Chapter 692: Number One in the World
Chapter 692: Number One in the World
Gu Haifan received the news that he had been accepted into Harvard Medical School, and Lu Jiaxin immediately called to congratulate him. "Haifan, I'm so proud of you."
He may have had an unfair advantage, but this young man had come a long way from his rural beginnings to the bustling metropolis of Hong Kong. Starting from scratch with no knowledge of Cantonese or English, he had truly come a long way in seven years. At this point, one must commend Gu Xiuxiu for her sharp eye for talent.
Gu Haifan had a hunch that he would be accepted to Harvard, but he couldn't rest easy until he had the confirmation. Now, he finally felt a sense of relief.
Lu Jiaxin asked, "When are you planning to come back? School starts in September."
Gu Haifan indicated that he wouldn't be returning just yet. "I want to finish rebuilding my father's tomb before I come back. It will probably take two days, and I also want to express my gratitude to those who have helped me along the way. Cousin, I'll be back on the 22nd."
Lu Jiaxin smiled and said, "We don't have many relatives in Hong Kong, so we won't be holding a banquet. Since you plan to host a banquet after the tomb repair to thank those who have helped you, let's make it a three-day celebration for your university acceptance as well. Haifan, I'll cover the expenses."
Gu Haifan quickly refused, "Cousin, no need. I have money."
Lu Jiaxin was in a generous mood. "You know how much I have. After giving out so many red envelopes last time, you can't have much left. Don't argue with me, it's settled."
Although Gu Haifan was still a student, he owned six properties under his name. Two of them were bought by Gu Xiuxiu, and the other four were purchased with his half of the proceeds from selling the villa, a transaction handled by Lu Jiaxin. The Hong Kong properties were easily rentable, generating a substantial monthly income. His education expenses, from tutoring to school fees, were covered by a scholarship fund, while Lu Jiaxin took care of his daily needs. Over the years, Gu Haifan had saved a considerable sum by only spending on his favorite books and items.
Seeing Lu Jiaxin's insistence, Gu Haifan smiled and agreed.
The day before the tomb repair, he returned to his hometown with four bodyguards in tow. One was Zhang Kun, and the other three were recommended by Xing Ziyang—all skilled martial artists whom he could trust.
This time, Gu Haifan's visit was met with enthusiastic hospitality from the villagers, which he had expected after distributing nearly 80,000 yuan in red envelopes during his previous visit. However, they would not be able to squeeze any more money out of him as the previous gift had depleted a third of his savings.
Gu Haifan expressed his gratitude to the villagers for their kindness and returned to Six Uncle's house with him. "Uncle, has my father's tomb repair materials been prepared? Have you also arranged for the workers?"
Six Uncle smiled and said, "Everything is ready, and we're just waiting for tomorrow to start the repairs. I've hired two master craftsmen this time, so it should only take a day to complete."
After saying this, he went into the house and tried to return the red envelope that Gu Haifan had given him. "You still have your studies ahead of you, so keep this money for yourself."
He knew that Ms. Gu had dementia and wouldn't be able to manage things, so Haifan would have to rely on himself from now on. That was why he couldn't accept the money—it was too much of a burden.
Gu Haifan pushed the red envelope back, smiling as he said, "Uncle, my aunt has deposited a sum of money in the bank as an education fund. This fund covers all my expenses, no matter how long I study for."
Six Uncle understood, "So your studies are taken care of, but you still need money for daily expenses. I've heard that things are expensive in Hong Kong, and it's always good to have some savings for emergencies."
Gu Haifan's heart warmed at Six Uncle's concern. "Uncle, I own several properties under my name, and I collect the rent myself. I have more than enough."
"How many properties do you own?"
"You didn't lie to me."
Gu Haifan smiled and replied, "I didn't lie. My aunt and cousin set it up so that I would have some security. With these properties, I can live a comfortable life without lifting a finger."
Six Uncle immediately scowled and said, "You're still young, and your future holds endless possibilities. Don't you dare have any lazy thoughts like that."
Gu Haifan indicated that he was joking: "Uncle, I've been accepted into Harvard Medical School. My cousin is very happy, and she wants me to host a three-day banquet in the village to thank everyone for their help over the years."
"A three-day banquet will cost a lot of money?"
Gu Haifan replied with a smile, "My cousin said she would cover the cost of the banquet. I don't know how to go about organizing it, Uncle. I need your help with this."
Six Uncle happily called in his son and daughter-in-law to help with the banquet preparations. As for the tomb repair, he would take care of it himself.
Six Uncle's eldest son asked, "Haifan, which university did you get into?"
Harvard Medical School? He scratched his head and asked embarrassedly, "Haifan, we've never heard of the school you mentioned. What kind of school is it?"
Gu Haifan patiently explained to him that Harvard was one of the top universities in the world, and its medical school ranked first globally. He intended to pursue a combined bachelor's, master's, and doctoral program, but with the education fund and rental income, he need not worry about expenses.
After listening to this, Six Uncle exclaimed, "So, it's even better than Hua Da and Jing Da?"
Gu Haifan nodded. "Harvard ranks higher than Hua Da and Jing Da among global universities."
Six Uncle was thrilled, feeling that his nephew had brought great honor to their ancestors. He wanted to go find the village chief and announce this good news at the ancestral hall, but Gu Haifan stopped him, expressing his desire to keep things low-key.
The next day, Gu Haifan and Six Uncle spent the morning in the mountains. They had planned to finish the tomb repair in one day, but with so much help, they completed it by midday.
After offering incense to his father, Gu Haifan descended the mountain with Six Uncle. Before they reached Six Uncle's house, a woman with a weathered face blocked their path.
The woman looked at Gu Haifan, her eyes reddening as she called out, "Haifan," and then she couldn't hold back her tears anymore.
Gu Haifan didn't pretend he didn't know her; that would be too fake, and he scorned such behavior. "What are you doing here?" he asked coldly.
Gez Xiaohong saw his distant and cold attitude and felt sad. Through her tears, she said, "Mother heard that you were back, so she came to see you. Haifan, have you been doing well in Hong Kong these years?"
Gu Haifan scoffed, "Why don't you ask if I've been doing well after you left?"
Gez Xiaohong was at a loss for words.
Gu Haifan didn't want to waste any more time with her. "When you left me to remarry, you said that our mother and son bond was over and that I should never look for you again. I kept my promise all these years, even when I was starving."
Gez Xiaohong regretted her actions deeply. If she had known he would become so successful, she never would have said such hurtful things. "I... I had no choice back then," she said.
Gu Haifan already understood things at that time. He knew she was afraid that having him would make it harder to find another family, so she said those things.
"If I were still that starving boy, would you have come to recognize me as your son? No, you would have been relieved that you got rid of me, your burden. So don't talk to me about having no choice. Our mother and son bond ended seven years ago. It's impossible for you to get anything from me now."
(End of Chapter)
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