Great Power Reclamation

In November, the Junken City was already so cold that no one wanted to go out.

But Yang Wei wasn't idle.

He's been back from London for a week now, leaving early and returning late every day, keeping Zhang Jianjiang very busy.

The two traveled to farms, factories, and development zones around the military reclamation city, filling their notebooks with data and ideas.

That evening, Yang Wei, carrying two bottles of wine, knocked on Yang Geyong's door.

Yang Geyong was feeding his Akhal-Teke horse in the yard when he saw his son come in. He was taken aback and asked, "What brings you here, kid?"

"I'm looking for you to have a drink." Yang Wei shook the bottle in his hand.

Yang Geyong glanced at the mare's milk wine, a slight smile playing on his lips, but his words were sharp:

"They wouldn't let me drink when I was first discharged from the hospital, but now they're offering me alcohol?"

Yang Wei scratched his head: "That was because I was worried about your health. Now that you're better, it's okay for you to drink a little."

Yang Geyong snorted, but still put down the horse brush and took the wine bottle.

The father and son went inside; Zhao Ling'er was already asleep. They sat down in the living room and drank without any food.

"How is London?" Yang Geyong asked.

Yang Wei downed the drink in his glass in one gulp and then began to speak. He talked about his son's online store, about the girl Lin Wanwan, about Ye Guigen's foundation, and about that old man named James.

Yang Geyong listened, nodding occasionally and asking a few questions now and then.

When James mentioned "passing on experience," Yang Wei paused, looked at his father, and said, "Dad, I want to do something."

Yang Geyong looked at him without saying a word.

“It’s not to Africa,” Yang Wei quickly said. “I know you won’t allow it. It’s in China. Jianjiang and I discussed it and decided to become consultants for companies that want to do business. We know so many people and have so much experience; we can’t just keep this to ourselves.”

Yang Geyong remained silent for a while, then poured himself a glass of wine.

"Do you know why Ye Feng kept all the business of his children's companies in China?" he asked.

Yang Wei shook his head.

"Because he said that no matter how much money you earn abroad, it will never be put to use."

Yang Geyong said slowly, "The home is where your roots are. No matter how successful you are abroad, you will eventually have to come back. It's better to put your roots deep from the beginning."

Yang Wei listened, seemingly lost in thought.

“All these years, you’ve been thinking about Africa,” Yang Geyong said, looking at him. “But you’ve forgotten that you grew up in the military reclamation city. Your father, me, your Uncle Ye, and all those old brothers are here. This is where your roots are.”

Yang Wei lowered his head.

Yang Geyong patted him on the shoulder: "Wanting to do something is a good thing. But don't always look outwards. Look at the country, there are plenty of opportunities. Didn't your Uncle Ye start his Warriors Group from there?"

Yang Wei looked up: "Dad, what should I do?"

Yang Geyong laughed: "You're asking me? You're the one who wants to go. You've been to so many places and met so many people, you should know what's going on."

That night, Yang Wei stayed at his father's house until very late.

As he was leaving, Yang Geyong saw him to the door and suddenly said, "Go visit your Uncle Ye tomorrow. He's been talking about you a few times."

Yang Wei nodded.

The next afternoon, Yang Wei took the unfinished bottle of wine to Ye Yuze's house.

Ye Yuze was sunbathing in the courtyard, with Yu'e sitting beside him. The two elderly people were chatting idly. When Yang Wei came in, Ye Yuze smiled and said, "Oh, a rare guest."

Yang Wei scratched his head: "Uncle Ye, I've come to see you."

Ye Yuze patted the stool next to him: "Sit down."

Yang Wei sat down and placed the bottle of wine on the table. Ye Yuze glanced at it: "Your dad's wine?"

"Yeah, it's what I drank yesterday."

Ye Yuze laughed: "This brat, bringing me leftover wine?"

Yang Wei smiled sheepishly: "I'll buy a new one next time."

The two chatted about London for a while, and Ye Yuze listened with great interest.

When talking about the part where Yang Chenglong pursued Lin Wanwan, Ye Yuze laughed so hard he slapped his thigh:
"This kid is just like his grandpa! He was exactly the same way your dad was when he was courting your mom!"

Yang Wei was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

After laughing, Ye Yuze looked at him and suddenly asked, "I heard you want to do something?"

