Chapter 313: Chapter 313: Farewell, Benefactor

The next morning, Zhong Zijun was already full of energy, as lively as ever.

Since the village still hadn’t received the official documents clearing their names, they had to finish their last shift and wait for the notification. Once the paperwork arrived, they could leave.

Among the three of them, apart from a few personal belongings, they didn’t plan to take much else with them, so there wasn’t much to pack.

Gu Qinghuan went to find Chen Fengqin and Xu Huainian to tell them she was preparing to leave.

“Qinghuan, I always knew this day would come, but I didn’t expect it to arrive so soon. You’re a rare talent—staying in a backwater like ours really was a waste of your abilities. Thank you for showing me and Huainian a better path. Don’t forget us in the future. Oh, and leave me your address. You love pine nuts—when the new crop comes in each year, I’ll send you some,” Chen Fengqin said, already having come to terms with the news and speaking with a touch of cheerfulness.

“Fengqin-jie, thank you for taking care of me all these years in Xujiatun. Let’s keep in touch. If you ever have questions about the factory, just ask—I’ll always help, just like before. And if you ever get the chance to visit Beijing, I’ll take you to climb the Great Wall, see Tiananmen, and visit the Forbidden City.”

“That sounds wonderful!” Chen Fengqin hadn’t dared dream of ever leaving Xujiatun, let alone traveling to Beijing. She was just echoing Gu Qinghuan’s words, not expecting that, years later, she really would get the chance to visit Beijing—and when she did, Gu Qinghuan welcomed her family with the same warmth and thoughtfulness as always.

But that’s a story for another time.

“Qinghuan, here’s your July salary. Take it now, and give me your address—I’ll send your wages every month from now on,” Xu Huainian said, handing her thirty yuan.

One should never forget their roots. Even though Gu Qinghuan was leaving, she still deserved her wages. Without her, there would be no factory and no Xu Huainian as he was today.

Now, he was the Party secretary, and his eldest was the brigade leader. Their family held real influence in Xujiatun.

Gu Qinghuan quickly waved her hands. “Huainian-ge, I’ll take this thirty yuan, but there’s no need to keep sending me wages. Over the past year, I’ve earned quite a bit from the factory, especially from the research bonuses—five hundred yuan at a time, that’s more than enough. Once I leave, you don’t need to keep paying me.”

“No way! We agreed on this. As long as I’m the factory director, you’ll always get your share of the wages—no arguments,” Xu Huainian insisted.

Partly, he wanted to keep his promise; partly, he had his own reasons. He didn’t want to lose the connection with Gu Qinghuan. Thirty yuan a month was a small price to pay for keeping such a talented advisor on his side.

He’d lived long enough to understand the ways of the world.

Once Gu Qinghuan left, even the closest friendships would fade with time. But if he kept sending her wages and the occasional local specialty, their families would stay connected, and it’d be easier to ask for help if needed.

Both Gu Qinghuan and Xu Lao’er were exceptional people with limitless futures. Spending three hundred sixty yuan a year to keep their goodwill was a bargain.

Gu Qinghuan understood his intentions and found him rather amusing, so she didn’t refuse again.

By now, the Yujie Soap Factory had stable orders and considerable income. It had solved employment for many young people in the village and was no longer the small workshop it once was.

Xu Huainian was a man of vision. As long as he kept the factory on the right track, it would only get better.

Gu Qinghuan reminded Chen Fengqin that as the factory grew, her old-fashioned bookkeeping methods wouldn’t cut it anymore. She needed to learn some accounting skills and keep the books professionally. Even if she didn’t become the accountant herself, she should at least be able to read the accounts and not be fooled. Financial management was crucial to the factory’s future.

Chen Fengqin nodded repeatedly. She’d suffered from her lack of education—she’d only finished elementary school and could handle simple bookkeeping, but it was getting harder and harder.

You really do have to keep learning all your life.

But she already had an idea. “Earlier this year, we found a girl from the commune for my eldest. Her family isn’t well-off, but she’s been to high school and is decently educated. She likes our family’s situation, and they’re seeing each other now—maybe they’ll get married by the end of the year. Once she joins the family, I’ll pay for her to learn accounting so she can help with the factory. My brain just can’t keep up with the young folks anymore.”

“Fengqin-jie, as long as you have a plan, that’s great. Let me congratulate you in advance—you’ll soon be a mother-in-law! Oh, and one more thing: after I leave, I’ll return Wang Laocai’s house to the village. The big furniture—like the kang cabinets and tables—are all matching sets. I can’t take them with me, so I’ll leave them for you. Once I’m gone, just move them over.”

Chen Fengqin’s eyes lit up. “Really? Thank you so much! I was just thinking about building a house for my eldest and needing to buy furniture. This is perfect timing and saves me the trouble.”

