boyutpedia Chapter 176 Great Kindness
Chapter 176 Great Kindness
Chen Shuyi heard everything Zhao Da'e said, and his eyes reddened slightly. "Da'e, I understand all the道理 (principles/reasons) you're talking about, but I..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Da'e interrupted, "I know, I know all about Uncle Chen. You've had a tough time all these years, running around trying to pay for your daughter's tuition, looking for part-time jobs to earn money, and not getting enough sleep day and night. You even ate the cheapest cornbread to save a few dollars, and you didn't dare let your daughter see that, right?"
"To be honest, I envy your daughter for having a father like you, a father who cares about her, a father who wants to give her a good life and is willing to bear all the blame. Thinking about my father, I just find it laughable. When my grandmother and aunt beat and scolded me, my dad would just stand by cowardly and never take the initiative to stop it or criticize me for what I did wrong. I was beaten and scolded for no reason, but my father would not stand up for me. Instead, he would just stand by and watch."
Zhao Da'e gave a self-deprecating laugh as he spoke, and Chen Shuyi felt a pang of sadness. He said, "Good child, you've suffered so much all these years. Zhao Tiesheng is no good at all. You're so obedient and well-behaved, yet he still made you suffer so much."
"I'm indignant," Chen Shuyi said indignantly. Zhao Da'e could only shake her head helplessly. She continued,
"Uncle Chen, let's not talk about me. If I said I could help you with your daughter's tuition, would you agree to come and help me?" Zhao Da'e said earnestly to Uncle Chen.
Chen Shuyi said with a wry smile, "Big Goose, don't tease Uncle Chen. I'm such a grown man and I can't even handle my own affairs. I even made myself so miserable trying to raise tuition fees. What can you do?"
Zhao Da'e said confidently, "Uncle Chen, I'm telling the truth. I can help you with your daughter's tuition. To be honest, I have several thousand yuan on me, and I can lend you that money. I can even cover your daughter's tuition for the next three years. But we need to sign a contract. Your daughter will have to come and help me during her winter and summer vacations, and she'll also have to work for me for a few years after she graduates. Don't worry, Uncle Chen, I'll pay your daughter. After all, she's from a prestigious university, and she's studying computer science. I'm short-staffed, and your daughter can help me out. Don't worry, Uncle Chen, it's all legitimate business. Of course, she can also choose to pay me back when she's earned money and has the funds. Either way is fine. I'm lending, not giving away for free. But I won't charge interest."
Chen Shuyi was stunned after hearing this, his mind completely blank. Had he heard correctly? This seven-year-old Zhao Da'e actually said he wanted to borrow money from him, sign a contract, and do business?
Chen Shuyi even rubbed his eyes and ears, unable to believe what he had just heard. It was so shocking that Chen Shuyi wondered if he was hallucinating.
"Big Goose, you're joking with Uncle Chen, right? I didn't hear you wrong, did I? You said you'd lend me money—no, you'd cover my daughter's tuition for the next few years, and then have her come over to help you during winter and summer vacations? And then have her work here after she graduates? Is that for real? Don't joke with me, Uncle Chen is serious this time." Uncle Chen said incredulously.
"Hey! Uncle, why would I joke with you? If you don't believe me, go back and sign the contract with me now, and I'll give you the bankbook so you can pay your daughter's tuition." Zhao Da'e quickly said, "Uncle Chen, just believe me. I'm even more capable than you think. You might be wondering where my money came from, but don't worry, it's absolutely clean. It's not from my dad's family or my mom's side; it's really money I earned myself. If you don't believe me, you can ask Xiangzi. After all, he knows exactly where my money came from. I even hired Xiangzi to work for me."
Xiangzi chimed in, "That's right, Uncle Chen, just believe Da'e. Everything she said is true. Little Auntie may look young, but she's actually very shrewd. She earned all her money herself. She even hired me to deliver goods for her before, and I could earn more than a hundred yuan a month."
Xiangzi's words were all true, and even Chen Shuyi was shocked for a long time. "Xiangzi, you're not kidding, are you? Is Da'e really that amazing, but she looks so small?"
