"Sister Qingqing, where in Ludong are you from?" Luo Ye asked.

"Yuanzhou City." Thinking of the Wen Family’s background, Lu Qingqing felt a bit awkward, "It’s a small city; Ye’er probably hasn’t heard of it, right?"

"Of course I know it." Luo Ye chuckled, "I even have a classmate from Yuanzhou. But her parents are mine workers and have always lived in the mining area."

"What’s her name?" Realizing she was being a bit abrupt, Lu Qingqing smiled apologetically: "My family also lives in the mining area, so I thought we might know each other."

"Her name is Sang Cao."

Lu Qingqing pondered for a while, shaking her head: "No impression; does Ye’er know what her dad’s name is?"

"No idea." Luo Ye shook his head, "I really never asked about it. By the way, does Sister Qingqing know much about what happens at the mine?"

"In what aspect?"

"Every aspect. Sang Cao mentioned that the workers at the mine have especially good relationships, and when eating, they carry their bowls and visit each house. Honestly, I’m a bit puzzled. It’s not exactly poor over there, so how can there be such simple and harmonious relationships?"

Lu Qingqing nodded: "That’s true, the relationships are indeed like that. The mining area is about eighty miles from the city, and it used to be rural. After discovering mineral resources, the state bought the land, and the farmers all became mining workers.

Work at the surface is relatively safe; underground, during the early years, accidents often happened. When I was in middle school, I feared hearing the alarm from the mine.

Generally, shortly after the alarm rang, someone dressed in black from the mine would come to the classroom and call out a classmate’s name, and most of the time, that classmate would disappear from the classroom forever.

With these incidents happening often, widows in the mining community increased, and no one could predict who would be next. Under such uncertainty, neither the miners nor their families had much to squabble over.

Some widows remarried elsewhere, and people at the mine never looked down on them for it. Rather, they sent them off with as much dignity as sending off a daughter getting married.

Year after year, the bonds only grew deeper instead of weakening with material development. Even when the mine became a corporation, the ties remained strong.

When eating, carrying bowls to visit each house wasn’t because they lacked food, but rather those who worked at the mine deeply felt life’s unpredictability, so they especially cherished the time they could spend together."

Wen Ke chuckled: "Listening to Qingqing, I almost feel like the mine is a utopia."

"Not quite." Lu Qingqing sighed, "Such harmony is limited to the miners. After the corporation was formed, the alarm rarely sounded, but that doesn’t mean no accidents happened.

As things are, the relationship between the miners and the mine leaders is often like water and fire, and some have tried to file complaints, but they all ended up unresolved.

Leaving the mine, there are no good options, so they can only slog through year after year, praying on the first and fifteenth of each month for a safe life."

"What do Uncle Lu and Auntie do at the mine?" Luo Ye asked.

Lu Qingqing smiled shyly: "My dad’s the deputy mine owner, and my mom stays at home, mainly to take care of my dad."

Luo Ye felt a stir in his heart, asking seemingly casually: "Is Uncle Lu also at odds with the miners?"

"No, our family are local natives. From my great-grandpa’s grandpa’s generation, the family assets were quite abundant, plus we’re generous, which earned us a good reputation locally.

Because of this, during the years of turmoil, our family didn’t suffer much loss. Later, my dad became the village secretary, gaining high prestige. After the land was bought out, he couldn’t stay idle, so he went to work at the mine. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

He started out underground, but soon due to his prestige, the leaders moved him to a management position. My dad’s thought was, he’d be able to take better care of the villagers if he got a promotion, so he agreed immediately.

On July 12th, 97, a safety inspector at the mine reported to my dad that some facilities were too outdated and that if not replaced in time, a major accident could occur.

My dad reported this immediately to the mine leaders, but they said he was being alarmist. Over this matter, my dad argued with the mine leaders, and was relieved of his position right then.

Half a month later, a terrible flooding incident occurred at the mine, causing over forty casualties. The mayor, deputy mayor in charge, and several mine leaders were all dismissed.

The facilities at the mine were indeed severely outdated. For two months, the coal mine remained in a state of repair and rectification. Later, for some reason, the city issued a notice allowing local private capital to invest.