Yang Wei nodded: "I do have this idea, but I haven't figured out what to do with it yet."

Ye Yuze leaned back in his chair, looking at the sky in the distance.

"Your Uncle Ye has done many things in his life. From the garment factory to making cars and chips. Every step I've taken has been with my eyes on the road ahead, one step at a time."

He turned to look at Yang Wei: "Do you know why I was able to get down here?"

Yang Wei shook his head.

"Because I never felt that the outside world was bigger than the world beneath my feet."

Ye Yuze said, "Is Junken City small? Yes, it is. But we started from here and expanded our business all over the country and the world. Our roots are here, our hearts are here, and the road ahead is wide."

Yang Wei listened, feeling somewhat shaken.

Ye Yuze continued, "Your company, when Ye Feng set the direction, was to be based in China. Although you don't have much business now, the foundation is still there. The connections are still there. The experience is still there. The key is, can you find a new direction?"

Yang Wei asked, "Uncle Ye, what do you think I should do?"

Ye Yuze thought for a moment and said, "Answer me one question first: What does the military reclamation city need?"

Yang Wei was stunned.

He had never thought about this question.

What does the military reclamation city need?
Ye Yuze looked at him and smiled.

"Go back and think it over carefully. Come back to me when you've figured it out."

As Yang Wei walked down the street after leaving Ye Yuze's house, the question kept swirling in his mind.

What does the military reclamation city need?
He remembered the North African girl Fatima that Ye Guigen had mentioned, who was able to read at night because of the solar panels.

He recalled James's words, "Pass on the experience."

He recalled Ye Yuze's words, "The roots are here."

Suddenly, an idea popped into my head.

That evening, Yang Wei invited Zhang Jianjiang to his home.

“Jiangjiang, I’ve thought of a direction.”

Zhang Jianjiang's eyes lit up: "What?"

Yang Wei unfolded a map and pointed to the location of the military reclamation city.

“Our area is located in the Northwest and is an important base for the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. We have abundant agricultural products, such as cashmere, goji berries, red dates, and beef and mutton, all of which are of high quality. But why can't we sell them? Because we lack brands, distribution channels, and standards.”

Zhang Jianjiang nodded: "Yes, that's what the farmers said when we went to the farm for research."

“Ye Guigen’s online store in London sells our cashmere scarves and earns him several hundred pounds a month,” Yang Wei said. “This shows that there is a market for these products; we just don’t know how to sell them.”

Zhang Jianjiang looked at him: "You want to get into e-commerce?"

Yang Wei shook his head: "It's not just e-commerce. I want to create a platform to integrate high-quality agricultural products from the area around Junken City, to build brands, standards, and traceability systems. Then, we can connect with external channels, not just domestically, but also for export."

Zhang Jianjiang's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"What about the technology? We don't understand those things."

Yang Wei laughed: "Technology can be learned, and we can find partners. Doesn't Junken Electromechanical have microchips? We can use those to make a traceability system. Ye Guigen has e-commerce experience, so we can ask him to be a consultant. And Ye Qianqian..."

He paused, then continued, "Ye Qianqian is the top leader of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and the Corps is promoting industrial upgrading. If our project can cooperate with the Corps, the path will be much wider."

Zhang Jianjiang stood up excitedly: "Yang Wei, you've finally figured it out!"

Yang Wei scratched his head, looking a little embarrassed.

"Don't get too excited yet," he said. "This is just an idea. If we really want to do it, there will be a lot of things to do. We'll need to find people, money, and resources."

Zhang Jianjiang patted his chest and said, "I'll do it with you. We got through such tough times in Africa back then, what's this?"

Yang Wei looked at him and felt a warmth in his heart.

"Okay, let's do it."

In the days that followed, Yang Wei was like a completely different person.

He was always out and about, going to farms, processing plants, logistics parks, and e-commerce companies. He would tell everyone he met about his plans, listen to their opinions, and write them down in his notebook when he got back.

Zhang Jianjiang followed him, and although he was exhausted, he was happy.

One day, Yang Wei went to the provincial capital.

Ye Qianqian's office.

The headquarters building of the Corps was very tall. Yang Wei stood downstairs, took a deep breath, and then went inside.

