Chapter 2307 - 2267: Doing Good Comes at a Cost

The welcome banquet continued until the next day, which was the 29th of the lunar year, and then the next day was New Year’s Eve.

When Song Ying, Xia Lan, and Xia Tiantian came over, they were immediately captivated by the scenery here. The three of them decided to stay here for the New Year and had no plans to return.

Now, after the banquet ended, many villagers cleaned up the village thoroughly.

This lively event gave Ye Weidong and his wife a lot of face.

However, when he thought about how the villagers gossiped about the Ye Family blowing up the Zhu Family Grave, Ye Weidong became unhappy.

Ye Weidong approached Ye Qiu and said, "Ye Qiu, do you think we should directly visit those lonely elderly people?"

Visiting the lonely elderly?

Actually, that’s a good thing.

But Ye Qiu knew human nature well. With things like this, no matter how much food you give or how much money you hand out, it doesn’t matter; they might forget your kindness after a while.

Instead, it might create dependency, and every New Year, they’d just wonder when someone will visit them and what they will bring.

These tasks were originally the government’s responsibility. If private individuals replaced them, it wouldn’t be good.

Ye Qiu believed it would be better placed elsewhere.

Like building a library for the town’s elementary and middle schools, that way more students and parents would remember it.

And then there’s the issue of the town’s bridge.

Ye Qiu thought building a bridge would be more convenient for driving than the old one, so every year, there wouldn’t be such traffic congestion when returning home.

However, building a bridge is no simple task, at least it would cost several million.

"Dad, it would be better to pave roads, build bridges, set up schools, or even build a temple, better than what you were thinking."

"How much would that cost?"

"At least a few million."

A few million?

Upon hearing this, Ye Weidong sunk, it was totally different from what he had in mind.

Doing good deeds naturally requires money.

Like those wealthy landlords in ancient times, weren’t they the same? The rich do the same now.

But they’re just contributing a small part of their wealth to do good.

Ye Weidong wanted recognition but didn’t want to expend any effort, which is impossible.

"I will reconsider it."

After Ye Weidong left, Ye Qiu thought that if it were him, he wouldn’t do those things unless he wanted to.

Like blowing up the Zhu Family Grave, it wasn’t inappropriate for him at all.

Now his parents couldn’t stand some idle gossip and wanted to change others’ impressions of them.

In Ye Qiu’s view, ordinary people remain ordinary; Ye Weidong and his wife won’t change, no matter how much they try.

Ye Qiu didn’t care about those things anyway; to him, money was just a number now.

If his parents want recognition and spend tens of millions on good deeds, so be it.

After Ye Weidong left, Ye Qiu went for a walk nearby with Song Ying.

"Ye Qiu, I didn’t expect it to be so beautiful here; if I had known earlier, I would have come sooner."

"Didn’t your parents call you to spend New Year there?"

"My parents wanted me to return home, but my elder brother and sister-in-law have already called my parents to Jinling."

Now Song Ying is staying at the mansion near Jin University. Originally, she planned to have her parents move there, but she was afraid more people would find out, so she didn’t tell anyone.

Currently, even her brother and sister-in-law think she just moved into a rental apartment outside.

After taking a stroll with Ye Qiu, Song Ying returned to the house where all the young ladies were.

According to Li Qianqian and the others’ plan, they would celebrate the New Year’s Eve here, then head to Mount Huang and later to see the rapeseed flowers.

Although there are also large fields of rapeseed flowers here, they aren’t as concentrated.

"Ye Qiu, are you going to Mount Huang?"

"What’s so great about it?"

Ye Qiu had never been, but he didn’t think it was anything special. Besides, it would surely be snowing in the mountains now. He was worried the young ladies wouldn’t handle it and would come back down halfway; why go through such an ordeal?

Even in regular summer, it’s freezing on those mountains which are several thousand meters high, let alone now with such low temperatures outside.

"If we don’t see Mount Huang, then what?"

"Of course, just touring around the hometown is enough."

Ye Qiu didn’t want to go to Mount Huang.

If Ye Qiu didn’t go, the young ladies definitely wouldn’t go either.

That evening, Ye Qiu’s family and those young ladies gathered to have hot pot.

They’ve been eating very well these past few days, and the stir-fried dishes felt too greasy. Eating hot pot in the cold winter feels more comfortable.

The pork, lamb, beef, and even the vegetables are the freshest.

It’s hard to find such freshness in Jinling.

After dinner, Ye Qiu returned upstairs.

Li Shen and Luo Yang had come yesterday for the welcome banquet and then returned to Jinling to spend the New Year with their families.

Now online, he found them in a group playing games together.

Ye Qiu had just logged on, and they knew it.

As Ye Qiu was playing, he felt someone tugging at his hair. At first, he wondered who it could be, only to find out it was Xia Tiantian.

"Xia Tiantian, why are you pulling my hair?"

"Teacher Ye, I also want to play games, teach me."

"You can’t play now; wait until after your high school entrance exams."

After the entrance exams?

It’s already February in the new calendar, and the entrance exams will be in June. There are only four months left. During the New Year, they are supposed to attend extra classes.

But now, with Xia Lan bringing Xia Tiantian over here to play, they might have to return and make up classes after a few days.

"When the entrance exams are over, will you teach me how to play?"

"Once you get into a key high school, I’ll consider it."

"What key high school?"

"Of course, Jin University Affiliated High School. I studied there before."

Jin University Affiliated High seems quite challenging to Xia Tiantian, but with a little more effort, she could manage.

While Xia Tiantian was talking to Ye Qiu, Xia Lan came in.

"Tiantian, go back to your room and read. I have something to discuss with Teacher Ye."

Xia Tiantian could only pout and leave the room.

After closing the door, Xia Lan realized Ye Qiu was playing games.

She thought he was doing something else.

Ye Qiu turned around and saw Xia Lan with slightly flushed cheeks.

"Xia Lan, what’s up?"

"Ye Qiu, I’ve been feeling very intense, what should I do?"

Looking at Xia Lan’s expression.

Ye Qiu asked her to reach out her hand, knowing that this would alleviate Xia Lan’s discomfort.

Xia Lan’s whole body relaxed and she collapsed beside Ye Qiu.

...

When Xia Lan went back to her room, she seemed still a bit dazed.

Ye Qiu opened the room, and once the smell dissipated, he took a shower and continued playing games. Li Shen and the others were still waiting for Ye Qiu, noticing he had paused for a while.