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Chapter 58: Creating Opportunities
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If Lin Xiaobo were a girl, you’d have made him my wife by now.
─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───
The saying goes, "Family scandals should not be spread outside."
Gu Wuyi didn’t consider Wang Genbao as family, so he told Lin Xiaobo who Wang Genbao was and what he had done in the past.
Lin Xiaobo nodded knowingly.
Gu Wuyi was surprised. "You know?"
Lin Xiaobo suddenly felt a little embarrassed and clenched his hands uneasily. "Your grandma Qin mentioned it. She talked about it while chatting with my dad when he was learning how to grow watermelons. It happened to be a Sunday that day, and I was also in the greenhouse helping out."
Gu Wuyi couldn't help but say, "You should’ve said so earlier."
Lin Xiaobo thought to himself, You didn’t even ask if I knew Wang Genbao.
"Your grandma Qin also said that after that incident, your aunt never came back?"
Gu Wuyi nodded. "She won’t come back in the future either. I heard Wang Genbao is getting richer and richer."
This was something Lin Xiaobo hadn’t heard from Aunt Qin. "He’s not selling clothes anymore?"
"My grandpa Dashan said his little daughter is old enough for kindergarten now. Qin Ying sends her to school while she manages the store, and Wang Genbao helps factories in the south recruit workers. He used to travel there every year to restock goods, so he got familiar with the people. Now, he introduces workers to the factories for free, and the workers pay him instead. As long as they sign long-term contracts with the factories, he gets a basic monthly salary."
Lin Xiaobo took a sharp breath. "He really knows how to do business."
Gu Wuyi nodded. "My dad says he’s only good at shady, opportunistic deals."
"Do the factories know about this?" Lin Xiaobo asked curiously.
Gu Wuyi nodded. "There are a lot of factories in the south, but there aren’t enough local workers, so they have to hire people from other provinces. Our people are afraid of being scammed when they go south, and the factory owners—who are mostly locals—are also wary of hiring outsiders. They often end up with unreliable workers. Whether they know or not, as long as they need labor, they turn a blind eye."
Lin Xiaobo nodded. "That makes sense."
There was a time when his sister wanted to go south to work, but their father wouldn’t allow it—he was afraid she’d be tricked in an unfamiliar place.
"But my dad said he won’t be able to do this for long."
Lin Xiaobo said, "He can do this, but so can the workers he introduces. If they bring their relatives in, they definitely won’t charge them that fee."
"Exactly!" Gu Wuyi nodded.
Lin Xiaobo shook his head. "But even if he can only do it for two years, he’ll have enough startup capital. He won’t have to worry about doing something else in the future."
Hearing this, Gu Wuyi felt uncomfortable.
If it weren’t for his dad mentioning going south to restock goods, or for Qingyun and Lingyun using their knowledge from their past life to tell him where development was booming, where goods were plentiful, and which factories were more regulated and treated all wholesalers equally, Wang Genbao’s path to the south wouldn’t have been so smooth. He might have even died along the way.
Noticing Gu Wuyi’s dark expression, Lin Xiaobo quickly explained, "I was just saying. Besides, someone like him wouldn’t follow the rules no matter what he does. My dad always says, ‘If you walk by the river often, your shoes will eventually get wet.’ The higher you climb, the harder you fall."
Gu Wuyi thought about how, in his past life, he had suffered huge losses. Even after becoming more cautious, he still got schemed against—all because he lacked education. Wang Genbao was just like his past self, but even worse—he never learned from his mistakes. "You’re right. Are you sleepy?"
Lin Xiaobo wasn’t sleepy, but he was exhausted.
He had biked nearly ten miles through wind and rain with Gu Wuyi on the back, and his legs were still weak. "What time do you guys usually sleep?"
Gu Wuyi: "Normally before 9:30. On weekends, like tomorrow, maybe 10 or 11. We wake up around 6 or 7 in the morning."
"6 or 7?" Lin Xiaobo exclaimed.
That late?
