Chapter 4: Resolve
At Xu Lang's request, Xia Teng's mom let Xia Teng get up, entering the house.
After entering the house, Xu Lang really realized what poverty actually meant, the dusky crowded room was full of corn cobs, there wasn't even any place to stretch out the feet, the stove by the side was burning firewood, making a crackling noise.
Xu Lang suddenly thought of his previous life, in his previous life, all the way until Xia Teng passed away, her family was still a black spot in her life, many people ridiculed her for being unfilial.
Until she passed away, it was revealed that all her money was donated to Project Hope [1], at that time, the media began to dig deeper, founding out, that almost all of her income was funded to building the Hope primary schools, helping the children in the mountain areas.
Someone said, Xia Teng worked so hard to changes other's lives, because, deep in her heart, she also wished someone had lent her a hand.
"Teacher, you see the situation our family is in......" Xia Teng's mom started saying, "In our village she's the only one studying in high school, the other girls have long gone out to earn money."
Xu Lang came back to his senses, hearing these words, he nodded his head, "Xia Teng is a good kid, one look and you can tell she's been taught really well."
Xu Lang worked upfront, how could he not know pleasing words.
Xia Teng's mom heard these words, immediately feeling proud, "She's just stubborn, if she was filial like her brother that would be good."
Xia Teng's face flushed red beside her, not because of her mother's boorish words, and not because of embarrassment, she was scared in her heart, scared that her mother would bring up that thing.
Her family thoroughly implements "no matter how bitter it is you can never let the son suffer, no matter how poor you are faced front you still have to show off" policy, she was tricked to come back this time, because her brother has fallen for a girl in town, but their betrothal gifts were too little, her brother feels that this would make him lose face, therefore making a decision for her......
From primary school, she knew, in this type of family, being a daughter is a sin, she was used to her parent's scolding, used to her classmate's discrimination and mockery, because she knows, there will be one day, where she breaks away from all this. So she never minded other's stares.
But, right now......
"Here the people are different from that of the outside," Xia Teng's mom started to say, "Where would there be so much money to study, rather settle and marry a good suitor."
When Xu Lang heard this, he was shocked, he suddenly understood why Xia Teng was so stubborn in his previous life.
"What's so bad about the village chief's son, they even gave ten thousand as a betrothal gift, this wicked girl only know to be stubborn! Teacher, please help me advise her, what can a girl do studying so much, it's best if they just settle and marry."
Xu Lang didn't look at Xia Teng's expression, saying earnestly, "Thankfully I came, otherwise you'll be losing big time."
"The school has come out with a new subsidy program for poor students, all students that meet the requirements, get subsidized five thousand yuan a month, right now it's only November, when it reaches June next year, it would be a total of forty thousand yuan." Xu Lang saw Xia
Teng's mom's eyes brighten in an instant.
"You......you are saying......" Xia Teng's mom stammered.
Xu Lang nodded, "I came this time, to see if, student Xia Teng meets the requirements, also to pass out November and December's subsidies to you guys. In the future, it will be given out every month."
Saying this he took out fruits from his bag, along with packaged money.
Xia Teng's mom's eye went wide, "The school is too nice......"
Xu Lang continued to say, "But I'll have to bring Xia Teng back to school, if any more classes are missed, the school will kick Xia Teng out, and the subsidies won't be available anymore."
Xia Teng's mom took the cash, pinched Xia Teng, "Why are still you not going to pack your things, follow your teacher back to school, dawdling here for no reason."
Xia Teng was really fast, Xu Lang said a few more sentences to Xia Teng's mom, and Xia Teng had already changed, going outside.
Xu Lang was born to be a businessman, a businessman is different from ordinary people when it comes to catching information, talking a bit with Xia Teng's mom, he got to know about the basic situation happening.
Xia Teng's mom jubilantly sent away the two people.
Hitch-hiking a ride at the village's entrance.
Xu Lang and Xia Teng walked on the muddy road.
"I will repay the favor, and I'll also pay back the money." Xia Teng gently said out, she didn't know why the other party was helping her.
"I will be waiting." Xu Lang replied.
The bus came, one in front one in the back, stepping onto the bus.
Xu Lang sat in the seat beside Xia Teng.
Xu Lang now knew why Xia Teng would rather bring the issue onto court rather than to settle it privately.
He thought about that time, Xia Teng stood at the court's door, looking as haughty as a queen, saying to the frantic reporters interviewing her, "I have never wronged anyone to have the need to apologize."
Suddenly, his shoulders felt heavy.
Xu Lang turned his head, seeing the person who fell asleep, carrying extreme dark circles under their eyes.
Looking from this angle, it really looked so fragile.
Xu Lang adjusted his posture, letting the other party have a more comfortable sleep.
At this moment, he noticed her really red palms.
Xu Lang thought of the corn kennel that was peeled and piled in the middle of the room.
