92: Do you know what it means to eat soft rice and eat hard? What money do you give?

Chapter 92: Do You Understand What It Means to Eat Soft Rice Hard? Why Pay? The Old Buddha Already Paid for Me!

Despite the few pedestrians on the road, they all cast strange glances.

They only had one thought in their minds: What's wrong with this person?

Shouting a strange Chinese phrase on the street, what's the difference between that and 'pooping in public'?

Parker scratched his head, looking puzzled: "Buddy, what did you just say?"

"Is that some kind of pre-meal prayer ritual that followers in your Da Xia perform??"

In the Western world, many religious people give thanks before eating, not to their hard-working selves, not to the diligent farmers, but to 'God' for giving them food.

While Parker couldn't understand this behavior, he respected others' choices.

"Parker, they don't believe in religion in Da Xia."

Buller's face darkened. Had all the books he made him read been for nothing?

He then continued to explain: "Ordinary people in Da Xia decide on proselytizing based on who gives out more eggs, and whose weekend meals are tastier... It's not like the religious followers we understand."

Even their deities are only worshipped if they are useful, constantly praying for blessings of wealth and good luck. If the heavens don't rain, then it's the heavens' fault.

Unlike here, where there are prayers and tithes, and in the end, they're still told they're 'not devout enough.'

Comparatively, Buller felt that the environment in Da Xia was where true religious belief lay.

"Because I once again begged for food, this is my 'praise.'"

Although he didn't quite understand Buller's spoken English, which was mixed with various 'technical English' terms, the man named 'Lecturer' seemed to have understood that they were wondering why he was shouting.

Of course, he had repeated these explanations more than once.

"Begging?" Parker twitched his mouth: "Do you always eat relief food and welfare? Don't you plan to work?"

"And eating too much of this can make you sick."

These relief foods don't taste good; they are basically expired goods that merchants are too lazy to deal with, so they distribute them as relief food, which also allows them to deduct a large amount of taxes.

If it weren't absolutely necessary, even he and Buller wouldn't eat this kind of food. Who knows if they would get sick from it tomorrow?

"Sick? What's there to be afraid of? I have a white card, and I don't need to pay for medical treatment!"

"A white card is just a pre-payment; you'll still have to pay for the medical bills later."

Buller seemed to think he didn't quite understand Eagleland's medical system.

The white card is just a decoration because most illnesses are not allowed to be treated for free, and things like doctor's consultation fees also require you to pay the bill, which will be sent directly to your home after you see the doctor.

It's even possible that the doctor didn't prescribe any medicine for you, just chatted with you for fifteen minutes and touched your waist, and then sent you a medical bill worth $5670.

So, people in Eagleland generally avoid going to the hospital if they can. If they don't have health insurance, they wouldn't dare to see a doctor. If they faint on the street, they even have to pray that passersby don't call an ambulance, otherwise they'll go bankrupt.

However, upon hearing this well-intentioned advice, the man named 'Lecturer' smiled calmly: "Why should I pay it back? The Old Buddha has already paid for me, why should I pay?"

"Unless you make Eagleland return all the property it plundered from Da Xia."

"Hiss... what you said seems right." The two immediately gasped.

After this series of punches, this logic really seems unassailable?

At that time, Eagleland was also one of the Eight-Nation Alliance, and there are still many stolen cultural relics in the museums in New York. If you ask the Da Xia people to pay, shouldn't you return the stolen cultural relics first?

Listening to this.

Parker looked at him with an expression as if he had discovered a new continent: "Boy, you're different from many Da Xia people I know."

"I like your 'straightforward' statements."

The two black and white demons looked at him with appreciative eyes.

Parker had met many illegal immigrants from Da Xia before, but every one of them 'worshipped' Eagleland extremely. He just couldn't stand these people. He, an Eagleland native who had lived there for more than twenty years, couldn't possibly understand Eagleland less than them, could he?

"Goodbye, I still need to check if there's free milk at the city's shelters and charge my phone." The Lecturer, holding his food, hurried to his next destination.

Since it was all free, he naturally had to choose the best-tasting and most edible food among them.

Watching his retreating figure, Buller muttered to himself: "Is this the true bottom-level survival state of Eagleland?"

He had originally thought that his and Parker's living conditions were already bad enough.

But he never expected that there were people beyond people, and heavens beyond heavens, and that there was actually a group of people surviving on the lowest quality social welfare?

"Parker, we should act too." A sharp glint flashed in Buller's eyes.

"We'll create a new Eagleland ourselves!!"

The change would begin in this small city of Livermore.

At nine o'clock, San Francisco's entire city was packed with constant traffic.

Every road, every alley, was filled with an endless cacophony of horns.