Ye Qianqian was in a meeting, and her secretary told her to wait. Yang Wei sat in the meeting room, looking at the map of the military corps on the wall, his heart filled with anxiety.

It had been a long time since he and Ye Qianqian had met alone like this.

Although they maintained a superficial relationship for the sake of their son, both of them knew in their hearts that the estrangement from those years would not be so easily resolved.

An hour later, Ye Qianqian pushed the door open and came in.

She was dressed in a smart suit, her hair neatly styled, and looked younger than her actual age. She paused for a moment upon seeing Yang Wei, then sat down opposite him.

"what's up?"

Yang Wei looked at her, suddenly at a loss for words.

After a few seconds of silence, he said, "I want to work on a project."

Ye Qianqian raised an eyebrow: "What project?"

Yang Wei shared his thoughts, from agricultural products from the military reclamation city to brand traceability, to connecting with distribution channels, and the possibility of cooperation with the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. He spoke for half an hour without pausing.

Ye Qianqian listened, her expression shifting from indifference to seriousness, and finally to contemplation. After Yang Wei finished speaking, she remained silent for a moment, then asked, "Why did you do this?"

Yang Wei thought for a moment and said, "Because I've been idle for too long. Because my son made me realize that people need to find something to do. Because... because I feel that the things in our northern border region shouldn't rot in the ground."

Ye Qianqian looked at him, her eyes filled with something complicated.

“That’s a good idea,” she concluded. “The Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps is indeed promoting the branding of agricultural products, which requires the participation of enterprises. If you are really interested in doing this, I can help you connect with resources.”

Yang Wei was stunned; he hadn't expected her to be so decisive.

“But,” Ye Qianqian changed the subject, “you’ve never done this before, so why should anyone believe you?”

Yang Wei had already prepared: "I can start with a pilot project. Choose a product, a farm, and get the model working first. Once it works, then we can expand."

Ye Qianqian nodded, a hint of approval flashing in her eyes.

"Okay, then write a proposal first. I'll take a look at it for you."

Yang Wei stood up and looked at her.

“Qianqian,” he said, “thank you.”

Ye Qianqian also stood up, avoiding his gaze.

“It’s not for you,” she said. “It’s for the Corps.”

Yang Wei nodded, turned and left.

He walked out of the building, stood by the roadside, and let out a long sigh.

Those last half hour were more tiring than a whole battle he fought in Africa back then.

But deep down, he had an indescribable feeling.

It wasn't excitement, it was a sense of security.

That night, Yang Wei made a video call to Yang Chenglong.

On the other side of the screen, Yang Chenglong and Lin Wanwan huddled together, waving at him.

"Dad! Lin Wanwan made braised pork, have you eaten it?"

Yang Wei laughed: "I've eaten. What about you guys?"

“She’s eating.” Yang Chenglong pointed the camera at the dishes on the table. “Look, her cooking skills are getting better and better.”

Yang Wei felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at the young couple on the screen.

“Jackie Chan,” he said, “Dad has something to tell you.”

Yang Chenglong looked at him: "What is it?"

Yang Wei explained what he needed to do.

Yang Chenglong's eyes widened in surprise after hearing this.

"Dad, are you starting a business?"

Yang Wei scratched his head: "I guess so."

Yang Chenglong jumped up excitedly: "That's amazing! Dad, you're finally going to do something!"

Lin Wanwan laughed beside her and added, "Uncle, keep it up!"

Looking at them, Yang Wei suddenly felt that his life had been worthwhile.

"Alright, you guys go ahead and eat," he said. "I have other things to do here."

After hanging up the video call, he sat on the sofa, stunned for a long time.

Then he stood up and walked to the window.

Outside the window, the night in the military reclamation city is gentle. There are lights in the distance and shadows of trees nearby.

He suddenly remembered what Ye Yuze had said: "If your roots are here, if your heart is here, the road ahead will be wide."

Yes, the roots are here.

He was born and raised in the military reclamation city, and has never left it in his entire life.

Now, he's going to start over here.

In early December, Yang Wei launched his first pilot project.

He chose goji berries from a farm near the military reclamation town. That farm was managed by Old Li's younger brother, a brother he had worked with in Africa back in the day, whom he trusted.

