Chapter 270: A Stunning Performance [6000 Words]

Chapter 270: A Stunning Performance [6000 Words]



It was the sixth day of the seventh lunar month, a Sunday.

At ten in the morning, the entrance to the ancestral hall was bustling with activity. The Deng Clan of Naye was holding its first-ever scholarship and assistance fund ceremony.

At this moment, Deng Shirong, the clan head, was delivering a speech on the stage: "Fellow clansmen, on this crisp and pleasant autumn day, we gather here to celebrate the inaugural Naye Deng Clan Scholarship and Assistance Fund Ceremony.

Firstly, allow me to extend my deepest blessings to all the clan members who have been awarded scholarships and assistance funds! As the saying goes, 'A wise youth makes a wise nation, and a strong youth makes a strong nation.' This adage holds true for our clan as well.

To encourage our young clan members to study diligently, at the beginning of this year, we established both scholarship and assistance funds.

This is a noble endeavor that benefits both the present and future generations. Not only does it help underprivileged students complete their education and inspire them to strive for excellence, but it also upholds the Deng Clan's tradition of selfless dedication and helping those in need.

Every towering tree has its roots, and every mighty river has its source.

As the clan head of the Naye Deng Clan, I would like to bow deeply to all the clan members who have generously donated to this cause. I thank them for their kindness and selflessness, for extending a helping hand to our outstanding students. They have shown their love and care by supporting these young scholars, and through their actions, they have truly embodied the spirit of 'giving roses to others, the fragrance remains in one's hand.'

This is the deep affection for our clan.

This is the unwavering spirit of selfless dedication.

This is the sincere commitment and mission to uphold our ancestors' teachings.

I also have a few words to say to our young Deng Clan members: Children, only through hard work can one achieve success. The door to success is open to those who dare to strive and continuously work hard. Even if your family may not be wealthy, destiny will never forsake anyone who puts in the effort. A single drop of water can form an ocean, and a small act of kindness can turn into hope. You will create your own glory in the future, and you are the hope and future of the Naye Deng Clan!

I hope you will inherit and carry forward the traditional virtues of the Deng Clan, starting from the smallest actions and words, and strive to become well-rounded individuals with both moral integrity and academic excellence.

I hope you will learn to appreciate and be grateful, and face difficulties and challenges with a positive attitude.

When you achieve success, I hope you will give back to society and the clan to the best of your ability.

Finally, may the Naye Deng Clan flourish and pass on its legacy from generation to generation, continuing to write glorious chapters!"

As Deng Shirong finished his speech, the audience erupted into thunderous applause, with cheers echoing throughout the hall.

"An intelligent youth makes an intelligent clan, and a strong youth makes a strong clan. The clan head said it so well!"

"Our Naye Deng Clan will surely thrive under the leadership of a clan head like Ninth Uncle."

"Children, you must study hard. We suffered because we didn't have the chance to get an education."

"..."

Deng Yunsong, who had excelled in this year's middle school entrance exam, was present at the ceremony. He had the option to attend any high school, but his goal was to enroll in Baise High School. As one of the students who had been accepted into high school, he listened to his father's speech with admiration in his eyes.

Seeing his father receive such admiration from so many clan members filled him with an indescribable sense of pride.

After Deng Shirong finished his speech, Deng Shian, the village chief and former clan head, was invited to the stage to say a few words.

Then, the scholarships and assistance funds were officially awarded.

This year, 136 clan members had ranked in the top ten of their classes. Among them, 22 had ranked second or third, and 9 had ranked first. According to the established standards, the first-place winners received 10 yuan each, totaling 90 yuan. The second and third-place winners received 5 yuan each, totaling 110 yuan.

This amounted to 200 yuan in expenses.

Next, the miscellaneous fees for the 136 students were reimbursed, totaling 1,247 yuan.

In total, the assistance funds amounted to 1,447 yuan.

Then came the scholarships.

This year, 23 clan members had been accepted into high school, each receiving 50 yuan, totaling 1,150 yuan.

Four had been accepted into vocational schools, each receiving 100 yuan, totaling 400 yuan.

Two had been accepted into junior colleges, each receiving 150 yuan, totaling 300 yuan.

One had been accepted into a regular university, receiving 200 yuan.

No one had been accepted into a key university or higher.

The total expenses for the scholarships amounted to 2,050 yuan.

Adding the assistance funds, the total expenses were 3,497 yuan.

