Zhao Shusheng had finished speaking, and Zhou Wang didn’t have much left to say. He could only shake his head.
"It’s fine, knowing is knowing, it’s not a bad thing."
At least in the local towns, there’s really no need to be low-key. On the contrary, with Zhou Wang’s rising fame, his relatives here could actually benefit, and there would be real advantages...
At this point, as the conversation extended, Zhao Shusheng finally revealed his true intention.
"The infrastructure in Zhao Village is somewhat outdated compared to other villages. For instance, that Kong Bridge is nearing the end of its service life. Brother, I plan to donate two hundred thousand in your name to the village, as a way to repay you for your help this time. What do you think?"
Zhao Shusheng sincerely asked and further explained, "I mainly thought about it, and I really don’t have any other way to repay you. After all, what I have, you have too, and what I don’t have, you already have as well..."
A donation?
It was like waking up a dreamer.
When Zhou Wang had previously entered the village, he always felt like he was missing something, and it was at this moment he suddenly realized.
Oh, right, he still had a donation fund of one hundred million. Donating some money to the village to improve the living conditions of his hometown folks would be the best way to repay this land, wouldn’t it?
It was just right to also repair the dirt road in front of his grandmother’s house...
"No, brother, a donation is fine, but let me do it myself."
Zhou Wang pondered for a moment and then asked under Zhao Shusheng’s puzzled gaze, "If we were to repair all the village’s infrastructure to a better standard, how much would we be short?"
"Brother, you mean..."
"Yes, Mr. Zhao, please don’t fight me for this. It’s a long-cherished wish of mine, and I want to achieve it myself."
"Alright then."
Seeing Zhou Wang speak so solemnly, Zhao Shusheng could only reply truthfully, "The total shortfall wouldn’t exceed one million. After all, there are other special funds, and our donation is just to fill in some gaps."
"Then, here’s the plan, brother. I’ll donate two million: one million for Zhao Village and one million for Sanhe Town."
Zhou Wang considered for a moment and then said, "But I’ll trouble you to manage the operation for me; consider it a favor you owe me."
Directly transferring the money to Zhao Shusheng, Zhou Wang wasn’t worried about anything, even if Zhao Shusheng was pretending. That money, if not for donation purposes, couldn’t be spent...
With the system’s invisible supervision, there was really nothing to worry about.
"Helping you with this is certainly no problem, but how can that count as returning a favor? Whatever I owe you, I’ll still owe you, and I’ll repay you when there’s an opportunity in the future."
Zhao Shusheng laughed and said, "Of course, brother, don’t worry. I’ll also keep an eye on your grandmother’s house."
...
Watching as Zhao Shusheng got into his Porsche Cayenne, only then did Zhou Wang light a cigarette and walk back with the night breeze.
"Yingzi, you’re just the driver, not a bodyguard. In times like these, there’s no need to follow me."
Without turning his head, Zhou Wang suddenly laughed and said.
A meter or two behind, Miao Ying, who had been silently following Zhou Wang, paused for a moment. Perhaps she didn’t know how to respond, but in the end, she still said nothing.
It seemed she didn’t mind Zhou Wang sometimes calling her "Ying Tao" and sometimes "Yingzi."
Seeing that Miao Ying didn’t reply, Zhou Wang shrugged a bit disappointingly, looked up at the countless stars, and leisurely exhaled a puff of smoke.
Village life had its inconveniences, but the starry sky that had shone bright since his childhood hadn’t changed much. Zhou Wang still remembered the excitement from when, as a child, he first identified the Big Dipper’s position...
Zhao Village still carried many of his childhood memories; according to incomplete statistics, he had spent at least seven or eight winter and summer vacations here.
There were also some people in his memories, but most of them had faded...
As he was thinking this, Zhou Wang suddenly heard an exclamation. When he turned around in surprise, he only saw someone running away from the riverbank in the shadow of the streetlamp, but he couldn’t make out anything.
"It was a woman."
It was at this moment that Miao Ying, who had been silent, spoke up.
Zhou Wang really wanted to say that was useless information; he might not have seen clearly, but he definitely could tell if it was a man’s or a woman’s voice, right?
Perhaps sensing Zhou Wang’s speechlessness, Miao Ying slightly lowered her head before adding, "She watched you for quite a while..."
...
When Zhou Wang got back, Jiang Qingkui came to bid farewell.
After all, she had promised Old Jiang, and she had to go back and stay with him tonight, probably having to face a "joint interrogation" from her parents.
Zhou Wang originally wanted Miao Ying to drive her, but Jiang Qingkui refused. After some coordination, she drove the GLC back to Jing City first.
As for Zhou Wang, he was definitely going to stay the night here with his parents.
He had Sister-in-law Mei settle Miao Ying’s room first, and when Zhou Wang entered the living room, Mr. Zhou, Second Uncle, and Little Uncle were gathered around playing "staring blankly." The women were on the couch nearby, watching TV, munching on seeds, and chatting idly.
Zhou Wang’s grandmother leaned against the couch, smiling and watching without saying much.
Ah, the familiar scene—every year when he returned to the village for the New Year, it was pretty much like this...
Initially, Zhou Wang enthusiastically joined the card games, but lost interest quickly. Playing a whole night with only a small hundred-dollar win or loss was a bit pinching for a billionaire.
So Zhou Wang went over to chat with the aunts, who had transitioned the conversation from "Zhou Wang’s success" to various "village secrets," keeping Zhou amused and entertained.
After Third Aunt finished an engaging story about a widow’s secret affair, Zhou Wang casually asked:
"Hey, Auntie, do you still remember that Linlin who used to play with me when I was little? How’s she doing now?"
"Which Linlin?"
Auntie paused, then as if remembering something, realized, "Oh, you’re talking about Sister Xiao Yu’s daughter’s girl, right? The one you made cry?"