Reborn in 1977

After sitting in the gatehouse for only a short time, the team leader received a call from the factory office authorizing their entry. He then found a security guard to escort Chen Fan and the others inside.

Chen Fan and his group followed the security guard, winding their way through the factory grounds.

The less worldly members at the back were already dumbfounded, constantly gazing at the towering factory buildings. Luckily, the security guard was leading the way, or workers would have stopped them to ask questions.

Upon reaching the administrative building, they underwent verification of their introduction letter and a security check before finally meeting the director of Yunhu Machinery Factory in a conference room.

Director Yang, around 50 years old, teared up the moment he saw Chen Fan. He rushed forward and grabbed Chen Fan's arm, his eyes brimming with tears as he looked him up and down, saying, "You look so much like her, just like your mother!"

Chen Fan gave a slightly awkward smile. 'Just like her'? He had seen the photo yesterday, okay? At most, they could only be considered to have similar face shapes… Fine, it was similar to the Korean beauty pageant in later years; the face shape was the same, and then the features were all beautifully done, so it wasn't far from being exactly alike.

Director Yang pulled Chen Fan to sit on the sofa, completely ignoring the others. He kept talking about past events.

He also said, "The police said you have amnesia. I'll talk to you more about the past, which should help you recall something.

Also, your family's belongings were all sorted out when I resumed my job. Those clothes and furniture were all divided up. I tried my best, but I couldn't get them back. I could only collect the unwanted books and materials, which are now stored in my house. I'll have them sent over to you later."

As he spoke, he took out a handkerchief to wipe his face, suppressing his excitement and saying with emotion, "Your parents were implicated by me. When we were focusing on production, they were wholeheartedly devoted to their work, paying no attention to worldly affairs.

I didn't think too much at the time. I just wanted to improve the factory's production and develop the technology so we wouldn't be constrained by foreign technology.

But I didn't expect to offend a petty person unintentionally. Later, I was wrongly accused and removed from my position.

After I left the machinery factory, your parents were also implicated and quickly falsely accused, removed from their positions, and investigated, and then…"

He kept shaking his head and sighing, his head lowered in pain.

Seeing this scene, An Quan and the others couldn't help but empathize, each sighing in turn.

Although Chen Fan's expression was also full of grief, with his insight, he could clearly perceive that this Director Yang was putting on an act.

It wasn't to say that Director Yang's words were false. These were all matters that could be publicly verified. If he dared to lie, it would be tantamount to self-humiliation.

It was just that the events were real, but the emotions could be faked.

As a leader of a department-level unit, he wouldn't be so emotional as to cry in front of a younger generation, right?!

But Chen Fan had no evidence, so he could only cooperate with the performance with a pained expression.

In his heart, he was silently calculating what he had that was worth being schemed against by a leader like him.

Thinking it over, it seemed that only his identity as a writer was worth him exploiting.

After ten years of silence, the status of writers could be described as a "limit rebound."

In fact, this time period was still good. In another three or four years, not to mention being famous nationwide, even publishing an article in a prefectural-level publication would be enough to make the surrounding people look up to you, and everyone would call you "Writer"!

If he could recruit Chen Fan to the machinery factory, Director Yang would naturally have a way to maximize this advantage. Whether it was ingratiating himself with leaders or winning the support of the masses, he would benefit greatly.

In addition, treating the son of an old friend well could also enhance his reputation and buy him praise. All it took was a little acting, so why not do it?!

After a good emotional release, Director Yang took Chen Fan's hand and said, "Your father used to be the director in charge of scientific research, and your mother was also the deputy director in the technology department in charge of translation work. Both were at the cadre level.

After the reversal of the verdict, the factory re-calculated their wages, as well as the pension and the bonuses for developing various products such as automobile parts, totaling more than 6,000 yuan.

Yesterday, I received a call from the secretary of your Lujiawan Brigade, so I asked the finance department to prepare the money. I'll write you a note later, and you can go directly to the finance department to collect the money.

In addition, there are more than 6,000 yuan in your parents' previous bank deposits. Although the deposit book has been lost, I went to the bank to ask, and the bank still has the stub, but according to regulations, only legal heirs are eligible to withdraw it.

I'll write you a letter of introduction later to prove your identity, and you can take it to the bank to withdraw the money."

Upon hearing this, Chen Fan quickly waved his hand, "No, no, I can't take this money."

He really didn't expect that there would be so much inheritance waiting for him.

The reissued wages, bonuses, and pensions totaled more than 6,000 yuan, and the previous deposits were also more than 6,000 yuan. It seemed incredible, but with the income of two department-level cadres and their frugal spending habits, this amount was still reasonable.

It's just that he really didn't dare to take the money.

Others didn't know, but he knew in his heart that this money didn't belong to him at all. And he wasn't a very short of money person, so why bother taking this money?!