The total donations from the clan members amounted to 7,632 yuan, leaving a surplus of 4,135 yuan.

After awarding all the eligible clan members, the audience was visibly invigorated.

The next topic of discussion was the establishment of a passenger transport company, a significant matter that required every clan member to contribute their share. The clan members present were naturally highly attentive.

Deng Shirong concluded with a summary. Seeing the expressions on the clan members' faces, he knew what they were anticipating and continued: "Next, we will discuss the establishment of a passenger transport company within our clan. After our recent discussions, I believe everyone is prepared to contribute their share.

"Alright, let’s start the registration now!

Changjin, Changcai, Changqian, you three are in charge of recording the names."

"Got it, Uncle Jiu!" Deng Changjin and the others nodded in agreement.

The richest man in Bangba, Deng Changxiong, couldn’t help but ask, "Clan Head, could you tell us how many shares you plan to invest in?"

The others also looked at the Clan Head with bright eyes. Many of them had already discussed with their families how many shares they would invest in the passenger company, but some were still undecided, waiting to see how things played out.

Now, hearing Deng Changxiong’s question, they all wanted to know how many shares the Clan Head, who was leading the establishment of the passenger company, intended to invest.

Deng Shirong understood the villagers’ thoughts. He wanted to boost their confidence in the passenger company with his actions, so he smiled and said without hesitation, "Of course, it’s not a secret. I plan to invest 360 shares."

As soon as he said this, the room erupted in chaos!

One share was 1,000 yuan, so how much would 360 shares be?

Although many of the villagers weren’t well-educated and couldn’t calculate the amount quickly, it didn’t stop them from being stunned. After all, most of them only planned to invest 1 or 2 shares, and those who aimed for 3 or 4 shares were already pushing their limits.

But compared to the Clan Head’s 360 shares, their few shares paled in comparison.

Those who were good at math quickly calculated the amount the Clan Head intended to invest: 360,000 yuan. When they figured this out, they were left speechless and wide-eyed.

Even though it was 1983, and the number of wealthy households in the villages had increased significantly, with many of them becoming ten-thousand-yuan households, the richest men in Jimaoling and Bangba still only had assets of around 20,000 to 30,000 yuan, far from 360,000.

Compared to them, the Clan Head’s investment was indeed massive.

"My goodness, that’s terrifying! I always thought the Clan Head was just the wealthiest person in our Bangjie Brigade, but now it seems that even in the entire Songshan Commune, no one can match the Clan Head’s wealth!"

"I heard the Clan Head invested over 300,000 yuan last year to open a restaurant in the county. Now, for the clan’s passenger company, he’s investing another 360,000 yuan. It’s truly scary. Where does the Clan Head get all this money?"

"I know this. I heard the Clan Head borrowed 800,000 yuan from the credit union, used 300,000 yuan to open the restaurant, and still has 400,000 yuan left!"

"The Clan Head’s courage is unmatched!"

"Since the Clan Head is so confident in the passenger company, my previous thoughts were too conservative. No matter what, I need to invest an additional share."

"..."

Deng Changbao, Deng Changxiong, Deng Fa, and Deng Shou, who were relatively wealthy, were deeply shaken by the Clan Head’s announcement. They silently increased their planned investments.

If the Clan Head could risk 360,000 yuan, why should they hesitate to invest 10,000 or 20,000 yuan?

It wasn’t just Deng Changbao and the other business owners who thought this way; the other villagers shared similar thoughts. If the Clan Head could invest so much, why should they hesitate to invest a few thousand yuan? They should just go all in.

Thus, encouraged by Deng Shirong, the villagers who had already decided on their investment amounts all raised their standards, leaving no room for hesitation.

"Deng Changbao, 26 shares."

"Deng Changxiong, 24 shares."

"Deng YunGui, 18 shares."

"Deng YunFa, 18 shares."

"..."

On the stage, Deng Changjin, Deng Changcai, and Deng Changqian spent about half an hour recording all the villagers’ investments.

Deng Shirong then said, "Brothers and nephews, everyone’s investments have been recorded. The funds must be in place within three days. Next, we need to decide who will manage the passenger company."

Deng Changbao quickly responded, "Clan Head, there’s no need to discuss this. You should manage it!"

Deng Changxiong agreed, "Yes, Clan Head. Since you initiated the passenger company, it’s most appropriate for you to manage it."