"Lucy, stop playing for a bit, let's go to the consulate to apply for a visa."

Lu Ze held her hand, weaving through the streets.

At this moment, his heart was full of helplessness. Why was Lucy like a husky, disappearing as soon as he let go in a new place?

"Lu Ze, this candied hawthorn is delicious, try some." Lucy said indistinctly, her mouth full.

At this moment, she held a skewer of candied hawthorn in her left hand and an ice cream in her right, the double dessert combination providing an unbeatable taste sensation.

Twenty minutes later.

The two, hand in hand, walked side by side into the Da Xia consulate.

Since it wasn't a holiday or peak season, there weren't many people processing business at the consulate.

Even the visa process was very simple, merely submitting some documents and application forms. After all, in the currently impoverished Da Xia, it wasn't likely that anyone would run there to work illegally.

Unless it was a work visa, which was more difficult, a general tourist visa would usually pass the review easily.

However, when the visa officer looked at the asset proof submitted by Lucy, and then at Lu Ze beside her.

"Hiss... a formidable young man."

With these assets, let alone traveling to Da Xia, even investing in building a factory would be a hundred percent welcome.

"Tourist visa dates: June 15th - July 15th. You can stay in Da Xia with your passport for this one month."

"Finally done!"

Taking her passport, Lucy let out a sigh of relief, looking at Lu Ze with a joyful expression: "Shall we go to Chinatown for Chinese food?"

There was so much delicious food in Chinatown in San Francisco; if she didn't eat it, wouldn't she have come for nothing?

"Alright, let's go eat now."

Lu Ze patted Lucy's head. If he didn't let her have a big meal, he probably wouldn't be able to go home.

Turning to leave.

Gazing at the two figures, the visa officer's gaze towards Lu Ze became even more reverent.

From the looks of it, the man still held the dominant position in this relationship?

Was this the legendary 'eating soft rice hard'? Was this Uncle Da's true disciple?

At the same time.

Da Xia, within the Director's office of the Xia Academy of Sciences.

It was already evening, but the entire room was still brightly lit.

Zheng Lixing showed a hint of anxiety: "Old Zhang, how is this matter progressing?"

"Regarding the national student food subsidy program, the higher-ups have given preliminary approval."

A smile appeared on Zhang Yuli's face, and he nodded.

After communicating with the 'Mysterious Organization' this morning, he immediately drafted a 'food subsidy' plan and submitted it to the higher-ups. It was approved within a few hours.

After all, Da Xia always tends to resolve any matters concerning the 'Mysterious Organization' quickly and with great importance. Moreover, this plan would benefit tens of millions of impoverished students nationwide, so approval came even faster.

"That's good." Zheng Lixing let out a long sigh and slowly poured himself a cup of tea: "Next, is how to implement this subsidy plan."

"The 'Mysterious Organization' will probably send people over very soon, we need to act quickly."

Otherwise.

If others had already given that 'gift' to Da Xia, and they still had to wait a long time to launch the 'Impoverished Student Food Subsidy' program, would that still be considered a return gift?

"Hmm, I've already notified several important departments, and I believe there will be results very soon."

Zhang Yuli then continued: "However, the higher-ups did make some changes to the content, adding two or three points."

"What did they change?" Zheng Lixing paused, his words tinged with curiosity.

"An additional eighty billion RMB was added to the original amount, and the scope was expanded to include impoverished university students nationwide, not just impoverished primary and secondary school students. Each person will receive one nutritious, caring lunch per day, a long-term plan lasting ten years."

"This is good."

Zheng Lixing repeatedly agreed.

If the previous plan had only targeted primary and secondary school students and not university students, it would indeed have been less than thorough. Da Xia could still manage to come up with the additional eighty billion RMB with a bit of effort.

University students are typically eighteen or nineteen years old, and many of them are far away from their hometowns and native lands.

Many students from impoverished mountainous areas, even if they receive living grants, would be reluctant to spend them on food and drink, choosing instead to save them or purchase essential daily necessities.

One nutritious lunch every day is equally important for them.

Having resolved this major issue, Zheng Lixing's mood was clearly much lighter and happier. He cheerfully pulled out a dry pipe and began smoking it in the office.

Exhaling a smoke ring, he looked at Zhang Yuli: "Should we notify Old Zhao about the C-5M 'Super Galaxy' transport aircraft technology now?"

After obtaining the technology, the two had been focused on how to 'return the favor' and how to implement the national impoverished student subsidy program, so they hadn't had time to address the transport aircraft technology.

Now that the matter of the return gift had been handled.

Now, it was time to prepare to build Da Xia's own super large transport aircraft.

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