55: Things that can be solved with money aren't really problems.

At nine o'clock the next day, Lu Fan leisurely woke up.

He had insomnia again, another sleepless night.

Yesterday, the atmosphere in the car had reached its peak, and with mutual affection, everything should have naturally progressed.

But at the critical moment, the System came out to cause trouble.

He had already been transmigrated for over three days, and two Main Quests remained unfinished.

The System issued him an ultimatum, ordering him to complete the Main Quests within 48 hours.

It was this reminder that ruined his good time.

Originally, under the cover of the ambiguous atmosphere, the fact that they were from different eras had become blurred.

Because of its warning, the chasm once again loomed before Lu Fan, and things came to an abrupt halt.

Lu Fan opened the quest System.

[1. Tenfold Profit: When selling goods, obtain a profit no less than ten times the cost.

2. Rising Fame: Gain a certain level of recognition in the business circle. (Completed)

3. When the Lips Are Gone, the Teeth Feel Cold: An excellent merchant should understand that a strong nation makes strong merchants.]

The first quest was already in his grasp, but the third one troubled him—it was too vague and difficult to handle!

Just then, a car horn sounded outside the window, and Lu Fan got up and went downstairs.

Watching the car slowly drive up to his door.

As the car door opened, Zhao Chengqiang excitedly stepped out from the driver's seat.

Lu Fan gave Zhao Chengqiang a thumbs-up; honestly, being able to learn to drive so quickly showed visible talent.

He went downstairs to get breakfast; the fried dough sticks were not only warm but also incredibly crispy.

To maintain such quality, he couldn't have driven back for more than five minutes.

It seemed Zhao Chengqiang had not only learned but also had good skills.

"Xiaoming, Aqun, come meet the boss!" Zhao Chengqiang waved toward the back of the car.

Two slender children slowly walked out from behind the car.

"Boss, these are my younger brother and older sister!"

Under Zhao Chengqiang's watchful eyes and urging, the two children finally walked up to Lu Fan.

Lowering their heads, their voices slightly trembling, they said, "Hello, boss~~"

Lu Fan estimated they were only eight or nine years old and casually asked, "Why aren't they going to school?"

Zhao Chengqiang scratched his head, a troubled look on his face: "Hey~~ they're already half-grown kids, what's the point of school?"

Lu Fan frowned: "Tell me straight if there's any difficulty; if it's money, I can advance your salary immediately."

Zhao Chengqiang shook his head with a bitter smile and said helplessly, "Boss, it's not about money.

Nowadays, larger schools are unwilling to enroll children from poor families like ours.

The smaller schools nearby are already overcrowded; there's no way to squeeze in.

If they go to school too far away, I really wouldn't feel at ease."

Lu Fan was quite surprised and pressed further: "Are there so few schools now?"

Zhao Chengqiang lowered his head to look at his siblings and sighed: "Yeah... that's how it is.

Rich people attend private elementary schools; poor people can't afford it and have nowhere to go."

"If no one studies, how can they understand things? What can a bunch of illiterates do in the future..."

Before he could finish, a phrase flashed in his mind: If the youth are wise, the nation is wise; if the youth are strong, the nation is strong.

For a moment, Lu Fan felt as if his Ren and Du meridians had been unblocked.

He saw the possibility of completing the third quest.

"Get in the car, let's go~~~"

Acting on impulse, Lu Fan called out to the group and headed straight for the nearby elementary school.

The car drove for a full fifteen minutes, passing by the Leistede Research Institute, and stopped by the roadside.

Driver Lao Xie pointed at a few low mud-tile houses and said, "This is the West District Elementary School."

Lu Fan walked closer and saw three tile houses with cracks as wide as a finger, paper-covered windows full of holes.

This wasn't an elementary school; even the cow shed of his second uncle's third aunt's neighbor's seventh uncle was much better than this.

Yet, from such a shabby room came the orderly sound of reading: "At the beginning of life, nature is good..."

Lu Fan peered inside through a hole.

A thirty-square-meter hall was crammed with over a hundred children, without paper, pens, textbooks, or desks, only benches of varying heights.

But they were exceptionally focused, following the teacher in front of the blackboard as they recited the "Three Character Classic."

Lu Fan was utterly baffled: "This is called an elementary school?"

"Boss, most elementary schools are like this now," Zhao Chengqiang said with a helpless expression. "Boss, should we just leave it be?"

"No, we must intervene~~"

Since I'm here and I've seen it, I can't just stand by and do nothing.

This elementary school must be saved.

Lu Fan looked around and pointed at a few brand-new large warehouses next door: "Whose are those? Buy them!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chengqiang shook his head like a rattle-drum: "Boss, those are warehouses just completed by the Leistede Research Institute.

He's someone you can't afford to mess with, even with money. It's said that just two days ago, the dean scolded the France deputy director into submission."

Zhao Chengqiang lowered his voice and spoke gravely.

But Lu Fan acted as if he couldn't care less, completely disregarding it.

"Go find people—masons, carpenters, laborers, the more the better. Double the wages, paid on the spot.

First, tear down the wall, then convert those warehouses into classrooms.

Be quick; I want it turned into a school before noon.

Remember, merchants value results. If it can be solved with money, it's not a problem."

After giving instructions, Lu Fan leaped over the low wall in one swift motion and entered the Leistede Research Institute.

Getting two warehouses from Reister was as easy as catching a snail with three fingers—a sure thing!

Upon hearing this, Zhao Chengqiang immediately sprang into action.

He shouted at the crowd of laborers at the intersection: "Masons, 8 yuan a day! Carpenters, 13 yuan! Laborers and female workers, 5 yuan, paid on the spot after work!"

Over a hundred men in short jackets swarmed around.

After explaining the situation, a dozen men chanted as they pushed down the wall and began the renovation.

By the time the sun climbed to its zenith, the warehouses had been completely transformed.

Laborers helped mix cement mortar.

Masons built walls to create evenly spaced classrooms and were proceeding with plastering.

Carpenters nailed together two hundred sets of desks from old ship planks.

Painters were busily applying paint to the blackboards.

Several female workers had already finished cleaning the windows and sweeping the floors.

After inspecting the progress, Lu Fan thought Zhao Chengqiang had delivered another good result—he was teachable.

In contrast, Chen Henian, the principal of West District Elementary School, was trembling with fear at this moment.

This person had messed with the Leistede Research Institute's warehouses; could there be a good outcome?

Lu Fan slapped the land deed into his palm: "Ten classrooms, is that enough?"

The old man's lips trembled, and Zhao Chengqiang anxiously pushed his back: "Teacher Chen, go take a look, tell us what's missing."

Principal Chen cautiously walked into the classroom, his fingertips brushing over the smooth desktop.

Suddenly, he knelt with a thud, his forehead hitting the cement floor with a "thump."

"Mr. Lu! These children... these children can stretch their legs to write now!"

Lu Fan quickly helped the old principal up and turned to instruct Zhao Chengqiang: "Go to Kai Commander and buy three hundred cream buns and a large bucket of milk."

He pointed at the wide-eyed children in the yard, "Consider it my housewarming gift for the new school!"

He was radiant and thrilled.

The quest was completed; celebrating wasn't too much.