Deng YunGui nodded, "Uncle Jiu, you are indeed the best person to manage the passenger company. If you need any help, we can always select capable clan members."

The other villagers also voiced their agreement.

Deng Shirong didn’t want to be tied down by such responsibilities. If he had the ambition to fight, he wouldn’t still be in Naye Village. He would have gone to the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone years ago to make his mark. So, he firmly declined, "I will only be responsible for the overall direction of the passenger company. The specific tasks should be handled by other clan members."

Deng YunGui, who had been in business with Uncle Jiu for nearly three years and understood his preference for a hands-off approach, smiled and said, "That’s a good plan. Our Naye Deng clan has over 3,000 people, so finding a few capable clan members to manage the company shouldn’t be a problem. Once the company is established, you can just provide clear guidance on its development."

The other clan members nodded in agreement. It was like when you needed to go somewhere; the clan leader just needed to explain the directions, not personally drive everyone there.

Deng Shirong hummed in approval. "Since everyone is here, let's select the management team for the bus company."

...

While the Deng clan was holding their scholarship meeting, Deng Yunheng was leading a group of his Peking University classmates on a tour of his alma mater, "Naye Primary School."

Looking at the school, which resembled a fortress, Tang Mingjie exclaimed, "Yunheng, you went to primary school here?"

"More accurately, I attended both primary and middle school here."

Deng Yunheng explained, "In 1968, under the slogan 'Stay in the commune for middle school, stay in the county for high school,' the number of ordinary middle schools in our county surged. Almost every commune established a middle school, and our Bangjie commune was no exception. We set up Naye Middle School right here.

However, such hasty school expansions led to a severe shortage of qualified teachers. Many middle school teachers were thrust into their roles without proper training, and the quality of education inevitably plummeted. Being able to pass the entrance exam from here was a rare achievement."

Beijing, being the capital, naturally had far superior educational resources compared to the remote mountainous regions of Guangxi. Impressed, Tang Mingjie said, "Yunheng, you're amazing. To get into Peking University under such conditions is simply unbelievable. If it were me, I probably wouldn't even get into a regular university."

Chu Zhenyu also chimed in, "Indeed, my primary, middle, and high school education was much better than yours. If I had studied under those conditions, I doubt I would have made it to a regular university either."

Liu Xiaoman's gaze towards Deng Yunheng changed. This fellow villager was even more outstanding than she had imagined. To excel and get into the best university in the country under such conditions was truly remarkable.

The other classmates also looked at Deng Yunheng with admiration. Among them were some from ordinary families, but their educational opportunities were still much better than his.

This school didn't even have a proper teaching building. The structures looked like they were converted from defensive fortresses built during the war. Such a school was far from meeting the standards even for a primary school, let alone a middle school.

It was hard to imagine that someone could get into Peking University in such conditions. The saying "A true gem shines wherever it is placed" truly applied here.

Hearing the praise from his classmates, Deng Yunheng smiled modestly. "Actually, I owe my admission to Peking University to my father's encouragement. Our family's financial situation wasn't great, but my father promised me an extra 50 yuan per month if I could get into university.

The prospect of that 50 yuan motivated me to study hard. My grades improved rapidly, and I began to see hope. I redoubled my efforts and eventually got into Peking University."

Zheng Shifeng looked surprised. "So, you were 'spending like a king' at school because your uncle kept his promise and gave you 50 yuan every month?"

Deng Yunheng chuckled. "That's right. Even with the school's stipend, my father still gave me an extra 50 yuan every month."

Except for Tang Mingjie, the other classmates listened with envy. For them, the stipend they received was already generous, and they didn't have to send money home. Getting extra living expenses from their families was a luxury they couldn't imagine.

Of course, in those days, a monthly stipend of over 20 yuan was enough if you didn't spend frivolously. Many people worked a whole month and earned about that much, and they had to support their families. In comparison, they only needed to support themselves, which was much easier.

Tang Mingjie couldn't help but ask, "Yunheng, your family seems to be doing quite well now. What does your father do?"

The other classmates also looked at Deng Yunheng curiously.

They had been guests at Deng Yunheng's home for some time, and every day, Uncle Deng prepared a lavish spread of dishes. There was never a shortage of chicken, duck, fish, or even seafood. Just hosting them cost a significant amount of money.

Moreover, not only was the house the best in the village, but they also had the only television, and each of them was given a fan. What surprised them the most were the new bicycles, which Uncle Deng had likely bought just for their convenience.

