blogombal Chapter 374 News of Returning Home
Chapter 374 News of Returning Home
Lin Yan's instructions, transmitted swiftly and quietly through Alexander and Albert's network, spread throughout major universities, research institutes, and laboratories across Europe and America. A cross-ocean "return home" operation was quietly launched.
For those scholars and specialists who were able to study abroad during turbulent times thanks to the Lin family's protection and who continued to receive care in the years that followed, their reactions to the news varied, but the core of their reactions was shock and excitement.
Some people began packing their meager belongings without hesitation, while others gazed at the foreign night outside their windows and fell into deep thought—staying meant returning to their familiar life and academic environment; going back meant returning to a land full of unknowns but also brimming with infinite possibilities.
Lin Yan's attitude was clear and resolute: it was based on the principle of voluntariness, but the choice came with a price. "Those who are willing to return will have everything arranged by the Lin family to guarantee their future; those who are truly unwilling will not be forced, as everyone has their own ambitions. However, from now on, your ties with the Lin family will end here. You will have to walk your own path from now on."
This means that those who choose to stay will automatically be cut off from the Lin family's vast and secretive resources, connections, and protection network, and will have to face the real storm alone when it comes.
Among them, the reaction of mathematician Chen Jingrun was particularly moving. During those quiet days at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, he was able to single-mindedly pursue the stars of number theory, thanks in no small part to the continuous and low-key support of the Lin Family Foundation.
When Alexander called to inform him of the arrangements for his return home, this usually taciturn scholar, who devoted almost all his energy to the world of formulas, choked up for a moment, his eyes quickly reddening. He tightly gripped the simple itinerary, as if holding a ticket to his homeland and a new mission, and in the end, he could only nod repeatedly, tears silently streaming down his face.
The vast majority of people, like Chen Jingrun, chose to return to their roots. From Ivy League schools on the East Coast of the United States to ancient colleges in Europe, and then to the bright laboratories of the National University of Singapore, batches of elites covering key fields such as mathematics, physics, engineering, medicine, economics, and humanities began to cancel their accounts, end their leases, and say goodbye to their colleagues.
They now possessed a special document—a "Certificate of Return to China Scholarship" issued by the Hong Kong-based Lin Group. This certificate had no legal effect, but it served as an intangible symbol, representing their connection to that vast Eastern network and a potential credential for future access to resources and support within the country.
Lin mobilized his ocean shipping network and even temporarily allocated comfortable passenger ships to send these eager travelers and their families on a journey across the Pacific and Indian Oceans in batches and in an organized manner. With a long blast of the ship's horn, the ship slowly left the port of the Old World and headed towards the east in the morning light.
A few days later, a small afternoon tea party was held at the Lam residence in Deep Water Bay.
Only Fok Ying-tung and Pao Yue-kong were invited. There were no other guests, the tea was top-grade Pu'er, and the view from the window was a tranquil seascape.
After exchanging pleasantries, Lin Er cut straight to the point, "Mr. Huo, Mr. Bao, the reason I invited you two here today is to inform you of a definite trend. In the north, at the latest next year, the national policy will be finalized, and the door to opening up to the outside world and attracting foreign investment will be officially opened. This is not speculation, but a move that is about to be implemented."
Huo and Bao, being men of great stature, immediately became extremely serious and focused upon hearing this. Mr. Bao leaned forward slightly: "Mr. Lin, is the information confirmed? What is the scope and the nature of the matter?"
"The special economic zone pilot program will begin in the south. The policies will offer groundbreaking preferential treatment," Lin Er succinctly stated. "For you two, this means a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The mainland is in dire need of development in all sectors, including infrastructure, shipping terminals, hotels, and real estate... there are gaps everywhere, and opportunities everywhere. Now is the perfect time to start preparing."
Mr. Huo pondered for a moment and said, "The risks are not small either. Can policy continuity be guaranteed?"
Lin Er smiled slightly: "Risk and opportunity always coexist. But the general trend is irreversible. The Lin family will also be involved at that time. My suggestion is to assemble a capable team to conduct a detailed on-site investigation, focusing on the special economic zone's planning and transportation hubs. Funding and projects can be discussed later, but the initial step in building understanding and relationships is invaluable."
This conversation represented a strategic exchange and the formation of a consensus. Afterwards, as Huo and Bao left, their steps were steady, but a sharp glint shone in their eyes; a grand plan concerning their wealth empire for the next few decades had quietly begun in their minds.
The following day, the largest private room at "Eight Treasures" in Causeway Bay.
The atmosphere here was completely different. The table was laden with authentic Beijing cuisine and roast duck, and the air was filled with the familiar aroma of food. The guests were Sha Zhu, Xu Damao, Lou Xiao'e, Xu Huizhen, and Niu Ye. They were all old friends from Beijing, and their voices were tinged with their native accents.
Lin Yan didn't sit in the main seat, but casually sat in the middle of them. He first clinked glasses around, ate a bite of the tripe that Sha Zhu had specially prepared, and then said with a smile, "I don't have anything else to do today, so I just want to tell my older brothers and sisters some good news from home."
Everyone put down their chopsticks and looked at him.
"The policy has been relaxed, and as early as next year, the road to going home to visit relatives will be open." Lin Yan said simply, "Not only for visiting relatives, but if you want to go back to see if there is an opportunity to do some small business, or if you feel that you still can't leave your hometown and want to go back to settle down, the country's door is slowly opening up."
"Ouch!" Xu Huizhen was the first to exclaim, her eyes instantly reddening. Niu Ye gripped her arm tightly.
Sha Zhu opened his mouth wide, and after a long while, he finally said, "Really...really can we go back? I haven't been back for ten years..." Before he could finish speaking, the honest and simple man choked up.
Xu Damao reacted the fastest, his face flushed with excitement: "Xiao Yan, you mean, we can go back...to do business? Like we did back in Beijing?"
"It's much bigger than it was back then." Lin Yan nodded affirmatively. "Of course, how exactly to proceed depends on the policy details and your own decisions. That's all I wanted to tell you today. If you want to go back and visit, the Lin family can help arrange the routes and handle the formalities; if you want to stay and continue developing in Hong Kong, that's absolutely no problem either. Bazhenfang and other businesses still need everyone's help. It's all up to your own wishes; you can choose whichever way you want."
These words evoked a sense of nostalgia, memories, and anxious anticipation for the future among everyone at the table. The atmosphere immediately filled with excitement, emotion, and lively, heartfelt questions and discussions.
Lin Yan looked at them, his heart at peace. To the top tycoons, he was an ally guiding the tides of the times; to these old friends and acquaintances, he was a fellow villager delivering good news and offering a way out. Two approaches, the same affection, different weight, yet both perfectly appropriate.