43: Chapter 43: Balance of zeros! Looking at the dilapidated classroom with disdain.

Saturday, 11:30 AM. Fang Jiming parked the brand-new maybach in the underground garage of Nanshan Residence. The white electric scooter tied in the trunk was still swaying on the rope.

He dragged the electric scooter out of the trunk, pushed it to the corner next to the parking spot, and patted the dust off the seat.

"I'll ride you to work from now on, and drive it home."

He pointed at the 14-million-value maybach behind him, then looked at the two-thousand-yuan electric scooter in front of him.

Fang Jiming: ( ˘ ̩ ̩ ̩ ε ˘ ̩ ƪ )

He went upstairs, entered the villa, threw his keys onto the shoe cabinet in the foyer, and flopped directly onto the imported Italian top-grain calfskin sofa in the living room.

Fang Jiming took out his phone, opened the banking app, and stared at the string of numbers for a long time.

Balance: 160,000,550 yuan.

160 million.

Enough to spend.

He tossed his phone onto the coffee table and stared at the ceiling with his hands behind his head.

The image of the Class 18 classroom suddenly popped into his mind.

That row of rickety desks and chairs, the tabletops covered in graffiti. Some of the desk legs were even less stable than the three-legged dining table at Wang Tiezhu's house, relying entirely on wads of paper and erasers wedged underneath.

And that projector, which had been used for at least eight years; after turning it on, the screen was always bathed in a yellowish-green halo.

Not to mention the windows. The weather stripping had long since deteriorated, making a howling sound whenever the wind blew. In the winter, students sitting by the window wished they could wrap themselves in quilts during class.

Fang Jiming rolled over, his eyes narrowing.

The scene from last week when he went to find Vice Principal Sun Yaozu to apply for classroom maintenance funds surfaced.

He stood in the Vice Principal's office, holding a handwritten maintenance list and handed it over.

Vice Principal Sun Yaozu sat in his swivel chair without even looking at it, picked up the enamel mug printed with "Serve the People," and took a sip of tea.

"Mr. Fang, you know the school's budget is tight. How can we afford such icing-on-the-cake things?"

"Schools like No. 1 Middle School have government funding, but our No. 19 Middle School's annual maintenance budget is so small. Let's prioritize the faculty Cafeteria and the Administrative Building first."

"As for your Class 18 classroom, just make do. The students aren't here to stay in a hotel."

Fang Jiming wanted to splash that cup of tea in his face right then and there.

The faculty Cafeteria had just spent 300,000 to renovate last year, the corridors of the Administrative Building were covered in brand-new tiles, and the rosewood sofa set in Vice Principal Sun Yaozu's own office was said to have cost nearly 100,000.

Yet he said to just make do with the drafty windows in Class 18.

Fang Jiming: ( ╬ ᶘ ᶘ ╬ )

"Make do, my foot."

He sat up from the sofa, grabbed his phone, and dialed Chen Jianhua's number.

It was answered after one ring.

"Hello, Mr. Fang, do you have any instructions?"

Fang Jiming leaned back on the sofa and crossed his legs.

"Old Chen, help me find the best renovation company in Nanqiao City. One that has done high-end commercial spaces, with fast construction speed and excellent quality."

"Alright. Are you looking to renovate your villa?"

"It's not a villa, it's a classroom."

The other end of the line was quiet for two seconds.

"A classroom?"

"Yes, Class 18, Grade 12, Nanqiao No. 19 Middle School. The corner on the east end of the fifth floor, about 70 square meters."

"Understood. What is your approximate budget?"

"Two million."

The sound of a pen cap falling onto a desk came from the other end.

Chen Jianhua: ( ꒪ ⌓ ꒪ )

"Mr. Fang, two million to renovate a 70-square-meter high school classroom?"

Fang Jiming stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

"Replace all the desks and chairs. None of those hard plastic-steel stools. I want high-end, custom ergonomic models that can adjust in height and angle, with eco-friendly solid wood panels."

"Take down the projector and replace it with an 85-inch OLED interactive smart blackboard. Touch-screen writing, internet-connected projection, resolution no lower than 4K."

"A full set of imported LED eye-protection lights with adjustable color temperature and no flickering. Remove and replace all windows with thermal-break aluminum soundproof and insulated windows, double-layered hollow glass. Two high-power silent fresh-air air conditioners, combining cooling, heating, and air purification in one go."

The sound of keyboard clacking came from Chen Jianhua's side for a good while.

"Mr. Fang, may I interject?"

"Speak."

"This configuration exceeds that of most private international schools in first-tier cities."

"Exceeding them is the point. I'm spending two million to renovate a classroom, not to tie with them."

Fang Jiming counted on his fingers and continued.

"Relay the floor with non-slip, silent PVC flooring in a warm gray tone. Repaint the walls with formaldehyde-free eco-friendly latex paint; have a designer provide a color scheme. Rebuild the podium entirely, with drawers and power outlets. Add a direct drinking water dispenser at the back of the classroom, with both hot and cold water."

"Fill in whatever I missed yourselves. In short, one word: this classroom must be delivered before 7:00 AM on Monday. The entire construction must be completed within 36 hours."

"36 hours?" Chen Jianhua's voice showed clear fluctuation for the first time. "Mr. Fang, this duration normally requires at least a week..."

"Old Chen, you just said my configuration exceeds that of international schools, right?"

"Yes."

"Then do you think a construction team for an international school, receiving a two-million-yuan order, would tell the client that the time frame isn't enough?"

Chen Jianhua paused for a second.

"No, they wouldn't."

"If the time frame is tight, add manpower and pay more. We can settle the difference later. As long as it's finished before 7:00 AM Monday, I'll pay for any extra costs."

"Understood, Mr. Fang."

Fang Jiming didn't hang up.

"Additionally, charge it to Xinghuo Public Welfare. Externally, say it's a targeted, unconditional donation from an overseas educational charity foundation to Nanqiao No. 19 Middle School. Follow all the necessary procedures—notary office filing, fire safety inspection, and construction qualification certificates; every single one is required."

"Received."

"The last point: keep it confidential throughout, especially do not let the Vice Principal of the school know."

"We will sign confidentiality agreements with everyone from the construction team to the suppliers. The information will only be transparent to you alone."

Fang Jiming hung up, threw his phone onto the sofa, and collapsed back into it.

Fang Jiming: ( ⌐ ■ _ ■ )

"Vice Principal Sun Yaozu, you said to 'make do,' right?"

"Fine. If you won't approve the funds, I'll build it myself."

"I really want to see, when the classroom renovated with two million is placed in front of you, where you'll put that old face of yours."

He rolled over and picked up his phone to open the notes app.

The line he had written before was still there.

Qiaonan Old Street environmental improvement plan, budget TBD.

Fang Jiming typed a new line below it.

No. 19 Middle School classroom renovation plan, first step, Class 18.

He looked at it, and his fingers moved again.

Second step, Class 17.

After writing it, he paused and laughed out loud.

Teacher Wen's classroom seems pretty broken too.

If she finds out later that the classroom next door was renovated to a five-star standard while hers is still using rusty electric fans, that expression will probably be even better than the one she had when he teased her about the coffee.

Fang Jiming: ( ≖ ‿ ≖ ✧ )

He locked the screen and placed the phone on his chest, closing his eyes.

What will it be like in 36 hours?

Really looking forward to it!

ヾ ( ◍ ° ∇ ° ◍ ) ﾉ ﾞ