Chapter 341: Deng Yunheng's First Meeting with He Minjun

Chapter 341: Deng Yunheng's First Meeting with He Minjun

Beijing.

Zhao Jing and her sister-in-law He Minjun were enthusiastically strolling through the Temple Fair at the Altar of Earth, watching calligraphers splash ink and brush strokes, observing folk artists making zongren, cutting paper windows, molding clay figures, spinning windmills, performing stilt walking, and double-act performances... They also tasted a variety of delicious snacks.

After wandering for about two to three hours, the two women left the fair, feeling very satisfied.

On their way to catch the bus, Zhao Jing asked, "Minjun, are you going home or to my place?"

He Minjun replied, "Sister-in-law, I think I'll go to your place to hide. If I go home, I have to socialize every day, and even during the New Year, I can't get any peace. It's so annoying."

Zhao Jing laughed and said, "Others would be thrilled to have such social engagements. You're truly living in happiness without realizing it."

He Minjun, holding onto her sister-in-law's arm, said as they walked, "It's different for me. Others socialize to build relationships and get promotions, but every time I have to socialize, it feels like a blind date, making me very uncomfortable."

Zhao Jing smiled and said, "You are already working, and you're not young anymore. It's normal for Mom to start looking for a match for you. Have you found anyone you like among all the excellent young men you've met before and after the New Year?"

He Minjun said with disdain, "What excellent young men? They are all just superficial. None of them can match my educational background. If it weren't for their family connections, they wouldn't have such good jobs. It would be strange if they achieved anything on their own."

Zhao Jing, feeling a bit embarrassed, said, "Your standards are a bit high. You graduated from a key university, and how many people can get into a key university nationwide? And as far as I know, most of them have associate degrees, which is already quite good."

He Minjun shook her head and said, "I just don't like them. For my future husband, aside from other things, he must be better than me in terms of culture and education."

Zhao Jing sighed, "If that's the case, finding a satisfactory husband will be quite difficult. You should know Mom's standards for a son-in-law. His family background can't be worse than ours. Finding someone who meets both Mom's requirements and your conditions is really too hard."

He Minjun said, "I don't really care about family background. People who are better than me in terms of education are likely graduates of top universities. Even if they come from rural areas, they can still make a name for themselves. If their families can help them at key moments, their future achievements should be considerable."

Zhao Jing was intrigued and asked, "Your idea is good, but how will you get past Mom's objections?"

He Minjun laughed and said, "Sister-in-law, why are you asking this as if I already have such a match?"

Zhao Jing smiled and said, "I'm just making an assumption. If you really encounter such a situation, what do you plan to do?"

He Minjun pouted and said, "That's easy. If there's someone I really like and Mom opposes it because of family background, I'll go to Grandpa for a 'decree.' No matter how powerful Mom is, she wouldn't dare to go against Grandpa. As long as Grandpa agrees, everything will be fine."

Zhao Jing blinked and said, "That's indeed a good plan. If Grandpa speaks, Mom won't have any objections, but this might make Mom unhappy. If the relationship with your husband isn't good, you'll be caught in the middle, which would be very difficult."

He Minjun shook her head and said, "No, I know Mom. At most, she'll be a bit unhappy at first, but after a year or two, she'll accept it."

Hearing this, Zhao Jing's desire to play matchmaker surged, but she held back at the last moment.

Forget it, it's better not to be a matchmaker. If it works out, and Mom finds out that I was the one who set them up, she might be angry with me, which could affect our relationship.

As they talked, the two women had already reached the bus stop, and the topic ended there.

An hour later.

Zhao Jing and her sister-in-law walked hand in hand into the residential compound of the Planning Commission. Just as they reached the second floor, they ran into Deng Yunheng, who was coming down the stairs.

Deng Yunheng greeted them with a smile, "Happy New Year, Leader!"

Zhao Jing, quite surprised, returned the greeting, "Happy New Year! When did you come back?"

"Just now."

As he spoke, Deng Yunheng looked at the pretty girl and asked, "Who is this?"

This is fate, Zhao Jing thought to herself. Then she introduced them, "This is my sister-in-law, He Minjun, who works at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minjun, this is Deng Yunheng from our department, a high achiever from Peking University. You two should get to know each other."

So, she's the leader's sister-in-law, Deng Yunheng smiled and greeted, "Comrade He, hello!"

Hearing that he was a graduate of Peking University, He Minjun couldn't help but look at him more closely and greeted him with a smile, "Comrade Deng, hello!"

