Chapter 139 Let’s start with “Old-Age Support”!
There are more than one billion people in Jia Country. Even if the eldest lady sets the conditions, Charles feels that there will definitely be many rural elderly people who meet the requirements by then.
Each person gets 1,500 yuan, and they can receive it every month, and then every year until they die. Charles can imagine what an astronomical figure this is.
"Miss, this isn't your job. It's the Jia Country officials' job. That's their responsibility."
"Grandpa Charles, I understand. But as you said, Jia Country is too big, and there will always be areas that the government can't take care of. Now that I see it, I want to do my best to do something about it."
Song Zhining always remembered what he had always insisted on: if you are poor, you should take care of yourself; if you are rich, you should help the world.
"Grandpa Charles, money is just a possession to me. I can't bring it with me when I'm born, and I can't take it with me when I die. If I can use it to help more people in need, I'd be happy to do so."
"I know that once this thing is done, it will definitely cost a lot of money, but I will work hard to earn money!"
Charles stared at his eldest daughter intently, and was finally moved by the sincerity in his eyes.
He couldn't help but wonder why the old master would choose the eldest daughter as his heir among so many people and consider her his goddaughter. He thought, maybe this was the reason.
Finally, Charles placed his hand on his chest and bowed slightly, "Miss, whatever you want, Charles will do for you."
Charles acted quickly and contacted the official from Jiaguo in the name of Song Zhining that day.
When the Jiaguo officials learned that a wealthy man was willing to provide a monthly pension of 1,500 yuan to the elderly who were struggling in rural areas, they naturally agreed as this was a great act of charity.
Thus, the "Song Family Pension Fund" was established. First, 10 rural areas under the jurisdiction of cities were selected for implementation. If it is successful, it will be gradually promoted nationwide.
Soon, officials from these 10 cities began promoting the program in the news, allowing all eligible elderly people to sign up.
In Shiyan Village, Shi Quan, who is in his seventies, is carrying a little boy of about two years old on his back and moving bags of cement. Recently, a family in Shiyan Village is planning to build a new house, and Shi Quan finally got a job moving cement and bricks.
At this moment, they happened to be moving cement.
In contrast to him, those who are busy with him are all young people, or at least middle-aged.
He is old after all. When he was young, he worked in the city and could carry heavy objects and climb to Shiquan, which was more than ten floors high, in one breath. Now he was moving cement and panting, but he never stopped.
The child on his back clung tightly to Shiquan's neck with both hands, neither crying nor making a fuss.
If you look closely, you can see that the child's face is obviously different from that of ordinary children.
A new worker was very surprised when he saw this scene, so he asked someone quietly.
People from Shiyan Village actually know something.
He sighed and said, "That was a miserable old man..."
His husband passed away in middle age, and his only son also passed away two years ago. The child born by his daughter-in-law was also a child with Down syndrome. The daughter-in-law could not bear the loss of her husband and the child with Down syndrome, so she ran away and never came back.
So, Shiquan, who was in his seventies and lived in the old house, took on the heavy burden of raising his grandson and treating his illness.
"His family is poor, and the only jobs he can do are these hard labor jobs."
"In the past, when we were paying public grain, Uncle Shi was always the first one in our Shiyan Village. He was a good man and a kind person. Now they depend on each other for survival. Grandpa is the grandson's only support, and the grandson is the grandfather's only spiritual support."
"So now, if anyone in the village needs help, they will think of helping him."
"I see……"
When it was time for the lunch break, everyone else was wolfing down their food, but Shi Quan didn't eat. Instead, he fed his grandson first.
At this time, the village party secretary suddenly came to Shiquan with an excited look on his face.
"Uncle Shi, good news! A wealthy man is donating pensions to eligible elderly people in rural areas. It's 1,500 yuan per month. Come and fill out the application form with me. Let's apply quickly."
"What?" Both Shi Quan and the others present were a little confused when they heard it for the first time.
There is actually a free pension of 1,500 yuan available?
"Village Party Secretary, this can't be fake, right?"
"Of course it can't be fake. It's on our local TV news, so it must be true. The first thing I thought of when I saw it was Uncle Shiquan. Uncle, if you could get an extra 1,500 yuan a month, your and Zhuangzhuang's life wouldn't be so difficult. Maybe you could even save some money for Zhuangzhuang's medical treatment."
"Come with me to register and apply."
"Oh, okay, okay." Although Shi Quan didn't have much hope and felt that it was impossible for good things to fall from the sky, he still followed.
Not only in Shiquan, there are many other people who meet the requirements. As soon as they see the news, they notify each other and let the eligible elderly people apply.
For example, Grandma Wu Chunni, who is nearly 80 years old this year and lives with her high school-age granddaughter, relies on growing vegetables to support her granddaughter's education. Now, in the heavy rain, hunched over and trembling as she sells vegetables...
For example, Mr. Wang Xiangqi, a man in his seventies, raised children and worked hard for them all his life, but suffered from dementia, was despised by his first four children, and was locked in a pigsty. It was not until his youngest son, the fifth son, felt sorry for him and took him home to take care of him. Even though his family's life was difficult, as long as he had something to eat, he would not forget his old father, nor would he let the old man, whose back was bent for his children all his life, lose his dignity in his old age. If he could apply for this pension for his father, 1,500 yuan per month would be enough for his life.
There is also an 80-year-old unknown grandfather who wanders alone on the streets performing acrobatics and works very hard to make a living...
With these 1,500 yuan per month, perhaps their lives will be different.
Song Zhining looked at the computer. The news about the "Song Family Pension Fund" had already become a hot topic. She saw many netizens sharing the stories of the elderly in their village who were in difficult situations on the Internet, hoping that those who met the requirements could receive this pension.
Song Zhining spent the whole night watching these stories.
She suddenly remembered a saying: "I can read the books of sages, but I can't care about what's happening outside the window. I feel pity, I stand by and watch, I empathize, and I feel powerless...! People like me are actually just hypocrites, with a compassionate heart but no determination to bring warmth to the world!"
Song Zhining couldn't remember when or how old she was when she read this passage.
But after just one look, she had it firmly engraved in her mind.
She really didn't have the ability before, but now she has the ability.
Therefore, since you have compassion in your heart, then don’t choose to stand idly by. Now that you have the ability, then try to bring more help and warmth to this world, starting with “providing for the elderly”.
I can't seem to break this habit of incorporating my own immature thoughts and feelings into my writing without realizing it, hoping that the many unsatisfactory things in the world can be fulfilled in my novels. A new commission is about to begin, and I hope you won't find it boring.
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