TIPS – Chapter 40

In the village, about 80% of the people lived in poverty, meaning that at most, only 20% of the children could afford to attend school. But what about the remaining 80%? While it was true that studying wasn’t the only path in life, it would be unacceptable for them to grow up barely recognizing a few words.

“What are you trying to say, Jingwei?” Shen Dongming heard what was said but didn’t quite grasp Song Jingwei’s meaning.

“I’m saying that we should start our own private school, charging only half the tuition of the existing one. What do you think?” Song Jingwei said casually.

The other three were dumbfounded. Did he just say they should start a private school?

Pei Hongxuan was the first to realize—yes, Song Jingwei came from a wealthy family and undoubtedly had plenty of money. Starting a school would be a simple matter for him.

Shen Dongming’s mouth hung open. “Are you… are you serious? You really want to open a private school?” He recalled how he had been slow to learn as a child, much to the disappointment of his parents. His third brother, on the other hand, was quick-witted, exceptionally bright, and had not only excelled in his studies but had also gone on to establish a private school of his own. That had been something truly admirable. And now, his own daughter-in-law was telling him they were going to open a school?

“Yes. We already have the space—a small courtyard would be enough for a classroom.” Glancing at Pei Hongxuan, Song Jingwei added in an indifferent tone, “And we already have a teacher, as long as he can actually teach.”

Shen Dongming stood there in a daze for a long moment before finally processing the reality of it. He nodded slowly. “Hmm… but if we open a school, one teacher won’t be enough.”

“We can hire more when the time comes,” Song Jingwei said as he walked.

The others exchanged looks. One thing they all understood was that Song Jingwei always carried himself with confidence, no matter what he did. And things that seemed difficult to others somehow appeared effortless in his hands.

Now, he had casually declared that their tuition would be half of what Shen Dongying’s school charged, and just like that, the decision was made.

Once again, Shen Dongming thought to himself—yes, his daughter-in-law was indeed someone destined for great things.

“…” Carrying the box of pastries, Shen Junxi’s eyes lit up as he caught up with his wife, his whole demeanor brimming with eager excitement.

“Save it. What are you going to teach them—how to play mute or use sign language?” Song Jingwei scoffed, his pace still swift and energetic, though it was clear he was in a good mood. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had the leisure to tease Shen Junxi.

“Hmm hmm…” Shen Junxi gestured with his hands. “I was thinking of teaching them sign language. What’s wrong with that? Learning an extra skill is always good.”

“What’s the point of learning sign language? Planning to marry a mute? Or find a deaf spouse?” Song Jingwei’s words grew sharper.

Shen Junxi, however, continued his hand gestures happily. “Wife, no matter what I say, you understand me.” He was in a great mood. They had only been together for two months, yet Song Jingwei already understood all his expressions and gestures.

Song Jingwei kept a straight face. “I don’t understand.”

“You do.” Shen Junxi insisted with his gestures, his expression bright and sunny.

“I don’t.”

“You do.”

“Get lost.”

“…”

Side by side, Shen Junxi and Song Jingwei walked together, occasionally repeating their exchange.

Pei Hongxuan and Shen Dongming had different feelings about what they witnessed. The former found their relationship puzzling—were they close or not? He was fairly certain that Song Jingwei didn’t actually like Shen Junxi. The latter, however, secretly found joy in it—his son and daughter-in-law got along so well.

This was the difference in perspective—what one saw depended on their outlook. But sometimes, knowing too much didn’t necessarily bring more happiness; it might even make life more complicated.

Chatting and laughing, the group returned home, where they saw Yang Shi sitting at the doorway, doing embroidery. Seeing their cheerful faces, she happily assumed, “Oh, it must have worked out. Look at how happy you all are.”

Shen Dongming waved his hand with a smile. “It didn’t work out. Don’t even bring it up. We’re not counting on him.”

Yang Shi was curious. “It didn’t work out?” But they were all beaming—was failing really something to be happy about?

“Auntie, let’s go inside. Uncle Shen can explain it to you properly,” Pei Hongxuan said with a smile.

Once inside, the five of them sat down, and the conversation resumed. “We originally went to see about Hongxuan’s situation today, but Shen Dongying didn’t want him as a teacher.” At the mention of Shen Dongying, Shen Dongming’s expression soured.

Yang Shi looked disappointed. If Pei Hongxuan couldn’t be a teacher, that meant he would have to take on hard labor. How could that be acceptable?

“But,” Shen Dongming continued, glancing at Song Jingwei before grinning, “our daughter-in-law said we should open our own private school in the village.”

“What?” Yang Shi’s reaction was just as surprised as Shen Dongming’s had been.

“A private school, for children from poor families, with tuition at only half the usual rate,” Shen Dongming said proudly. His daughter-in-law was openly doing a good deed—not for profit, but for the benefit of the villagers. If this school became a reality, everyone in Chashan Village would be grateful to their family.