Gu Wuyi nodded. "Usually, it’s around 5. On weekends, my dad and I turn off the alarm. As for the other four, I’m not sure." Then he added, "If you’re going to sleep, I’ll go downstairs and watch TV for a bit."
"Then go ahead," Lin Xiaobo said immediately.
Gu Wuyi immediately realized that Lin Xiaobo was exhausted, so he closed the door for him.
However, Lin Xiaobo didn’t sleep. Instead, he tried reading One Hundred Years of Solitude.
Noticing a dictionary on the desk, he grabbed it and looked up unfamiliar words as he read.
He got so engrossed in the book that he didn’t even notice when Qin Feng and his son came upstairs.
Eventually, his eyes grew sore, forcing him to stop. It wasn’t until he heard the clock downstairs chime eleven times that he finally turned off the light and went to sleep.
The next morning, he opened his eyes, turned to look at the alarm clock on the desk, and suddenly sat up.
—It was already seven o’clock!
Hurriedly, he threw on Gu Wuyi’s sportswear, slipped on his shoes, and rushed downstairs.
Hearing the noise, Qin Feng looked over and greeted him with a smile, “Awake?”
Lin Xiaobo’s face instantly turned red.
Seeing this, Qin Feng’s smile faded, and he called out, “Xiaoda!”
Gu Wuyi walked in.
Qin Feng said, “Take Xiaobo to the public restroom. Come back, wash up, and eat breakfast.”
Lin Xiaobo felt even more embarrassed. “Why didn’t you guys… eat first?”
Qin Feng immediately understood his misunderstanding. “I would’ve liked to, but there are still four lazybones who haven’t woken up yet.”
Lin Xiaobo blinked in surprise. Had he misheard?
Gu Wuyi handed him an umbrella. “After you fell asleep, the four of them were downstairs playing mahjong until past ten.”
Lin Xiaobo couldn’t help but rub his head. If he heard correctly, it was “the four of them”… “Miaomiao?”
Gu Wuyi nodded.
Lin Xiaobo was completely stunned and couldn’t help but turn to Qin Feng.
Qin Feng said, “If you want to learn, I can teach you later. Better to be familiar with it now than to start playing with money later and lose control.”
Lin Xiaobo instantly understood why he allowed Miaomiao to play mahjong. “Thank you, Uncle Qin, but I’m not interested in that kind of thing.” He hesitated, feeling a bit awkward, then cleared his throat and asked, “Can I borrow your One Hundred Years of Solitude?”
Qin Feng was surprised. “Of course. But if I remember correctly, it's in English?”
“I also wanted to borrow Wuyi’s English dictionary,” Lin Xiaobo said, glancing at Gu Wuyi.
Gu Wuyi nodded. “Let’s go.”
With the matter that had been on his mind all night settled, Lin Xiaobo suddenly felt much more at ease.
Qin Feng watched him walk out with Gu Wuyi, his steps light and energetic, and couldn’t help but think, This kid is really something.
Then, he suddenly remembered the question Lin Xiaobo had asked him yesterday.
Retracting his steps from the kitchen, Qin Feng turned around, went upstairs to grab a pen and a sheet of paper, and took the opportunity to wake up the four “lazybones.”
The four brothers, instead of rushing to the public restroom, simply handled their business in their own bathroom at home.
By the time Gu Wuyi and Lin Xiaobo returned, they were already brushing their teeth.
Qin Feng handed Lin Xiaobo a brand-new toothbrush. “If you want, you can leave it here for next time, or take it home. I have plenty—gifts from people who hosted me when I traveled for work.”
After brushing his teeth, Lin Xiaobo carefully wrapped the toothbrush in a piece of paper.
Meanwhile, Qin Feng went to serve breakfast.
The meal was similar to what Lin Xiaobo had at home—steamed buns, porridge, salted duck eggs, and pickled vegetables. However, there was one small difference: the Qin family’s table also had two plates of cake.
To make sure Lin Xiaobo didn’t feel uncomfortable, Qin Feng placed a few pieces onto a plate and set it in front of him.
Lin Xiaobo hurriedly said, “One piece is enough.”
