Chapter 262: The Popular Choice
After discussing the clan leader, Deng Shirong and Deng Shian joined the villagers in the wooden shed to watch TV.
Their seats had been reserved long ago—what later generations would call the "best center position."
At eight o'clock, the first Spring Festival Gala officially began.
In his previous life, the entire Help And Correct Brigade didn't own a TV, so Deng Shirong had never watched the inaugural Spring Festival Gala. Though recordings of it existed online in his later years, the Spring Festival Gala had lost much of its appeal to him by then for various reasons.
As a result, he had never seen the first Spring Festival Gala from start to finish.
Now, reborn and with the chance to witness it firsthand, Deng Shirong was deeply intrigued.
The hosts delivered their opening remarks, introduced the guests, followed by a speech from crosstalk master Hou Baolin. Finally, the hosts extended New Year's greetings on behalf of their respective industries.
With that, the show officially commenced.
The first performance was a New Year's greeting song by Li Da Lao, a singer from the Central Orchestra.
This legendary figure set an unbreakable record in Spring Festival Gala history. She performed a staggering nine songs during the first broadcast—an opening number, followed by eight consecutive songs. No other artist has ever matched this feat.
Her solos included "Spring Song," "Welcome to the Motherland," "A Bamboo Pole," "Young Friends," "Friends," and "Homesickness." She then performed a duet for "Liu Sanjie" and a Peking Opera piece, "Niugao Recruiting a Marriage," with another performer.
In future years, no singer—no matter how renowned—would perform more than three songs in a single Spring Festival Gala, let alone eight in a row after the opening. It was a miracle never to be repeated.
Beyond singing, the first Spring Festival Gala was a dazzling mix of entertainment:
Riddle-solving, crosstalk, sketches, poetry recitals, pantomime, Peking Opera, dance, magic, acrobatics, martial arts, and more.
They even screened clips from documentary films like The Burning of the Old Summer Palace, Behind the Curtain, and Wulin Chronicles. Notably, Wulin Chronicles was still in production at the time, yet a preview aired during the gala.
For Deng Shirong—who had experienced later iterations of the Spring Festival Gala—and the villagers witnessing it for the first time, the show was a revelation. The villagers had never seen such a spectacular performance, losing track of time entirely.
Only when the New Year's Eve bell tolled on TV and firecrackers erupted in the village did they snap back to reality—it was midnight, and they needed to go home to set off their own firecrackers.
Though the show continued, most villagers couldn't justify skipping the tradition. Reluctantly, they grabbed their stools and hurried home.
Some younger attendees, however, stayed behind. With elders handling the firecrackers at home, they saw no reason to leave and kept watching.
Deng Shirong had his eldest son set off a string of firecrackers haphazardly before returning to the show.
Those who remained didn't leave until the gala ended.
Though it was late, staying up all night on New Year's Eve was customary across the country. Even those who didn't stay up typically slept later than usual.
So, Deng Shirong's family wasn't in a rush to sleep. Everyone was hungry after midnight, so they had a late-night snack. After eating, they needed time to digest, naturally leading to more conversation by the fire.
...
The Second Day of the New Year: Visiting Relatives
On the second day of the New Year, wives in the village took their husbands and children back to their parents' homes.
After breakfast, Deng Yuntai, Deng Changyuan, and Deng Changdong each mounted their bicycles, carrying their wives and children to New Dock Village.
Deng Changdong's bicycle was borrowed from Deng Yuntai's family, while Deng Changyuan had bought his own the previous year. As the head kiln master at the tile factory, he earned over 200 yuan monthly with steady work—enough to afford a bicycle without strain.
Gifts were tied to the front racks, wives sat on the rear seats, and children were bundled in slings.
Chatting along the way, they arrived at New Dock Village by 11 a.m.
Upon reaching the village, the group split up.
When Deng Yuntai arrived at his father-in-law's house with his wife and children, Zhang Shoushan—playing with a slingshot by the door—shouted excitedly inside:
"Dad! Mom! Sister and brother-in-law are here!"
Deng Yuntai had barely parked his bicycle when his in-laws emerged, and he quickly greeted them:
"Dad, Mom, Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year!"
"Sister, brother-in-law, Happy New Year!"
After exchanging greetings, Zhang Xiuping unbuckled her sling and urged, "Little Dong'er, call them Grandpa and Grandma!"
Taught well at home, Little Dong'er chirped, "Grandpa! Grandma!"
"Aiyo, Little Dong'er is so good! Come, let Grandma hold you!"
"Little Dong'er, I'm your uncle! Remember me?"
"Uncle!"
"So clever!"
...
A few minutes later:
Deng Yuntai sat by the fire, chatting with his father-in-law and two brothers-in-law.
His mother-in-law busied herself in the kitchen, preparing tea and boiling rice dumplings. Zhang Xiuping carried Little Dong'er inside to talk with her mother.
Deng Yuntai asked, "Dad, have Eldest Brother and Second Brother taken their wives back to their parents' homes yet?"
Zhang Zhenfa nodded. "Yes, but they know you're coming today, so they won't stay overnight. They should be back by afternoon."
