Chapter 277: Chapter 277: Discussing the Sponsorship Amount

But when someone has the right temperament, sometimes it really doesn’t matter what they wear.

Gu Qinghuan’s face is the kind that would look good even in sackcloth, and when paired with her confident smile, it makes others feel inferior by comparison.

Gu Qinghuan didn’t state her purpose right away. Instead, she invited everyone to eat together first.

She wanted to first sound out the Wang couple’s attitude toward Wang Ruolan continuing her studies—whether they agreed or not.

During the meal, only the sound of chopsticks could be heard.

When they were almost done eating, Gu Qinghuan put down her chopsticks and asked tentatively, “Big Sister, Ruolan ranked second in the whole school this time. She’s sure to get into the county high school. What do you think about that?”

A complex expression flashed across Ruolan’s mother’s face—first joy, then helplessness, melancholy, and distress.

Her father remained silent for a long time.

They had already tried their best—they really couldn’t afford it.

No, actually, if they sold everything they had and borrowed from every relative in the village, if the whole family pulled together, they could just about manage to send her.

But Wang Ruolan wasn’t their only child; they also had a son who hadn’t settled down yet.

The family was already poor. If they spent all their money on their daughter’s education, in a couple of years when their son wanted to get married, they wouldn’t have any money left and would be deep in debt. No girl would want to marry into such a family. Would they let their son remain a bachelor?

In this environment, where sons are valued over daughters, and having male heirs is paramount—

Being able to support their daughter through junior high was already no small feat.

Wang Ruolan was one of the rare girls in the village who had gone to school. Even the village secretary’s daughter, Wang Xiaowei, hadn’t studied much and was illiterate.

The couple’s perspective only went so far. It wasn’t that they were ignorant—it was just poverty. Even a hero can be brought low by lack of money.

Wang Ruolan had long known the family’s situation. She lowered her head and said nothing. She understood her parents’ difficulties and didn’t want to force them.

Wang Ruoji, her brother, suddenly found the meat in his mouth tasteless.

His sister had done so well on the exam?

But unfortunately, their parents wouldn’t support her. He’d tried to persuade them many times, but it was no use.

The silence lasted so long that Gu Qinghuan thought the couple might not speak at all.

Finally, Ruolan’s mother choked up and said, “Teacher Gu, I want to support her, but we really can’t afford it.

These past years, we’ve spent everything we had to send her to school. People in the village all say we’re fools.

We still have a son. In a couple of years, he’ll want to get married, and we’ll need to build two more rooms. Everything costs money.

I can’t drag the whole family down just for her.”

This was a mother’s honest truth.

She didn’t deny the choice she had to make between her two children—she was just being sincere.

In fact, this is human nature.

Gu Qinghuan understood. Life is hard for everyone.

As long as, in their hearts, they hoped their daughter could keep studying, that was enough.

“I came here today for Ruolan’s schooling.

She has good grades. I think highly of her and am willing to sponsor her to continue her studies.

If you’re willing, I’ll cover her tuition and living expenses for the next two years.”

As soon as Gu Qinghuan said this, everyone at the table reacted differently.

But in the end, it all boiled down to two words: surprise and joy.

Wang Ruolan had already known, but when Gu Qinghuan said it out loud, the weight in her heart finally lifted.

“You… you really want to sponsor her studies? Teacher Gu, this… this isn’t a small sum. Are you sure you want to do this?” Ruolan’s mother asked cautiously.

She was afraid the teacher didn’t understand the situation and might back out halfway, leaving the child even more hopeless. That would be worse than never giving her hope at all.

After all, who would be willing to spend hundreds of yuan on a stranger these days, and expect nothing in return?

Is there really someone in the world willing to be such a fool?

If Wang Ruolan hadn’t personally introduced Gu Qinghuan, they might have thought she was a scammer.

“Don’t worry, the money is already prepared. I’m here today to get your consent.

I’ll sign a donation agreement with you. You must guarantee that every penny I give you will be spent on Ruolan’s education.”

Wang Ruoji couldn’t wait to promise, “We agree, we all agree! Teacher, don’t worry, I’ll never let my parents touch a cent of it. It’ll all go to my sister’s schooling, and I won’t touch it either.”

He understood all too well how much his sister wanted to keep studying. Sometimes he thought she was obsessed.

What’s so great about studying, anyway?

He didn’t get it, but he was willing to support his sister’s decision and help her fulfill her dream.

Wang Ruolan was moved to tears.

Even though her parents hadn’t put her first, she didn’t resent them. That’s just how the world was. She was already luckier than many girls.

Ruolan’s father’s eyes turned red.

“Teacher Gu, I have nothing else to express my gratitude. Let me bow to you. Our whole family thanks you for your great kindness.

Ruolan, from now on, Teacher Gu is your second parent. You must respect her even more than you respect us.

If you ever make something of yourself, don’t forget your teacher’s kindness.”

Wang Ruolan nodded vigorously, tears streaming down her face.

“I understand.”

Gu Qinghuan was simply following her heart in sponsoring them. She didn’t expect anything in return, but she was deeply comforted that the child she was helping was so kind-hearted.

Even without Wang Zhiyuan’s money, she would have done this.

After the meal, Gu Qinghuan called Ruolan’s parents over to discuss the specific sponsorship amount.

According to Lin Muyang, high school tuition was about ten yuan per semester.

Besides that, there were living expenses and miscellaneous fees.

This was worth discussing, since living expenses could vary widely depending on the standard. They needed to agree on a reasonable amount that both sides were satisfied with and stick to it in the future.

Gu Qinghuan didn’t know how much Ruolan usually spent on living expenses each month.

Ruolan’s father waved his hand and said, “Teacher Gu, Ruolan doesn’t spend much on food. She brings a bag of steamed buns and a box of pickles from home and that’s enough for a week.

How about you just cover her tuition, dormitory, and school supplies? We’ll handle her meals ourselves.”

He was embarrassed to take too much from someone else and planned to cover food expenses himself.

Wang Ruolan lowered her head and said nothing. She told herself it was fine—as long as she could study, she was willing to endure any hardship.

She’d always felt out of place in class and had few friends, all because her family was too poor.

She secretly ate coarse black bread and pickles every meal, so she couldn’t compare with her classmates and didn’t dare get too close to anyone, afraid they’d say she was taking advantage.

Gu Qinghuan noticed the girl’s sensitivity and felt a pang of pity.

She shook her head. “Big Brother, Big Sister, that’s not right. Ruolan is at a crucial age for growing, and studying is mentally taxing. She needs proper nutrition. Just cold buns and pickles won’t do.”

“This girl wants to study, but she shouldn’t expect to live in comfort. Being able to eat at all is already good enough,” Ruolan’s mother said, giving her daughter a stern look."

"Chapter 278: I’m Not Going to High School Anymore