“It’s homemade, with no preservatives. If we don’t finish it in a couple of days, it’ll go bad,” Qin Feng said, noticing Miaomiao holding a piece in each hand. He cleared his throat.
The boy met his gaze, immediately put one piece down, and picked up a spoon to drink his porridge instead.
Qin Feng was satisfied.
Once everyone had taken a piece, the boy finally dared to reach for a second one—but not before sneaking a glance at his father’s expression.
Qin Feng gave a slight nod. “Eat slowly.”
“I know, cake can be a bit dry,” the boy said, taking small bites. “Dad, it’s still raining outside. How will Brother Xiaobo get home?”
Qin Feng replied, “He’ll ride with his brother. His brother just called and said he’s heading to Binhai Grand Hotel to make a delivery.”
Lin Xiaobo nodded. “Our family’s farm tricycle has a canopy in the front. Now that the rain has lightened up, I don’t even need to wear a raincoat.”
“That’s great,” Miaomiao said as he stuffed the last bite of cake into his mouth—only to immediately glance back at the table.
Qin Feng handed him another piece. “This should be enough, right?”
Since even their guest, Lin Xiaobo, had only taken three pieces, the boy was satisfied.
Qin Feng then said, “Once you’re done eating, go to your grandfather’s house.”
The boy nearly choked on his cake.
Qin Feng raised an eyebrow.
—Any objections?
The boy dared not object. After breakfast, he obediently went back to the village to practice his suona.
Qin Feng assigned his second and fourth sons to scrub the pots and wash the dishes while he introduced the two high school students to various university majors, analyzing their employment prospects—not only in scientific research institutions but also in the public security, prosecution, and judicial systems. He also discussed future industry trends, such as the rise of computer science.
When Gu Wuyi heard the words “computer science,” his heart tightened for a moment. Could his father be like them?
But then he immediately dismissed the thought.
It was impossible.
His father was a PhD graduate from abroad—if he didn’t know about computers, that would be strange.
Besides, his father stood at the peak of society.
“Dad, you really know so much,” Gu Wuyi said sincerely.
Lin Xiaobo nodded in agreement.
Qin Feng chuckled. “When you’ve worked for as many years as I have, you’ll look back on today and think I only knew a fraction of the bigger picture.”
Gu Wuyi shook his head. “By then, you’ll definitely know even more than we do.”
“Exactly!” Lin Xiaobo echoed.
Qin Feng handed Lin Xiaobo a piece of paper filled with different majors. “Take your time and think about it. If you want to make money, go for computer science or business management. If you have the patience for solitude, don’t want to move around too much, and prefer stable working conditions—rather than running experiments in deserts and remote islands every other month—but still want to join a prestigious institution, consider aerospace-related fields or military engineering universities.”
The two high school students nodded seriously.
Qin Feng quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
He had long wanted to subtly guide Gu Wuyi toward applying to an engineering university in Northeast China. First, because it was far from the capital—where, according to the book, Gu Wuyi had met his downfall. Second, because military engineering schools were strictly managed, and top students were highly valued. Once he graduated and joined an organization, even Qin Feng himself might not be able to locate him—let alone that couple who had long since obtained foreign citizenship.
Unfortunately, he had never found the right opportunity to bring it up—mentioning it out of nowhere would have seemed too abrupt, and Gu Wuyi might have even misunderstood it as another letter from that couple.
Luckily, the rain had given him an excuse to keep them around.
Qin Feng worried that Gu Wuyi might find research too demanding and poorly paid. "Wuyi, whatever you choose to do, Dad will support you. Our family doesn’t need you to make money."
"What about me?" Gu Xiao'er walked out of the kitchen, holding a dishwashing rag.
Qin Feng paused for a moment, deep in thought.
"Dad!" Gu Xiao'er raised his voice impatiently.
Qin Feng said, "With your fiery temper, I need to find a school that can rein you in a bit."
Gu Xiao'er's expression changed slightly.
Gu Wuyi almost laughed. "I know just the right school."
Qin Feng raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
Gu Wuyi smirked. "Military academy. Where obedience is the highest duty."
