Tokyo: The story begins with a confession.

Page 220

As the vehicle gradually started moving, the scenery on both sides flashed by faster and faster.

Watching the high-speed train continuously increase its speed without the train swaying at all, Uesugi Kenichi couldn't help but sigh at how much the country was developing. In the last ten years or so, he could see the changes just from his hometown. In the past, the county town was full of dirt roads and every household lived in a single-story house. Now, every time he went back, he found that everything had changed drastically, and some places were even unrecognizable to him.

They've only been gone for a few months.

The economy has maintained an astonishing growth rate every year, its international status has been continuously improved, its military strength has been continuously enhanced, and its national self-confidence has been rebuilt.

Sometimes, watching various videos, a sense of pride as a Chinese person arises spontaneously.

The journey from Jiangcheng to Yuecheng, a distance of over 1,000 kilometers, takes nearly 4 hours.

It makes one feel a sense of awe.

At 4:25, Uesugi Kenichi arrived at Yuecheng High-Speed ​​Railway Station and made a phone call to his father.

The familiar call was hung up and then came back.

Hey Dad, I've arrived in Yuecheng. How do I get there from your place?

Lin Yi was startled upon hearing Uesugi Kenichi's words: "What? You really came? You're already in Yuecheng?"

"Yes, I've already gotten off the high-speed train," Uesugi Kenichi said with a smile.

Lin Yi was very happy to hear this, though he didn't say it. "Okay, here's what you do. Take a bus to Yuecheng Bus Station now. There's a direct bus to my place. Hurry up and go, or you'll miss it. I'll send you my location to your phone. Let me know when you're almost there and I'll come pick you up."

it is good.

By the way, what do you want to eat tonight?

Anything is fine.

How can you just do whatever you want? How about this, I'll go buy two pounds of shrimp and a pound of crab, and make some braised dishes, okay?

Okay, no problem.

Lin Yi sounded particularly happy: "Okay, then let me know when you get there."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Yi sent a location.

Wuyun Town, Hexi County.

· ·Requesting flowers· ········

Following Lin Yi's instructions, Uesugi Kenichi took a taxi to Yuecheng Bus Station.

While sitting in the car, Uesugi Kenichi curiously looked around at this city that was famous throughout the country.

The driver seemed to realize that Uesugi Kenichi was visiting Yuecheng for the first time and said, "Handsome, is this your first time in Yuecheng?"

Yes, it was his first time here. Uesugi Kenichi turned to look at the driver, a middle-aged man who looked to be around 40 years old with a thick beard.

The driver continued, "Then you'd better take a good look. Let me tell you, you absolutely must try the food here; I guarantee you'll never forget it."

The driver was probably worried that Kenichi Uesugi wouldn't understand, so he spoke Mandarin.

After chatting with the driver for a while, we arrived at Yuecheng Bus Station.

After asking at the ticket office and hearing that there was still one bus left to Hexi at this time, Uesugi Kenichi breathed a sigh of relief.

After buying his ticket and waiting in the waiting room for a while, Uesugi Kenichi boarded the bus.

There weren't many people on the bus; it was only about half full.

Kenichi Uesugi chose an empty spot and sat down by the window.

The bus started moving very soon.

As night fell, Uesugi Kenichi's thoughts also sank into the darkness.

Lin Yi's life can be described as full of ups and downs.

........ ....... 0

Speaking of which, Kenichi Uesugi remembers that his family was very wealthy when he was a child. In the 1990s, almost every household in the county town lived in a single-story house, but his family built a four-story mansion with a basement, right on the main road of the city.

This house was built in 95, and it cost a total of 29 RMB to build it that year!

In the 90s, 29 was a considerable sum of money in terms of purchasing power at that time.

That's enough to buy two apartments in Beijing.

After spending 29 yuan to build this house, Lin Yi still had several hundred thousand yuan in assets.

To paraphrase what Lin Yi later said to Uesugi Kenichi after drinking, "Your dad was one of the richest people in the county at the time."

Kenichi Uesugi also asked him curiously how he earned so much money back then.

Lin Yi said that at that time, he had contracted the entire county's passenger station, but he stopped operating it after the government took back the contracting rights.

In just a few years, he made a fortune.

When Lin Yi was young, he wasn't exactly a saint; he was always surrounded by a large group of people, which was a characteristic of that era.

In recent years, Lin Yi often pulled Uesugi Kenichi aside after drinking to tell him about his funny stories from the past.

He said that society was very chaotic back then, especially in small county towns where fights were rampant, and he was one of the worst offenders. Lin Yi laughed heartily as he said this, a hint of smugness in his voice.

Back then, when we played together, it wasn't about who had money, because nobody had any.

Lin Yi said that back then, when he and his friends went out to eat, what did they do? They dined and dashed!

For example, if I treat everyone to food and drinks today, and then everyone leaves, leaving only me, then how I handle things is my problem.

