Go back in time and be a chaebol

Chapter 2607 There is no such unfilial son (Second update, please subscribe)
"...The spokesperson for the Chang'an official residence once again urged the Thang Long side to immediately withdraw their troops and cease their invasions of neighboring countries..."

Before the news broadcast on the car radio had finished, the taxi driver couldn't help but say:

"Oh dear, these guys are really something. They had a perfectly good life and had to invade their neighboring country. Now look what happened, so many bombs were dropped, it's all over, they're all dead."

Officials want to expand territories and make a name for themselves in history, but in the end, it's the common people who suffer.

The taxi driver's seemingly casual remark caused Lin Kang, who was in the car, to pause for a moment before realizing that even in Siam, the people here were completely different.

From the sea to Siam and the whole of Southeast Asia, they didn't care at all about the so-called military prowess brought by territorial expansion.

What they value most is their own lives, whether ordinary people are living a good life, that's what matters most.

They would wage war, but they did not invade those countries; rather, they did it to help their friends.

Ok.

Thinking of this, Lin Kang suddenly laughed. Yes, after spending so many years in Southeast Asia, he had become accustomed to looking at some issues from the local perspective.

Just like this taxi driver. He was complaining about the foreign officials who were carrying out acts of aggression, not ordinary people.

A week after the full-scale bombing began, many cities were razed to the ground. Despite the Rising Dragon representative's repeated condemnations of the Allied forces' inhumane and massive bombing campaign on various occasions...

However, the coalition spokesperson's answer was impeccable—we require civilians to evacuate the target area before each bombing, so there is only one possibility for civilian casualties: the Thang Long side prohibits civilians from evacuating the target area.

Faced with such accusations, Thang Lung naturally refused to admit anything. Thus, the two sides engaged in a continuous war of words.

Meanwhile, the bombing continued.

Lin Kang saw from the television news that the bombs were not precision-guided bombs, but old-fashioned bombs, most of which, according to the news, were from World War II.

Many of these were bombs that the U.S. military transported to the Pacific Ocean for use in the invasion of the Japanese mainland. After the war, the U.S. military transferred those bombs to the SEA.

According to the press, "there were a million tons of bombs." Originally, those bombs would have required a lot of money to destroy, but now dropping them has saved a lot of trouble.

But what would be the consequences of so many bombs falling on those cities?

Naturally, everything will be razed to the ground.

"Sigh, for the sake of the people's well-being, let them withdraw their troops and surrender as soon as possible. Honestly, what's the point of fighting..."

And so, amidst the news on the radio and the driver's complaints, the car drove toward the airport.

The taxi arrived at the airport shortly afterward.

Lin Kang pulled his suitcase into the airport. He was excited. After being away from home for more than ten years, he could finally go home.

More than a decade ago, he and his friends went to Hong Kong Island to make a living. Later, they moved from Hong Kong Island to SEA, and after many twists and turns, they finally settled down in Siam.

For many years, he had hoped that he could go home one day, and that his savings over the years would be enough for him to live a good life at home.

But he never dared to go home.

Because he ran away back then.

However, now, with more and more people returning to Tangshan to visit relatives, and the authorities telling them directly that they don't need to have any mental concerns,

Regardless of how they left back then, they are all welcome to return now, and are all treated as foreign guests.

Thus, after witnessing others return home to visit relatives, receiving high-level receptions and returning safely, Lin Kang finally had the idea of ​​going home.

Now I'm finally going home.

"I wonder what my parents will think when they find out I'm going back?"

This time, Lin Kang was excited.

……

Early May is the best season of the year, with weather that is neither too hot nor too cold.

Around nine o'clock in the morning, the usual hustle and bustle of the courtyard had disappeared. The courtyard was unusually quiet at this moment. The sounds of bicycle bells, children playing, and of course, the bickering between adults had all vanished—most of the adults had gone to work, and the children had gone to school early.

In the entire courtyard, only the public water tap in the southwest corner still seemed to have a bit of life.

Several elderly women with gray hair were squatting on small stools around the faucet, washing clothes in a basin with a washboard.

Lin Liushi sat not far from the pool, washing clothes while maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far from the others.

On the other side, an old man was sitting in a deck chair, sunbathing, listening to the radio. The radio wasn't very loud, but the women could still hear the news coming from it.

"...Recently, our heroic border guards once again successfully repelled an attack by a local bully in the southwest, safeguarding the country's territorial integrity and the safety of people's lives and property..."

Upon hearing the news, someone immediately exclaimed:
"The soldiers are truly amazing!"

"So what if those ungrateful bastards drove the Americans away? Aren't they still our defeated foe?"

Hearing them say that, Lin Liu raised her head, her eyes filled with a hint of awe, then lowered her head again and continued washing the sheets.

Over the years, she has rarely gotten involved in anything, whether it was major events on the radio or minor matters in the courtyard. She just wanted to live a peaceful life and avoid trouble.

Even when she is ridiculed or insulted, she always holds it in and even puts on a smile.

For more than a decade, she had long since grown accustomed to this kind of life.

Now, all she hopes for is that her son and two daughters can finish their time in the countryside soon, and that the neighborhood committee can arrange jobs for them when they return. Even temporary jobs would be something to eat.

