Epiphanies of Rebirth (重生之豁然)

Chapter 25.2

The news about Shen City Stock Exchange's popularity boom reached even Liyun Town.

However, in this era, most ordinary people had little interest in such matters. Though they might exclaim in shock or wonder, for them, the stock market was a strange world full of pitfalls—it was fine to observe from the distance, but it was best not to get involved.

Lin Jingzhe usually didn't read newspapers, so it was only a month later when a front-page article caught his eye. By then, the value of Aeon Technology's stock had increased several times, and his 500,000 yuan turned into over 2 million.

Lin Jingzhe glanced through the newspaper and put it down. Strangely, this news caused barely a ripple in his heart—finishing packing his luggage seemed much more important.

Today, Zhou Haitang's father had asked for leave and didn't go to the factory. He sat at a table with Deng Mai's father, Deng Feng, smoking the cigarettes Lin Jingzhe had brought from Shen City. They sucked on their cigarettes cautiously and reverently, careful to not waste even a bit of smoke.

Deng Fengshou squinted at the newspaper. He normally paid no attention to the world outside of Liyun Town and his organization, so he was quite surprised. "Hey, it seems that the country is starting to promote capitalism."

Father Zhou shook his head. "Some people from Liyun Town also went—I know of two coal plant workers. When the factory heard about it, they were directly fired. You tell me, should they really have done that? Now they are jobless."

Deng Fengshou sobered up. "Yes, we should keep our feet on the ground, work steadily and make solid progress, not give in to flights of fancy. Otherwise, it could all be for nothing!"

Gao Sheng and Zhou Haitang, who was folding their clothes, exchanged looks. Then, along with Deng Mai, they glanced over at Lin Jingzhe.

Lin Jingzhe met their stares with a poker face, silently warning them to not say anything. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of somebody's figure and quickly turned in that direction, smiling courteously. "Auntie Zhou."

"Ah!" Mother Zhou came in holding a few jars. She kindly said, "Last time, didn't you say that my pickled eggplant was delicious? I especially pickled some nice and ripe eggplants for you to bring to school. No, don't pack it, it's heavy—I'll put it in Haitang's luggage. After you arrive, let him help you move your things to the university dorm."

As she spoke, she stuffed Zhou Haitang's bag with jars of pickled eggplant, pickled radish, pickled bamboo shoots... She seemed to be afraid that the children wouldn't eat well in Yan City, and had been busy as a bee, preparing long-lasting food.

Hu Yu and Mother Deng were looking through old newspapers, doing research. From time to time, an exclamation would sound—

"Minus twenty degrees Celsius? How cold is that? Winter in Yan City is too terrible—what was the lowest temperature we had here last winter?"
[T/N: -20 °C = -4 °F; -5 °C = 23 °F]

"Five below zero? Anyway, it was cold enough. Is there a big difference between minus five and minus twenty?"

Unable to endure, Deng Fengshou said to his wife, "Do you even need to ask? It's fifteen degrees. In summer, is there a big difference between twenty degrees and thirty-five?"

Mother Deng took out the cotton-padded jacket she'd just packed and examined it. "Then this won't be thick enough..." she said anxiously.

"Just give them money and let them buy more clothes in Yan City!" Father Zhou turned to Mother Zhou and patted the table. "All right, stop stuffing the bag, it's almost splitting at the seams! Why don't you put in a briquette stove as well?"