Xiangzi exclaimed "Oh!" and came over to pat Chen Shuyi on the shoulder, saying, "Uncle Chen, what does age matter? My aunt is a child prodigy. She'll definitely be successful in school, just like your daughter. She'll definitely get into a top university someday. She'll be very successful. I'm following my aunt now. If I follow her, I can at least earn more than the people in the village, and my life will be more promising."
Chen Shuyi was somewhat dazed. "Are you telling the truth, Xiangzi? Don't exaggerate the goose's abilities. You're making me so confused that I'd like to work for the goose myself."
Zhao Da'e laughed along, "Look at how much you're praising Xiangzi, even Uncle Chen doesn't believe it. Come on, Uncle Chen, don't listen to Xiangzi's nonsense."
After hearing this, Xiangzi couldn't help but retort, "Hey! Little aunt, I'm not just saying this, I'm just telling the absolute truth."
Zhao Da'e smiled slightly after hearing this, ignored Xiangzi, and turned to Chen Shuyi instead, saying, "Uncle Chen, let's get down to business. Come with me, and we'll sign the contract. That way, you might trust me more."
As he spoke, Zhao Da'e pulled Chen Shuyi away.
Half an hour later, Zhao Da'e handed a contract to Chen Shuyi and explained, "Uncle Chen, let me briefly explain the contents of this contract to you. Here, it's all written clearly in black and white. I, Zhao Da'e, will pay you, Chen Shuyi, two thousand yuan as part of your daughter's tuition. However, your daughter will have to come and work for me for free during her winter and summer vacations for the next four years. I will also pay for her tuition for the next three years, but the condition is that your daughter has to work for me for free for five years after graduation. But don't worry, Uncle Chen, there will be a basic salary during those five years of free work. At least your daughter's daily life after graduation can be guaranteed. You don't need to worry about that."
However, if your daughter doesn't want to come and help me, then Uncle Chen, you'll have to compensate me for the tuition fees I paid for your daughter, as well as for my emotional distress. Actually, my compensation for emotional distress isn't much; it's just the interest on this money, which is all clearly stated on the contract. Uncle Chen, if you've thought it through, please sign and press your seal here.”
Chen Shuyi was stunned when he saw the contract. He never expected that Zhao Da'e was serious and had even produced a contract. However, he hesitated about the contents of the contract. "Da'e, this feels like I'm selling my daughter. You pay my daughter's tuition, and then my daughter works for you for free?"
Zhao Da'e smiled slightly and said, "You're right, Uncle Chen. But think about it another way. Your daughter's tuition is 5,000 yuan a year. I'll pay 2,000 yuan for you this year, and I'll pay 15,000 yuan for the next three years, which adds up to 17,000 yuan. Think about it, which family can afford 10,000 yuan? Right? All I ask is for your daughter to come and work for me for free during her winter and summer vacations, and then work for me for the next five years after graduation. I'll still pay her a basic salary. It's not like I'm letting your daughter work for me for free. Think about it, your daughter only works for me for the winter and summer vacations during her four years of college. She'll work for me for the next five years after graduation, just with a lower salary. But I've spent tens of thousands of yuan on your daughter, and all I'm asking is for her to work for me for a few years."
Chen Shuyi was still a bit confused, "Big Goose, what you're saying is so confusing. What do you mean you've spent tens of thousands of yuan on my daughter? Is my daughter really that valuable? The more I listen, the more I feel like I'm selling my daughter."
Zhao Da'e exclaimed, "Uncle Chen, I really want to say something to you. How can you not even understand this? Let me explain slowly. I'll be paying your daughter a total of 17,000 yuan for her salary during her four years of university, right? Then, after she graduates, she'll be working for me for five years, and I'll be paying her several thousand yuan a year. So, over five years, that'll be 10,000 to 20,000 yuan spent on her. That adds up to tens of thousands of yuan! Sigh, your daughter is attending a top university, majoring in computer science. She'll be very successful in the future. Maybe she'll become a high-paid technician. If I want to hire her to work for me then, I'm afraid I won't be qualified anymore."
Hearing his daughter being praised like that, Chen Shuyi chuckled. "Hehehe, my daughter is of course the best, but Da'e, you're exaggerating. A high-paid technician? I don't expect my daughter to be that amazing. As a father, I have very simple wishes. I just hope my daughter can be happy and healthy, find a stable job, and have someone who loves her. That's enough."
