Shortly after 8 o’clock in the morning, Le Jiaxiong had finished counting the inventory in the warehouse, then he went into the packaging workshop to work with the staff until noon. During the lunch break, he came to tend the peppers and scallions he had planted in the “vegetable field”. He said, “They are all organic food and will be the specialties in the canteen this evening.”

Le Jiaxiong, who is over sixty this year, was born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. With the dream of “developing in a broader market”, he traveled a long distance to Liaoning and was employed as the general manager of Anshan Pingao Food Co., Ltd. over 20 years ago. Since then, he settled here and started a happy “Northeast life”.

The first arrival at Anshan in early 1998 is still fresh in Le Jiaxiong’s memory. “The winter in Liaoning is amazing! I came across snow upon arriving, which really made my day. I had never seen snow before, and I had no idea it could be so beautiful.”

However, Le Jiaxiong also experienced some “challenges” when he first arrived in Anshan. The different eating habits between the north and the south was a “barrier” for him. “At first, I had to repeat to the canteen cook for less salt in the dishes, but over time, I became a fan of the ‘heavy taste’ of Northeast food. Fish stewed in iron pot, kidney bean stewed with potatoes, barbecue, have all  become my ‘favorites’.”

Le Jiaxiong enjoys the changes of seasons all year round in his yard at his leisure: peach blossoms in spring, lush trees in summer, fruits in autumn and snow in winter. He prefers to go to the scenic spots like Qianshan Mountain, Yufo Garden, 219 Park with his friends. Over the years, he has witnessed the changes here and become an expert of Anshan.

“I had anticipated a lonely life here before I came to Anshan, but the fact is I got a lot of care and warmth. The government would help me with anything, which is an important reason why I settled in Anshan.” Le Jiaxiong said, “I remember the government invited residents and businessmen from Taiwan to spend the festival together in Qianshan Mountain one Mid-Autumn Festival. We enjoyed the whole day from morning to night, watching performances, playing games, and eating moon cakes. As the saying goes, ‘Every holiday the homesickness amplifies’, but that day I forgot about homesickness and felt that Anshan was my home.”

“You may feel the distance when you first meet Liaoning people, but when they get along with you, and find you trust-worthy, they will treat you wholeheartedly. To me, people here are hospitable, loyal and accountable.” Le Jiaxiong smiled and said, “Liaoning people are buddies you can always count on.”

Mentioning Kaohsiung, Taiwan, his hometown, the straightforward Le Jiaxiong became emotional and delicate. “I come from Taiwan, where there are bears and civets. But do you know where these animals came from? Millions of years ago, the mainland and Taiwan were connected, but with crustal changes, they slowly separated, and today’s Taiwan Strait came into being...” Le Jiaxiong said, “I don’t know much about the origin of species and geography, but I like this saying very much. I often tell this story to my friends. The mainland and Taiwan are bonded with each other and can not be separated. We are a family whose blood is thicker than water.”