Chapter 112: A Nostalgic Project (A New Week, Please Support with Recommendation Votes!)

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"Mayor Lang, Director Zhang, I don’t quite agree with this high school student’s view. Building an elevated bridge has three drawbacks: first, the cost is high; second, the difficulty is great; and third, it will affect the quaint style of Zhongshan Road!” Guo Tao from the Planning Department rebutted loudly.

“The cost is something we will consider. Your Planning Department just needs to propose ideas. The construction difficulty is the contractor’s concern. Whether it affects the original appearance of Zhongshan Road—that is what you should truly be concerned about. Do you even understand where your responsibilities lie?” Lang Ping’s voice lowered sharply in reprimand.

The planners felt somewhat frustrated. The elevated bridge was indeed a pioneering project, but if it really went ahead, they would have to work from dawn till dusk on the planning.

“Yang Tian, continue!” Zhang Siguo called to Yang Tian not far away.

“Actually, the design difficulty of the elevated bridge isn’t high. It just needs to span east to west, connecting the commercial and industrial zone in the east with the railway in the west. The Jingjiu Railway passes through Binhai, but Binhai hasn’t flourished because the commercial production area is too far from the railway. If the elevated bridge is built, it will not only alleviate the traffic congestion on Zhongshan Road but also accelerate Binhai’s development! Of course, the pillars supporting the elevated bridge will be embedded along Zhongshan Road, which will affect its original appearance to some extent. But I have an idea: we can design the pillars with decorative packaging, considering color, patterns, and surrounding plants, so these pillars will look antiquated and charming!” Yang Tian spoke calmly. The room fell silent, but most people nodded repeatedly.

“Good insight. Binhai City needs such a major transformation! Old Zhang, have your Planning Department immediately produce a plan for the elevated bridge. If they can’t, I’ll disband your department and bring in experts from Beijing to help!” Lang Ping’s tone turned serious, then he began to make decisions. “As for the packaging of Zhongshan Road, Yang Tian, you’re currently working on greening and planting, right? Then take on this nostalgic project as well; strive to make Zhongshan Road a landmark tourist attraction in Binhai once again!”

“Mayor Lang, I can handle the packaging, but it might cost a lot of money!” Yang Tian smiled bitterly.

“Haha, you’re not modest at all! Don’t worry, since the city is ready to do something big, there won’t be any shortage of funds. Just go ahead with it!” Lang Ping laughed heartily.

Sure enough, before October 1, 1998, the elevated bridge in Binhai City broke ground, and at the same time, Yang Tian’s nostalgic project commenced.

Every day during breaks, he would draw plans, designing the packaging for every blade of grass and tree on Zhongshan Road, down to each street, alley, and every small tree in front of buildings.

The early buildings were mostly red brick, giving a vibrant look, and the greenery along the streets consisted mainly of Chinese pine, red pine, locust trees, ginkgo, and poplar.

Thus, Yang Tian put the fields he had contracted in Dayushu Village to good use. The entire greening of Zhongshan Road required over two thousand plants. The plan was to complete it by the end of the next year, so it was still timely to start cultivation now.

The pillars for the elevated bridge hadn’t even been erected yet, and their decorative work would also wait until next year. What he needed to do now was to produce the overall plan and coordinate some appropriate repairs to the buildings on either side of Zhongshan Road.

The whole city of Binhai was stirred by the construction of the elevated bridge. It was a huge symbol of Binhai’s leap forward.

Weekend. At Yang Tian’s family dining table.

Yang Tian and Yang Xueling had both returned home. Yang Bao and his wife were particularly pleased and prepared a table full of delicious dishes. Business at the textile factory wasn’t very good, so they were not very busy, especially on weekends.

“Come, Xiao Tian, Xueling, eat more. School food isn’t great; you two need to come back often to replenish your nutrition!” Li Xiuying said with concern. She had been in Binhai for two or three months and was slowly adapting to life here.

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Yang Tian just nodded, while Yang Xueling cheered loudly. Most high school students would frown constantly due to increasing academic pressure, but she was getting happier and happier. The reason was simple: first, she had moved to live with Yang Tian and Huang Juan, so life was no longer so monotonous. Second, whenever she encountered difficulties in her studies, Yang Tian and Huang Juan would help her, so she had no pressure and could enjoy life happily every day.

“Ah, this elevated bridge is great! From now on, Binhai will have an elevated bridge!” Yang Bao, reading the newspaper, laughed loudly. Recently, the major media in Binhai had been competing to report on the elevated bridge, after all, it was a big event for the people of Binhai.

“Dad, do you know who the high school student proposing the elevated bridge is?” Yang Xueling grinned mischievously. She had already heard outside that the one who suggested building the elevated bridge to ease traffic and accelerate Binhai’s economic development was her brother.

“Who is it?” Yang Bao, working all day at the textile factory, naturally didn’t know much about outside affairs.