"Do you have money?" Uesugi Kenichi couldn't help but ask.

Lin Yi laughed and said, "What a joke! I'll just sit there and not ask for any money."

Then others would probably beat you up.

Let him hit us, we have no money anyway.

Uesugi Kenichi was stunned by what he heard.

Later, his family contracted a passenger station and became wealthy. After the house was built, he had a sum of money and took a group of friends out for meals and drinks.

In 98, he also opened a bar in the county town.

But back then, who in a small county town had the spare money to go to bars? He was the one who brought a group of friends there, and it didn't last long before the bar went out of business.

They then turned to contracting canteens, but at that time the profit margin for running a canteen was shockingly low.

However, Lin Yi's habit of spending money extravagantly is something he can't change.

My savings dwindled away.

Chapter 356

Later on, not only did he run out of money, but he also owed Uesugi Kenichi's aunt a sum of money.

During that time, Uesugi Kenichi vaguely remembered that his aunt came to his door every day asking for money, and his mother, Zhao Wanrou, even had several fierce arguments with his aunt.

But even debts owed between relatives must be repaid, and Uesugi Kenichi's aunt gave his father an idea.

Selling the house.

Selling the house will give you money.

Kenichi Uesugi's grandfather strongly disagreed with the sale of the house.

Later, Uesugi Kenichi didn't know what happened, and even now he hasn't inquired about the details.

Anyway, the house was sold. It was built in 95 for 29 yuan and sold in 03 for 25 yuan.

After the house was sold, Lin Yi's grandfather, in a fit of anger, took his grandmother back to their hometown.

He keeps more than 20 hives of bees, refusing to accept money from anyone, and supports himself.

After paying off his aunt's debt of 20,000 yuan, he spent another 60,000 to 70,000 yuan to buy a new apartment.

Also starting from 03, housing prices across the country began to skyrocket. His house, even in a county town today, would cost nearly 300 million yuan.

It was precisely because of this incident that Zhao Wanrou was so angry that she almost divorced Lin Yi.

I've gradually come to terms with it.

Kenichi Uesugi still remembers last year when his family went to his maternal grandmother's house to pay New Year's respects, and everyone drank too much at the dinner table.

His cousin Cheng Jun raised his glass to Lin Yi and said, "Of all this family, I admire Uncle Lin the most. He has experienced so many ups and downs in his life and he can still take it all in stride. I really admire his attitude towards life. Sometimes I put myself in his shoes and think that if it happened to me, I probably wouldn't have been able to handle it."

Lin Yi also raised his glass and laughed heartily: "Nephew, it's not that your uncle is easygoing, but there are some things you just can't help but be easygoing about. I can't just commit suicide, can I? Besides, I have two such good sons here. No matter how sad I am, I have to grit my teeth and persevere for their sake."

When Uesugi Kenichi heard Lin Yi's words while sitting at the dinner table, he couldn't help but shed tears.

After finishing his drink, Lin Yi sighed and turned to look at Uesugi Kenichi: "Xiaoyu, you've never caused your father any trouble since you were little. I hope you won't blame me. I'm just not destined to be rich in this life, otherwise my family wouldn't be in this state now."

Kenichi Uesugi covered his eyes with his hands and couldn't even speak, he just kept shaking his head.

He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he would burst into tears.

Cheng Jun seemed to realize he had said something wrong, so he poured himself another glass of wine: "Uncle Lin, don't worry, I don't believe you'll live like this forever. Life is still so long, who can say for sure?"

After saying that, he drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.

Kenichi Uesugi never blamed his parents; he only felt gratitude.

He knew that over the years, his father's seemingly cheerful face had concealed far too much bitterness within him.

His former friends, who used to follow him around all day, freeloading off him, now had money and started to disregard Lin Yi. One time, Lin Yi came home drunk, muttering and cursing under his breath. After waking up, he never mentioned it again.

It's just that I haven't seen him going out drinking with friends for a long time.

Some friends who still have a connection with him insisted on visiting him when they learned he was in Yuecheng, but he refused.

He's down on his luck now, and many people still want to visit him—that's a sign of respect for Lin Yi. If they came, I definitely wouldn't let them pay for my meal, and he has no money now. So, it's best if none of them come.

During this long period of time, Uesugi Kenichi had no idea how many times Lin Yi might have regretted his actions in private.

Fortunately, he has money now and he has the ability to make his father's life better again!

We've arrived at Wuyun Town. Anyone getting off? If so, hurry up and get off.

Uesugi Ken was jolted awake from his thoughts in an instant.

After checking the address Lin Yi had sent him on his phone and confirming that he hadn't misheard, he picked up his backpack and got off the bus.

"Hello, I've arrived. I just got off the bus." Uesugi Kenichi dialed the number.

"Is it under the Five Clouds?" Lin Yi asked.