had taken from the young worker.

After the New Year, the oppressive chill brought by the cold wave gradually faded.

On the fifth day of the new year, Haigang welcomed a bright, sunny day. The sunlight shone on the unmelted snow clinging to the treetops along the streets, dazzling and glimmering.

Stepping over the last patches of snow, Ming Xi arrived at a café in Haigang to meet a man who had called her countless times recently.

Young Master Qian—his full name was Qian Jingchen—an architect she had met on a flight to the United States last year.

Qian Jingchen had been pursuing her for over a year. Because of his distinguished background, she couldn’t afford to offend him directly, though she had already turned him down several times. Things had finally quieted down over the past few months—until her car accident brought him back into the picture.

In the ten-odd minutes after Ming Xi’s accident, Liang Jiancheng had mobilized his connections in Haigang. Before she even returned from Ning City, news of her accident had already spread through local circles. The road where it happened had surveillance cameras, and footage of the crash circulated as well—making her, already quite prominent, “go a little viral” again. Fortunately, in 2008 the internet wasn’t as far-reaching as it would later become; the news mostly spread among acquaintances rather than across the entire country with a single scroll.

Now, Qian Jingchen took out a jade pendant—a Buddha head that had been blessed—and said he hoped it would keep her safe for a lifetime.

Ming Xi was genuinely touched by the gesture, but still refused firmly. “I really can’t accept this. Even if I needed something like this, I couldn’t wear one that you gave me.”

“Do I really not have any chance at all? Even just starting as friends?” Qian Jingchen asked sincerely.

Ming Xi: …That sounded awfully familiar.

Of course she could give Young Master Qian a chance—after all, his surname was Qian (money)… the only problem was whether he’d give her a chance.

Just then, the waiter brought over the menu. Ming Xi glanced at the selection of coffees, smiled slightly, and asked in an even more earnest tone, “If I’m preparing for pregnancy, I shouldn’t be drinking coffee, right?”

Waiter: …She wasn’t really sure.

Qian Jingchen across the table: …Preparing for pregnancy? That escalated quickly.

After that, Ming Xi didn’t need to say anything more. She simply looked at him with a gentle smile—did he still want to be “friends”?

She politely returned the jade pendant he had offered.

When a man says he wants to start as friends, he rarely means just friendship.

Ming Xi knew this well—because Liang Jiancheng had once said the same thing to her.

After leaving the café, the ever-efficient Miss Ming stopped at the pharmacy on her way back and bought several bottles of folic acid supplements—for herself, and for men as well.

Miss Ming wasn’t short of money; she bought a whole bunch of different kinds, including supplements for Mr. Liang.

The pharmacy aunty said that men over thirty still need to take supplements.

Back home, Ming Xi waited for quite a while, but Liang Jiancheng didn’t show up.

She took the initiative to call him. The call connected quickly, and she naturally asked when he would come over—she had something important to discuss.

It was rare for Miss Ming to be so proactive, and equally rare for Mr. Liang to hesitate.

A pretentious, Liang-style response came from the receiver: “Miss Ming, have you forgotten? Our contract expires today.”

Then, Ming Xi: “…”

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