The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 597: Thirty Major Changes in Liujiazhuang!!!
"Grandpa, grandpa, look, your fish is hooked!" A chubby little boy of six or seven years old clapped his chubby little hands excitedly and woke up the dozing old man Liu Jingzhai.

"Okay, okay! Xiaowei, speak softly, don't scare my fish away..." Liu Jingzhai rubbed his sleepy eyes, with a doting smile on his lips.

Although Liu Jingzhai is over 80 years old and his energy is not as good as before, his love for fishing has not diminished at all. Every time he sits by the river, he seems to have returned to his youth, and the tranquility and expectation are still the same.

Liu Jingzhai rubbed his sleepy eyes, slowly sat up, and the fishing rod in his hand trembled slightly.

He squinted his eyes, stared at the water carefully through his reading glasses, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"Xiaowei, don't be anxious, let grandpa take his time." He said softly, with a hint of pampering and calmness in his voice.

Zhong Xiaowei squatted aside, holding on to the corner of his grandfather's clothes tightly with his little hands, staring at the buoy on the water without blinking, afraid of missing any movement.

The sunlight shines on the river, making the waves sparkle and reflecting Zhong Xiaowei's face rosy.

A breeze blew by, bringing a hint of coolness mixed with the faint fishy smell of the lake water.

"Grandpa, will the fish run away?" Zhong Xiaowei couldn't help but ask in a low voice, with a hint of anxiety in his voice.

"No, the fish is testing the water. I'll reel in the line once it bites firmly." Liu Jingzhai explained patiently, lifting the fishing rod lightly in his hand and then slowly putting it down with skillful and steady movements.

His eyes were focused and deep, as if he had merged into one with the lake.

Sure enough, not long after, the buoy sank suddenly. Liu Jingzhai quickly lifted the rod, the fishing line was stretched straight, and a splash of water appeared on the water surface.

"Here it comes!" he whispered, and with a slight force of his wrist, the fishing rod bent into an arc.

Xiaowei jumped up excitedly, clapped his hands and shouted, "Grandpa is so awesome! The fish is coming up!"

Liu Jingzhai smiled and shook his head, then slowly pulled the fish closer to the shore.

A silvery-white crucian carp sparkled in the sun and struggled to escape, but was ultimately no match for the old man's experience and patience.

He gently removed the hook and put the fish into a bucket beside him. He turned to Xiaowei and said, "Look, this is the result of patience and skill."

Zhong Xiaowei squatted beside the bucket, looking at the fish curiously, his eyes full of admiration. "Grandpa, I want to learn fishing too!"

"Okay, grandpa will teach you when you grow up a little bit." Liu Jingzhai touched Zhong Xiaowei's head with a smile, his eyes full of kindness.

He looked up at the river in the distance and felt a sense of satisfaction in his heart.

Although he is old, being able to enjoy this peaceful time with his little grandson is his greatest happiness.

Zhong Xiaowei was raised with great care by Liu Jingzhai and his wife since he was a child.

His father, Zhong Xingguo, was stationed in the army all year round, and the father and son rarely saw each other throughout the year.

The mother, Liu Shuxian, was a very career-oriented woman. Because the couple were busy with work, they entrusted their child to Liu Jingzhai and his wife to take care of him.

Under the care of Liu Jingzhai and his wife, Zhong Xiaowei spent a warm and fulfilling childhood.

The willow branches by the river danced in the wind, as if silently witnessing the warm moment between the grandparents and grandchildren.

"Grandpa! Look how clear this river water is! It's much better than the stinky ditch in front of our house!" Zhong Xiaowei's eyes flickered with curiosity, and he suddenly asked, "Was this river so clear when you were a child?"

"When I was a child!" Liu Jingzhai recalled with a smile, "Back then, the river was not as clear as it is now. Today's water quality is the result of our unremitting efforts over decades and a series of water conservancy projects..."

"Grandpa, please tell me more stories about your childhood!" Zhong Xiaowei blinked his big eyes expectantly. He loved telling stories to Liu Jingzhai the most, and would pester his grandfather to tell stories whenever he got the chance.

Liu Jingzhai smiled kindly, gently stroked Zhong Xiaowei's hair, and a glimmer of reminiscence flashed in his eyes: "Okay, then I'll tell you another one?"