"Leader, I just brought you some wedding candy and the local specialties I mentioned before. Please wait a moment, I'll go upstairs and bring them down for you." With that, Deng Yunheng hurried upstairs to get the items for his leader.

Seeing this, He Minjun couldn't help but laugh and said, "Sister-in-law, your subordinate is quite interesting. Why is he bringing you wedding candy?"

"Is he married?"

Zhao Jing smiled and said, "No, it's not him getting married, but his sister. When he asked me about my vacation plans, he mentioned wanting to go back to attend his sister's wedding. I casually asked him to bring me some wedding candy, and he actually brought it."

He Minjun chuckled, "Sister-in-law, since you, the boss, made the request, how could your subordinate forget?"

The two didn't wait long; in less than a minute, Deng Yunheng came down with two mooncake boxes and a small bag of wedding candy. He handed them to Zhao Jing and said, "Leader, this is a specialty from my hometown called huishuihe. When you get home, cut it into pieces and fry it slowly over low heat until it becomes fluffy and golden brown. Then, you can sprinkle some salt on it for a savory taste.

"If you prefer a sweet taste, add sugar while frying until the sugar melts and coats the huishuihe. Both flavors are delicious, and I'm sure you'll enjoy them."

Zhao Jing took the huishuihe and said, "Thank you, that's very thoughtful of you. I'll try it the way you described."

"You're welcome. I won't disturb you anymore, I'll go out to buy some things."

"Alright, go ahead!"

After Deng Yunheng went downstairs, Zhao Jing and He Minjun returned to her two-bedroom apartment.

Once inside, He Minjun asked, "Sister-in-law, where is your subordinate from? I've never even heard of huishuihe before, let alone know what it is."

Zhao Jing replied, "He's from Guangxi, which is quite far from Beijing. This is a local specialty, and it's normal that we haven't heard of it."

"He's from Guangxi? That's really far away."

He Minjun fiddled with the Mooncake Box and said, "Sister In Law, can I open this and take a look?"

Zhao Jing said, "Of course, go ahead and look!"

He Minjun enthusiastically opened the mooncake box and saw the vacuum-packed, golden huishuihe inside: "This looks quite pretty, I wonder if it's as delicious as he said."

Zhao Jing laughed and said, "I'm sure it's good, at least in his hometown, it's a very special treat. He said it's something they only eat during the New Year."

He Minjun said, "That makes sense. Why don't we try this for dinner?"

"Alright, Let's have this for dinner."

Speaking of her subordinate, Zhao Jing continued, "My subordinate is quite remarkable. Although he comes from a rural background, he got into Peking University. His brother also got into Tsinghua University last year with the top Score in Guangxi. Both brothers are at The Top Universities in The Country, which is quite rare."

He Minjun was Surprised, "Both brothers, one at Peking University and One at Tsinghua? That's Incredible!"

She herself is a graduate of a key university, so she understands how difficult it is to get into such prestigious institutions. For her, getting into a key university was already a significant achievement, but the difficulty of getting into Peking University or Tsinghua is even higher. She worked hard during Her Studies, but Her Scores Were Still Far from Those of Peking University and Tsinghua.

Not to Mention, His Brother Got Into Tsinghua with The Top Score in Guangxi, Which She Knows Is Very Impressive.

Zhao Jing nodded, "Yes, they are indeed talented. And if There are no unexpected setbacks, he should be promoted to deputy director this year. He's only one year older than you, and despite Coming From a Rural Background, He's made Remarkable Progress."

He Min Jun Agreed, "Sister In Law, you're right. Such people are truly excellent, much better than those my mother has introduced to me."

Zhao Jing said, "Unfortunately, you can't have it all. He is indeed excellent, but without family support, he might struggle to advance Beyond The Deputy Director Level."

He Min Jun Said, "Reaching The Hall Level Is Already Quite Good. From what I've seen, Even With Family Support, Most of Them Struggle to Reach TheHall Level. Advancing Beyond That Is Extremely Difficult for Them."

Zhao Jing Laughed, "That's True. You Need Strong Personal Abilities to Overcome That Barrier."

He Min Jun Sighed, "That's Why I Don't Like Them. They Don't have much talent, but they blow their own horns so loudly, acting as if provincial level positions are within easy reach, completely unaware of their limitations."

Zhao Jing was Surprised, "Minjun, That's a Bit Exaggerated, isn't It? They are at least associate degree holders, wouldn't they be so shallow?"

He Min Jun Said, "I Don't Know if They're Shallow, but That's the Impression They Leave on me."

