Her eldest uncle’s voice immediately cracked as he spoke, “Xiaohua, why did you come so late? Are you short on money?”
Before Yang Tiehua could even respond, he had already started rummaging through his pockets. He pulled out fifty yuan and stuffed it into her hand. “Xiaohua, your uncle still has fifty yuan here. Take it first. If it’s not enough, I’ll go home and ask your aunt for more.”
Yang Tiehua could hardly believe her ears.
Although she knew the original host’s relatives doted on her, she had never expected this level of indulgence to completely refresh her understanding.
Fifty yuan was a large sum in these times, yet her eldest uncle had handed it over without the slightest hesitation, and she had not even said a single word.
Yang Tiehua quickly pushed the money back into his hand. “Uncle, I’m not here to ask you for money. I brought you food. Dad said you were still working overtime here, so I came over.”
Hearing this, her uncle was pleasantly surprised. “Oh my, our Tiehua has grown up. She even knows how to bring food to her uncle now.”
As he spoke, he set aside the documents in his hand, took out the lunchbox, and opened it. The moment he saw the fragrant pig’s trotters and braised pork inside, he inhaled deeply. “Ah, this smells amazing. Your uncle has been hungry all day. Our Tiehua is really filial, unlike your older cousin, who only knows how to play soccer all day and can’t do anything else.”
“Uncle, hurry and eat first. You can work after you’re done.”
Yang Tiehua handed him the chopsticks.
Her uncle did not stand during the ceremony and immediately started eating, while Yang Tiehua stood to the side, glancing at the documents on his desk. “Uncle, what are you trying to do? Why do you need to look through so many files?”
Perhaps because he had been troubled for too long, once she asked, he could not help but complain. “Tiehua, you know the sugar factory hasn’t been doing well lately. I’m thinking of transforming the business, so I’ve been researching some related raw materials.”
“What kind of transformation are you planning?” Yang Tiehua asked, taking the opportunity.
“I’ve noticed that leather exports are very promising right now, so I want to switch to opening a leather factory,” her uncle explained.
“Leather is great. It can be used for so many things, not just sofas, but also bags, shoes, and belts. Oh right, Uncle, when I went to buy clothes before, I heard a shop owner who had returned from Hong Kong mention that there’s something called a two-wheeled motorcycle, and its seat is also made of leather. So many products require leather. Uncle, your decision to transform into a leather factory will definitely succeed.”
After doing so much research, many people had doubted him, yet he never expected that his seemingly lazy niece would be the first to support him.
Her uncle said excitedly, “Tiehua, I didn’t expect you to know so much about leather. When you were out shopping, what else did you hear? Tell your uncle everything. It might help solve the problems I’m facing.”
Even as he said this, he laughed at himself.
Had he gone mad, placing his hopes on a lazy niece?
“Yes, Uncle. I once heard a college student from Yangcheng complaining that his advisor was unreliable and insisted they research something called PU resin. That student said foreign technology for PU resin was already so advanced, so why not just import it directly? Why waste money and effort researching it ourselves?
But Uncle, even though I don’t understand what PU resin is, I think what that student said is wrong. If we rely entirely on imports, what happens if one day they refuse to sell it to us? Where would we get those raw materials then?”
Yang Tiehua’s words struck her uncle like a sudden enlightenment.
That’s right. How could they rely on imported raw materials?
Wouldn’t that mean letting others control their lifeline?
At that moment, her uncle was so excited that he forgot about eating altogether. He grabbed Yang Tiehua’s hand. “Xiaohua, thank you. You’ve really helped your uncle again.
How about this, tomorrow no, right now, go back and pack your things. Tomorrow, your uncle will take you to Yangcheng to have some fun, alright?”
He felt that his niece was truly his lucky star.
She had helped him with the matter in Shenjia Village before, and now, with just a few words, she had resolved a problem that had troubled him for so long.
So this time, he absolutely had to bring this little lucky star with him to Yangcheng.
Yang Tiehua had not expected that just a few casual remarks would lead to her uncle taking her along to Yangcheng.
Of course she was delighted at the chance to go.
After all, even the provincial capital was already quite prosperous at this time. In the flourishing era of the 1980s, she believed that a trip there would surely bring great gains.
“Uncle, can you take Ziheng and me along? I want to bring Ziheng to the provincial capital to have his leg checked.”
Although Mother Fu had said the local hospital could treat Fu Ziheng’s leg, she still felt uneasy. A major hospital in the provincial capital would be more reliable.
Her uncle agreed without hesitation. “Of course, no problem. Go back now and pack your things with him. I’ll come pick you up early tomorrow morning.”
Yang Tiehua had not expected such a huge reward from this visit. She was overjoyed. “Alright, Uncle. Then hurry and eat, and go back early to rest after you’re done. I’ll wait for you to pick me up tomorrow.”
With that, she skipped out happily.
When she reached the entrance, she saw her father and older brother waiting for her.
Hearing her footsteps, both of them turned toward her at the same time, even speaking in unison, “Daughter/Little sister, you’re out. Dad/Big brother will take you home.”
Smiling brightly, Yang Tiehua walked over and slipped between them, linking one arm with her father and the other with her brother. Cheerfully, she said, “Dad, Big brother, Uncle said he’s taking me to Yangcheng tomorrow. What gifts do you want? I’ll bring them back for you.”
Hearing this, Yang Jiujin and Yang Tiechu were both stunned.
Yang Jiujin, a little worried, tried to persuade her, “Tiehua, be good. Your uncle has been very busy lately. For the factory’s matters, he’s been working overtime almost every night. If you want to go to the provincial capital, wait until your mother comes back and have her take you. Let’s not trouble your uncle for now, alright?”
Yang Tiehua smiled. “Dad, don’t worry. It’s not that I insisted on going. Uncle was the one who said he wanted to take me. He said I’m his lucky star, and this time, no matter what, he has to bring me along to Yangcheng.”
Hearing this, a smile immediately spread across Yang Jiujin’s face. “So that’s how it is. Then go and have fun with your uncle. I’ll give you some money when we get home. Buy whatever you like, don’t hold back. If it’s not enough, just borrow some from your uncle first. When I get my salary, I’ll pay him back.”