Rebirth 1983: Building My Business Empire
Chapter 420 - Chapter 420 Chapter 409 Acts of Kindness

Chapter 420: Chapter 409 Acts of Kindness Chapter 420: Chapter 409 Acts of Kindness Although driving in reverse was exhausting, Big Uncle Lu came home still full of energy. After eating, he immediately went out as soon as the dishes were put away. The urgency of his departure puzzled Lu Ping.

Lu Ping said, “Granny, even with Brother Shanzi moving his household registration, Grandpa doesn’t need to rush like this, right?”

Big Aunt laughed and said, “Your Grandpa isn’t going to see the brigade leader; he’s actually off to visit Shitou’s Family.”

Lu Ping was born in the military, and since Lu Jiaguang’s demobilization, he had been studying in the Forty-nine City. Both parents were very busy, and they seldom returned to their hometown, so they were not very familiar with relatives back home.

Big Aunt explained the situation of Shitou’s Family: “This time, your Aunt Jiaxin said she wanted to sponsor the intelligent and studious children of the clan who couldn’t afford education. Your Grandpa thought of Little Fish right away.”

Lu Ping knew about Lu Jiaxin’s plan to sponsor impoverished students within the clan but had no idea that Big Uncle Lu was in such a hurry for this reason.

Big Aunt said with a smile on her face, “What your Auntie is doing is a great deed that accumulates virtue. With your Auntie, our Lu Family Clan will prosper more and more.”

Lu Ping nodded and said, “Aunt Jiaxin is great. I will learn from her.”

Shitou’s Family was eating when they saw Big Uncle Lu, and though surprised, they quickly invited him to sit down: “Uncle Tie Jun, when did you get back?”

Big Uncle Lu, who had just arrived, sat down and looked at the frail Little Fish with a pang of heartache. Without beating around the bush, he said directly, “Shitou, I’ve come to talk about Little Fish’s schooling.”

Little Fish’s head shot up to look at him, but thinking of the family’s situation, it quickly dropped again.

Shitou’s eyes filled with bitterness: “Uncle Tie Jun, I’m aware that the child can only succeed if he gets an education, and I do want to provide for him. You know our family’s condition; we truly can’t afford it.”

Big Uncle Lu said, “Here’s the thing, Jiaxin told me she wants to sponsor children in the clan with excellent grades but whose families can’t afford their education. Little Fish always scores double hundreds on tests and studies diligently; he meets the criteria.”

Incredulously, Shitou asked, “Uncle Tie Jun, what did you say?”

Little Fish stared wide-eyed at Big Uncle Lu, afraid that what he’d just heard was an illusion.

Big Uncle Lu repeated what he had said, then added, “You don’t have to worry about the child’s tuition or book fees; just provide his food and drink.”

This was specifically mentioned because of Zao Hua’s mother’s case. Normally, in a family, especially with boys, as long as the child can be educated, they will support it unless it’s absolutely impossible.

Shitou pulled Little Fish over to Big Uncle Lu, excitedly saying, “Son, quickly bow to your Great Uncle and thank him for enabling you to continue your studies.”

He had also hoped that his son might be fortunate enough to be sponsored like Zao Hua, and then get into university and be provided for by the state. But he knew it was impossible and just a wishful thought. Yet, unexpectedly, such luck had fallen on his own family.

Little Fish immediately knelt down and gave three kowtows to Big Uncle Lu.

Big Uncle Lu was slow to react because of his age. By the time he bent down to help Little Fish, the child had already finished bowing three times. He said, “If you want to thank someone, thank Aunt Jiaxin; she’s the one sponsoring your education.”

Little Fish bowed three more times, “Ancestor, please convey to Aunt Jiaxin that Little Fish is grateful for her immense kindness, and I will surely repay her in the future.”

Helping the child to their feet, Big Uncle Lu said, “Little Fish, your Aunt Jiaxin wants to sponsor children with excellent grades. If you want to receive sponsorship, you must score above ninety in both Chinese and Math after you return to school.”