“But… will this really work?” Yang Shi was utterly astonished. She certainly hoped such a school could exist, but would Song Jingwei really be able to sustain it without suffering losses?

“It’s fine.” Song Jingwei could see that Yang Shi was worried, so he said, “I’m just providing a venue and covering the costs for a few teachers. It won’t cost much.” Besides, even half the tuition fees would be a considerable amount—at the very least, it would be enough to pay the teachers.

“Is that so?” The people present exchanged glances. Somehow, when Song Jingwei spoke, things always seemed so simple, as if there was no pressure at all.

“Yes. Tomorrow, we’ll talk to Uncle Xianggui and ask him to turn the small courtyard into a proper school setting. It should take about ten days or so.” Song Jingwei was already thinking about how to design the classroom for the children. There were many modern styles to use as references, and he was momentarily overwhelmed by the choices.

“Huh? So, in just ten days or so, the school will be up and running?” Everyone was stunned once again.

“Of course. How else would it work?” Song Jingwei lifted his teacup to take a sip, only to notice that everyone was staring at him. What was that expression on their faces?

“Aren’t you… going to do any preparations? Will there be students? What about desks, chairs, books—those need to be considered too.” Shen Dongming scratched his head, listing out the things he could think of. He was sure there were many other details, but he couldn’t recall them all at the moment.

“That’s easy. You should go find the carpenter family in the village and have them custom-make a set of desks and chairs suitable for a private school. They don’t need to be too fancy, but they also can’t be too cheap—just something moderately priced will do.” Song Jingwei figured that the school could eventually expand. Even if it wouldn’t generate much profit, at least it wouldn’t run at a loss.

“Alright, I’ll go in a bit,” Shen Dongming promised.

“You have a task too,” Song Jingwei said, eyeing Pei Hongxuan. “You and Shen Junxi should head to the bookstore in town and buy a batch of books suitable for beginners.” He tapped his fingers on the table and added, “And get anything else you think might be useful. You’re both scholars, so you should be able to figure out more than a semi-literate person like me, right?”

At those words, the Shen family all chuckled awkwardly. Pei Hongxuan, however, was confused. What were they laughing about? He glanced at them for an explanation—was Song Jingwei really illiterate?

The others kept quiet, unwilling to expose Song Jingwei’s weakness in front of an outsider. In reality, Song Jingwei wasn’t illiterate. He could read and write, spoke eloquently, and had extensive knowledge—certainly more than they did. The only issue was… his handwriting was terrible.

But what was so strange about that? No one was perfect. It just so happened that Song Jingwei was so exceptional in other aspects that fate had decided to take away his talent for handwriting.

“Alright, that’s settled then. To fund the school, I will contribute five hundred taels of silver.” Song Jingwei glanced around before finally settling his gaze on Shen Junxi. “Since I have no personal interest in education, I’ll leave this money to you. Can you handle it?”

This young mute man from the countryside was already twenty-four years old. If he weren’t mute, would he be making a name for himself and shaping his own future right now?

Shen Junxi nodded with a warm, determined gaze. He might not be strong or fit the traditional image of a capable man, but he believed in treating others sincerely—because sincerity could win sincerity in return.

The world needed heroes who could forge new paths, but it also needed gentle men who weren’t driven by strength alone.

After finalizing everything, Song Jingwei finally took a sip of his tea, but as the bitter liquid touched his lips, he froze. He had once overheard female colleagues at his company mentioning that pregnant women shouldn’t drink too much tea. Back when he was staying at Song Man’s house, he had been cautious about it at first.

But after arriving at the Shen household and experiencing no noticeable effects for a long time, he had assumed it wasn’t an issue. That was until a visit to Doctor Hu a few days ago confirmed that he was already three months pregnant.

Thinking of this, Song Jingwei silently put his teacup down.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Junxi signed, noticing that his wife’s expression was a bit odd, though he couldn’t pinpoint why.

“The tea is too strong. I’m not used to it,” Song Jingwei replied. If he suddenly stopped drinking tea altogether, the family would definitely find it suspicious. From now on, he would just drink a lighter brew.

“Ah…” Shen Junxi’s eyes lit up in realization. Then he signed, “I’ll make it lighter from now on.” He felt a bit guilty, blaming himself for not noticing this earlier. Their family had been tea farmers for generations, and drinking strong tea was a habit. But considering Song Jingwei’s background, he was probably more accustomed to lighter flavors.

Watching them, Shen Dongming chuckled. “If your wife likes lighter tea, you should learn how to brew it properly. Don’t make it too bitter—he won’t like it.”

“I can do it myself,” Song Jingwei said, feeling slightly uncomfortable. He wasn’t at the point where he needed to be waited on. It just didn’t feel right. But he knew Shen Junxi was more than willing to do it for him.

Maybe it was because their relationship was different. If Shen Junxi were just his subordinate, he wouldn’t hesitate to accept his kindness without a second thought.

Yang Shi smiled warmly. “Jingwei, there’s no need to be shy. Junxi is happy to make tea for you.”