Chapter 726 Knight's Journey
However, Liang Lu was very dissatisfied with this. She felt that Qi Tongwei's departure was irresponsible to the village, and that he might not be able to help much now. She tried to stop Qi Tongwei from contacting the villagers, fearing that he would disrupt the village's existing development rhythm. "Why didn't you think about the village when you left? Now that it's developing well, why did you come back?" Liang Lu said angrily.
Qi Tongwei looked at Liang Lu, feeling guilty, but he still said sincerely: "I know that my departure disappointed everyone, but I always cared about the village. Now I am back to make up for my mistakes. I have some new ideas and resources that may help the village solve its current problems."
The villagers also persuaded Liang Lu, saying that Qi Tongwei really wanted to do good for the village, and that they should give him a chance. With everyone's persuasion, Liang Lu's attitude gradually softened, but she still remained wary of Qi Tongwei.
Qi Tongwei was not affected by Liang Lu's attitude. He began to actively communicate with the villagers. He found that the main problem of the village's business was the lack of unified planning and brand awareness. So he proposed the idea of establishing a business alliance for the Xiake Village, which would unify the layout and business categories of the stores, formulate strict quality standards, and create a brand image with the characteristics of the Xiake Village. At the same time, he also used his connections and resources accumulated overseas to contact some international tourism agencies and business partners to build bridges for the village's tourism and business development.
Thanks to Qi Tongwei's efforts, the commercial order of the village has gradually improved. Tourists have a better impression of the village, and more and more tourists come here. The village's economy has once again ushered in an opportunity for rapid development.
The activities of the Cultural and Art Association are becoming more and more popular, and the villagers are enthusiastic about participating. Every time there is a cultural performance, the stage is surrounded by men, women, young and old, and everyone applauds the wonderful performances on the stage. Whether it is the graceful and melodious opera singing or the energetic modern dance, it shows the villagers' love for life and pursuit of culture and art. In the calligraphy and painting competition, the elderly wrote with ink, writing the wisdom and tranquility accumulated over the years; the children used their brushes to depict their vision of the future of the village, and the colorful paintings were like their innocent dreams. The traditional martial arts performance attracted many tourists to stop and watch. The martial artists' every move was vigorous and powerful, which was the external manifestation of the chivalrous spirit inherited by the chivalrous village for a hundred years, making people feel as if they had traveled back to the era of the rivers and lakes where swords were wielded and revenge was taken.
Looking back, the poverty in the past made the villagers fight fiercely for a little profit. In order to compete for water sources to irrigate farmland, several neighboring families almost fought each other; when selling agricultural products, they often competed for customers and lowered prices, resulting in overall losses. But with the development of the village, everyone gradually realized that only unity and cooperation can achieve common prosperity. From introducing excellent varieties, improving technology to expanding the market, every step embodies the wisdom and sweat of all villagers. Those former disputes over interests have now become stories that everyone sighs and sighs after dinner, reminding each other to cherish the current harmony and prosperity.
Looking to the future, the villagers of Xiake Village are full of confidence, but new challenges are also coming one after another. As the village's popularity continues to increase, the wave of commercialization has begun to impact this peaceful land. Some foreign commercial capital has taken a fancy to the tourism potential of Xiake Village and tried to develop it on a large scale, which has caused the villagers to worry and discuss about the future direction of the village. Some villagers are worried that excessive commercialization will destroy the original cultural heritage and ecological environment of the village, while others believe that reasonable commercial development can bring more development opportunities and wealth. Both sides hold their own opinions and argue endlessly.
While the village was struggling with the direction of development, Qi Tongwei, who was far away from home, was also caught up in his own emotional entanglements and difficult choices. Qi Tongwei's life in the United States was not satisfactory. Although he was far away from the right and wrong in China, his inner loneliness and longing for his hometown were increasing day by day. When he received Wu Huifen's request for a meeting, he felt mixed emotions. All kinds of memories came to his mind, those days of struggling in the Knight Village, with sweat, laughter, and regrets. He longed to return to the familiar land, see the changes in the village today, and reunite with old friends to untie the knot in his heart.
Qi Tongwei secretly embarked on a journey back home without telling anyone. When he appeared at the entrance of the village, he was bumped into by Liang Lu. Liang Lu was immediately furious. The hardships of raising a child alone over the years and her resentment towards Qi Tongwei burst out at this moment. She rushed forward, blocked Qi Tongwei's way, and asked loudly: "How dare you come back? You have ignored this family for so many years, why are you back now?" Qi Tongwei looked at the angry Liang Lu, his eyes full of guilt and helplessness. He whispered: "Lulu, I know I am sorry for you and the child, but I just want to come back and take a look, see the village, see everyone..."
The surrounding villagers heard the quarrel and gathered around. When everyone saw Qi Tongwei, they were filled with mixed feelings. He had once been a hero who led the village to prosperity, but later he left for other places for various reasons. His return now reminds everyone of the years they had worked together in the past, and also arouses thoughts about the future development of the village. With the persuasion of everyone, Liang Lu's emotions gradually calmed down, and Qi Tongwei was able to enter the village.
He strolled through the familiar streets and alleys, and was relieved and moved to see the new look of the village. The once dilapidated houses have become neat and beautiful residences, and the children are laughing and playing in the newly built cultural square, which is full of vitality and vigor. Qi Tongwei talked with the villagers one by one, listening to their ideas and concerns about the development of the village. He realized that although he had been away for so long, his concern for the Xiake Village had never disappeared. He decided to use the knowledge and experience he learned outside to contribute to the development of the village and help everyone solve the current difficulties.
At the initiative of Qi Tongwei, the village held a general meeting of all villagers to discuss the future development plan of the village. At the meeting, everyone expressed their opinions and after intense discussions, they finally reached a consensus: we should make rational use of the advantages of commercial capital, develop the tourism industry, and enhance the economic strength of the village, while also adhering to the cultural foundation and ecological bottom line of the village and protecting the land that has nurtured generations of villagers.
Thus, Xiake Village began new explorations and practices.