The reference here is to primary school; the requirements for junior high and high school are different. However, they’re not too harsh; it suffices if one can get into high school or a vocational college.

Little Fish nodded earnestly.

Big Uncle Lu continued, “Shitou, Little Fish, this sponsorship only covers up to high school. Once you get into university, you’ll have to find ways to cover the fees by yourselves. However, if it’s truly difficult to come up with the tuition fees, you can borrow the first year’s tuition and pay it back after you start working.”

After saying this, he added, “Jiaxin is also sponsoring Zao Hua until her high school graduation; she’s not concerned with university. Zao Hua has now found work in Yangcheng City, and it’s said that her wages aren’t bad.”

Shitou, puzzled, asked, “Uncle Tie Jun, isn’t studying at university free of charge?”

Upon hearing this requirement outlined by Lu Jiaxin, Big Uncle Lu asked the same question. He said, “Jiaxin said that university is free right now because there are few college students. But in about a decade when there are more universities, tuition fees will be charged.”

Lu Jiaxin also mentioned that by that time, college graduates would no longer be assigned jobs. Big Uncle Lu understood the concept that abundance reduces value, but he didn’t express this; for one, it was too forward-looking, and for another, it might shatter these parents’ illusions and make them unwilling to let their children continue education. Even if jobs weren’t assigned, having a university education was certainly brighter than being illiterate.

Shitou didn’t think too much about it; even if attending university costs money, just being admitted meant no longer having to toil in the fields. And as long as their child got into university, borrowing tuition fees would be easy by then.

Afterward, Big Uncle Lu went to the next family. Their child also had excellent grades, but because she was a girl, after three years of schooling, they said it was enough if a girl wasn’t completely ignorant, and didn’t let her continue.

When Big Uncle Lu went to talk to them, the child’s parents were still hesitant.

Big Uncle Lu said, “As soon as Jiaxin became successful, she started helping her brothers. Under her guidance, Jiajie started his own business, and now he has bought a house in the Forty-nine City; Jiazong, with her help, managed to set up a stall and now has purchased a storefront, no longer subject to the sun and wind. If your Meimei succeeds in the future, she will surely support her brothers. Even you, as her parents, will enjoy the benefits she brings.”

“We no longer adhere to the old saying that a married daughter is like water that’s been poured away, new society treats men and women the same, they both provide for their aging parents. But if she doesn’t continue her education, your daughter won’t be able to marry into a good family, and when you’re old, sick, and immobile, even if she wants to help she won’t have the means to.”

After much persuasion from Big Uncle Lu, Meimei’s mother agreed to let her continue her studies. Since education was free of charge, they decided to give the child a chance to try. If she could make something of herself, that would be best, but if not, she couldn’t blame her mother for it.

Big Uncle Lu spent two days visiting homes with children who had dropped out despite their excellent grades. Only two families, who placed significantly more importance on sons than on daughters, refused, but the other seventeen families agreed. As for those who were still in school but came from difficult circumstances with excellent grades, they too met the sponsorship criteria, and Big Uncle Lu registered them as well.

Some families with better financial conditions, following the principle of not passing up on benefits, brought their children to find Big Uncle Lu. Needless to say, they were sent away with a scolding from Big Uncle Lu.

Big Uncle Lu was well aware of the affairs within the Lu Family Clan, so there was no room for deception.

After compiling the list, he called Lu Jiaguang to report that there were twenty-nine children in need of sponsorship. Among them were fifteen primary school students, eight junior high students, and six high school students.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to call Jiaxin, but the brigade had no international long-distance service. He could only ask Lu Jiaguang to pass the message.

The phone at Lu Jiaguang’s workplace couldn’t reach Hong Kong, so he took the opportunity during the lunch break to call from the post office. The call went through, but the servant reported that Lu Jiaxin had gone abroad to study.