Rebirth in 1986: Unforgettable Regrets

"Mingli, I've already spoken to all the dealers, and we will clear out the entire factory's inventory. Then, after a few days, the workers can rush to finish the remaining clothes," Ding Chao had been doing inventory all day today, either that or discussing with various dealers about delaying deliveries or similar matters.

Even if he didn't know whether the factory could continue or not, Ding Chao would do everything that he could do.

"Director Ding, you've been with the factory for over a year now, right..." Tang Mingli couldn't help but say as he watched Ding Chao organize everything meticulously.

"Almost two years," Ding Chao said with emotion.

Initially, when he followed to work at the clothing factory in Wangjiang County, he just wanted to find a job.

Later on, after seeing Mingyue Clothing Factory, Ding Chao worked with great enthusiasm.

In just two short years, Mingyue Clothing Factory became one of the largest in Wangjiang County, and even in the whole of Jiang City. The factory's performance was extremely good, and it had been doubling since he joined.

With that, Ding Chao also earned a significant amount of money from the factory.

Just as the factory was about to expand its operations, unexpectedly, this incident occurred.

"Director Ding, thank you for your dedication to the factory." Tang Mingli sincerely thanked him, talking with Ding Chao for a long time until it got dark. When Wei Jiajia came to find Tang Mingli, he was standing in front of the factory building, lost in thought while looking at the new workshop.

Tang Mingli was tall, and as the sky darkened, the moonlight wasn't very bright. Next to the factory building, the dim light stretched his shadow very long.

"Mingli." Wei Jiajia took his hand from behind and said, "Anan is waiting for you to come home."

"Mm." Tang Mingli turned around, and Wei Jiajia's gentle face came into view.

Wei Jiajia's face had a smile, and the dimples on her cheeks were still charming. In her eyes was an endless warmth.

Tang Mingli held her hand tightly and said, "Jiajia, thank you for giving birth to Anan for me."

"Isn't Anan mine too?" Wei Jiajia playfully said.

Tang Mingli gave a light smile and nodded, "Of course, Anan is ours."

"Mingli, no matter what happens, we'll face it together," Wei Jiajia said, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.

"Jiajia, if, if the clothing factory is gone..." Tang Mingli said with his head lowered, his eyes on Wei Jiajia filled with guilt.

Ever since Jiajia married him, she hadn't enjoyed many good days.

"We can start over again from scratch," said Wei Jiajia, looking at him, their eyes locked. "As long as our family is together, we will always find a way."

"Jiajia." Tang Mingli wrapped his arms around Wei Jiajia, her tolerance giving him a sense of happiness yet also guilt.

Tang Mingli told himself in his heart that he would definitely think of a solution.

That night, Tang Mingli spent quite a bit of money, especially to take Tang Yue to see Tang Zhengde.

Tang Zhengde had lost a lot of weight, his beard was ragged, and he looked quite disheveled.

"Dad." Tang Yue's eyes reddened instantly upon seeing Tang Zhengde like this.

"Xiao Yue, I'm fine, at worst, I'll just serve a few years in prison," Tang Zhengde said nonchalantly. He asked with concern, "How is your mom? Things were urgent that day, and I couldn't properly comfort her. Your mom is timid, spend more time with her."

"Also, although we have the holidays now, when it's time for classes, you should go back. Don't worry about me."

"Remember to let Xiao Jun spend more time with your mom."

"Mingli, your sister-in-law is at home, make sure your younger siblings spend more time with your sister-in-law."

Tang Zhengde kept talking, all out of worry for Zhang Hualian and the two children.

""

Tang Yue's eyes reddened, and after saying a few words, she got up and left.

In the room, only Tang Zhengde and Tang Mingli remained.

Tang Mingli hesitated, then said, "Second Brother, I think I know why Liu Hu wanted to harm you."

"Was it premeditated?" Tang Zhengde furrowed his brows with concern and asked, "Is your second sister-in-law and the others alright?"

"Second sister-in-law is fine. She's just worried about you." Tang Mingli paused for a moment before finally saying, "Second Brother, today a man named Meng Yanzhi came to see me and said that he could settle this matter, but he wanted Xiao Yue to go with him."

"No way." Tang Zhengde immediately refused without thinking, "Mingli, you didn't agree to it, did you?"

Tang Zhengde said sternly, his gaze fixed seriously on Tang Mingli.

"Second Brother, how could I dare to agree?" Tang Mingli sighed.

"That's good," Tang Zhengde breathed a sigh of relief and repeatedly assured Tang Mingli, "Mingli, it doesn't matter if I have to be in jail for a few years, but Xiao Yue must not be harmed."

*

Tang Yue tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep at night. Eventually, she got up and sat down at her desk to doodle and write. Whether it was about her dad's situation or her uncle's matters, the key point revolved around Meng Yanzhi.

How could she persuade Meng Yanzhi to give up?

Under the quiet light, Tang Yue held her paintbrush and doodled and wrote on the paper.

The same night.

In Sea City, Lian Qingyang had been home for two days and was already restless. If it weren't for his grandmother still being hospitalized and not yet better, and his mother forbidding him to go out, Lian Qingyang would have been gone long ago.

Finally, as soon as his grandmother was discharged from the hospital, Lian Qingyang planned to leave. He secretly left a letter for his parents, and then boarded the train to Wangjiang County.

He was going to find Tang Yue to play games and to bicker with Bai Qing.

The same train.

Lian He was also sitting on it, looking at the scenery flashing past the window. Lian He's thoughts seemed to return to the past, to earlier times.

The father and son were on the same train, and when they got off, Lian Qingyang merged with the crowd and instantly disappeared from sight, completely unaware that at another exit, his father Lian He was also there.

Shuanghe Town.

Following his memories, Lian He arrived in Shuanghe Town. Nearly twenty years had passed, but there were hardly any changes here, aside from the roads becoming concrete and a few new houses being built. The road to the Zhang Family's house was still the same as before.

No, some houses were even more dilapidated than they were twenty years ago.

Elder Mrs. Zhang's home.

Elder Mrs. Zhang was sitting at home, picking dates in the courtyard. The dates were ripe, and she wanted to pick more for Zhang Qiang and Tang Yue, who both loved these dates.

Following the route in his memory, Lian He saw Elder Mrs. Zhang, who had aged a lot. Memories that had been deeply buried in his mind instantly surfaced. The thought that he might soon learn about Zhang Hualian's whereabouts filled Lian He with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness.

What would Hualian's reaction be upon seeing him?

And what about Aunt Zhang's reaction?

Lian He stood nervously at the entrance of the courtyard, his feet reluctant to take a step forward. He was anxious and hesitant.

Elder Mrs. Zhang had picked a basket full of dates and was about to bring them inside when she saw someone standing outside the courtyard.

"Who's there?" Elder Mrs. Zhang's eyesight was not very good. She could barely make out a figure, but from a distance, she couldn't tell who it was.