"That's great!" Zhong Xiaowei nodded excitedly, his face filled with the innocent smile unique to children.

"Then let's talk about the story of this river..."

"Since ancient times, the most serious disaster in our area has been floods, especially the floods caused by the Yongding River, which are the most severe.

The Yongding River had many different names in the past, such as Sanggan River, Gaoliang River, Hunhe River, Lugou River, and the most commonly used Wuding River.

Why is it called Wuding River?
Because there is a lot of silt in this river, it is prone to siltation, and the river channel is always unstable. It is easy to change course when it rains heavily, and people living by the river often suffer from this.

You see, the city of Yanjing is located at the foot of the Yanshan Mountains, supported by the alluvial plains formed by the Yongding River, Chaobai River, Daqing River and other rivers.

It is adjacent to Yanshan Mountain to the north and Taihang Mountain to the west. Such terrain has indeed been able to prevent invasions by nomadic peoples from the north in history.

However, the power of nature should not be underestimated. Floods in the mountains can rush directly to the plains, posing a great challenge to flood control work.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Miyun Reservoir was built in the fold zone of the Yanshan Mountains. In this way, the reservoir can help alleviate flood control pressure in the northern region and regulate flood peaks.

Our western region has always been the most troublesome place in flood prevention work. It is both important and difficult.

The mountains in our western Beijing area are particularly steep and the ravines are very deep.

If it rains heavily, the floods in the mountains will rush onto the plains all at once. On the flat road, the water will be so fierce, like a mighty army.

Our Liujiazhuang area is exactly where the flood water from the west flows into the plain.

Over the past thousands of years, the Yongding River has brought many flood disasters to the local people.

When my grandfather was young, he encountered many flash floods...

The most serious flood in history was in July of the seventh year of the Kangxi reign. It rained heavily for many consecutive days, as a result, the embankment of the Yongding River was broken, and the water rushed into the capital city.

The flood rushed into many city gates including Zhengyang, Chongwen, Xuanwu, Qihua, and even a corner of the Meridian Gate collapsed.

The Wucheng Bingmasi at that time reported that many people died due to the flood, with more than 140 people dying in the north alone.

Emperor Kangxi went up to the Meridian Gate to check the flood situation...

This emperor spent his entire life thinking about accomplishing three major tasks: curing the Yellow River, quelling the Rebellion of the Three Feudatories, and improving the grain transport system.

Therefore, Kangxi spent 30 years to dredge the Yongding River in Yanjing many times. There were 7 major projects, and the best result was the one in the th year of Kangxi.

Perhaps this was the first time that Emperor Kangxi, in his twenties, saw with his own eyes the people in the capital city suffering from floods, which made him determined to control the floods.

Emperor Kangxi's efforts to control floods were a real boon for the people at that time and for us now."

"Speaking of which, our Liu family's ancestor settled down in Liujiazhuang during the 20th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign.

Passed down from generation to generation, the Liu family has adhered to the ancestral teachings of farming and studying, and of being kind and charitable. They have gone through many hardships and overcome countless difficulties and obstacles.

It is this tenacity and wisdom that has made the Liu family, which now has tens of thousands of members, prosperous and an indispensable part of this land."

Zhong Xiaowei opened his eyes wide in surprise and asked in disbelief: "Wow! Our family has been rooted here for more than three hundred years?"

Liu Jingzhai smiled and nodded, a trace of reminiscence flashing in his eyes: "Yes, that's why this place is called Liujiazhuang. However, in the past thirty years, our Liujiazhuang has changed a lot. Compared with the village in my memory, it is completely different."

He paused, looking into the distance, as if recalling the past: "The village in your grandfather's memory now only has a few scattered ancient buildings standing there alone. And the surrounding area has long been surrounded by high-rise buildings, neon lights flashing, traffic jams, and prosperity that makes people a little dazed..."

Zhong Xiaowei followed Liu Jingzhai's gaze and couldn't help feeling a complicated emotion in his heart.

He grew up here but never really understood the history of this land.

