Chapter 115: Chen Bin Returns Home (Special Bonus Chapter: Cabbage Stewed with Mushrooms)

Following the company's New Year gala, the firm essentially entered holiday mode. It was already the latter half of January 2019, with only half a month left until the New Year. The production lines at the factory had been shut down one after another for maintenance, signaling the start of preparations for a long, extended holiday.

It was perhaps the unique indulgence of a high-tech company to halt production lines that printed money faster than actual printing presses. An ordinary company would never care about the New Year; making money would be the priority. Only Li Fu could be so capricious, choosing to forgo vast amounts of wealth, a decision that many found difficult to understand.

The global top eight distributors were particularly stunned when they heard that Fuyun Technology Group was planning to halt production for a month-long holiday. They pleaded desperately for the group not to stop, as a shutdown at Fuyun Technology meant that they, too, would have to grind to a halt for the next month, unable to earn a single cent.

Naturally, Fuyun Technology paid no heed to their concerns. The holidays proceeded as planned. Factories, research institutes, and office buildings gradually fell silent. Of course, the construction of various branch offices, research centers, and new factory facilities did not stop; these projects had been contracted out to other firms, which were working day and night, driven by the promise of payment to get them operational as soon as possible.

In the staff dormitory area of the Fuyun Technology Industrial Park, Chen Bin carried several bags down to the parking lot. A brand-new BMW waited quietly for its owner. The company had been extremely generous with its rewards this year, though the lion's share naturally went to the researchers.

In 2018, Chen Bin had joined Li Fu in the research of the "Divine Arrow" aerospace fighter. He had made outstanding contributions in numerous areas and had even earned the title of Academician in China, winning great prestige for the company. More importantly, he had helped build a solid foundation for the company’s future development in the fields of aerospace and aviation. Consequently, he had received the highest award at the annual gala: a villa and a BMW, with his year-end bonus matching the standards of senior management.

"Beep! Beep!"

As Chen Bin gently pressed the button on his key fob, the BMW chirped and the trunk slowly popped open. Chen Bin shoved all his bags inside. Many of the items were carefully selected gifts for his parents. Now that he had both fame and fortune, he was naturally returning home in glory.

Much like Li Fu’s situation, Chen Bin’s family had once been very poor. With four sons, it was a rare and large household. His parents were farmers with limited income, and life had been a constant struggle. But things were different now. Ever since Chen Bin had joined Li Fu, everything had undergone a earth-shattering transformation.

The BMW cruised slowly down the road. Looking at the tremendous changes in Sanjiang Town, Chen Bin was filled with emotion. When he had arrived here at the beginning of last year, it was no different from his hometown, but now, it possessed the atmosphere of a major metropolis.

Transportation in Sanjiang Town was now highly convenient, with several expressways connecting it to all directions. The roads were wide, and despite the heavy traffic, there were no jams. Soon, Chen Bin steered his BMW onto the highway, heading straight for his old home.

His hometown, Shannan Town, was also in Jiangnan Province, about a two-hour drive from Sanjiang. Chen Family Village was twenty kilometers away from Shannan Town, but the roads had all been paved with cement, making the drive quite easy.

Chen Family Village was not a large place, consisting of only a dozen or so households. Like most rural areas in China, it was a mix of new villas and old brick-tiled houses. The young people who had gone away for work were returning one by one, chatting about the events of the past year.

"Damn, a BMW X6, and a high-end trim at that. Whose car is that?"

When Chen Bin’s car slowly appeared at the village entrance, the local youths recognized it immediately and couldn't help but shout. While many in rural areas now owned cars, it was a far cry from every household having one, and most were modest vehicles costing around a hundred thousand yuan.

Cars like the BMW X6 were rare, as they cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of yuan. Most people wouldn't dream of buying one even if they had the money; those who drove such cars were clearly well-off.

There were several car owners in Chen Family Village, but they drove ordinary vehicles that couldn't compare. The car was clearly heading toward the village, and it drove with a sense of familiarity, steering straight toward the crowd.

"Is that Chen Bin?"

A sharp-eyed villager recognized Chen Bin behind the wheel.