Zhao Jing Thought for a Moment and Said, "They Might Feel Insecure Around You. After All, Our Family Backgrounds Are Similar, But You Are a High Achiever From a Key University, While They Are Just Associate Degree Holders. They Naturally Want to Show Other Talents to Make Up For The Educational Gap."

He Minjun said, "Maybe. But no matter what they think, if someone with a lower educational background wants to be with me, it's not even worth discussing."

"Marriage is a lifetime commitment. If there's no choice, then it's fine, but if there is a choice, finding someone who satisfies me is the best."

"Besides, I'm not in a hurry to get married. I'll take my time to find the right person!"

...

In Bobai, there has long been a fine tradition of donating funds for education.

During the Qing Yongzheng period (1723-1735), the scholar Li Longzong donated 29.2 acres of land to support education and established a school.

The Huan Yu Academy was built with the financial contributions of the county magistrate Nangong Xiu and the land donation from the national student Zhu Jingbo. In 1803, under the support of the local gentry, the magistrate Yan Yue moved the academy to the northern part of the city.

During the Republican era, many schools in the county were also established through public donations.

In the 1940s, when the county's Fengshan Junior High School was being established, nearby residents enthusiastically donated land, totaling 816 shi of grain rent.

From the 1950s to the 1970s, due to various special reasons, the work of raising funds for school construction and community education was once neglected.

It wasn't until the 1980s that such efforts were re-emphasized. Starting from the second half of last year, people from all walks of life began to donate generously to support the construction of primary and secondary schools in their hometowns.

It's worth noting that the people of Bobai are very united in this aspect. Even those who have worked outside the province for decades and rarely return home were generous in their contributions to the education of their hometown.

According to the Bobai County Annals, from 1986 to 1987, the county raised a total of 13.412 million yuan, constructed 154,300 square meters of new school buildings, built 1,711 standard classrooms, 1,304 teacher dormitories, and renovated 197,000 square meters of school buildings, adding 5,671 sets of desks and chairs.

By 1988, the county raised another 15.442 million yuan, demolished 75,300 square meters of severely dilapidated buildings, rebuilt and constructed 155,500 square meters of new school buildings, renovated 108,000 square meters of general dilapidated buildings, and added a large number of teaching facilities, significantly improving the educational conditions of the schools.

It's important to note that Bobai's population is only about one million, and in just over two years, they raised nearly 29 million yuan for school construction, a feat few counties can match.

After all, Bobai County is not a wealthy county and remained a provincially designated poor county for the next two to three decades. However, the people's willingness to spend money on education is the reason why Bobai County's education has consistently ranked among the top in Guangxi.

...

The old ancestral hall of Naye Village.

With the Spring Festival travel rush now over, the Naye Deng clan held its annual clan meeting to distribute dividends from the passenger transport company to the clan members.

As more and more people went to work in Guangdong, the profitability of the passenger transport company grew stronger, and this year's dividends had reached 800 yuan per share.

Over two million yuan in cash was laid out on the stage, with the largest denomination being 10 yuan. This amount, equivalent to over 20 million yuan in today's terms, was visually quite impressive.

Every year, when the Naye Deng clan's passenger transport company distributed dividends, people from nearby villages like Jimapo, Bangliang, and Shenshuitian would come to watch, and this year was no exception. In fact, more people came to watch than in previous years.

Seeing so much cash on the table, these people from the Guan clan naturally envied the Deng clan.

This was the third time the passenger transport company had distributed dividends, and the process was the same as before. Deng Shirong, who held the most shares, received 288,000 yuan, which had to be carried in a burlap bag, drawing the attention of everyone present.

After the dividends were distributed, Deng Shirong took the stage and said, "Fellow clan members, to strengthen the clan, we must first strengthen our intelligence, and to strengthen our intelligence, we must first strengthen education. In our country, from ancient times to the present, it has always been the scholars who rule, and the illiterate have no future, forever condemned to the lowest and most arduous work.

Now, the entire county is raising funds to build schools, and people from all walks of life are generously contributing to the construction of primary and secondary schools in their hometowns. Our Naye Primary School is already dilapidated and needs to be rebuilt.

The Bangba Primary School, Majun Primary School, and Daozhang Primary School (all pre-school to third-grade transitional schools) also need to be rebuilt.

Finally, Shuangwang Junior High School, which everyone knows was originally a hideout for the bandit Longsiba, has been used as a school for many years. Both the teaching buildings and the student and teacher dormitories are very old and need to be renovated.

Whether it's primary or junior high school, these are places where our children study, and they are closely related to us.

