Shang Lin really didn't have time to ask his classmates how they did on the exams or which high schools they got into. He only had time to make phone calls after he finished everything else. The first person he called was Meng Zhe.

However, Meng Zhe's answer was quite interesting: "My grades were good enough to get into the top high school in City C, but the second high school came to recruit me. Not only did they waive my tuition for three years, but they also gave me 10,000 yuan for living expenses."

Shang Lin was instantly flustered. "Is that even possible? Then why didn't they try to poach me?" He needed money right now, money to buy the raw materials for his whitening and spot-fading cream.

Meng Zhe replied to Shang Lin with a wry smile, "You're number one, how could they possibly poach you? They must think it's impossible, so they won't bother."

Shang Lin really wanted to say, "Absolutely, as long as the money is right."

However, compared to Meng Zhe, he could only get a maximum of 20,000 yuan. For him now, 10,000 or 20,000 yuan was just a drop in the bucket. Money, ah, where does it have to fall from?

Wait a minute, maybe we can talk about this. After all, every little bit helps! Besides, I have to commute to school, so getting into a top-tier high school might not be easy. Although I could use the excuse that my godfather has poor eyesight and needs care.

Meng Zhe then asked, "When are you going to City C?"

Shang Lin replied this time, "My lease will expire soon."

Meng Zhe was somewhat surprised, "Your godfather is going to accompany you to school?!" How much would that cost? City C is not like their small county town; the expenses are much higher.

Shang Lin's godfather doesn't have a proper job and his eyesight is poor. He's just a student. How much money could his family have made selling mountain products before? Even if they had 30,000 to 50,000 yuan, it wouldn't last long, let alone that much.

In Meng Zhe's memory, they only sold mountain products twice a year, and it was only when they sold 10,000 yuan worth of products that Shang Lin was very successful, since his family had no labor force and all the mountain products had to be collected from the mountains.

Oh, and there's also the 15,000 yuan reward from the police station. Shang Lin even donated 1,000 yuan of that. That's enough to live on in a small county town, but if he were to accompany his child to study in City C, he'd need money for everything.

Then Shang Lin replied quite frankly, "Yes, his eyesight is not good, and I'm worried about him. Besides, he's also worried about me being alone outside, so I have to accompany him."

Meng Zhe finally couldn't help but ask, "Do you have enough money?"

"It's barely enough." If he were just studying for three years of high school in City C, it would be enough. Unfortunately, he not only studies high school, but also cultivates. No, he cultivates with a whole sect, which is very expensive.

They clearly made money before... Well, the past is the last thing to mention, we can only think about the future.

Meng Zhe knew that Shang Lin had come in first place and that he would receive a bonus, but he didn't know how much it was, and he was too embarrassed to ask. In the end, he just said, "Then let's meet in City C."

Shang Lin asked, "So, have you decided to attend No. 1 Middle School or No. 2 Middle School?"

Meng Zhe told the truth, "I haven't decided yet. I'm discussing it with my parents."

Shang Lin wholeheartedly agreed, saying, "We really need to discuss this properly to avoid future regrets. Let's leave it at that for now. I'll ask Xiao Su and Xiao Qi how they did on their exams."

Meng Zhe hurriedly said, "I asked around. Xiao Su got into No. 2 Middle School, and Xiao Qi Qi barely made it into No. 1 Middle School. That barely made it is a bit risky. But Chu Jiu Sheng and his two followers also got into No. 2 Middle School."

Shang Lin was stunned. "Su Jinghang actually got into the same school as Chu Jiusheng and the others?" Little Qiqi really went all out to wash my clothes!

Meng Zhe asked, somewhat puzzled, "Yes, is there a problem?"

This is a big problem. I wonder if Chu Jiusheng and the others will bully Su Jinghang? But Shang Lin didn't say anything. He only said, "There's no problem. I just didn't expect Chu Jiusheng and the others to be such good students."

In fact, half of the students who study in small counties will, like Li Hongjin, go to work to earn money after graduating from junior high school. Some of them are just average students and have no choice but to earn money, while others really don't have the money to continue their studies.

High school is not compulsory education, and it's all in City C. It takes five hours to travel there and back each way, so going home for holidays is always a problem. As for tuition, book fees, miscellaneous fees, and living expenses, they add up to quite a lot of money.

Of the remaining half of the students, some will take the vocational school entrance exam, and only about one-third of the total number will be able to go to high school. On the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, they were playing around and making a fuss. Shang Lin felt that they would not focus on their studies and would enter society early.

However, these are other people's business. He needs to move to City C as soon as possible. But before moving, Shang Lin received a call from Li Hongjin, who said that someone offered 10,000 yuan for his house and asked if he would sell it.

The price was two thousand more than the previous eight thousand, so Shang Lin decided to sell it. As for giving it to Li Hongjin, he couldn't. Judging from Li Hongjin's enthusiastic attitude, he knew there was no chance. However, as long as he was still in the human realm, there would always be a chance to meet again.

Another point is that I'm short of money right now, so I'll scrape together whatever I can to make up the money for the first batch of raw materials.

So Shang Lin went back to the village with "Old Man Chai" again. The house was in Old Man Chai's name, so he had to come. Also, they had some things like firewood and hoes that needed to be dealt with.

Before this, Shang Lin had already asked She Jinxing to find a house in City C. It would still be near the school, and he would still be a day student. Due to the tight schedule, they had to split up.

To save time, Shang Lin and "Old Man Chai" were extremely efficient. They gave Li Hongjin everything they could from the house, and once the contract was signed and the property certificate was changed, they left the small mountain village for good.

When Li Hongjin saw Shang Lin off, he was particularly reluctant to part with her, saying, "Once you go to high school, I'm afraid you'll never come back."

Shang Lin was also a little down, but he smiled and said, "Didn't I give you my phone number? You can call me if you need anything, especially when you get married. I will definitely come back."

When the topic of marriage came up, Li Hongjin couldn't help but blush, looking incredibly innocent. "Okay."

Shang Lin didn't need to handle anything in City C, such as finding a house, signing a contract, or moving, because Bai Jingxuan had called him to visit the contract manufacturing plant and asked him to provide raw materials as soon as possible to start production.

When it came to making money, Shang Lin was more eager than anyone else, and immediately agreed, "I'm already making the purchases."

Then he began to calculate how much money he had left and how much raw material the Dragon Spirit Tower could produce, determined to find a way to supply the first batch of raw materials. After much deliberation, Shang Lin finally went to the Second Middle School to personally volunteer himself to the principal.

When they met the principal, in order to save each other's time, Shang Lin explained very directly who he was and why he had come, leaving the principal stunned.

This is the top scorer in the city's preliminary exam. He actually took the initiative to come to their school. First, it was for money; second, it was for commuting. As for giving up the provincial key school, the reason was that he didn't have the money to afford it; and third, he was in poor health and couldn't participate in military training.