Listening to Liu Jingzhai's story now, it was as if he had opened a door to the past, allowing him to see the Liujiazhuang that was completely different from the present. "At that time, the village was surrounded by farmland. Every spring, rape flowers bloomed all over the mountains, bees buzzed around, and the air was filled with the fragrance of flowers." Liu Jingzhai's voice was filled with a hint of nostalgia, "The old houses in the village were all built with blue bricks, and the roofs were covered with thick thatch. Every rainy day, the raindrops dripped along the eaves, making a crisp and pleasant sound."

Zhong Xiaowei was so absorbed in listening that he couldn't help asking, "When were all those tall buildings built?"

Liu Jingzhai smiled and said, "It probably started thirty years ago. At that time, your uncle had just returned from the army..."

Over the past thirty years, Liujiazhuang has undergone unprecedented changes thanks to the hard work of several generations.

The once remote and quiet mountain village in western Beijing has now transformed into a vibrant modern metropolis.

The city's territory continues to expand and is now divided into five major urban areas, each of which carries unique urban functions and features.

From the initial Liu family of more than 2,000 people to today's prosperous city with a permanent population of one million, Liujiazhuang's growth rate is remarkable.

Amid the changes in this city, only in the old city of Hexi can traces of some ancient buildings still be vaguely seen, silently telling the history of the past.

Other areas are occupied by towering skyscrapers and solid reinforced concrete buildings, which together outline the magnificent skyline of the modern city.

With the development of the city, Liujiazhuang has not only made great achievements in economy and construction, but its cultural and social life has also become increasingly rich and diverse.

Although the Hexi Old Town has retained some ancient buildings, it has also been injected with new vitality.

In the ancient streets and alleys, traditional teahouses, handicraft shops, fashionable cafes and art galleries complement each other, attracting countless tourists and local residents.

Every weekend, a cultural market is held here to showcase the unique charm of Liujiazhuang's fusion of history and modernity.

In the core area of ​​the city, modern business centers and technology parks are booming.

Flagship stores of internationally renowned brands are lined up on Victory Avenue in the East District, while the Liujiazhuang High-tech Park has brought together many innovative companies and research institutions, becoming the innovation-driven engine of Liujiazhuang.

This is not only a place for young people to pursue their dreams, but also a gathering place for global talents.

The optimization of educational resources has also injected new vitality into the city.

Liujiazhuang University Town has been built, attracting outstanding students from all over the country.

There are not only top academic research institutions here, but also rich campus cultural activities and international exchange programs, which have cultivated a large number of high-quality talents for the city.

At the same time, Liujiazhuang’s transportation network is becoming more and more perfect.

Highways and subway lines extend in all directions, and the railway station closely connects the city with the rest of the country and even the world.

After thirty years of tremendous changes, Liujiazhuang, a once remote mountain village, has transformed into a vibrant international metropolis.

It has not only written a glorious chapter in the economic field, but also demonstrated a booming development trend in multiple dimensions such as culture, education, and science and technology. It is like a bright pearl, shining at the forefront of the times.

In terms of economic development, the people of Liujiazhuang, with their keen business sense and pioneering spirit, relying on local advantageous resources, have carefully built a number of internationally competitive financial giants such as "Liu's Investment Group", "Jingxi Capital" and "Yantai Holdings".

These groups are like financial arteries, continuously supplying vitality to the local economy. Through precise investment layout, they control many leading domestic companies in the industry and build a criss-crossing business empire.

In the cultural field, Liujiazhuang area is also unwilling to lag behind.

The former small mountain village has now become a hub for international cultural exchange. The many international art festivals and film festivals held every year attract the attention of artists and audiences around the world.

The quaint buildings and modern art galleries in the village complement each other, forming a unique cultural landscape.

Liujiazhuang area has also established a number of cultural and creative industry parks to support local artists and designers, cleverly integrating traditional culture with modern elements, and launching many cultural products with international influence.

In terms of education, Liujiazhuang has everything from kindergartens, primary schools, junior high schools, high schools, vocational colleges, universities, and postdoctoral research stations.

At the same time, Liujiazhuang's education system has also been comprehensively improved.

The local government has cooperated with many well-known universities to establish a number of vocational and technical colleges and research institutes, and has trained a large number of high-quality technical talents.

These talents not only meet the needs of local enterprises, but also provide fresh blood for the booming high-tech industries.

