Chapter Forty-Six: Journey to Gui'an in Pursuit of Wealth

Ping’an Village.

The fifth day of the Lunar New Year, 1990.

Lately, Lu Kun had been busy with the move to the county town. He hadn’t thought much of it before, but now, caught up in the bustle, he realized just how many things his family needed to bring along. “A broken home is worth a fortune,” they say, and indeed, there were countless old items, each with its own special meaning, impossible to discard or abandon.

The house in the city, along with the small supermarket on the ground floor, had been fully renovated. The shelves and goods were in place, everything was ready—the only thing left was to move in and open for business.

The transfer procedures for Da Ya and Er Ya were already settled. The headmaster of the private school, after a barrage of kind words and a generous red envelope from Lu Kun, readily issued them transfer certificates.

Yes, both children had been “forced” to skip grades again. Da Ya only started preschool at seven, and by eight, she was already in third grade. Er Ya was even more extraordinary—she began preschool before turning four, and after just half a year, she jumped straight to second grade.

Holding the stamped certificate from the headmaster, Lu Kun wiped imaginary sweat from his brow. Fortunately, household registration management wasn’t too strict yet; as long as he slightly exaggerated their ages on the family register, it would all seem much more reasonable.

At this time, attending school in the city was far more cost-effective than in the countryside. As long as all the paperwork and certificates were complete, there was no need to pay any of the rural school’s building or development fees—just tuition and miscellaneous charges, and the kids could go straight to school.

The news that Lu Kun’s entire family would be moving to Gui’an County suddenly spread through the village, stirring up the little mountain hamlet. In the village, it became the subject of lively discussion, both now and for a long time to come.

Among the neighbors and sisters-in-law, Lu Kun and his wife were praised to the skies.

“Kun was a boy my old man watched grow up. Even back then, you could tell he was different. I remember…”

There was never any shortage of armchair critics in the village. The former “anti-Lu faction” quickly transformed, becoming the vanguard of the “pro-Lu” camp. The harsher their past criticisms, the more thoroughly they now fawned.

There was no choice but to curry favor; everyone knew Lu Kun’s temperament. He was notorious for holding grudges—if you truly offended him, he might sneak onto your roof in the dead of night and hurl big stones, leaving a gaping hole.

Even those who felt envy dared not make trouble now; at most they cursed him quietly in their hearts for his boldness. He had always had the nerve for “speculative business,” and now he was shedding his muddy rural skin entirely, transforming himself into a city dweller.

The younger men, their hearts surging, looked at Lu Kun with admiration.

“What’s so great about farming? Real ability is making sure your wife and kids live well!”

…

Shi Tou, accompanied by his “Six Mighty Guardians,” came to see Lu Kun’s family off.

They all had families of their own, and moving to the city wasn’t something that could be done easily or quickly.

“You guys should settle things in the village soon and come find us in Gui’an,” Lu Kun said, patting Shi Tou, who had helped with the move, and looking at the other brothers.

“Don’t worry—on the road to prosperity, Shi Tou won’t fall behind,” Shi Tou replied, turning his palm into a fist and pressing it against Lu Kun’s shoulder.

Lu Kun took the driver’s seat, his wife and children beside him. The tractor roared out of Ping’an Village, heading west, leaving behind countless low, earthen houses with smoke curling from their chimneys.

…

Gui’an County.

Da Ya and Er Ya opened their wide, curious eyes, hardly believing that the beautiful house before them was their new home.

The park behind the house seemed almost like paradise—everything was fresh and fascinating, and many parents and children lingered there, reluctant to leave.

Ping’an Village and Gui’an County belonged to the same region, separated by only a few dozen miles, yet they seemed worlds apart.

“So… this is the city?” the two girls asked in awe.

They had once thought the tri-day market in Ping’an Village was the liveliest place imaginable. Later, after following Lu Kun to Ping’an Town, they discovered a daily marketplace, and believed it must be the most bustling spot in the world—surely, nowhere could be more prosperous than the town’s market.

But arriving in Gui’an County, they realized how shallow their definition of “prosperity” had been.

By 1990, Gui’an County already had the makings of a bustling city.

The pedestrians on the streets moved briskly, full of vitality—so different from the faces in the countryside, worn from struggling against despair.

Their steps were lively and proud, filled with anticipation for every new day.

…

On the supermarket’s first floor, the goods were already sorted and arranged, ready for business at any moment.

The second floor was the family’s living quarters, where Lu Kun’s household would reside for quite some time.

Television, refrigerator, washing machine, kettle… all sorts of appliances drew the children’s eager attention.

Lu Kun led his two daughters, brimming with curiosity about their new home, to see their bedroom.

“Wow…”

Their room had been decorated by Liu Liping, and judging by the girls’ exclamations, they were very pleased with it.

On the first day in their new home, tradition dictated that they must cook their first meal there.

Now that they were in the city, many things could be done without restraint.

Back in Ping’an Village, eating meat every day was enough to invite gossip; now, in their new home, there was no need to worry. Liu Liping prepared a table full of dishes, and the family gathered to celebrate their move.

…

Everyone was exhausted from the day’s work. Lu Kun helped his wife clear the dishes, while the excited children were sent off to bed by Liu Liping.

When all was done, it was still not yet half past nine. Lu Kun, unable to sleep, got up to check on his daughters.

He tiptoed, careful not to wake them if they were already asleep.

But, as it turned out, they were still awake, chatting in their room. Lu Kun pressed his ear to the door, listening in.

Er Ya: “Big sister, I want some peanuts.”

Da Ya: “Sure, let’s ask Dad to buy five-spice peanuts tomorrow.”

Er Ya: “…Huh?”

Da Ya: “What’s wrong? Don’t you want some?”

Er Ya: “I do, but five boxes… That’s too heavy. Let’s just get one box, okay?”

Da Ya: “…”

Lu Kun: “…”

What on earth were these two talking about?

Were they even on the same wavelength?

…

“Ahem… it’s about time for bed,” Lu Kun coughed gently outside the door, then called out.

The girls jumped, then quickly quieted down.

…

“On life’s Long March, at last I’ve taken the first step,” Lu Kun sighed to himself. “No matter how many hardships lie ahead, I’ll keep forging on, determined to carve out a path to greatness.”

Name: Lu Kun

Capital: One million

Ambition: Like the great roc soaring with the wind, rising nine thousand leagues in a day