Xia Xiaolan was mentally prepared for the significant costs.

Though her assets weren’t particularly substantial, prices in the mid-1980s were very cheap.

What did having several million in cash mean compared to most people’s monthly salary of just over a hundred yuan? While Xia Xiaolan couldn’t compete with wealthy young masters like Du Zhaohui and Tang Yuanyue, she was indeed considered “rich” at present.

Gu Zhengqing didn’t know how much money she had. Just thinking about this scholarship plan gave him a headache, but worried about dampening Xia Xiaolan’s enthusiasm, he spoke very tactfully.

But Xia Xiaolan knew her capabilities!

“Uncle, money isn’t the most important factor – that can all be coordinated and resolved. What I’m worried about is whether the organization will allow it and whether they’ll cooperate. Perhaps there’s no precedent for this?”

If anyone else had told Gu Zhengqing that “money isn’t the most important factor,” this educator who wouldn’t bend for a meager salary would have wanted to chase them away with a stick.

But Xia Xiaolan was different. Out of fondness and trust for this top student, Gu Zhengqing felt the need to be more direct:

“If you just wanted to find a few university students, just wanted to arrange for them to teach in rural primary schools and other places, providing them with wages, accommodation, and meal allowances, your small business could support that. But your plan is very large in scale. Even if the ministry agrees to allocate some funds, it won’t solve the major issues.”

There was a saying circulating in society: “Don’t skimp on education even in poverty, don’t let children suffer even in hardship!”

Gu Zhengqing strongly agreed with this sentiment.

But there was no help for it – the Education Ministry was truly poor!

Getting any funding approved was extremely difficult, so how could they be picky?

Xia Xiaolan shook her head:

“Uncle, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not just acting on impulse to make a name for myself, coming to you with this plan while expecting the ministry to provide funding. I never thought about the ministry providing money. I just want official involvement so the plan has credibility. For example, for those university students participating in educational support, could their teaching time count toward their work experience? If they spend a year or two doing this, can they still be assigned jobs normally, or to put it more directly, could they be assigned better jobs as a kind of reward? I need you, the Education Ministry or other official departments to step in to ease their concerns, not to provide funding!”

Gu Zhengqing looked surprised:

“You don’t want funding allocations, you’ll provide the money yourself? This isn’t something that can be solved with a few hundred, thousand, or even tens of thousands of yuan!”

Xia Xiaolan had already calculated everything. Regarding cost analysis, she felt she was more experienced than Gu Zhengqing, and naturally responded: “The larger the scale, the more money needed. Perhaps initially it would only need a few thousand yuan, then become tens or hundreds of thousands… Eventually, annual expenditure of over a million would become normal.”

The scale would increase year by year.

Xia Xiaolan couldn’t start with too large an operation anyway.

This wasn’t a one-time deal, so why rush?

Xia Xiaolan wanted this plan to develop and grow alongside Qihang, using the plan to gain a good social reputation while also selecting some university students.

Gu Zhengqing finally understood:

She didn’t want money from the Education Ministry, just their support!

With this approach, getting support for Xia Xiaolan’s ideas would be much easier.

The procedures would be complicated, possibly requiring repeated meetings and discussions.

But Gu Zhengqing felt the issues weren’t major.

Because the biggest problem was solved – without discussing money, everything was negotiable. It was similar to recent events like actor Zhang Xiao donating his advertising fees, or the clothing brand owner promising to “donate one yuan per item sold” – essentially using their own money to do good for society… Or rather, Xia Xiaolan’s proposed plan was even purer than “donate one yuan per item.”

“Donate one yuan per item” is tied to doing good in clothing sales.

Xia Xiaolan’s plan was just to spend her own money, with no benefits in return!

More importantly, Xia Xiaolan spoke sensibly and knew exactly how much money would be needed, so she could provide these funds.

Both surprised and shocked, Gu Zhengqing couldn’t help but ask again:

“You’ll provide the money yourself?”

Xia Xiaolan thought for a moment, “Yes, I suppose I am providing it myself, but not in my name – it will be in the name of a company.”

Gu Zhengqing was completely speechless.

From Xia Xiaolan’s first visit to the Zhou family, he knew she was doing some business, and she hadn’t hidden this fact.

Under her academic halo, being both from a rural background and self-employed wasn’t important – who in the Zhou family would dare look down on her?

Initially, they thought it was just a small business, as Xia Xiaolan said she was earning money for school.

Later, Xia Xiaolan’s family bought a house in Beijing.

Liu Fen opened stores in Beijing, expanding one branch after another, and even bought a car.

The Zhou family then realized that Xia Xiaolan’s “small business” wasn’t small at all. In terms of economic conditions, Xia Xiaolan was wealthier than the Zhou family! Even the slow-witted Gu Zhengqing couple had heard some rumors.

However, hearing Xia Xiaolan personally say she would fund this scholarship plan still seemed crazy to Gu Zhengqing.

It seemed this future niece-in-law’s economic situation was even better than they had imagined… Gu Zhengqing didn’t ask how much money Xia Xiaolan could provide. His shock was accompanied by admiration – having money was one thing, but how to spend it was another. Xia Xiaolan’s vision and courage in doing this, even her generous attitude toward money, greatly impressed him!

“You are the master of money, not its slave. Uncle is proud of you. Being with Zhou Cheng is his fortune, and the Zhou family’s fortune!”

Gu Zhengqing said this a bit too loudly, and Aunt Zhou overheard.

She was very curious about what they had discussed, so she asked Gu Siyan:

“Did your Sister Xiaolan say why she came to see your father?”

Looking at Old Gu’s attitude, it was as if he wished Xia Xiaolan were his daughter!

Xia Xiaolan was also watching the time as she needed to return to school. Gu Zhengqing personally escorted her downstairs. When he returned, he heard Aunt Zhou scolding Gu Siyan: “Not only did you skip school, but you’re also carelessly accepting things from others. Such an expensive watch – is that something students should wear? Gu Siyan, I’m telling you, take that watch off right now. I’ll return it another day!”

After Xia Xiaolan left, Aunt Zhou noticed something new on Gu Siyan’s wrist.

Gu Zhengqing stopped his wife from scolding their daughter and asked Gu Siyan: “Tell father, did you ask Sister Xiaolan for the watch, or did she buy it for you herself? And why did you go find Xiaolan today? Don’t lie.”

Gu Siyan couldn’t resist anymore and honestly explained how she and Cheng Min had accidentally overheard adults talking, and in their excitement, they had run to find Xia Xiaolan.

“Sister Xiaolan bought the watches for us, both cousin and me. She said it was to celebrate our successful advancement in school.”

Gu Siyan felt quite embarrassed.

It made sense to celebrate Cheng Min entering university, but what was worth celebrating about her just attending high school?

To both Gu Siyan and Aunt Zhou’s surprise, after hearing this, Gu Zhengqing returned the watch to Gu Siyan:

“Since it was given to you, keep it. When receiving gifts, be grateful and cherish them, don’t take them for granted. Learn more from your Sister Xiaolan!”

Gu Zhengqing seemed as if he were drunk, swaying as he walked. Aunt Zhou couldn’t help rubbing her eyes:

“Did your father take the wrong medicine?”