She knew what kind of furniture Gu Qinghuan had—barely used and well cared for, practically new. It’d be perfect for her eldest’s wedding. In the countryside, people didn’t care about having brand-new furniture for weddings—having any was good enough.

“As long as you don’t mind. The commune school actually had a newer set, but I was too lazy to move it, so I gave it to another teacher.”

“I don’t mind at all—this is great.”

With everything settled, Gu Qinghuan went to visit Lin Shengnan and Zhu Chunlin.

Their son was crawling around the floor at lightning speed. As soon as Gu Qinghuan walked in, the little guy grabbed her leg and giggled, as if to say, “Look, I caught a pretty auntie!”

Lin Shengnan was mending clothes. When she saw Gu Qinghuan, she quickly put down her basket. “What brings you here? How’s your studying going? Do you feel confident?” She knew Gu Qinghuan had been studying hard every day, barely stepping outside.

“I came to say goodbye,” Gu Qinghuan said, scooping up the little boy without caring about his muddy clothes.

“Goodbye? You’re leaving?” Lin Shengnan was surprised.

“Mm. My mother and grandfather have been cleared, so I’m going back to Beijing with them. We probably won’t see each other again for a long time.”

“That’s wonderful news—congratulations! All good things must come to an end. Let’s keep in touch, and don’t forget to write,” Lin Shengnan said, genuinely happy for her.

She knew how much Gu Qinghuan had suffered because of her mother’s status. Now that they’d been rehabilitated, she was truly glad for her friend. Of course, she was reluctant to part, but more than anything, she wanted the best for her.

“You and Old Zhu need to work hard too. This is your chance to leap over the dragon gate—if you get into college, you can bring your child back to the city. I’ve left some of my study notes and materials for you and Old Zhu. They might not be much, but it’s my little gift.”

In fact, Gu Qinghuan had carefully organized those materials, covering all the key points and topics. As long as they studied them well, they’d have no problem getting into an ordinary university.

She also gave a set to Lin Xiaomeng, as a token of their long friendship. Though they’d started off on the wrong foot, Lin Xiaomeng had turned herself around in the end. Losing the fortune spring was her own doing, so Gu Qinghuan considered this a way to repay her.

She also gave a set to Jiang Xue, who’d always wanted to return to the city and was now doing well with Hao Zhigao. Whether she succeeded or not was up to her.

Of course, she’d also sent a set to her own younger brother, Gu Lanting.

As for others, she couldn’t help everyone.

“I dream of getting into college—even just going to the provincial capital would be great. I want to go back to the south and get assigned a job there. Thank you for the materials,” Lin Shengnan said, not yet realizing how valuable they were.

It wasn’t until after the college entrance exams that they realized how precious those notes were—truly worthy of someone from a scholarly family.

Gu Qinghuan played with the child as she chatted with Lin Shengnan.

Kids at this age were the most fun—innocent and easily amused.

“You’re so good with children—you should have one of your own with your man soon!” Lin Shengnan teased as she mended clothes.

“Oh, not yet! I want to go to college first. Maybe after I graduate—not in a hurry.” She really wasn’t ready to raise a child yet.

“True. Your man would probably treat you like a treasure no matter what. Even if you never had kids, I doubt he’d mind.”

Gu Qinghuan smiled awkwardly and quickly changed the subject.

“By the way, I know you don’t need any furniture, so I gave all of mine to Fengqin-jie. But I still have a lot of grain at home, and the vegetables in the garden haven’t all been picked—there’s still another harvest left. There’s over a hundred jin of cornmeal, thirty jin of white flour, thirty jin of brown rice, and some other mixed grains. I’ll leave all of it for you. There are also some kitchen utensils—take whatever you need, and give the rest to whoever can use them.”

Gu Qinghuan had thought it through, considering everyone’s needs.

Lin Shengnan felt embarrassed. “That’s so much food—I can’t just take it. Let me pay you for it.”

“I know you’re not short on money now, but raising a child is expensive, and you and your husband are preparing for college. If you get in, you might have no income for a few years. It’s always good to save a little extra. Think of this as my parting gift.”

Actually, Gu Qinghuan had already set aside the bulk of the grain—what she left was just for show, so no one would get suspicious.

Lin Shengnan was so moved that she burst into tears.

Even her parents and in-laws never thought of her and her husband’s needs—they only wanted to take from them. Only Gu Qinghuan always thought of them and gave so much.

Since she and Zhu Chunlin got married and had a child, she’d lost count of how many times Gu Qinghuan had helped her—she could never repay it all in a lifetime.

A true friend is hard to find.

“Qinghuan, thank you. You’re the greatest benefactor of my life.”

“Don’t say such silly things. I hope you’ll always have good people to help you and that everything goes smoothly.”

The two good friends said their heartfelt goodbyes."