"What's his name?" Xing Baohua asked.
"Zhang Yanheng," Secretary Huang said, looking at the thin, dark-skinned boy.
"Hmm?" Xing Baohua asked with a questioning hum.
Secretary Huang noticed Xing Baohua's confusion and said, "His family's affairs are not something that can be explained in a short time. You stay with your friend for now, and I will tell you about it when we have time."
“Then let him stop working and go back to school! Tell him that the school-run factory will support his education, at least for those nine years. If he works hard, the factory will support him through high school and then university,” Xing Baohua said.
"He'll be in ninth grade this fall. He missed a few years of elementary school, but his dad caught him up. He's a good student. Sigh, if it weren't for their poverty, he could get into a good high school, as his dad says." Secretary Huang muttered for a moment, then added:
"Xiao Xing! I know you mean well, but some people in the village are just jealous. You're raising Teacher Li's child, won't the villagers say anything? But don't open any door for it, there are plenty of people in the village who can't afford to go to school."
Xing Baohua nodded and said, "Well, we have to see how things go! We can't all be out in the fields working, can we?"
Secretary Huang continued, "Isn't that how village kids are? If the country requires them to complete nine years of schooling, then they complete nine years. It's pointless to force someone who isn't cut out for it. Going to work in the fields early or learning a trade from a construction team can help supplement the family income. It's always been like this since ancient times."
“I understand what you’re saying. The factory needs workers. But we won’t hire those who aren’t educated. You need to tell them that. Without some education, it’s difficult to even get into the factory,” Xing Baohua said seriously.
After saying that, he walked towards Liu Haibo and the others.
“The factory is still under construction, and that’s about it for now. The biggest difficulty right now is the lack of funds, which prevents us from starting too many projects. If you don’t plan to join us, I’m thinking of getting the workshop up and running first so that production can continue without delays,” Xing Baohua said as he walked up to Liu Haibo and Sun Changjie.
"How much more do we need?" Liu Haibo asked.
"According to my overall estimate, it will cost more than 200,000 yuan to build the entire factory. I don't have that much money on hand, so I can only build a small part first. To be honest, the money to build the workshop will come from the money I made selling you audio equipment," Xing Baohua said with a wry smile.
“You’re really daring. I wouldn’t dare to do this. I would definitely save up enough funds first. Aren’t you afraid of your cash flow drying up?” Sun Changjie said.
"I still have confidence in myself. Even if the cash flow dries up, I can still find a way to make some money." Xing Baohua said, pointing to his head.
There wasn't much to see at the construction site, so the three of them prepared to head back.
Secretary Huang brought Zhang Yanheng over. The little black boy knelt down as soon as he saw Xing Baohua.
Xing Baohua quickly reached out to help him up, saying, "You mustn't do that again. People will laugh at you."
Liu Haibo and Sun Changjie saw that he had something to say, so they went to wait for him by the motorcycle.
Secretary Huang chimed in, "It's only right, it's only right. Supporting someone is a favor, giving money as a gift is a gesture of goodwill, this is the true meaning of gratitude. This kneeling isn't to express thanks, it's just to remember this kindness. Don't stop me."
Because of his large size, Xing Baohua was shorter than the small, thin child even when he squatted down.
He helped the little boy up, raised his head slightly, and said, "I heard from Uncle Huang that you are a good student. Then study hard, and you'll succeed in your studies and get a good job."
The little black boy shook his head slightly and said softly, "I'll do it with you."
Xing Baohua smiled and nodded at the other person's head, saying, "Okay, it would be even better if you worked for me. Look at how tattered you are. If you didn't have any clothes, I..."
He wanted to say he had a few sets of clothes he didn't wear anymore, but then he thought about his own physique. He decided to just find some time to buy him a few sets instead.
Then she said, "Next time I come, I'll bring you a few sets of clothes. Don't wear such tattered clothes anymore. If you can't sew them up yourself, I'll have your aunt sew them for you. It'll be better than them turning into a fishing net."
"Okay," the little boy nodded, and then said, "Uncle, I will study hard. I will finish today's work first, otherwise you won't pay me."
"Okay," Xing Baohua said with a smile, standing up and turning to walk towards the three-wheeled vehicle.
On his way back, he suddenly remembered that the little black boy had called him uncle.
He recalled their conversation and realized there seemed to be a small misunderstanding. Xing Baohua had never treated him as a junior from the beginning. He was 19 and Xiao Hei was 14, not much different. He could just call him "brother." The "aunt" he mentioned was his own mother.
The little boy thought that aunt was his wife. Xing Baohua shook his head helplessly, thinking to himself, "I wonder if Su Ya knows how to sew."
That evening, Xing Baohua drank a little too much, so Liu Haiping arranged for a tricycle to take Xing Baohua home.
Liu Haibo and Sun Changjie returned to their small apartment, and the girl quickly made them tea to help them sober up.
"Changjie! You're telling me Xing Baohua is playing such a big game, aren't you afraid at all?" Liu Haibo asked, half-lying on the sofa.
“You say he’s like a newborn calf that’s not afraid of tigers? That doesn’t seem like it. He’s probably thought this through carefully. You can tell he wants to take risks. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have caused so much trouble,” Sun Changjie added.
“We don’t understand what he did now, but I admire him quite a bit. He dared to do what others wouldn’t even think of. And he was very good at planning. He had strategy and courage. If he lived in ancient times, who would he be like?” Liu Haibo asked.
“I don’t know. I’m more interested in his future plans. I wonder how it will develop. Didn’t you see him set up a village-run enterprise as a second choice?” Sun Changjie asked. Liu Haibo thought about it for a moment, then shook his head slightly.
He also said he didn't understand, and seemed to recall what he had heard about Factory No. 4 before, and asked Sun Changjie: "Changjie, didn't they say Factory No. 4 was finished? Why doesn't he compete for the position of factory director? He has the ability!"
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