In summary, from various details in daily life, it was clear that the Deng family’s living conditions were truly excellent.

Even Tang Mingjie, who came from the wealthiest family among their classmates, couldn’t confidently say that his family’s financial strength surpassed the Dengs.

Most importantly, for such a long time, they had never seen Uncle Deng go anywhere to work, which made them genuinely curious about what he did.

Deng Yunheng smiled and said, "My father used to be a master potter. Three years ago, he partnered with someone to open a pottery factory, and business has been pretty good. We also have an orchard where we grow lychees and watermelons, which bring in a decent amount of money each year. Additionally, my father invested in opening a restaurant in the county town, which is now managed by my older brother, sister-in-law, and sister."

Hearing this, the classmates finally understood.

Wang Limei couldn’t help but exclaim, "Uncle Deng is truly a remarkable man!"

Li Guiying nodded in agreement, "Yes, Uncle Deng is indeed a remarkable man. My parents are farmers, and they only know how to till the land. During the Spring Festival, I encouraged them to try some small business ventures, but no matter how much I said, they were too afraid to take the risk, fearing they would lose money.

If they had even a fraction of Uncle Deng’s courage, our family’s life wouldn’t be so difficult."

Liu Xiaoman chimed in, "Not many people in the country can achieve what Uncle Deng has. Everyone has their own strengths. Your parents might not be good at business, but you can consider starting with what they are good at, like the orchard the Deng family has. It’s quite profitable!"

Li Guiying nodded, "This time, I’ve indeed been inspired. Once I get back to school, I’ll write them a letter and suggest they follow Uncle Deng’s example and start an orchard. Farming is something they are good at; it’s just a matter of whether they have the courage to do it."

As they talked, they had already toured the entire Ye Primary School.

It was just a simple row of buildings, not much to see.

On their way back, Deng Yunheng said, "Let’s stay in the countryside for two more days, and then I’ll take you to the county town for a few days before we head back to school."

The classmates naturally had no objections. While they might not have been very interested in going to the county town before, now that they knew Uncle Deng had a restaurant there, they were quite intrigued and wanted to see what it was like.

They also wanted to meet Deng Yunheng’s older brother, sister-in-law, and sister.

...

That night.

While the classmates sat under the wooden shelter watching TV, Deng Yunheng chatted with his father at the door.

Deng Yunheng said, "Dad, I plan to take the classmates to the county town for a few days the day after tomorrow. We’ll go straight from there to school."

It just so happened that the longan fruit was ripe, and Deng Shirong was planning to go to the two rented rooms in Tanlian to collect the longan from the Bai Ping farm in a couple of days. He nodded and said, "Your classmates have already seen everything there is to see in the countryside. It’s good for them to spend a few days in the county town. I’ll prepare a lavish meal for them tomorrow as a farewell."

Deng Yunheng said, "I’ll also talk to Xiao Song and see if he wants to go to the county town early to get familiar with his new school. If he wants to go, we can all go together the day after tomorrow."

Deng Shirong said, "Sure, ask him. Your older brother, sister-in-law, and sister are all there, so there’s no need to worry about food and lodging."

Deng Yunheng asked, "Dad, is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Deng Shirong said, "I’ve already told you everything important. You’re about to start your third year, and you don’t have much time left to build relationships. The people in the Student Council and the Youth League Committee are the cream of the crop. Try to join as soon as possible. It will help you develop and also allow you to make useful connections."

Deng Yunheng nodded, "I understand, it shouldn’t be too difficult."

Deng Shirong said, "I’ll give you a thousand yuan tomorrow. With more friends, your expenses will naturally increase. The family isn’t short of money now, and every cent you spend now will bring huge returns in the future. So don’t be frugal at school. If you need more money, write to me, and if it’s urgent, send a telegram. Got it?"

Deng Yunheng nodded, "Got it!"

Although five hundred yuan would have been enough, he didn’t refuse the thousand yuan his father offered.

His father always placed great importance on his network at Peking University, and joining the Student Council or the Youth League Committee would definitely require more spending. Having more money would give him more confidence.

Moreover, he knew his father was right. Their family was no longer what it used to be; they truly weren’t short of money.

Just the restaurant in the county town, the Suzhou Abundance Restaurant, brought in over a thousand to nearly two thousand yuan in profit each month. Spending a thousand or so yuan a year at school was nothing for their family.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end