Chapter 674 The Figure Lengthens
As they were talking, Liang Lu walked into the kitchen and saw Qi Tongwei talking on the phone. She asked softly, "Who is it?" Qi Tongwei smiled and mouthed "Hou Liangping". Liang Lu's eyes lit up and she leaned close to the receiver: "Liangping, long time no see. When will you come back to the city? Let's get together." Hou Liangping joked, "It seems that you are living a good life. I will definitely go back when the school is on vacation. By the way, Tongwei, you are good at cooking, right? The 'dark dishes' you made at the dormitory dinner that year left a deep impression on us." Qi Tongwei pretended to be angry: "The past is hard to recall. Now I am a different person. I will show you my skills if I have the chance."
After hanging up the phone, Qi Tongwei returned to the dining table with a smile on his face. Liang Qunfeng asked, "Is it Liang Ping's kid?" Qi Tongwei nodded, "Yes, he is teaching in the mountains, and his life is very fulfilling. He is still thinking about us." Liang Lu said with emotion, "Liang Ping has always been kind-hearted. His efforts are not easy. If our charity projects need it, maybe we can cooperate in the future."
After that, Qi Tongwei and Hou Liangping gradually contacted each other more and more. Hou Liangping often shared stories about children in the mountains. There was a child who got up early every day to help his parents do farm work to save money for an extracurricular book; there was also a child who said in a childish voice in the classroom that he wanted to become a scientist and change his hometown when he grew up... These little things moved Qi Tongwei and also brought new ideas to his charity projects. He began to pay attention to the supplement of educational resources for children in mountainous areas, contacted caring people to donate books and stationery, and planned to build online classrooms for remote schools so that children can receive quality education at the same time.
Hou Liangping also followed Qi Tongwei and his friends' public welfare activities. Seeing them help poor areas develop industries and improve people's lives, he was full of admiration. When they returned to the city during the holidays, they finally got together. Qi Tongwei specially prepared a table of sumptuous dishes. As soon as Hou Liangping entered the door, he joked: "I can tell from the smell that you are not bragging. Your cooking skills have really improved." At the dinner table, former classmates and friends, who are now striving for different public welfare ideals, shared their own ups and downs and discussed how to integrate resources to make the assistance more comprehensive and in-depth.
On this ordinary yet special day, Qi Tongwei's tavern opened in a lively atmosphere. Red lanterns were hung high at the door, reflecting people's smiling faces. Wooden tables and chairs were neatly arranged in the store, and some old photos of the countryside were hung on the wall, exuding a rustic atmosphere. Hou Liangping came specially and was infected by the festive atmosphere in the room as soon as he entered the door. He joked with Qi Tongwei: "Once your tavern opens, I'm afraid it will attract all the popularity in our area. I can tell from the smell that you are not bragging, your cooking skills have really improved."
Everyone was sitting around, the laughter had not yet died down, the door curtain was lifted, and an old man walked in. He was thin, but his back was straight. The years had carved deep wrinkles on his face, but his eyes were as bright as stars, revealing the wisdom of having seen all the vicissitudes of life. The old man glanced at the store, walked straight to Qi Tongwei, and bowed slightly: "Are you Mr. Qi? I have heard of your name for a long time, and I am here to bother you today." Qi Tongwei hurriedly stood up to greet him, his heart full of doubts: "Old sir, what are you doing..." The old man waved his hand, sat down in an empty seat, and slowly said: "I have been tasting wine in this area for many years. People call me an old drunkard, but it is just a false name. But this wine, it's not just the taste, it's the heart of the winemaker. I heard that you have done a lot of practical things for the people here, today this wine, I will come to taste you as a person."
For a moment, everyone fell silent and looked at the old man curiously. The old man asked for a jar of wine, gently opened it, and the aroma of the wine instantly spread. He first closed his eyes and sniffed carefully, then took a sip, and the wine entered his mouth, his Adam's apple rolled, and after a long time, he let out a long sigh: "Good wine, mellow and long, with a strong aftertaste, very similar to you, Mr. Qi." Qi Tongwei scratched his head a little embarrassedly: "Old sir, you are too kind, I just want to do my best to help my fellow villagers live a good life."
Hou Liangping watched from the side, his eyes full of interest, and poured wine for the old man: "Old sir, your visit has aroused our curiosity. I'm afraid your taste for wine is not only about wine, right?" The old man smiled slightly, looked into the distance, and fell into memories: "I have seen too many ups and downs in my life. When I was young, I was just like you, full of blood, wanting to make a name for myself and change the poor face of my hometown. At that time, I followed a few friends to plant and sell, working day and night." As he spoke, his eyes dimmed, "But things don't go as planned. A flood destroyed everything. My friends scattered and left, and I was depressed for a long time."
Everyone listened attentively, their hearts full of regret. Qi Tongwei couldn't help but be moved: "Old sir, what happened to you later?" The old man took another sip of wine, his eyes brightened again: "Later, I got into this wine, and a drunkenness relieved all my worries. But I gradually discovered that there is a world in wine, and it can taste the flavors of life. Seeing what you have done, my heart is revived. Mr. Qi, you have attracted investment and built industries for the villagers. I can see that this journey has not been easy, but you have not given up, just like this wine, the older it is, the better it tastes."
Qi Tongwei was deeply touched. He recalled the hardships he had experienced in public welfare, the obstacles he encountered, the doubts he encountered, the anxiety he had when he was short of funds, and the sleepless nights he had to endure due to technical problems. But every time he saw the expectant eyes of his fellow villagers, he was motivated again. He started a conversation with the old man, talking about the plight of rural education, the future of agricultural products, the inheritance of traditional culture, and the application of emerging technologies. Hou Liangping also joined the discussion, offering advice based on his connections and knowledge accumulated in different fields.
"Old sir, if your wine tasting skills can be combined with rural tourism to create a unique wine culture experience, it may attract many tourists." Hou Liangping suddenly had an idea and made a suggestion. The old man's eyes lit up: "This is a good idea! I can tell tourists about the ins and outs of wine, take them to see the traditional winemaking process, and pair it with our local delicacies. It will definitely be popular." Qi Tongwei nodded in agreement: "Yes, we can also contact some e-commerce platforms to promote special wines and agricultural products together to expand sales."
After three rounds of drinks, the old man stood up and said goodbye, leaving behind a sentence: "Young people, work hard, the future of this hometown depends on you." Looking at the old man's departing back, Qi Tongwei and Hou Liangping smiled at each other, their hearts full of energy.
Looking at the old man's back as he left, Qi Tongwei and Hou Liangping smiled at each other, their hearts full of energy. In that smile, there was the joy of being recognized, and the certainty of having a clear plan for the future. After the banquet was over, only the two of them were left in the tavern, and the warm yellow light swayed, stretching their figures to be slender.