Deng Yuntai smiled. "No need to rush. We're not leaving soon—we'll stay for two or three days."
Zhang Zhenfa nodded thoughtfully. "With you managing such a large restaurant in the county town now, they assumed you'd be too busy. That's why they planned to make it a day trip."
Neither Zhang Zhenfa nor his wife had actually seen their son-in-law's restaurant.
When Mrs. Zhang had accompanied her daughter to the county town for childbirth, the restaurant construction hadn't even begun. She'd never returned to the county town since, missing her chance to see the establishment.
However, Ou Guohua's mother had visited during construction when the basic framework was already visible. After returning, she'd described the restaurant's impressive scale to the Zhang family, giving them secondhand knowledge of its grandeur.
The Zhangs burned with curiosity about their son-in-law's business. Only their farm work had prevented them from making the trip to see it personally.
Deng Yuntai explained, "We actually planned for this downtime. Restaurant business is always slow after New Year's, so we decided to remain closed until after the Lantern Festival. This way, we can enjoy the holidays without rushing."
Zhang Shoujun leaned forward eagerly. "Brother-in-law, Sister Ahua's mother said your restaurant is dozens of times larger than Dragon Lake's state-owned restaurant, with three whole floors. Is that true?"
With a modest smile, Deng Yuntai confirmed, "It's certainly sizable—over 1,000 square meters, more than ten times bigger than the county's largest state-owned restaurant. The building does have three floors, but we're only using the ground level for now. My father hasn't decided what to do with the upper floors yet."
Though they'd heard rumors, hearing the confirmation made both Zhang men inhale sharply.
Zhang Zhenfa couldn't contain his curiosity. "Yuntai, how much capital did your father invest in such an establishment?"
Deng Yuntai answered frankly, "Father mentioned the total investment exceeded 300,000 yuan."
The sharp intake of breath from the Zhang men could have single-handedly reversed global cooling. This astronomical figure—even with the recent devaluation of "ten-thousand-yuan household" status—was beyond their wildest imaginings.
Investing such wealth in a restaurant seemed almost reckless. Just two years prior, their entire family had agonized over spending a few hundred yuan to open their small shop. Only their daughter's persistent encouragement had given Zhang Zhenfa the courage to take that modest step.
The gulf between their business acumen and their in-laws' was staggering.
"Yuntai... did your father take out loans for this?" Zhang Zhenfa phrased it as a question, but his tone suggested he already knew the answer. No family, no matter how prosperous, could casually produce 300,000 yuan.
Following his father's example, Deng Yuntai felt no shame admitting: "Yes, through the credit union."
"And the business since opening...?"
"We operated seven months last year with strong performance."
As the father-in-law and son-in-law conversed, the two brothers-in-law sat silently, minds reeling. Their family's few-hundred-yuan shop on Dragon Lake Street had been the village's marvel—until this moment.
In the kitchen, a similar conversation unfolded. Mrs. Zhang nearly dropped her frying pan upon hearing the numbers.
When serving the fried dumplings, she finally voiced her thoughts: "Husband, should we visit the county town after the Lantern Festival?"
Zhang Zhenfa had been thinking the same—how could he not see his daughter's grand enterprise? "Yes, we'll go then," he agreed immediately.
Zhang Xiuping beamed. "Let's make it a family trip! Bring eldest brother and sister-in-law, second brother and his wife, Xiaojun, Xiaoshan, and all the children!"
Deng Yuntai quickly added, "I'll handle accommodations."
The younger Zhang brothers' eyes shone, but they deferred to their parents' decision.
After a silent consultation, Zhang Zhenfa nodded cautiously. Mrs. Zhang, recalling her previous stay in the county town, voiced concern: "But Yuntai, where would we all stay in that two-story building?"
Deng Yuntai had a solution: "My cousin bought a county town house last year—three rooms with old beds standing empty. We'll just need new bedding. Everyone can stay as long as they like."
Relieved, Mrs. Zhang agreed: "Then we'll discuss the details later. If it suits, we'll stay a few days."
The conversation then turned to the Zhangs' own home renovations. Zhang Xiuping enthusiastically supported the plans—while she'd never minded her family's humble accommodations, having grown up with them, one aspect troubled her: the primitive outdoor toilets.
To spare her husband the unpleasantness, she'd always escorted him to more secluded spots—an "adventure" she'd rather avoid. A proper bathroom would solve this neatly.
For lunch, Mrs. Zhang prepared a feast—chicken, duck, and numerous delicacies to honor her visiting daughter and son-in-law.
That afternoon, the eldest and second brothers returned with their wives, filling the home with lively reunions.
...
Just as the villagers of Bobai County were busy with New Year visits, the movie Shaolin Temple premiered—instantly causing a sensation across the entire county. The streets emptied as word spread like wildfire, with crowds flocking to cinemas in both the county seat and surrounding communes.
In truth, the film had already taken the nation by storm the previous year. But due to distribution delays, Bobai County hadn't secured a copy until year's end.
Only those who lived through this era could grasp the movie's seismic impact.