Therefore, I propose that we all contribute to building these schools. Any amount, whether large or small, is welcome. Everyone should contribute according to their means."

Deng Changbao asked, "Grandpa, what kind of schools do you plan to build?"

Deng Shirong said, "For schools like Bangba Primary School, Majun Primary School, and Daozhang Primary School, which are relatively small, each primary school will cost around 20,000 yuan. As for Naye Primary School, it is the key school we are focusing on, and I plan to make it one of the best-equipped primary schools in the county, costing around 500,000 yuan.

As for Shuangwang Junior High School, that is the only junior high school for the entire Shuangwang Township. We need to discuss with the township government leaders to decide on the specifics of its construction.

Let's first raise the funds for the primary schools, and we'll discuss the funding for Shuangwang Junior High School later."

Deng Changbao nodded and said, "Understood, then I'll start by donating 5,000 yuan." As one of the wealthiest members of the Naye Deng clan, the recent dividend from the passenger transport company was 19,200 yuan, so donating 5,000 yuan was not a big deal for him.

Dengchangxiong followed, "Then I'll donate 4,000 yuan!" He was also among the top three wealthiest members of the Naye Deng clan, having received 17,600 yuan in dividends. Donating 4,000 yuan was similarly not a significant burden.

The other clan members also donated according to their financial capabilities, with some donating several thousand and others a few dozen. The principal and teachers of Naye Primary School, mostly from the Naye Deng clan, were busy registering and collecting the donations.

After more than an hour, the total donations were counted.

Even without Deng Shirong's contribution, the clan members had already donated over 430,000 yuan, which was quite impressive.

Hearing the school teachers' reports, the Guan clan people outside, who had been watching, could no longer hold back. These primary schools were closely related to their villages, as their children attended them until third grade, then transferred to Naye Primary School for fourth grade.

Since the Naye Deng clan was now raising funds to build these primary schools, even though the other clans' economic conditions were not as Good, they had also made a Lot of Money planting watermelons In Recent Years, Making Their Economic Conditions Better Than Many Villages.

Thus, a Guan clan member asked, "Uncle Jiu, can we also donate?"

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Of course, Naye Primary School is not just the Naye Deng clan's matter; it's the whole Bangjie Village's matter. You are all part of Bangjie Village, and contributing your share is the best thing to do."

The Guan clan member said, "Alright, then I'll donate 100 yuan."

Seeing this, other Guan clan members also began to donate, some hundreds, some tens, all contributing their share.

After the donations, the Guan clan member said, "Uncle Jiu, we can also go back and mobilize our village people to donate. We can also inform the Zhou clan from Daba Village, who are also part of Bangjie Village, and get them to contribute to building the school."

Deng Shirong originally intended to cover the remaining gap himself but, hearing this, nodded and said, "Alright, then go back and inform everyone. Whether large or small, every contribution counts, and I'll make sure the gap is covered."

For such matters, even if it involves money, it's important to give others a sense of participation. After all, Naye Primary School is the common primary school for the entire Bangjie Village.

After raising the funds for the schools, Deng Shirong did not announce the end of the meeting. Instead, he said, "Clan members, we have another important matter to discuss. I plan to lead the establishment of a food company, similar to the previous passenger transport company, with 1,000 yuan per Share. Everyone can decide how many shares to buy, and discuss it with their families."

However, I want to clarify that this food company’s profitability is uncertain. I'm not sure if it will make money, so everyone should invest within their means and not be overly blind, to avoid financial losses."

Upon hearing this, the scene instantly buzzed with excitement.

"That's great, Uncle Jiu is leading the establishment of a new company again!"

"Last time with the passenger transport company, I was too conservative and only bought two shares. This time with the food company, I must buy more shares and not fall behind."

"Having waited so long, finally another opportunity has come. This time I must seize it."

"..."

Even though Deng Shirong had already warned everyone not to invest blindly, the clan members’ trust in him as their leader was absolute. As long as he led the establishment of acompany, everyone Was eager to Invest.

As for the risk of loss?

Most clan members did not even consider it.

Seeing this, Deng Shirong felt both happy and pressured. He was happy because he had the clan's absolute trust, which was a great thing for a clan leader.

The pressure was understandable, as he did not want to Let The Clan Down.

After all, the food company was different fromThe passenger transport company. When the transport company was established, Deng Shirong had full confidence it would be profitable, as running transport back then was like picking up money with eyes closed. As long as the scale was large enough, anyone could succeed.

But with the food company, he did not have such absolute confidence.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end