HLM -Chapter 1154 A Friendly School Bus

After the robbery incident was more or less resolved, Wang Bo set off for Christchurch with Eva and several of his trusted aides.

His destination was Lincoln University. He planned to visit the university president and try to persuade them to locate the new branch campus in Sunset Town.

President Bartir had been helping all along. Through his connections, he learned that the decision on the branch campus location would be made before the New Year. He then found a way to get in touch with Lincoln University’s president, giving Wang Bo an opportunity for a face-to-face discussion.

There are three main types of schools in New Zealand. The majority are public schools, and Lincoln University is one of them. Such schools do not have boards of directors, and many of their policies have little to do with monetary interests.

Public schools are funded by the government and provide free education to New Zealand citizens and permanent residents, but they periodically run public donation drives to raise additional funds.

In this regard, Bartir could be considered a philanthropist. He donated to many public schools, especially universities, and his name often appeared near the top of donor lists.

The second type is private schools, which charge tuition. Sunset Town’s AOG Primary School is an example—tuition will be required in the future.

In New Zealand, private schools are generally owned and managed by churches, which is evident from their names, such as Montessori Church School or Rudolf Steiner School.

The third type is integrated schools. These were originally private schools but are now funded by the government and follow the national curriculum. They retain their own distinctive educational philosophies and teaching styles.

The biggest difference among the three types of schools lies in fees: public schools are free, private schools charge the most, and integrated schools, supported by government funding, charge less than private schools.

They flew by helicopter to the outskirts of Christchurch. A cluster of gray-red buildings hidden among green grass and trees came into view. There were no walls around the area, and buildings of varying heights were scattered throughout—this was the Lincoln University campus.

Uncle Bing contacted the Christchurch air traffic authority and landed the helicopter in a small town about two kilometers from the university. From there, they took a bus to the campus.

New Zealand’s public transportation system is quite weak, and taking buses in the country is inconvenient. Sunset Town had even built its own public transportation network for this reason.

Around universities, however, things were more convenient. Lincoln University is relatively far from the city center, and not all students own cars, so buses are needed to ease transportation pressure.

The weather was hot, and there weren’t many students waiting for the bus—just a few young men and women dressed lightly. The guys wore T-shirts and shorts, the girls short skirts and the like. When Wang Bo and his group appeared in suits and ties, they immediately attracted attention.

Atulu loosened his belt and said, “Boss, it’s really hot today. Should we really be wearing formal suits?”

“We have to,” Wang Bo replied. “We’re meeting a master with a very high standing in academia. Dressing formally is the most basic way to show respect.”

“Hang in there, buddy. As long as we can secure Lincoln University’s branch campus, it’ll be worth it even if we show up in armor,” Juan said.

“That’s true,” Wang Bo agreed, then added in confusion, “But why are there so few students around?”

Everyone looked at him in surprise.

“What?” he asked again.

Atulu rolled his eyes. “Don’t you know? It’s summer vacation right now. Most students have gone home. Only international students and foundation program students are still around.”

In New Zealand, the academic year runs from February to December, with three long breaks during that time, each lasting two to three weeks. This divides the year into four terms.

The longest break is from December to February of the following year. It’s also the hottest period, which is why the school wanted to finalize the new campus location before the New Year.

Once the site is chosen, construction begins, and some things from the old campus need to be relocated. Naturally, moving during the holidays is the most convenient.

A yellow bus pulled up, and Wang Bo’s group hurried aboard—it was simply too hot. Wearing a black suit felt like turning himself into a solar panel.

As they boarded, the driver, who had been wiping sweat, was stunned by their appearance and asked, “Are you in insurance or securities?”

In any country, people in insurance and securities tend to wear formal suits.

Students in the back laughed. A friendly girl said, “They’re from Sunset Town. That Chinese gentleman is the mayor of Sunset Town—Wang Bo.”

She pronounced “Wang Bo” very accurately; she clearly had some background in Chinese.

At this, both the students in the back and those on the bus exclaimed in surprise. Some pulled out their phones to take photos— Wang Bo had clearly become a public figure.

He nodded modestly and smiled. “Perhaps one day in the future, we’ll become neighbors, and you’ll be attending classes in Sunset Town.”

A student immediately reacted. “So the rumors are true? The new campus might be built in Sunset Town?”

“Wow, I love Sunset Town! I love Sunset Ranch! I support building the school there—then I can intern at Sunset Ranch!” a young man shouted.

That made Wang Bo very happy. He extended his hand and said, “That’s exactly why we’re here. If your university chooses Sunset Town, Sunset Ranch will welcome you, my friend.”

The students burst into applause; some even whistled. The atmosphere on the bus instantly relaxed, and many stood up to high-five Wang Bo and his companions.

Seeing that the students seemed very interested in Sunset Town, Wang Bo asked after the bus got moving, “Are there many students staying on campus during the holidays? Would they be interested in traveling—oh, I mean, doing some social practice activities?”

“What kind of activities?” someone asked.

“If you’re interested,” Wang Bo said, “Sunset Town could cooperate with Lincoln University. I’d be very happy to welcome you there. When you come back, you can tell your classmates what the town is really like.”

“Who knows,” Atulu added, “maybe years later, this activity will be called an ‘ice-breaking journey.’”

Historically, the famous “ice-breaking journey” was indeed related to China—small balls pushing big balls, leading to the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States.

As the bus drove on, they chatted. Someone offered Wang Bo a seat.

He felt proud of the students’ manners, but waved his hand. “I won’t sit. I’m really too hot.”

“This seat is by the air vent. You won’t feel hot if you sit here,” the student said kindly.

“But this bus doesn’t have the air conditioning on,” Wang Bo replied.

A student shouted, “Neil, we have a distinguished guest on board. How can you not turn on the air conditioning?”

Soon, cold air began blowing from the vents, and the students cheered excitedly.

Wang Bo smiled as he looked at the group of young people. He couldn’t help recalling his own college days—the most interesting time of his life.