Encouraging the Poor to Pursue Education

Zhang Mu smiled as he took his son, who had finished nursing, into his arms. He tapped Wu Caiwei's nose and said with a smile, "My wife has always been so considerate and thoughtful of others. Don't worry, my appointment as village chief wasn't requested by Ali; she came to me herself and asked if I wanted the position."

"Really!? Ali didn't want her family to take the village chief position?" Wu Caiwei exclaimed in surprise and delight.

"Yes, she said her family members aren't suitable, and that our two families are like relatives. She wants me to be the village chief because it's better to keep the benefits within the family," Zhang Mu said with a smile.

Wu Caiwei was extremely happy, pressing her hands together in thanks: "Brother Zhang Mu, Ali is really good to our family. Now that you're the village chief, you must take good care of her family. We've received so many favors from Ali; we can't forget our roots."

Zhang Mu nodded: "Yes, the village chief's wife is right."

"That's great! Tomorrow I'll go to Ali's place to thank her personally. By the way, Brother Zhang Mu, before the official appointment document for the village chief arrives, let's keep a low profile to avoid gossip in the village," Wu Caiwei said.

"Alright, I understand," Zhang Mu said with a smile.

At that moment, Doctor Wu knocked on the door and came in, picking up little Chouchou. "I'll take Chouchou out to play in the yard," he said.

With that, Doctor Wu, as if holding a treasure, carried his grandson outside and sat in the yard to play with him.

Wu Caiwei looked at Doctor Wu with a helpless expression and said, "Brother Zhang Mu, look how Dad spoils little Chouchou. It's fine now when he's young, but it won't do to spoil him like this when he grows up."

Zhang Mu put his arm around Wu Caiwei's shoulders and said, "Dad was scared stiff last time when Chouchou got lost. He almost lost half his life. Now that the child is back, of course, he dotes on him. Maybe he'll grow out of it."

"Mm," Wu Caiwei leaned against Zhang Mu's chest and nodded.

Meanwhile, Su Li returned to the village and went straight to the village chief to tell him about her recommendation of Zhang Mu as the village chief.

The village chief was also surprised that Su Li recommended an outsider for the position. However, since it was Su Li's recommendation, he nodded and said, "Zhang Mu is a very steady young man. We owe him for sending the warning before; otherwise, our village would have been swept away by the flood. Zhang Mu has high prestige in the village, so if he becomes village chief, surely no one will object. Ali, you made a great recommendation!"

Su Li smiled and said, "Exactly, the village chief manages several villages' affairs, so we must recommend someone capable."

The village chief said, "Tomorrow, I'll notify the chiefs of the other villages, and then we'll jointly submit Zhang Mu's name to the government office. I expect the appointment letter will arrive around the time the Haizi School opens. Then our village will have both a new school and a new village chief—double happiness!"

The village chief said with a joyful expression, "Ah, my little grandson can finally study. I've been looking forward to the school opening! Ali, these days several families have come around and brought their children to register. Now our village has over thirty children!"

"Oh!? That's wonderful!" Su Li said happily.

The village chief smiled and said, "Actually, deep down, everyone hopes their children can study and have a bright future. But there's no way around it—the conditions are limited, and poverty... Sigh. Among the newly registered families, several are not well-off, yet they grit their teeth and do their best to send their children to school. It's not easy!"

Su Li lowered her head, thinking about how difficult it was for poor people to study in this era. Her original intention in opening the school was to encourage children from poor families to study, so their families could turn their fortunes around and break the cycle of poverty.

With that in mind, Su Li decided to introduce a set of incentives for poor students to study: establishing the Cold Gate Scholars Scholarship.