Two generations of military wives compete for time

After lunch at the ancient temple, they took a short break. Sister Yuan Yanqin and project manager Ma Youcai accompanied Qian Yizhen and Yang Ruolan to take a tour of the temple's renovation and construction. The four of them walked, looked and talked.

Project manager Ma Youcai said: "If nothing unexpected happens, the renovation and construction of the ancient temple will be completed on time by the end of next year. If you have new ideas and requirements, please feel free to put them forward. Our construction team can make preparations early and actively cooperate. Our company's next ancient building renovation and construction project is the ancient capital of Xi'an."

Qian Yizhen looked at Sister Yuan Yanqin and said, "You are an expert, so you have the final say. Check if there is any repair or new construction needed for this ancient temple, write it down and tell us."

Yang Ruolan said: "If there is anything that needs to be improved, just let me know. Money is not a problem."

"Thank you Ruolan, thank you Yizhen, let me think about it." Sister Yuan Yanqin said gratefully.

The group of four bid farewell to the ancient Taoist temple and came to the Taoist village committee to meet the village party secretary.

Yan Jiashui, the village party secretary of Daoguan Village, is in his forties and a retired soldier. He speaks and acts efficiently. When he learned the origins of Qian Yizhen and his four companions, he immediately smiled.

"Opening ceremony, great, great, it's a great thing. Whatever you say, the village will do. We promise to cooperate with you to make the opening ceremony a prosperous and lively one, and make sure nothing unexpected happens." Village Party Secretary Yan Jiashui said happily.

Qian Yizhen gave the village party secretary a box of liquor produced by the provincial state-owned winery, and the village party secretary Ma Shu accepted it with a smile.

Qian Yizhen handed another 1,000 yuan to the village party secretary Yan Jiashui: "Secretary Yan, I have to trouble you for a few things, that is, some items needed for the opening ceremony, etc., please help us arrange them. I have written the list on paper, please take a look, including firecrackers, slogans, colorful flags, site cleaning, building the rostrum, etc. Please keep a record of the expenses, and when the time comes, I will refund you for any excess and make up for any shortfall. Do you think it's okay?"

The village party secretary Yan Jiashui took the 1,000 yuan and said, "Okay, okay, I'll make the arrangements. Don't worry."

"As for the wages for hiring people to help, please remember to record an attendance record and I will pay you separately. Thank you, Secretary Yan, for your help." Qian Yizheng said politely.

As they were talking, the village chief Yan Shizhu and the village accountant Yan Chengwei also came to the village committee. The village party secretary Yan Jiashui handed the 1,000 yuan and the list to the village accountant Yan Chengwei, and asked him to keep a good account.

Qian Yizhen and the three village leaders said: "If there are any particularities or rituals for the opening ceremony in our local customs, please tell us so that we can refer to them."

Village chief Yan Shizhu immediately said: "Dragon and lion dances are both local special festive activities."

Yang Ruolan interjected, "The dragon and lion dances, the roar of gongs and drums, symbolize the soaring of dragons and the leaping of tigers, and the prosperity of business."

Qian Yizhen nodded: "Add dragon and lion dances."

Qian Yizhen and his four companions said goodbye to the leaders of Daoguan Village Committee and came to Daoguan Township to meet with the township head Gao Wangcai: "Hello, Township Head Gao, we will hold an opening ceremony at the site of the new textile factory in Daoguan Village in the near future. We respectfully invite the leaders of the township government to come and give us guidance. Thank you."

Township head Gao Wangcai said happily: "We will definitely go, we will definitely go. You are the God of Wealth of our township, so why wouldn't we go?"

Qian Yizhen and his four companions said goodbye to Township Chief Gao Wangcai and came to the Pingzhou County Government to meet with Deputy County Chief Cui Shengli: "Hello, Deputy County Chief Cui, we are bothering you again. We will hold an opening ceremony at the site of the new textile factory in Daoguan Village in the near future. We respectfully invite the leaders of the county government to come and give us guidance. Thank you."

"Great, great, the God of Wealth has finally come down to earth and landed on the land of our Pingzhou County. The people of Pingzhou County will have a good life. The leaders of our county party committee and county government will definitely be present and give their full support." Deputy County Mayor Cui said with great enthusiasm.

Qian Yizhen and Deputy County Mayor Cui Shengli shook hands and said goodbye. Deputy County Mayor Cui warmly invited Qian Yizhen and the other three to stay for dinner.

Yang Ruolan was the first to object: "I have a breastfeeding baby at home, I want to go home early."

Qian Yizhen: "Thank you for your kindness, Deputy County Magistrate Cui. Let's do it next time. We have a long way to go. Thank you again."

Qian Yizhen and his group of four bid farewell to Deputy County Mayor Cui Shengli and rushed back to the provincial capital under the stars.

Three days later, Shi Jiayang drove a business car, carrying his uncle Chen Haoyu, cousin Chen Mengwei, Professor Jiang Yuhan, Qian Yizhen, and cousin Chen Mengwei's daughter Han Shiyan. Driver Wang Qingbao brought assistant Liu Wanning, secretary Liu Xinyue, and accountant Tan Guifen to the opening ceremony of Taoist Village.

In Daoguan Village, Party Secretary Yan Jiashui, Village Chief Yan Shizhu, and Village Accountant Yan Chengwei ran up to greet Qian Yizhen and his group warmly, and asked them to sit on the benches brought from the village primary school to rest.

At the opening ceremony, colorful flags were flying, and dragon dance teams, lion dance teams, and gong and drum teams were ready to go. Primary school students in the village held garlands and stood on both sides of the road to welcome guests from afar. To the left of the rostrum were more than a dozen large mechanical equipment such as excavators, bulldozers, and trucks, all covered with big red flowers.

Daoguan Township, Township Party Committee Secretary Zhao Lailong, Township Mayor Gao Wangcai, and a group of people came.

In Pingzhou County, the county party secretary Zhao Yong, county magistrate Meng Xiangjie, and deputy county magistrate Cui Shengli and their group came.

County and township leaders shook hands and greeted the visitors from Hong Kong and the provincial capital one by one.

My great uncle Chen Haoyu, my cousin Chen Mengwei, Professor Jiang Yuhan, Qian Yizhen, village party secretary Yan Jiashui, village chief Yan Shizhu, township chief Gao Wangcai, township party committee secretary Zhao Lailong, county chief Meng Xiangjie, county party committee secretary Zhao Yong, and deputy county chief Cui Shengli, took turns to walk onto the podium.

Deputy County Mayor Cui Shengli presided over the ceremony, and County Party Secretary Zhao Yong delivered a speech, Township Party Secretary Zhao Lailong delivered a speech, and Chairman Chen Mengwei delivered a speech.

When the auspicious time arrived, firecrackers blasted, gongs and drums beated, and dragon and lion dance teams made a brilliant appearance, attracting many villagers from the Taoist temple village and surrounding villages to watch, creating a lively scene.

News reporters sent by the county and township governments were busy filming. Assistant Liu Wanning also took a lot of photos with a point-and-shoot camera.

Han Shiyan, the daughter of my cousin Chen Mengwei, shouted with excitement. She had traveled to many developed countries in Europe and America since she was a child. But she had never seen such an opening ceremony. Especially such a shocking dragon and lion dance. Han Shiyan took the camera and kept taking pictures.