Planning Clearwater Academy
Lily Evans said, "Village Chief, why don't we just open Clearwater Academy and hire a teacher? That way, we don't have to worry about bad influences at other schools corrupting the children."
The Village Chief sighed, "Clearwater Village is so poor—where would we get the money to build Clearwater Academy and hire a teacher?"
Lily Evans thumped her chest with confidence. "Village Chief, that's what I'm here for! And my Uncle Arthur! The two of us have been wracking our brains on how to benefit Clearwater Village!"
The Village Chief was instantly excited, his beard quivering with anticipation. "Lily, are you serious!?"
"Absolutely!" Lily Evans grinned. "Once the New Year is over, we'll build Clearwater Academy! I'll need your help to find a spare plot of land to buy, so we can get started."
The Village Chief was so moved that tears streamed down his face. "Sell you a plot? For something this wonderful for Clearwater Village, how could we possibly take your silver! I'll take advantage of the New Year gatherings to discuss with the village elders. After the holiday, we'll give you the best land in the village for Clearwater Academy, and everyone will pitch in with free labor to build it! Sigh, our village has been poor for generations because no one studies or gains knowledge. If our children can learn and broaden their horizons, maybe even bring honor to their families, then Clearwater Village will surely prosper!"
"Exactly! Even if they can't earn honors, if they learn to read and do math, they can get jobs as accountants or stewards in the city, which pays several times more than farming," Lily Evans said, her eyes twinkling with practical ambition.
The Village Chief was overjoyed and asked his wife to prepare a table full of dishes, insisting that Lily Evans and the others stay for a meal. The house buzzed with warmth and laughter, the air thick with the promise of new beginnings.
Soon, word spread throughout Clearwater Village that the Evans family was going to open Clearwater Academy. The villagers all praised Lily Evans and Eugene Evans's families for their generosity, saying they hadn't forgotten their roots even after becoming prosperous. Excitement rippled through the village like spring rain.
These days, Mrs. Charlotte Evans had been out and about in Clearwater Village, and many women treated her with great kindness, praising her family as great benefactors. When she returned home, she beamed and said to Lily Evans, "The villagers are truly grateful. We're doing a good thing with Clearwater Academy."
"That's right. If we keep doing good deeds, our reputation will spread, and when Jack Evans pursues an official career in the future, it will only help him." Lily grinned, her eyes sparkling with strategic intent.
Mrs. Chen couldn't help but marvel, "Lily, you really do see far ahead! No wonder life has gotten so much better for us."
Mrs. Wang suddenly chimed in, "It's also building a good name for Lily and little Yuanbao's future babies!"
Lily blushed fiercely, her face red all the way to her neck. "Mother, didn't the doctor say I need to rest for at least a year?" she protested, mortified yet surrounded by familial warmth.