Before Shaolin Temple's release, the actual Shaolin Monastery had lain in neglect. Crew members recalled arriving to find waist-high weeds choking the mountain paths, with no proper roads in sight.
Inside the temple, a handful of elderly monks tended to crumbling clay statues of Buddhas.
Yet after the film's nationwide success, this forgotten thousand-year-old sanctuary—once overgrown and dilapidated—transformed overnight into a spiritual mecca. Countless children, inspired like the young Baoqiang, begged parents to let them train at Song Mountain or even ran away to join the temple, dreaming of vanquishing evil. Pilgrims swarmed the grounds, with daily visitor counts reaching six figures through the 1980s–90s.
The boom was so transformative that Dengfeng County, home to Shaolin Temple, upgraded to city status—its tourism economy now leading Henan Province. A single film had reshaped an entire region's destiny.
Meanwhile, the lead actor skyrocketed to fame, cementing his title as the "Emperor of Kung Fu."
The movie shattered countless records, its cultural influence remaining unmatched to this day.
Double Prosperity Cinema sold out every screening, yet still couldn't satisfy demand. Projection teams scrambled to duplicate reels, negotiating with production brigades willing to pay for private showings.
Naturally, Thatchfield Brigade wouldn't be left behind. On the sixth night of the New Year, they pooled funds to host a screening of Shaolin Temple.
The entire village—men, women, and children—buzzed with excitement.
By the tenth day, every brigade under Help And Correct Commune had seen the film, and the frenzy gradually subsided.
On the twelfth afternoon, the Deng clan of Thatchfield convened at Help And Correct Brigade headquarters.
Announced days prior, the meeting drew representatives from every Deng-dominated village—Noble's Passing, Plum Field, Community Corner, Horse Village, Yutang, Feather Ridge, Great Ridge Corner, Way Parch, Peace Caucus, Hilltop, Yang's Hillside, Residue Crossing, Thatchfield, Lifting Spirit, Old Dwelling, New Dwelling, Eagle Mountin, Dragon Well, Reservoir Shore, and Dam Brace.
With 20–30 delegates per village, over 400 clansmen packed the grounds.
As the crowd settled, Clan Leader Deng Shian took the stage. "Brothers and nephews, today we gather to discuss the future leadership of our Deng clan."
The announcement sent murmurs rippling through the crowd.
"Secretary, what does this mean? Are you stepping down?"
"You've led us well—why change now?"
"Has something happened?"
Deng Shian raised a calming hand. "Peace. All is well. But I grow old, and my health wanes. While I still can, I wish to ensure our ancestors' legacy endures by selecting a worthy successor."
The clansmen fell silent. In an era where few villagers lived past sixty, his reasoning was undeniable.
At this pivotal moment, Deng Shian recounted their shared history:
"Our ancestor, Lord Deng Man—Deyang—hailed from Nanyang, Henan. Originally surnamed Man, he aided his nephew King Wu Ding during the Shang Dynasty, earning the title Marquis of Deng State. Thus began our 3,300-year lineage."
The crowd listened intently, even Deng Shirong absorbing details few had known.
"Deng State endured 22 rulers across 670 years until the Chu Kingdom's conquest. Lord Man's descendants took 'Deng' as their surname—the origin of our clan."
Deng Shian, as lineage head, had studied this deeply:
"In the Jin Dynasty's turmoil, our 57th ancestor You Gong (Bodao) relocated to Fujian's Ninghua County. The 91st ancestor Yu Gong, a Ministry of Personnel scholar, settled in Putian's Zhuji Lane.
By 1088 AD (Song Dynasty's Yuanyou era), the 93rd ancestor Diao Gong moved to Lianjiang, Guangdong. His son Kang Huo, drawn to the wandering green mountains and clear waters, settled there permanently.
Our 96th ancestor Zhiyuan (Faxian) migrated with his family to Nabuli Bishi around 1500 AD (mid-Ming Dynasty). Finding the site cramped, they moved again to Thatchfield—where our 97th ancestor Wenming established our Thatchfield branch."
Most present had only known of their Upper Capital and Wandering roots. Learning their ancestry traced to Henan sparked murmurs of awe.
After summarizing Thatchfield Deng's development, Deng Shian gestured to Deng Shirong.
"Today, I nominate Deng Shirong as our new clan leader. Under his guidance, I believe our lineage will flourish further. Does anyone object?"
Ordinarily, such a blunt approach risked dissent. But with Deng Shirong's unrivaled standing, protocol was unnecessary.
The response was unanimous:
"If it's Uncle Jiu, we agree wholeheartedly!"
"No one could lead better than him!"
"Only Uncle Jiu deserves this!"
Deng Shian smiled inwardly. Even as brigade secretary, his own influence paled beside Uncle Jiu's.
"Then I declare: Henceforth, Deng Shirong is our clan leader. Let him address us."
Thunderous applause erupted as Deng Shirong stepped forward. Raising a hand for quiet, he said:
"I thank Elder Shian and all clansmen for your trust. Since you are willing to let me be the clan leader, I will definitely do my best to lead everyone out of poverty and into prosperity."
(End of Chapter)