Moreover, every year, tens of thousands of outstanding graduates come here, making Liujiazhuang area a veritable "cultural city".

High-tech industries are the pride of Liujiazhuang.

Relying on the "Beijing West Science and Technology Park" and the "Yantai Internet Innovation Base", Liujiazhuang has attracted many high-tech enterprises and research and development institutions to settle in.

This is not only a research and development center for cutting-edge technologies such as domestic Internet companies, computers, mobile communications, and electronic chips, but also an incubator for science and technology innovation companies.

Every year, Liujiazhuang area hosts a number of international science and technology summits, bringing together the world's top scientists and entrepreneurs to discuss the future development direction of science and technology.

In terms of environmental protection and sustainable development, Liujiazhuang area is also at the forefront.

By introducing advanced green environmental protection technologies, Liujiazhuang has created the "Green Mountains and Clear Waters City" project and become a benchmark in the domestic environmental protection field.

Environmental protection concepts have been incorporated into many places in the urban area. The widespread use of clean energy such as solar energy and wind energy, and the application of sewer facilities, sewage treatment, and new energy power generation have enabled Liujiazhuang to maintain a beautiful natural environment and a good ecological balance while developing rapidly.

The Liujiazhuang area has undergone a magnificent transformation from traditional industries to high-end industries.

The economic structure, which was once dominated by primary industries such as breeding, planting, hardware processing, and food processing, has now been successfully upgraded to include multiple high-tech fields such as medicine and health, financial technology, electronics and electrical appliances, automobile manufacturing, CNC machine tools, the Internet, culture and sports.

Today, there is no trace of traditional farming in Liujiazhuang. Instead, it is replaced by specialized agricultural production led by "Liujiazhuang Farm".

The large-scale agricultural and animal husbandry production, which was once prosperous and made great contributions to the people of Liujiazhuang, now has only sporadic industries left and is still struggling to maintain.

Among them, the "Jingxi Rice" with a century-old planting history and the "Shengfang Crab" raised in rice fields have maintained their current planting and breeding scales due to limited paddy field resources, neither expanding nor shrinking.

It is gratifying that the two well-known specialty agricultural products, "Liujiazhuang Watermelon" and "Liujiazhuang Cherry", are still being cultivated, becoming a highlight of local agricultural development.

However, the agricultural and pastoral scenes of rolling wheat waves and herds of cattle and sheep in the past are hard to find, and the pastoral scenery that carries nostalgic memories has disappeared in the torrent of development of the times.

Once leading enterprises, represented by Yanshan Wine Group and Liujiazhuang Food Group, have already taken strategic steps to expand outward due to restrictions on local raw materials.

Among them, "Liujiazhuang Food Group" only retained its headquarters at the original site, and moved most of its production bases to areas with richer resources.

This layout adjustment not only optimizes resource allocation, but also injects new vitality into the sustainable development of these enterprises.

This transformation not only demonstrates the vigorous vitality of the regional economy, but also reflects the solid steps taken by Liujiazhuang on the road of industrial upgrading, injecting strong impetus into local economic development.

With the continuous optimization of Liujiazhuang's industrial structure, the innovation ecosystem in the region is gradually improving.

The Liujiazhuang District Government has also worked with many well-known domestic and foreign companies to jointly build a number of high-tech industrial parks, attracting a large number of top domestic and foreign companies and research and development institutions to settle in.

These parks not only provide advanced R&D facilities, but also build bridges for industry-university-research cooperation, promoting the rapid transformation of scientific and technological achievements.

For example, the Chinese and Western Medicine and Health Park in Liujiazhuang has become a nationally renowned biopharmaceutical research and development base, attracting many international pharmaceutical giants to set up research and development centers here.

The people of Liujiazhuang are proud. During the great changes in the past 30 years, they have not only achieved brilliant economic achievements, but also demonstrated strong comprehensive strength in many fields such as culture, education, science and technology, environmental protection, new energy, food and beverages, medicine and health.

This is not only a microcosm of the great era of reform and opening up, but also a model for future urban development.

The rise of Liujiazhuang area, like a shining pearl, continues to shine in the tide of the times, leading the new direction of domestic reform and development.

(End of this chapter)