"It really is him. I heard Chen Bin made a fortune this year. His family built a small villa, and now he’s driving such a nice car. He must have made a lot of money."

The villagers had long been discussing Chen Bin. The massive changes in his family had been plain to see, and his parents hadn't been shy about boasting of their son’s achievements.

"Indeed. I heard he works for that Fuyun Technology Group, the company that makes those virtual reality machines. They’re incredibly powerful."

That was how the villagers spoke; they lacked fancy adjectives, relying on words like "amazing" or "incredible."

Chen Bin slowly brought the car to a stop, stepped out holding several cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes, and greeted everyone with a smile.

"Uncle, how is your health?"

He first greeted the elders, pressing two packs of cigarettes into their hands.

"Good, good. Little Monkey, you’ve really made something of yourself. I never imagined I’d live to see someone as capable as you come out of our village."

The old man held the cigarettes, nodding with a satisfied smile.

Chen Bin continued greeting people and handing out cigarettes—two packs for the elders, one for the younger men. Soon, the cartons were gone. Smiling at their praises, Chen Bin drove on toward his home.

"Look at that, that’s the demeanor of a big boss. He just handed out those expensive cigarettes like they were nothing. I wonder how much money he’s actually made. He’s really done well for himself."

After Chen Bin left, the elders shook their heads in disbelief. Who would have thought that the little boy who used to climb trees all over the village would become so successful in the blink of an eye?

"I wonder if Chen Bin has any pull at Fuyun Technology. If he could get us into the company, that would be great. I’ve heard their pay and benefits are terrifyingly high. A year-end bonus starts at hundreds of thousands, and millions are common."

"They only hire university graduates. You didn't even finish middle school; you wouldn't even be qualified to sweep their floors. Thinking about getting in? Why didn't you study harder back then? See? I told you to study, but you insisted on working. Regret it now? You can’t even get past the threshold of most companies."

...

At the most luxurious villa in Chen Family Village, Chen Bin’s family was gathered together, their faces beaming. Seeing their son, his parents couldn't stop smiling. Every parent hopes for their child to succeed, and seeing Chen Bin’s accomplishments brought them immense comfort.

"Mom’s cooking is still the best," Chen Bin said as he ate heartily.

"If you like it, eat more. I’ll cook for you every day during the New Year."

His mother happily heaped food onto his plate. The money to build their beautiful new house had come from Chen Bin, and seeing him return in such a fine car proved he had done very well for himself.

"Chen Bin, you may have made some money, but don't be too extravagant. I saw you handing out those cigarettes to the villagers just now—it’s too wasteful. You gave away several cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes like that. You aren't married yet, you haven't bought a house of your own elsewhere, and you’ll have expenses like car maintenance. You need to save."

His father, smoking a cigarette, spoke earnestly.

"Dad, it’s just a few cigarettes, it’s nothing. As for a house, I already have one. The company awarded me a villa and a car this time, and my year-end bonus is quite substantial."

Chen Bin smiled dismissively, holding up a finger when mentioning his bonus.

"One million?" his father asked, his eyes lighting up. Chen Bin shook his head with a smile.

"Ten million?"

His father’s breathing grew heavy. Although he had heard that the company was wealthy, he never imagined they would be rich enough to hand out eight-figure bonuses.

"One hundred million!"

Chen Bin stated the number softly. His parents froze, their movements coming to a complete halt. One hundred million—a number so astronomical it was beyond their wildest imaginations. Yet, here was their son, telling them that was his year-end bonus. The shock was absolute.

"One hundred million? Is that true? How can your boss be so generous as to give a hundred-million-yuan bonus?"

After a long silence, his parents still couldn't quite believe it, shaking their heads.

"It’s absolutely true. We’re well-off now, Mom and Dad. From now on, you can relax and enjoy life. You don't have to do any more farm work."

Chen Bin nodded solemnly, looking at his parents' weathered faces and graying hair.

"Enjoy life? It’s not that easy. Your three brothers haven't settled down or started their careers yet. As long as you’re doing well, that’s enough. That’s enough."

His father sighed deeply, then smiled with profound satisfaction.