A three-hour bus ride, Xia Teng slept the whole time. You could tell, that she really was extremely tired.
Arriving at the station, she was still in a dazed state.
Xu Lang held her bags naturally, "We'll talk when we get on the bus to the city."
Xia Teng finally reacted, she had been laying her head on Xu Lang sleeping, but she didn't know what to say, "Sorry......sorry......"
Xu Lang said, while bringing Xia Teng to line up to buy tickets, "It's fine."
"I'll carry my own bags." Xia Teng's face was red as she took her bag.
Xu Lang remembered that he still had food in his bag, "Originally I bought it for the child in your house, only after did I realized that I was bringing the child out of your house, so I didn't take it out."
Xu Lang's voice has always been clear and bright sounding super nice, while saying this he was continuously smiling, making people feel an inexplicable feeling of comfort.
Because she was weighted down with enormous debt for gratitude she was worried and uneasy, but being surrounded by the other's aura, she calmed down.
The other party said that she was a child. This was probably the first time that anyone had ever felt that she was like a child. They were obviously the same age, but Xia Teng felt, that Xu Lang wasn't joking, and that he actually thought of her as a child.
Xu Lang also naturally felt the other's change, not say anything extra, directly giving the bag of candy he got from the supermarket to Xia Teng.
Xia Teng had never, been someone who wasn't aware of the trends, and wasn't one to shillyshally away, since a young age, people who were nice to her, were rare, and because of this, she valued everyone who sends kindness her way.
"Thank you." Xia Teng took the candy, unable to bear the hunger in her stomach, eating two pieces of the candy, the sweetness traveled all the way to her heart, it was as if that heavy load weighing on her during her journey, suddenly became something plentiful of sweetness.
Xia Teng thought, she would work hard to repay this person.
Xu Lang finished buying the tickets, making sure that there was still one hour until the bus starts.
He took Xia Teng to the nearby dumpling restaurant.
While waiting for the dumplings to arrive, Xia Teng went in her backpack taking out a notebook, and a pencil.
Then began writing.
Xu Lang was a bit confused, what was there to write?
Then he saw Xia Teng ripping that page out, handing it over to Xu Lang, "I'm someone who can't really make out words, not knowing how to express my gratefulness."
Xu Lang heard these words, and thought that the other person wrote him a thank you note, lowering his head to see the impressive thing written on it, "Agreement"
"I, Xia Teng, to show my gratefulness for Xu Lang's life-saving grace, and to compensate for Xu Lang's economic losses, hereby promise, that starting 2014, November, 05, to 2024, November, 05, all the money earned during that period, excluding my own living expenses and the tuition fee, all will be handed to Xu Lang. Signed: Xia Teng."
Xu Lang: "......" He was a businessman, but someone so dumb but carrying such wealth, this was the first time he had ever seen such a person.
If this was him during the youth of his previous life, he would definitely have accepted without saying a word more, and put Xia Teng into the entertainment circle, raising even more money.
However, he was now someone sitting atop of numerous assets, a business tycoon who even until death didn't know what was the meaning of living.
Towards him, Xia Teng's value lies in, that he couldn't bear watching something so beautiful getting destroyed by the world, and for him, this was something as easy as lifting a finger.
Although he wasn't a good person, he still had compassion for the beautiful things existing.
"Don't detest me, my living expenses and tuition are all earned by myself, it's just that there isn't much time being a senior......so I wasn't able to send over much money home......when studying in college, there will be more time again......" Xia Teng said incoherently, her face flushing red.
Xu Lang's voice was a bit hoarse, "I know."
"Let's change it." Xu Lang still couldn't do something like exploiting the future celebrity known to have the highest commercial value, "Change it to giving me your first three months of salary after graduation."
"No no no, three months' worth of salary completely isn't up to par with what you paid today." Xia Teng quickly added, "No changing. Just like this, you probably don't know how important the thing you did for me today is. Ten years of worth of salary, four of those years I'm in college, I'm already earning from this."
Xu Lang put the piece of paper into his bag. Thinking in his heart, in the future if the other party goes back on their words it would also be alright.
During the remaining bus ride back, Xia Teng didn't sleep at all, instead took out a biology book, and seriously read it.
After arriving at school, Xu Lang watched Xia Teng walk into school, then went home.
Xu Lang arrived home, bought a few stocks, and went on the internet to search about the recent movie trends, making sure that he didn't remember anything wrong.
He thought, let's walk a thoroughly different path this time.
His last life, during the later years, he also made a few investments in movies, although he also earned quite a bit, it wasn't anything comparable to what other marvels that hit the movie box office.
[1]Project Hope is real, taken from their webpage: Project Hope implements innovative and culturally appropriate programs to address health disparities and improve the health of the people of China.
Thanks for the chapter! 😊😍
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