Parents' wishes are always so simple and unpretentious, and Zhao Da'e was deeply moved by what she heard.
"I understand, Uncle Chen. You're really good to your daughter, thinking so much about her." To be honest, Zhao Da'e was a little envious of Chen Shuyi's daughter. If her own father could be like Chen Shuyi, perhaps she wouldn't have suffered so much in her past life.
Chen Shuyi rubbed his head and said with a smile, "That's my daughter. If I don't treat her well, who else can I treat well?"
However, Chen Shuyi still hesitated and said, "Hey, goose, do you think my daughter would be very angry if she knew I sold her to you?"
Zhao Da'e said innocently, "Uncle Chen, I wouldn't know, after all, I'm not a tapeworm in your daughter's stomach."
"Besides, Uncle Chen, you don't need to think so much. This gives your daughter a second option. If your daughter doesn't plan to come to my place, you can choose to compensate me for the tuition fees I paid for her and for emotional distress. After all, I'm a businessman and an investor, so I have to collect some interest, right? These fees total 20,000 yuan. If your daughter doesn't come to work for me, then you, Uncle Chen, will have to pay back the money for her. But that will be several years later. And once your daughter goes out to work and earns money, you'll be more relaxed. You can pay back the money even if it's delayed for a few years."
"Uncle Chen, please don't blame me for making things difficult for you, asking you to pay off your daughter's debts. After all, you are the one who signed this contract, not your daughter. I can't let your daughter pay off the debts on your behalf, since the contract isn't in your daughter's name. The contents of this contract are only effective for the person who put their fingerprint on it after signing, pressing their seal, and affixing their fingerprint."
No matter what, Zhao Da'e won't lose out. Even if Chen Shuyi's daughter doesn't come to work for her, she can still collect 3,000 yuan in interest. But if Chen Shuyi's daughter does come to work for her, the value will far exceed 17,000 yuan. After all, high-end technical personnel are scarce at this time, especially computer experts. Zhao Da'e's goal is not just to become the richest person in the village. She doesn't just want to do business with Kangxi Spring Water. She wants to do other businesses, especially in the field of electronic products. These kinds of businesses are more sustainable.
Chen Shuyi's daughter happens to be a talent urgently needed in this field. In his previous life, Zhao Da'e had learned about such talents, whose monthly salary was several thousand yuan, which was equivalent to a year's salary for an average rural family. However, in reality, the value of such professionals is far more than that.
Chen Shuyi chuckled and said, "Big Goose, Xiangzi is right about one thing: you may look young, but you're quite clever and full of tricks. If I sign this contract, knowing my daughter as I do, I'm afraid she'll come even if she doesn't want to. My daughter wouldn't want to see me burdened with a debt of 20,000 yuan. However, I'd be at ease if my daughter worked under you. You're a shrewd person and not one to suffer losses. Judging from Xiangzi's behavior, I know you treat him very well. If my daughter works for you in the future, I don't think you'll mistreat her. I'll sign this contract!"
As he spoke, Chen Shuyi signed his name on the contract, then pressed his fingerprint on it. Finally, Zhao Da'e signed her own name and pressed her fingerprint on it, and the contract was finally valid.
After finishing, Zhao Da'e handed the savings book containing two thousand yuan to Chen Shuyi. "Uncle Chen, there is two thousand yuan in this savings book. Take it and use it to pay your daughter's tuition. Then you won't have to worry about so much in the future, and you won't have to worry about raising tuition day and night."
After Chen Shuyi accepted the passbook, he finally felt relieved. Zhao Da'e was truly generous; he hadn't misjudged him after all!
Chen Shuyi was somewhat moved and said, "To be honest, Da'e, I really thank you this time. If it weren't for you, I really wouldn't know what to do. I couldn't bear to make money against my conscience, nor could I bear to watch my daughter drop out of school because she couldn't afford the tuition. You gave me a second option. I, Chen Shuyi, will remember your kindness. If you ever need any help in the future, just call me Uncle Chen, and I will definitely come to help you without hesitation."