"What a coincidence—I was thinking the same thing." In the novel, Gu Qingkuang had been forced to leave the military because he refused to follow orders. As for the exact reason, the book didn’t go into much detail—he wasn’t the protagonist, after all—but it likely had something to do with the downfall of Gu Wuyi’s company.
To make the plot more believable, the author had written that Gu Qingkuang regretted joining the military the moment he enlisted.
Qin Feng figured that part was probably true. Gu Qingkuang had wanted to help his older brother, since they had relied on each other for years. At the time, Gu Wuyi had already lost a kidney.
But now that Gu Qingkuang no longer had to worry about his brother, Qin Feng was curious to see what he would choose. He also wanted to keep him away from his biological parents. "Xiao'er, what do you think?"
Gu Xiao'er shot him a glare. "You’ve already decided for me—does what I think even matter?"
Qin Feng understood and couldn’t help but smile a little. "It’s your life, after all. I can’t live it for you."
Gu Xiao'er glared at him again, then turned back to the kitchen to finish washing the dishes.
Listening to the clatter of pots and bowls, Qin Feng said to Gu Wuyi, "If Xiao'er ever joins the military, he absolutely cannot be assigned to logistics—especially the cooking unit. Otherwise, the army will have to buy new bowls every day."
“Dad!” Gu Xiao’er stormed out, fuming. “That’s enough!”
Qin Feng raised a hand. “Alright, I won’t say anything more.” Then he turned to Lin Xiaobo. “Pack up your things. I think your brother should be here soon.”
Lin Xiaobo glanced at the clock on the wall—it was almost nine. The restaurant should be preparing for lunch soon. “Uncle Qin, about these clothes…?”
“Just wear them. Wash them later and give them to Wuyi.”
Lin Xiaobo turned to Gu Wuyi. “Should I return them to you when we’re back at school?”
“Either way is fine. I have plenty of clothes, and I won’t be wearing them anytime soon.”
Hearing this, Lin Xiaobo felt relieved. He no longer felt pressured by the fact that the clothes looked new.
In reality, the tracksuit he was wearing was new.
Before the school year started, Qin Feng had taken the kids shopping, buying each of them a set.
At No. 1 High School, the dress code was strict, and Gu Wuyi could only wear his school uniform. As a result, he had only worn this tracksuit once.
Lin Xiaobo mostly wore his older brother’s hand-me-downs. When working in the fields at home, he even wore his father’s clothes. Because of this, he never really paid attention to the difference between brand-new clothes and slightly worn ones.
At home, it was usually his sister-in-law who handled buying clothes. When she saw the fresh fold lines on the tracksuit, she couldn’t help but praise Qin Feng in front of her in-laws, saying what a kind person he was. This made Lin Xiaobo both nervous and uneasy.
Old Farmer Lin, seeing that the tracksuit fit his son well and made him look like a city kid, gave his daughter-in-law some money. He told her to buy another set for Gu Wuyi when they took Lin Xiaobo back to school.
Since Lin Xiaobo was a top student, his brother and sister-in-law had high hopes that he would bring honor to the family. They didn’t see this as favoritism but as an investment in his future.
At the mall, they spotted a pair of shoes that matched the outfit well. Without hesitation, they decided to buy them for him.
When Lin Xiaobo saw the shoe design clearly, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Gu Wuyi has the exact same pair!”
Lin Xiaobo’s older brother and sister-in-law were surprised and exchanged glances.
— Engineer Qin is really someone worth associating with!
When they got home, the young couple told Old Farmer Lin about it.
Old Lin asked in return, “So you finally believe that Engineer Qin is a good man?”
Lin Xiaobo’s brother couldn’t help but say, “But I never expected him to treat his adopted son like his own flesh and blood. And to be so fair to everyone.”
“That’s why you’re stuck farming with me, while he’s a PhD graduate.”
At those words, Lin Xiaobo’s brother had nothing to say.
The next morning, when delivering the freshest vegetables to the restaurant, Lin Xiaobo’s brother deliberately stopped by the residential complex of the Northern Factory. He handed a package of vegetables to the gatekeeper and asked him to pass it on to Qin Feng.
