Reborn as Zhao Ruilong of Handong, I will defy fate.

The sun is setting.

The afterglow of the setting sun turned the mountains golden.

After turning in the air, the plane began to descend.

Through the porthole, Zhao Ruilong looked down at the narrow plain nestled among the vast mountains.

This is Xichang, known as the "City of Sunshine," named for the fact that it enjoys sunshine almost all year round.

It is precisely because of the abundance of sunshine and little rain throughout the four seasons, resulting in extremely high visibility, coupled with high altitude, low latitude, and stable geological conditions, that China has built the largest and most advanced satellite launch center in the country here.

However, Zhao Ruilong did not come to visit the satellite launch center this time, but to see the wind power industrial base invested and built by Huilong Energy, as well as the first wind power plant project in the Xichang area.

Last year, my father, Zhao Lichun, braved the long and arduous journey to conduct research on the front lines of drug control and AIDS prevention work in the Dalang Mountain area. He was nearly carsick from the bumpy road conditions, and the poverty in the mountain village left a lasting impression on him.

As a son, how could Zhao Ruilong not share his father's burdens?

After careful investigation, Zhao Ruilong decided to improve the local poverty and backwardness through industrial poverty alleviation, so he asked Huilong Energy, a subsidiary of the group, to develop the wind power industry in Xichang.

Nestled in a valley, Xichang itself has abundant wind resources.

Building a wind farm here will utilize the abundant wind resources to generate electricity, which can supplement the local power grid and also transmit the power to other areas.

Moreover, apart from core components being transported from other places by rail, other components are produced locally, which can attract a large number of jobs and contribute a significant amount of tax revenue.

As the aircraft descended further.

A wide, two-way, four-lane cement road comes into view.

Although no wind power towers have yet been erected around the highway.

However, it is already clear that construction access roads connect the construction sites of the foundation pits.

Even though the sun was setting, many workers were still busy with construction, and a large number of construction vehicles were shuttling back and forth.

The plane continued its descent, soon passing over fields of farmland.

With the jolt of impact, the plane began to decelerate and taxi.

After a burst of thrust, the plane began to slowly taxi toward the terminal.

After transmigrating to this world, Zhao Ruilong flew over many airports in China, making several trips almost every month.

But the terminal building at Xichang Airport was something Zhao Ruilong hadn't expected.

"This is supposed to be a major state capital, a tourist destination, and an aerospace technology city, yet its airport terminal... looks more like a bus station!"

The terminal building is so rudimentary that it's impossible for it to have anything like jet bridges.

Moreover, because the parking positions are very close to the terminal building, there is no need for shuttle buses.

After getting off the passenger boarding bridge, you can walk directly to the terminal building, which is just a stone's throw away.

Since they had no checked baggage, Zhao Ruilong and his two companions, like other passengers, went straight into the terminal.

"President Zhao!!"

Feng Zhengting waved excitedly in response.

The wind power project in Xichang is not only a large-scale investment, but also of great significance in poverty alleviation.

Therefore, as the general manager of Huilong Energy, he personally served as the branch manager and project director.

"Old Feng!"

Zhao Ruilong smiled and extended his hand to shake hands with Feng Zhengting, who was walking up to him.

Zhao Ruilong's purpose in coming to Xichang was simply to inspect the project, so he specifically instructed Feng Zhengting not to make a fuss.

Otherwise, if the locals find out, they will definitely put on a grand welcome, and after such a grand reception, how could I not reciprocate?

From Handong to Linjiang, from the Han River to the Western Regions, from the southwest to the northeast...

Huilong Group, which has been continuously burning money on scientific research, has also invested in and participated in a lot of major infrastructure projects in the past two years.

Even with chain internet cafes and hotels, sales of various electronic products, real estate development, and constant profiteering from overseas, the speed at which they make money is clearly not keeping up with the speed at which they burn through cash.

In order to avoid the debt from continuing to rise, Zhao Ruilong naturally had to cut expenses as much as possible and could no longer casually agree to invest in large-scale infrastructure projects with long payback periods.

Projects that can generate quick profits are acceptable.

For example, if you develop wind power in Xichang, which is rich in wind resources, you can quickly sell electricity. Even if it takes two or three years to break even, at least you will have some income.

But if they agree to help build highways or high-speed railways to improve the local transportation situation, then the situation will be different.

In order to develop and utilize the rich iron ore resources of Panzhihua City and to drive the development of the areas along the line, more than 300,000 people went to build the railway from Xirong to Chuncheng.

This railway, which is less than 1,100 kilometers long, is mostly located in the mountains, and several hundred kilometers of it is situated on an earthquake fault line, making the geological conditions extremely harsh.

In order to build this railway with an extremely high bridge-to-tunnel ratio, more than 2,000 railway soldiers and engineering technicians tragically sacrificed their lives. This means that on average, two builders lost their precious lives for every kilometer built.

Today, China's industrial strength and engineering technology are vastly different from what they used to be, and it has the ability to overcome various technical difficulties. However, overcoming the harsh geological conditions will inevitably require a huge price to pay.

Whether it's building a highway or a high-speed railway, the estimated cost is 100 million yuan per kilometer. Even if straightening the curves can reduce the distance by 100 or 200 kilometers compared to the old railway lines, it's still more than 800 kilometers and costs more than 80 billion yuan!

