Chapter 178: Connections Others Can Only Dream Of
Chapter 178: Connections Others Can Only Dream Of
Five days later.
Deng Shirong and his son, Deng Yunheng, arrived at the BJ station, looking rather weary. They boarded the Peking University shuttle bus.
By then, several people were already seated on the bus—new students and their parents for the year at Peking University.
After Deng Shirong and his son boarded, everyone exchanged brief greetings before falling into silence.
The other parents, clearly farmers from the countryside, noticed Deng Yunheng’s watch and leather suitcase, as well as Deng Shirong’s refined demeanor, which was more akin to that of a high-ranking official in their commune. They naturally assumed Deng Shirong was a government leader, and thus they were quite reserved.
Deng Shirong had no energy to engage in conversation. The four-day, three-night journey on the green-skinned train had been incredibly grueling.
In the future, the high-speed rail from Nanning to BJ would take less than thirteen hours. But in this era, the train’s speed was abysmal, and the journey took a full four days and three nights. Even in a soft sleeper, the long trip was excruciating, let alone in a seated compartment.
Fortunately, Deng Shirong and his son had robust constitutions. If it had been someone with a weaker build, they might have needed to be carried off the train.
It wasn’t that Deng Shirong couldn’t afford a sleeper ticket; it was simply that in this era, even if you had the money, sleeper tickets weren’t always available.
Once Deng Shirong and his son boarded the bus, it was full, and they set off for the university.
On the way, the bus passed by Tiananmen, Xidan, Fuxingmen, Xizhimen, and Baiyilu. The bus sped along, with rows of locust trees flashing past the windows and streams of bicycles flowing by, giving Deng Yunheng and the other rural students their first glimpse of the grandeur of the great capital.
Everyone, including the parents, was utterly amazed.
Previously, when Deng Yunheng had first visited the county town with his father, he had thought it was quite bustling. Then, when they arrived in Nanning for the school registration, he realized that Nanning, being the provincial capital, was significantly more prosperous than Bobai County.
However, compared to the capital, both Bobai and Nanning seemed like mere flickers of light against the bright moon. The disparity was as vast as comparing Naye Village to Nanning.
Even Deng Shirong, who had lived two lifetimes, was captivated. This was his first time in the capital, and it did not disappoint. Even without the towering skyscrapers of the future, the capital exuded a grand and imposing atmosphere.
Upon arriving at Peking University, Deng Yunheng and the other rural students were deeply moved by the ancient and elegant gatehouse. They would be spending the next four years, and possibly longer, studying at this prestigious institution with a rich history.
Since it wasn’t yet the official registration day, the reception teacher arranged a temporary accommodation for Deng Yunheng and the other students, including their accompanying parents. The arrangements were very thoughtful.
After the long and exhausting train journey, where they had eaten poorly and slept even worse, Deng Shirong and his son were relieved to have a place to rest. They went out for a bowl of wontons and then returned to wash up and sleep.
Given that they had traveled so far to the capital, Deng Shirong certainly didn’t plan to rush back home after dropping off his second son. There was nothing pressing to do back home, so he decided to stay for a few days to explore the city and examine the siheyuan courtyards, with the intention of buying a few when he had the funds.
Though reborn, Deng Shirong had no grand ambitions of entering the business world and staying in his hometown to retire. However, he was not averse to picking up some easy wealth when the opportunity arose.
So, Deng Shirong began rising early and returning late, spending several days to finally figure out the approximate price of the courtyard houses. The results were undoubtedly promising. In the future, a courtyard house that would be worth several small fortunes could now be bought for just a few thousand yuan.
If it was a basic single-entry courtyard, the price would drop from thousands to hundreds of yuan.
In short, the prices were incredibly cheap. Once he had a bit more money, he planned to buy a few of these courtyard houses. Even if his seven children turned out to be hopeless cases, having these properties would ensure they could live a life of luxury.
During these few days, Deng Yunheng also smoothly completed his freshman registration and made a few new friends from different provinces.
With the formalities out of the way, traveling alone seemed rather pointless, so Deng Shirong began to think about heading back home.
Before leaving, Deng Shirong took out a thick wad of cash and handed it to his second son, saying, "Here's five hundred yuan. It's your living expenses for the year."
Deng Yunheng took the money, surprised, and asked, "Dad, why are you giving me a whole year's living expenses at once?"
"Originally, I planned to give you a semester's worth, and then the next semester's fees when you come home for the New Year. But the experience of taking the train to bring you to school changed my mind."
Recalling the days and nights on the train, Deng Shirong sighed, "It's always so crowded, and during the New Year, it would be even worse. Going to the bathroom would be a nightmare, and you wouldn't have anyone to help watch your luggage if you went alone.
So I thought about it, and you might as well stay here for the New Year. If you want to go home, wait until the summer break next year."
Deng Yunheng remembered the poor food, lack of sleep, and the inability to shower for days, not to mention the strange smells in the carriage. The experience made him a bit uneasy. Hearing his father's words, he nodded, "Alright, I'll come back next summer."
Deng Shirong instructed, "Make sure to keep this money safe. As the saying goes, 'Don't show your wealth.' Whether you're outside or with your classmates, be careful and don't use money to test people's character.
Of course, you don't need to be overly anxious. This is Peking University, after all. The security here is good, and the people who get into PKU have bright futures. They won't be so short-sighted.
As long as you're careful and don't reveal that you have so much cash, no one will have any bad intentions."
Deng Yunheng nodded, "I understand. I'll be careful."
"Stay here and focus on your studies. Try to make as many like-minded friends as you can, without compromising your academic performance."
Deng Shirong said earnestly, "The people who get into Peking University are the true elites. Their futures are limitless. When you enter society, these classmates and friends will be invaluable connections.
Whether you plan to go into politics or business, these connections can provide you with significant support."
Deng Yunheng listened thoughtfully. He hadn't yet entered society and didn't fully understand the importance of these connections, but he could sense that his father's words were very wise.
It seemed that he couldn't afford to be idle during his four years at university. He needed to make a few good friends.
(End of Chapter)
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