By noon, when Qin Feng was leaving for the village to have lunch, the gatekeeper grinned and joked, “Engineer Qin, someone sent you a gift.”
At those words, everyone around—factory director, workers, and all—immediately turned their attention to Qin Feng.
Qin Feng chuckled, “I just work with iron and steel. I don’t deal with businessmen, nor do I mingle with officials. Even if someone wanted to give me a gift, what could they possibly send?”
The crowd thought about it and found his words reasonable.
The factory director, curious about the situation, strolled over and said, “Then open it and let me see.”
Qin Feng, with nothing to hide, opened the package right away.
When the director saw the fresh, vibrant vegetables, he was speechless for a moment before laughing. “What kind of friends do you have?”
“Yesterday, one of Wuyi’s schoolmates stayed over at my place. This must be a thank-you gift from his family,” Qin Feng said, then looked over at the gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper gave him a big thumbs-up.
The factory director couldn’t help but pat Qin Feng on the shoulder.
— Not bad, still the same as ever—never lost sight of his principles!
Qin Feng: “So, can I go home now?”
The director waved him off.
When Qin Feng got home, he handed the vegetables to his parents.
Madam Zhou sighed, “The Lin family seems like good people.” Before her son could respond, she asked, “That Lin Xiaobo—isn’t he two years ahead of Wuyi in school?”
Qin Feng nodded.
Old Man Qin added, “It’d be great if they ended up studying the same major. Having someone to look out for him would put your mother and me at ease.”
At this moment, Gu Xiao’er and the others had returned and were washing their hands, preparing for lunch.
Hearing this, Gu Xiao’er couldn’t help but say, “Big Bro isn’t a little kid anymore—what’s there to worry about?”
Old Man Qin shook his head. “There aren’t many top universities in our province. If he scores well, he’ll have to go out of town. He’ll be thousands of miles away, all alone. Your brother’s always been sensible—he wouldn’t want us to worry, so he’d probably keep any troubles to himself. If something happened to him, we wouldn’t even know.”
Hearing this, Gu Xiao’er couldn’t help but feel concerned—his brother did have a habit of hiding bad news.
In the past, he was too trusting—if someone showed him a little kindness, he’d give them his whole heart. Who knew if he had changed in this life?
As for Lin Xiaobo, Gu Xiao’er didn’t know much about him. But in their past life, if the provincial governor had taken a liking to him and he had steadily risen through the ranks, even being sent for field experience in local government, his character and conduct had to be solid.
Gu Xiao’er said, “Lin Xiaobo seems to admire Dad a lot. Maybe Dad can talk to him more?”
The old couple immediately turned to Qin Feng.
Qin Feng chuckled. “Even if I wanted to, I’d still need an opportunity to do so.”
Madam Zhou couldn’t help but say, “That’s easy. Next time your aunt comes over, we’ll have her talk to the Lin family. Whenever it rains or snows, Lin Xiaobo can come stay at your place. Winter isn’t far off, but there’s still a long way to go before winter break—plenty of opportunities.”
Qin Feng was hungry and helplessly nodded. “Fine, as long as the heavens cooperate.”
Even if the heavens didn’t, his mother’s determination was unstoppable.
Since there was no direct bus from the city to Lin Xiaobo’s home, he always rode his bike to school.
Madam Zhou casually gathered information about Lin Xiaobo and learned from Miaomiao that he commuted by bike. So, she told Lin Xiaobo to leave his bike at Qin Feng’s house and take the bus to school with Gu Wuyi instead.
If it snowed on the way, she made sure Lin Xiaobo stayed the night before heading home.
By the time winter break arrived, Lin Xiaobo had stayed at Qin Feng’s house at least five times. He no longer even packed up his toothbrush to take home.
On the first day of winter break, at noon, Qin Feng brought a few kids back to the village for lunch. Madam Zhou immediately pulled him aside and whispered, “I’ve given you plenty of chances, haven’t I?”
Qin Feng was truly impressed by his mother. “If Lin Xiaobo were a girl, you’d have made him my wife by now.”
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