NABC Chapter 206: 207: Scholarship
Chapter 206: 207: Scholarship
Chapter 206: Chapter 207: Scholarship
“Xiao Han, you’re so wealthy now, why won’t you lend us money?” Xiao Minghua asked.
“Why should I give you the money I worked so hard to earn?” Xiao Han retorted.
“Uh...” Xiao Minghua was immediately at a loss for words.
“If you won’t lend it, then never mind.” Xiao Mingguo stood up, pulling Xiao Dahai as they started to leave.
“Big Brother.” Mother Xiao hurriedly saw them out.
Xiao Minghua and Xiao Xiaomei had no choice but to follow them out. After seeing off these troublemakers, Xiao Han’s mouth curved into a smug smile. He had been waiting for this moment for many years, and he wanted to make them understand that his family was not to be bullied.
Since they looked down on me, I had to prove to them, to let them know, that it’s easier to bully an old man than a poor youth; fortunes can change in the span of thirty years in the east and thirty years in the west. Today, Xiao Han finally gained some respect. This time, he firmly made them remember the name Xiao Han, and made them learn that a poor youth should not be bullied.
After seeing off a few people, Mother Xiao turned back around.
“Xiao Han, why did you have to do that just now?” Mother Xiao sighed, then said, “They are all your relatives. There was no need to make things so tense!”
“Mom, we don’t need to beg them now,” Xiao Han earnestly said. “There’s no need to show them any pleasant faces.”
“But still...” Mother Xiao said helplessly, “It’s good to leave some room in relationships.”
“When we were poor, when we were in trouble, they never helped us. Now that our situation has improved, they come to us trying to ingratiate themselves,” Xiao Han said scornfully. “Such relatives, we might as well do without. Once you’re really in trouble, they’d probably step on you even more.”
“But can we really be without any relatives?” Mother Xiao asked with a wry smile.
“Mom, we’re better off without such relatives,” Xiao Han said, looking at his mother, then added, “The rich have distant relatives in the mountains, the poor in a crowded city are unattended. If you have money, why worry about not having relatives? Think about the moneyless days over these years; when did they ever come to visit? And if they did, it wasn’t out of goodwill but to try and extract some money from you. Mom, what do we need such relatives for? Rather than associate with such people, it’s better to treat our neighbors kindly. Distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors.”
“Ah, now that you say it, it does make some sense!” Mother Xiao sighed.
Unexpectedly, having a son who was a high school top scorer made her feel uneasy inside. Especially after the prize money was disbursed, formerly estranged relatives started coming to borrow money. Thinking about the nasty things they had done before, Mother Xiao suddenly felt an indescribable sense of speechlessness.
After sending away the Eldest Uncle, the Second Uncle, and the Auntie, Xiao Han closed the door.
Mother Xiao entered the room, and before long, she came out carrying a passbook and a bank card.
“Xiao Han,” Mother Xiao approached Xiao Han, saying, “This is all the savings of the family. Sixty thousand yuan is our own money, and six hundred fifty-three thousand yuan came from red packets, donations, and the five hundred thousand yuan prize money given by the Provincial Committee.”
“Mom, what’s this about?” Xiao Han looked at his mother in surprise.
“You’ve grown up,” Mother Xiao sighed and said, “So, I’ve decided to put you in charge of the household.”
Auntie Zhou was so frightened that her heart trembled. Thankfully, she wasn’t a parasite, otherwise hearing that remark might have made her soul fly away. However, Auntie Zhou’s goal was achieved, and she felt much more at ease. Hurriedly, she said, “Secretary Chen, shall I talk to the leaders of the Civil Affairs? See if they can give us priority in funding and let us repair these long-neglected streetlights, and perhaps refurbish the community roads as well.”
“No need, I will personally talk to them!” Secretary Chen responded.
“Thank you, Secretary Chen!” Auntie Zhou said, immediately beaming with joy: “Secretary Chen truly is a good secretary for the people and the country.”
The group soon arrived at the Xiao family’s house, and Xiao Han was rarely at home.
“Big Sister Xiao, Secretary Chen is here to see you.” An outside voice called.
Upon hearing this, Mother Xiao quickly put down what she was doing and hurried out. These days, she had formed a habit; as soon as she heard someone calling for her outside, she would immediately drop what she was doing and go out to greet them.
Xiao Han was currently holding a plate of dumplings.
It wasn’t long before Secretary Chen and a group of Municipal Committee leaders came in. Xiao Han looked at them, unclear about the situation.
“Xiao Han!” Secretary Chen recognized Xiao Han at a glance.
Recently, Xiao Han’s posters and images had been circulating on television and online. As the head honcho of LJ City, having such a standout from his city, how could he not take notice? So, the moment he entered the door, he spotted Xiao Han.
“Ah...” Xiao Han was taken aback, swiftly stood up, and scratched his head awkwardly.
He didn’t know the important-looking official standing before him. Secretary Chen didn’t mind; he smiled and said, “Congratulations, you have brought glory to our LJ City and earned us great pride. I am very gratified and happy.”
“Xiao Han, this is Secretary Chen of our Municipal Committee!” Auntie Zhou quickly reminded.
“Oh, hello, Secretary Chen.” Xiao Han hurriedly nodded.
“My boy, I heard that you have applied to Shuimu University?” Secretary Chen asked with concern.
“Yes!” Xiao Han nodded.
“With your scores, you could go to any university, but why did you specifically choose Shuimu University?” Secretary Chen asked curiously.
“Indeed, with my scores, I could go to any university.” Xiao Han nodded and said, “But, with my abilities, any university is the same to me. The reason I chose Shuimu University is because it’s close to home, and it’s also considered a 211 and 985 institution. So, I chose it. Besides, our Shuimu University is not bad either. Although it can’t compete with Tsinghua or Peking University, it is still considered a key national institution.”
“Haha, well said.” Secretary Chen was very pleased and said, “Choosing a university should never be about the rank of the school, but about the individual’s capabilities as a standard. I like young people with pride like you. Seeing you gives me a glimpse of our country’s future hope, the pillars of our nation.”
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