“It’s brother! Now Mayor Lang even wants him to be in charge of the nostalgic renovation project for Zhongshan Road!” Yang Xueling smiled sweetly. All the classmates at school were praising Yang Tian, and she felt very proud.

“You brat, stop talking nonsense! Who’s your brother? He knows Mayor Lang? And a nostalgic project? Those things are done by experts. Is your brother better than experts?” Li Xiuying patted Yang Xueling’s head and laughed.

“Mom, Dad, I’m serious! Please believe me!” Yang Xueling looked innocent, while Yang Tian smiled quietly.

Saturday, Yang Tian rested at home for the whole day. On Sunday, he went to Dayushu Village to check on the seedling cultivation. With Zhang Siguo’s help, he bought large quantities of Chinese pine, red pine, locust, poplar, and ginkgo, and began careful cultivation.

Huang Juan came with him. The little girl was instantly excited when she saw the surroundings of Dayushu Village filled with neat rows of young trees.

Poplars were planted along both banks of the Bailang River. Nearby hills were covered with Chinese and red pines. Around Dayushu Village grew locust and ginkgo, making the place look like a budding garden—especially beautiful.

The familiar neighbors were all tending the saplings in the garden. Upon seeing Yang Tian, they all respectfully waved—he was now their big boss.

By the Bailang River, Huang Juan was already dripping with sweat. Like when she was a child, she sat by the river to wash up and played joyfully.

“Xiao Tian, these Chinese pines are already so tall, do they still need to be planted?” Huang Juan walked quietly among the pines, often looking back with a smile to ask Yang Tian.

“Of course, they have to grow at least twice as tall before they can be transplanted!” Yang Tian observed the saplings and smiled.

“You’re busy with studies and the internet café, and now all this too. Won’t you be very tired?” Huang Juan suddenly crept up behind Yang Tian and gently massaged his neck.

Surprisingly, the little girl’s hands were really skillful, and Yang Tian felt quite comfortable. Although he had been practicing boxing every day, with so many things going on, fatigue was inevitable—aches in his back and waist, which Huang Juan must have noticed long ago.

“By the way, I have something for you!” Immersed in Huang Juan’s gentle massage, Yang Tian suddenly remembered the gifts he bought for Huang Juan and Yang Xueling. He pulled out a silver-colored tape recorder from his backpack and handed it to Huang Juan.

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“A tape recorder? A Step-by-Step brand? It must be expensive!” Huang Juan was delighted; she thought this model had been out for a long time.

Although Binhai No. 1 High School had good teaching conditions, for rural students, the English pronunciation was often inaccurate. Junior high English was passable, but in high school, consistent mispronunciation could easily affect grades.

“It’s not expensive at all!” Yang Tian chuckled. Although this was the best Step-by-Step model, it only cost him 800 yuan.

“Don’t lie to me! I checked at the department store; this model is over 800 yuan. You’re doing big things now, spending money left and right, why still spend so much on me?” Huang Juan complained, but her heart was sweet.

“Also, here’s this, keep it safe. I have one request: don’t do tutoring anymore, okay?” Yang Tian handed her a bankbook and smiled.

In truth, he wanted to say that he had been reborn to make her and his family happy and carefree. Spending some money was nothing. But with Yang Tian’s character, he wouldn’t say such things aloud; he preferred actions over words.

“Oh! Okay, I promise! By the way, what’s this?” Huang Juan hesitated briefly, then agreed.

Flipping through the bankbook, there was over 3,000 yuan inside.

“This is the money you earned tutoring over the past two years. I saved it for you and now give it back. Use it to buy something for your parents to show filial piety, or save it for university tuition!” Yang Tian joked. He had originally planned to keep managing the money for her, but seeing that the girl had no money and couldn’t buy many things she liked, he decided to let her manage it herself.

He could secretly buy many things she liked, but as a girl grew up, her thoughts were hard to guess. He couldn’t buy everything she wanted, nor could he give her his money—she probably wouldn’t accept it. But giving her her own money? She probably wouldn’t refuse.

“You haven’t spent any?” Huang Juan laughed in surprise.

“No, I have money. I don’t need this for now!” Yang Tian rubbed Huang Juan’s nose, his inner pride swelling. After all, he was a man who had been given a second chance at life. How could he stoop to spending a girl’s money?

At that moment, Huang Juan glanced around, blushed, and seeing no workers tending the seedlings nearby, leaned close to Yang Tian and gently kissed his cheek. Then she ran off along the Bailang River.

Seeing this, Yang Tian smiled softly to himself, thinking, “Almost a grown-up now, and still so shy?”

P.S.: A new week begins. Please consider giving some recommendation votes. Hehe, the book’s progress is clear to everyone, and I’m very grateful for all your support. I will continue to work hard, update promptly, and hope you will keep supporting me. Thank you!