Even now, everyone felt that his identity had been confirmed, but his words and expressions still showed that he hadn't accepted it. Even when mentioning "his" parents, he said "Chen Fan's" parents, in order to draw a clear line.

It would be a bit awkward to deny it verbally on one hand and then turn around and take the money on the other.

Director Yang was about to speak, but Chen Fan quickly changed the subject, "Actually, I came here today mainly to pay respects to… uh, my parents. Please find someone to take me there."

Looking at Chen Fan, Director Yang pointed at him with a gratified expression, "You are just like your parents, valuing righteousness over wealth."

He stood up again and said, "You should indeed go and pay your respects. Many people have paid their respects over the years, but you are different. They will definitely be happy to see you go."

Chen Fan smiled awkwardly and wanted to say that he could just find someone to take him there, but Director Yang had already walked out, so he could only follow.

An Quan and the others exchanged glances and quickly followed out.

With the director personally taking the lead, they naturally wouldn't walk. The factory office arranged three cars, and the chairman of the labor union accompanied them personally, bringing some items, and headed straight for Yunhu Cemetery in the suburbs.

Upon arriving at the cemetery, Director Yang quickened his pace and led the way, stopping in front of a tombstone.

Seeing that he seemed very familiar with this place, Chen Fan's prejudice against him was somewhat reversed.

Regardless of whether this Director Yang was scheming against him, at least he was affectionate and righteous towards the deceased two.

Otherwise, even if he had scouted the route in advance, he wouldn't be so familiar with it.

Standing in front of the tomb, Director Yang was about to help Chen Fan place the offerings when Huang Ying and the others immediately took the lead, taking out items one by one from the cloth bag.

There was wine personally brewed by Chen Fan, several dishes cooked by Liu Dan, and even several kinds of fruits such as tangerines, persimmons, and winter jujubes.

Seeing Director Yang's strange expression, Chen Fan smiled helplessly, "These are all my students. They insisted on coming to show their filial piety."

Students? Whose students are like this?

Director Yang smiled but didn't say anything.

Then he turned to look at the tombstone and said softly, "I know you don't remember many things, so I'll tell you simply. Their original tomb was in a village, and several workmates from the original workshop helped to take care of it. You were still there at the time, and they all had a deep impression of you.

After I resumed my original position, I found them as soon as possible and moved your parents' graves here. They were buried together before, so this is also a joint burial.

You should come here to worship in the future."

He turned to look around, "There are too many small paths here, and the location is difficult to find. If you can't find it, come and find me, and I'll take you here."

Chen Fan nodded lightly, quietly looking at the words on the tombstone. After a long while, he said, "I remember."

It was unclear whether he was saying that he remembered Director Yang's words or that he remembered this place.

Director Yang didn't care. Anyway, the intention was expressed.

More than a year ago, when that thing hadn't ended, this kind of formal worship didn't exist!

Even in very remote small mountain villages, there was a history of not worshiping ancestors for ten years. Even many ancestral halls and temples were destroyed, and the idols inside were chopped into pieces and burned. This kind of grave sweeping was even more impossible.

But starting last year, without anyone organizing or notifying, everything was so natural.

Starting with elderly people with white hair, they carried small bamboo baskets, brought a small piece of bacon, a little grass fruit, a small pot of wine, and led the little dolls in their families to sweep the tombs of their ancestors.

Almost overnight, this "old custom" was restored nationwide.

So at this time, Chen Fan worshiped according to that old ritual.

He lit an incense stick, placed the offerings, and then took out a large bag of yellow and rough paper money and lit it in front of the grave.

Huang Ying and the others burned paper in front of the grave. Zhang Wenliang took out a small shovel from the cloth bag, walked over, and handed it to Chen Fan, "Add some soil to the grave."

Chen Fan nodded, took the shovel, dug a few pieces of soil from the nearby ridge, piled them on the grave, and pressed a piece of paper money under the last shovel of soil.

After all the paper money was burned, An Quan took out a string of firecrackers, opened it, and placed it around the grave.

After everyone had kowtowed and walked away in turn, he knelt in front of the tombstone and bowed a few times, putting his hands together and muttering a few words, "Uncle and Auntie, bless him, your boy is promising, not only is he capable himself, but he has also brought out many excellent students. You must bless him to be safe and smooth."

After speaking, he looked at the girls not far away, and a murmur arose in his heart, but he finally shut his mouth.

Forget it, it's better not to be too talkative about this kind of private matter. Maybe their parents just like to see this kind of scene.

He took out a cigarette, lit it, walked behind the tombstone, stretched out the cigarette and brought it close to the fuse of the firecrackers, and then ran away.

A few seconds later, the crackling sound of firecrackers rang out, echoing in the cemetery, spreading farther and farther.