In addition to the huge investment amount, the construction period is destined to be very long due to the great difficulty of construction. From the start of the project to the completion and opening to traffic, it will take at least five or six years, and the day when the investment costs are recovered is even more distant...

therefore.

Zhao Ruilong, who lacked the funds for large-scale infrastructure investment, naturally wanted to keep a low profile.

Although Feng Zhengting did not understand Zhao Ruilong's difficulties, he resolutely carried out the order.

Since the boss said to keep a low profile, he didn't organize a welcoming party.

Even the business vehicle that came to pick them up at the airport was an old Buick, not a modern and stylish Land Rover.

"Hmm, this car is nice, and it's quite understated!"

After Zhao Ruilong got into the car, he immediately felt the same way he had just arrived in this world.

Especially the old Buick minivans, when driving on some cracked and potholed cement roads, the ear-piercing tire noise is all too familiar.

"It's getting late. How about we go have dinner first, and then visit the industrial park and construction site tomorrow?"

Feng Zhengting offered him a cigarette and casually asked.

"Sure, but this is my first time in Xichang, so let's have some local specialties for dinner!"

Zhao Ruilong took the cigarette and casually asked with a smile:

"Haven't you been here for two or three months already? You should know where to find good food, right?"

"The best dishes here are mutton hot pot and barbecue hot pot, but they're quite strong in flavor. Are you sure you want to try them?"

"Of course, how could we not try the local delicacies?"

After a while.

The Buick minivan drove into the city.

The buildings on both sides of the street are not very tall.

There weren't many cars on the street, but there were quite a few bicycles and pedicabs.

As Zhao Ruilong drove through the city, he suddenly felt as if he had traveled back to the 1980s.

When the Buick minivan pulled over, the street below the old-fashioned building was already crowded with diners, and the air was thick with smoke.

"This barbecue place is great, we've eaten here several times!"

"Okay, let's go with this place!"

Zhao Ruilong wasn't picky either.

Before transmigrating, he was a miserable, low-class person.

Arriving in Xichang now, lightly dressed, feels like a 'return to the human world'.

In this city where the temperature is neither too hot nor too cold, sitting at a roadside stall, enjoying grilled skewers and beer sounds pretty great.

"Buy mulberries! Buy mulberries!"

"Young man, buy some mulberries, they're very sweet!"

An old woman with a wrinkled face and dark skin was selling two large, dark mulberries.

Behind the old woman was a little girl who looked about five or six years old.

The little girl was wearing a floral dress and sandals, with her hair in pigtails.

I don’t know if it’s because she’s often exposed to the wind and sun, but she has much darker skin than girls her age.

Zhao Ruilong only glanced at the two people and the mulberries in the basket before Feng Zhengting immediately called out to the old woman.

How much per pound?

Two pieces.

"How can it be so expensive? I bought it for only one dollar and fifty cents yesterday!"

Are you going to buy a lot?

"Two pounds for three yuan, is that okay?"

"Ok, Ok!"

The old woman put down her basket and took off her carrying pole.

Then, he took a plastic bag out of the little girl's handbag and twisted it open.

Then, attach the plastic bag to one end of the basket, lift the basket with both hands, and shake it into the plastic bag.

A large clump of mulberries, as if they had solidified together, was immediately shaken from the basket into a plastic bag.

"Oh dear, there's too much! We can't finish it!"

Feng Zhengting said with some difficulty.

"You can finish them, young man? I grew them myself, they're especially sweet, and I didn't use any pesticides..."

The old woman smiled and muttered to herself as she took the old-fashioned boom scale from the little girl and weighed it.

As the old woman held the scale in one hand and moved the weight in the other, Zhao Ruilong noticed that her hands were very wrinkled and dark.

Especially my fingernails, because I pick mulberries every day, they've been stained black by the juice...

The black scale beam has fine markings.

The old woman's eyesight was clearly failing.

I looked at it carefully again and again, but I still couldn't determine how heavy it was.

"Is five yuan okay?"

Zhao Ruilong took the initiative to ask.

"Okay, sure, sure!"

The old woman nodded with a smile in agreement.

Zhao Ruilong opened his wallet, only to be dumbfounded by what he saw.

It was all 100-yuan bills; there was no change at all.

"Old Feng, here you go! I'll cover the barbecue later!"

Feng Zhengting nodded repeatedly.

After paying, I quickly picked up the bag.

"Mr. Zhao, please try this. It's called mulberry, and it's a local specialty fruit!"

"Although it looks dark and not very elegant, and it's a bit soft to the touch, it tastes as sweet as honey!"

"I even checked online, and everyone says this stuff is really high in vitamins and has the effects of nourishing yin and kidneys, promoting blood circulation and boosting qi..."

"I've eaten it before!"

Before Feng Zhengting could finish his introduction, Zhao Ruilong reached out and gently grabbed a few.

I took the biggest one and put it in my mouth. One bite and it tasted as sweet as honey.

"Great, great, it really is sweet!"

"Don't just stand there, take it all and eat!"

Zhao Ruilong ate another one.

I noticed the little girl staring blankly at the diners enjoying skewers at the barbecue stall next to us, her lips trembling slightly.

Clearly, she was hungry.

She probably spent a long time picking mulberries with the old lady today.

They didn't even have time for dinner before walking a long way to reach the city and start selling their wares on the streets.

But the old woman had clearly just opened her business that evening, and being sensible, she obviously wouldn't be complaining of hunger and wanting to eat right now.