In terms of technology, Junken Electromechanical agreed to cooperate, using microchips to create a traceability system. Each package of goji berries will have a code that can be scanned to show the place of origin, planting time, processing process, and even which plot of land it was grown on.

Regarding distribution channels, Yang Wei contacted several e-commerce platforms that were willing to provide traffic support. Ye Guigen also agreed to help, suggesting they try selling through their online store in the UK.

The biggest challenge was funding. Yang Wei and Zhang Jianjiang contributed some of their own money and scraped together some from a few old buddies, which was barely enough to get started.

On the day construction began, Yang Wei treated everyone to a meal.

Old Li, Old Liu, Zhang Jianjiang, and several other brothers who fought alongside them in Africa back then all came. Yang Geyong and Ye Yuze also came.

After a few rounds of drinks, Yang Geyong raised his glass and looked at his son.

“Wei Zi,” he said, “your father has worried about you the most in his life. I was afraid you would just drift through life like this. Now it’s all right, you’ve finally found what you want to do.”

Yang Wei's eyes felt a little hot.

Ye Yuze laughed from the side: "Old Yang, your son looks just like me. That's how I started out too."

Yang Wei raised his glass and looked at the two elderly people.

"Dad, Uncle Ye, I salute you."

He drank it all in one gulp.

That night, Yang Wei drank too much.

Zhang Jianjiang helped him home, and he talked all the way, recounting stories from back then: in Africa, amidst gunfire, fighting alongside his brothers.

At the end, he suddenly stopped and looked at Zhang Jianjiang.

"Jianjiang, tell me, do you think I still have a chance in this lifetime?"

Zhang Jianjiang looked at him and said seriously, "Yes. As long as you want to do it, there will always be an opportunity."

Yang Wei laughed, a laugh like a child.

When he got home, he lay down on the bed and quickly fell asleep.

In his dream, he returned to Africa.

But it wasn't a hail of bullets; it was a field. Goji berries grew there, bright red, like flames. He stood at the edge of the field, looking at the goji berries, feeling an indescribable sense of peace.

The next day, he sent a message to Ye Qianqian.

"The proposal is finished and I've sent it to your email."

The reply came very quickly.

"Received. Let me check."

Four simple words, but looking at them, Yang Wei suddenly felt a bit complicated.

After all these years, they have finally reconnected.

It wasn't for my son, it was for my work.

Perhaps this is a new beginning.

In mid-December, Ye Qianqian replied.

She invited Yang Wei to go to the provincial capital again.

The atmosphere was more relaxed this time. Ye Qianqian returned the proposal to him, which was covered with numerous annotations. Some were technical, some policy-related, and some market-related.

Yang Wei read through each point, secretly admiring her. She had truly grown a lot over the years.

"The Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps can offer you three forms of support," Ye Qianqian said. "First, we'll help you connect with several cooperatives to serve as pilot bases. Second, we'll help you contact e-commerce platforms to secure traffic support. Third, we'll help you apply for some policy subsidies to reduce your initial financial burden."

Yang Wei's eyes lit up: "Really?"

Ye Qianqian nodded: "Really. But there's one condition."

"what?"

“Your products must meet the standards of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.” Ye Qianqian looked at him. “You can’t tarnish the reputation of the Corps.”

Yang Wei stood up and said seriously, "Don't worry, I, Yang Wei, will never do anything shameful."

Ye Qianqian looked at him, and the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.

That was the first time in a long time that she smiled at him.

Stepping out of the building, Yang Wei stood by the roadside, looking at the sky.

The sky was blue, and the sun was shining brightly.

He took out his phone and called Zhang Jianjiang.

"Jianjiang has been established."

On the other end of the phone, Zhang Jianjiang shouted and almost dropped his phone.

Yang Wei smiled.

After hanging up the phone, he sent another message to Yang Chenglong.

"Son, Dad's project has been approved."

The reply came very quickly.

It's a photograph. In the photo, Yang Chenglong and Lin Wanwan are standing on a street in London, smiling at the camera. Yang Chenglong is holding a sign that reads: "Dad, you're the best!"

Yang Wei looked at the photo, his eyes welling up with tears.

He put his phone away and strode forward.

Ahead lies the road home.

It's also a path to start anew. (End of Chapter)