I wonder when Lin Jian and the others will be able to come back.

Just as Lin Liu was pondering this, a series of hurried footsteps came from the courtyard gate, accompanied by the loud voice of Wang Guiying, the street director:

"Sister Lin! Is Sister Lin here?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Wang Guiying dressed in a crisp cadre uniform. An old man who was listening to the radio immediately went over to her and said:
"Director Wang, what brings you here in person?"

"Uncle, where's Sister Lin? Oh, where's she?"

Director Wang ignored the old man and, with a smile on her face, quickly walked towards the water tap.

She usually has a stern face, so it's rare to see her so cheerful. The old women in the yard all stopped what they were doing and their eyes fell on her.

Wang Guiying walked straight up to Lin Liushi, grabbed her hand as she was washing clothes, and said in a warm tone:
"Sister Lin, congratulations! That's wonderful news!"

When Lin Liu was pulled to her feet, she had no idea what had happened. She looked at Wang Guiying blankly, her eyes filled with confusion and worry.
"Director Wang, what's the good news? What could possibly be a happy occasion for my family?"

Over the years, how much grievance and disdain has she suffered because of her eldest son's affairs? She has long since given up on expecting anything good to happen to her.

"Xiao Kang! Your Lin Kang is back!"

Wang Guiying raised her voice a few decibels, as if afraid others wouldn't hear her:

"I came from the subdistrict office. I just received a call from the Municipal Overseas Chinese Affairs Office saying that Lin Kang is coming back from Siam to visit relatives, and that the subdistrict office should make preparations for his reception in advance!"

With a deafening roar, Lin Liu felt as if her mind had exploded. She stood there, stunned, her lips trembling, unable to utter a single word for a long time, her eyes instantly filling with tears.

Lin Kang, the name that had been weighing on her heart for over a decade, the one that had caused her endless gossip and criticism, had actually returned?
The elderly women nearby also started chattering amongst themselves.

"What? The eldest son of the Lin family, Lin Kang, is back? The one who suddenly disappeared all those years ago?"

"That's right! Back then, some people said he ran away and colluded with foreign countries, while others said he had died abroad long ago and his remains could not be found."

"The Lin family has suffered a lot these years. Because of that unfilial son's whereabouts, Old Lin's life was already difficult. Later, he was implicated by that brat Lin Kang and was bullied several times. Lin Wei and the others also suffered a lot as a result."

Tears streamed down Lin Liu's face as she recalled those difficult days when her family could not hold their heads high anywhere because Lin Kang had disappeared.

Just then, a shrill voice rang out:

"That kid really was a traitor! Who was it that said he wouldn't die so easily? He really did run away abroad!"

The speaker was Old Lady Zhang, who loved to gossip and spread rumors. She was the one who cursed Lin Liu the most fiercely when Lin Liu was going through the most difficult time.

The courtyard fell silent instantly upon hearing this, and everyone looked at Lin Liu Shi with complex expressions. Lin Liu Shi's face turned deathly pale; the joy she had just felt was extinguished by this cold water. Her lips moved, as if she wanted to retort, but she didn't know what to say.

"Sister Zhang, you can't just say things like that!"

Before Lin Liu could speak, someone said:
"What do you mean by 'colluding with foreign countries'? Xiaokang is now a foreign guest, do foreign guests know that?"

"Foreign guests?"

Grandma Zhang paused for a moment, then pursed her lips.

"What foreign guest? He's just a traitor who escaped."

"What do you know!" Aunt Li raised her voice and said:

"She's back with money now! I heard she's done big business overseas and has tons of cash! The Lin family is going to be rich now, and Sister Lin has finally made it!"

"No matter what, that's still colluding with foreign countries!"

Seeing that Old Mrs. Zhang was still stubbornly refutating herself, Director Wang immediately retorted:

“Look at your level of awareness. Lin Kang is a foreign guest now. Do you know what a foreign guest is? He came back to help build the country. You can’t talk about colluding with foreign countries now. Sister Zhang, your awareness is too low. You need to study harder.”

Grandma Zhang clearly hadn't expected Director Wang to say that, and opened her mouth but dared not speak further.

"You're saying Lin Kang became a foreigner, but is he really rich? Did he bring money back to support the country's development?"

"Of course it's true! Director Wang said so, so Sister Lin is going to enjoy a life of luxury from now on! Her family is practically having a foreign dignitary!"

The murmurs rose up again, this time with a hint of envy in their voices.

Grandma Zhang's face flushed red and then turned pale, and she awkwardly shut her mouth.

Lin Liu was still standing there, her mind a jumbled mess. She didn't care whether her son was a foreign guest or whether the family was wealthy; all she knew was that Lin Kang was coming back, that troublesome brat who had brought so much trouble to the family was coming back.

At this moment, Wang Guiying patted her on the shoulder:

"Sister Lin, don't just stand there, hurry up and get ready. Lin Kang might be home in the blink of an eye while we're talking!"

Almost home...

Director Wang's words startled Lin Liu. She thought of her husband who had passed away a few years ago, and of Old Lin. She opened her mouth, then shook her head and said:

"Director Wang, please tell your superiors that we don't have that son..."

Her answer surprised everyone around her.

(End of this chapter)