The night before the college entrance exam results were released, I redeemed my Peking University ad

Wang Jianguo had a fierce internal struggle, but in the end he gritted his teeth and made up his mind.

Whether or not to agree is a matter for those above; he only needs to relay the message.

At worst, the bureau chief will laugh at him, saying things like, "Old Wang, were you fooled by your students?" Anyway, his old face isn't worth much.

"I can only pass your message on to Director Li; I can't guarantee whether it will work out."

"Thanks, Lao Wang."

Ji Bai's voice was tinged with laughter as he turned and asked, "By the way, isn't there a piece of vacant land next to our school?"

"You mean the old school-run factory?" Wang Jianguo was taken aback.

He knew that land very well.

In the 1990s, the school ran a plastic processing plant for its tertiary industries. It was later shut down because it failed to meet environmental standards. The plant was then rented to an aluminum alloy door and window workshop, which also went out of business later.

That piece of land was left abandoned, overgrown with weeds, and the wall was half collapsed and no one repaired it. Every summer it became a gathering place for stray cats.

"Right, right, I'm just killing time anyway, just approve it for me." Ji Bai's tone was as if he were asking for a cookie that no one wanted.

Wang Jianguo: "..."

"Alright, I'll contact the higher-ups for you first. We can discuss the land issue later. Just make sure you clarify the funding details first."

Wang Jianguo hung up the phone, took a deep breath, drank half a cup of tea that had gone cold, then flipped through his contacts and found Director Li's number.

His finger hovered above the dial key for several seconds as he rapidly organized his thoughts.

Saying "Ji Bai wants 100 million" directly is definitely not an option; Director Li would think he's crazy.

We need to rephrase it.

For example, Ji Bai has made important scientific research achievements that require support at the municipal level.

Yes, that's how you say it.

The call connected quickly.

"Director Li, I apologize for bothering you in your busy schedule."

Director Li, who was reviewing documents in his office, paused for a moment upon hearing Wang Jianguo's tone on the phone.

He had known Wang Jianguo for over a decade. This old guy usually spoke loudly and confidently, so why was he acting like a thief today?

"Old Wang, what's the matter? Just say it."

"Here's the thing, Ji Bai just contacted me and said he recently made a research achievement and needs some research funding."

Wang Jianguo swallowed hard: "Ji Bai... he wants to ask the city for support."

Director Li put down his pen: "Support him if you want. The education sector has science and technology innovation support funds every year. How much does he want to apply for? 100,000? 200,000? Let him fill out a form and go through the process to submit it."

"Well……"

Wang Jianguo's voice lowered even further: "He wants... 100 million."

There was a full three seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

Director Li asked, as if confirming he hadn't misheard, "Say it again?"

"One hundred million is not too much, seventy or eighty million is not too little, that's what I said!" Wang Jianguo repeated, forcing himself to speak.

Director Li remained silent.

He picked up the thermos on the table, unscrewed the lid, blew on the steam, but didn't drink it, and put it down again.

A research grant of 100 million?

What is the boy going to do?

Are you building rockets?

He recalled the last time at the city's education work conference, when the article "When the Youth are Strong, the Nation is Strong" from the Renren Daily was read aloud in its entirety as study material; he remembered the provincial leaders praising Fucheng for producing a "new era youth role model"; and he remembered his daughter running over to show him the video of Ji Bai singing "Chasing Dreams with a Pure Heart" with her eyes red.

This young man is no ordinary top scorer in the college entrance examination.

A person like this asking for 100 million yuan cannot be treated like an ordinary high school student applying for funding.

"Did Ji Bai say what he's researching?" Director Li's voice unconsciously lowered.

"Ji Bai said... just a little something."

Director Li's eye twitched.

You want a hundred million for such a small thing?

Does this child have some misunderstanding about the word "small"?

However, he didn't press further. Geniuses are often a bit eccentric, and it's normal for them not to want to reveal their achievements in advance.

The important thing is to pass the message on so that the right people know.

To reiterate, whether or not someone agrees is a matter for those above, but it's still necessary to report what needs to be reported.

If he were to suppress the issue on his own initiative and cause a serious delay, he, a mere district education bureau director, could not bear that responsibility.

To be fair, Ji Bai proved five major global problems, so he does have some influence.

Otherwise, do you think the prefect would even bother with you, a mere top scorer in the college entrance examination?

Let alone the prefect, even a bureau chief like him might not make a special trip for a top scholar.

Director Li hung up the phone, paced around his office a couple of times, and then decisively dialed his superior's number.

After the call connected, he relayed Wang Jianguo's words verbatim, adding at the end:

"Ma County Magistrate, I dare not make this decision on my own. What do you suggest we do?"

Magistrate Ma was equally surprised upon hearing this.

A high school student wants 100 million?

During his years as county head, the largest single research grant he approved was five million yuan to a local new energy company, which was discussed at the municipal standing committee meeting.

However, he didn't hesitate for long. His idea was the same as Director Li's: if you're unsure about something, report it to your superiors.

If Director Liu doesn't dare to make decisions on his own, does County Chief Ma dare to?

If the other person really has that ability, and I get stuck in the middle and cause delays, then I'll be the one who sins.

So County Magistrate Ma reported it to Prefect Liu.

The message was passed up level by level, like a lit fuse, from the district education bureau to the county, and then from the county to the city.

Everyone who received the call reacted similarly: first, they were stunned, then they fell silent, and then they said, "Report it."

The news eventually reached the provincial governor.

After listening to Prefect Liu's report, the provincial governor did not show the same bewildered expression as his subordinates.

He looked very serious.

He understood Ji Bai's weight and significance better than any bureau chief, county head, or mayor!

This young man is no ordinary person; he wouldn't ask for 100 million for no reason.

But the provincial governor could no longer report the matter to the Senate. It was only one hundred million; if he reported it to the Senate, he would lose his position as provincial governor.

But then again, that's a hundred million.

The government is currently struggling financially. Education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social security—which of these doesn't cost money?

Even if he wanted to approve it, he was powerless to do so.

"How about this, the province will provide 20 million, and your city and district can think of another way."

After a moment's thought, the provincial governor made the final decision.

"Ji Bai is a talented person who came from our province. We could let it go if he suffered injustices outside in the past and we couldn't help him. Now that he has taken the initiative to ask, we can't let him down."

"Consider it... an advance dowry for this child."

……

Upon receiving the notification, Prefect Liu immediately convened a brief meeting with relevant personnel.

They managed to squeeze out twelve million.

The city meeting had just finished, and the district meeting followed closely behind.

Compared to the formal and official meetings at the city and provincial levels, the district-level meetings have an added touch of "our own family's children" feel.

At the meeting, Magistrate Ma slammed his fist on the table: "You all know about Ji Bai, right? Last time when that group of people attacked him, we couldn't help him. I was so angry at home reading those hate comments that I couldn't sleep all night."

"Is it easy for a child who lost both parents to get to this point through their own hard work?"

"Now that they're actively seeking our help, if we keep making excuses, who will dare to come back in the future?"

He paused, then glanced around at the heads of various departments present.

"The province gave 20 million, the city gave 12 million, and our district squeezed out another 8 million, making it a round 40 million!!"

"It's our own child; if others don't care, we'll spoil them ourselves!"