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Chapter 405: Chapter 395: Money Isn’t Everything, But Without It, Everything Is Nothing
After formally signing the contract with Joseph, Shen Yunfang finally felt a weight lifted from her shoulders. Unless something unexpected happened, her tuition, living expenses, and various other miscellaneous fees for the next few years were all taken care of.
Looking at his wife’s smug and satisfied expression, Li Hongjun couldn’t help but pull her into his arms, "Why do you like money so much?"
Shen Yunfang glanced at him, "You talk as if you’re not keen on money. Please, I don’t believe there’s anyone in this world who’s so high-minded that they don’t care about money."
Li Hongjun thought about it and realized that it was true.
Originally, he felt that it was enough just to have money to spend. He didn’t have many material desires—just enough to eat and wear was fine. Of course, that didn’t mean he didn’t value money. The illness of his older sister’s child had a profound effect on him. Money is just like what his wife had said: it’s not omnipotent, but without it, you’re completely powerless.
Seeing that Li Hongjun was taking her words to heart, Shen Yunfang quickly continued to sway him.
"We live in this world, carrying on with the mundane cares of daily life, including honoring our elders and raising children, none of which is possible without money. This clearly shows the importance of money.
Of course, not everything in life can be resolved with money. The health, happiness, and well-being of our family truly can’t be bought with money.
Take this time with Jiajia’s illness as an example. If we didn’t have the money to help Jiajia with her medical expenses, I won’t even say what could have happened to her. Similarly, if we were rich but without any relatives, and if we lay sick in the hospital like Jiajia, without anyone to care for and look after us, that situation would be truly unbearable.
There’s a saying: ’Even as man faces death his words can still be good, and as a bird faces death its song can still be sad.’ So, many things in our life are made up of important elements. It’s not that money is the most important, but that they’re all important. Do you understand what I’m saying?"
"What you mean is that we can’t do without money, but, money isn’t almighty. Money can buy a house," Li Hongjun looked around their new home, "but it can’t buy a loving wife, adorable children, or our home."
Oh, he could actually draw inferences about one thing from another. This really wasn’t easy.
To reward Li Hongjun for his wisdom, Shen Yunfang took the initiative to kiss him, "You can really be taught! The army chose you for further education at the Party School and they made the right choice. Someone as thoughtful, steadfast, capable, and honest as you should indeed be valued."
"Oh? You seem to have forgotten one more of my good qualities." Li Hongjun smiled, looking down at his wife.
"What is it?" Shen Yunfang asked with wide eyes.
Li Hongjun, seeing those big eyes that were just as endearing as Manman’s, couldn’t resist, "Your man here is also full of energy, have you forgotten that?"
Shen Yunfang immediately understood what he meant, her cheeks flushing pink, "You lecher, so shameless."
"Haha, wife, isn’t it true that it’s been a long time since you’ve called me a lecher? You’re not used to it anymore. It’s all my fault, my work has been lacking. I must reflect and improve. Come on, let’s engage in criticism and self-criticism tonight."
October 20th was the day Li Hongjun reported to the Party School.
Shen Yunfang had wanted to take time off to see him off, but Li Hongjun’s machismo kicked in again. How could he, a grown man, let his wife see him off to the school?
Unable to argue with him, Shen Yunfang had no choice but to join him in sending their child to daycare early in the morning. Then, after Li Hongjun dropped Shen Yunfang off at her school, he carried his luggage and went to report to the Party School.
"At school, try to talk more; talking doesn’t cost money, right? That way, you can interact with your classmates and teachers, and they can get to know and understand you," Shen Yunfang advised earnestly at the school gate.
"Okay, I know all this." Li Hongjun interrupted his wife’s nagging with irritation. When he was out making his way in the world, she was still at home wearing split pants, "When I’m not here, be careful when you pick up the kids and when you’re going to and from school. Ride your bike slower."
Shen Yunfang nodded in agreement but inwardly scoffed. You’ve only been in the Capital for a few days; when you’re not around, it’s still me who rides the bike around every day. I’ve never had any issues. Really, you’re fretting over nothing.
Li Hongjun looked at his wife’s rosy and fair little face and, still worried, instructed, "Stay honestly at home when there are no classes. If someone who’s blind to what’s right comes to bother you, don’t be too shy to put them in their place. I’ll be back home for the weekend, okay?"
It wasn’t until Shen Yunfang was about to walk into the classroom that she pondered the meaning. What does it mean to be blind? So any man who would take a fancy to her and harass her is considered blind? Ha, then Li Hongjun is the biggest blind man of them all.
As for Li Hongjun, after giving his instructions, he took the bus to the Party School with his luggage, feeling reassured.
Being able to attend the Party School for further studies was the dream of every active-duty soldier. Studying here meant a promotion wasn’t far off, and it meant a bright future lay ahead.
Of course, Li Hongjun was aware of this, too, so once he was at the Party School, he threw himself into studying with all his might as if he were fighting with the textbooks. And indeed, he was right—there were foreign language classes at the Party School. Since the attendees typically knew nothing about foreign languages, the subject was not compulsory but optional.
Nonetheless, Li Hongjun took his studies very seriously, and compared to other students, he had an advantage. He had attended several of his wife’s English classes, and sometimes at home, when his wife and kids spoke English, he could even chip in with some simple sentences. Those simple sentences made him an expert here.
A week after the start of the Party School term, as Li Hongjun was preparing to go eat with a classmate, the class advisor called him aside. 𝓃𝓸𝓋𝓹𝓾𝓫.𝒸ℴ𝓶
After greeting his classmate, he followed the class advisor towards the office building and entered a room on the second floor, above which hung a sign with shiny golden characters: ’Principal’s Office.’
Li Hongjun stood at attention in the room with a standard military posture, eyes fixed straight ahead at the man with slightly graying hair behind the desk.
The man with graying hair slowly flipped through the files at hand, which detailed Li Hongjun’s complete service record since joining the army and his academic performance over the past few days at the Party School.
Finally, after a good while, the older man looked up, his gaze sharp as he regarded the young man in front of him. "Your English is quite good. Can you explain that?"
An unsophisticated soldier from the countryside speaking English was something to be suspicious of.
Li Hongjun replied confidently, yet modestly, "Reporting to the superior, my spouse is a university graduate." He felt this sentence was sufficient to explain why he knew English; of course, he didn’t believe his English was as good as the superior had indicated. Not even comparing with his wife, but even compared to Pangpang, he was no match.
There was pride and self-respect in that sentence, which the person across from him heard.
The older man pulled at the corner of his mouth. "I didn’t expect such a straightforward man to be so tender-hearted." He detected from Li Hongjun’s words the care Li Hongjun had for his spouse.
Well, that was something the older man appreciated. Although soldiers must always be ready to sacrifice everything for their country, he believed that a man who loves and protects his family is the one capable of that sense of responsibility and mission to give everything for his family.
Li Hongjun didn’t know what to say in response, so he just stood even straighter.
"Alright, I didn’t call you here for anything specific, just to urge you to study hard and cherish this hard-earned opportunity. You may go back now."
