HPDBC Chapter 43 Returning Home in Glory and Donating Money!
Chapter 43 Returning Home in Glory and Donating Money!
Happy times always fly by, and for Chen Duling, who had just returned to Beijing after the show, getting a three-day break was already quite a luxury. Even though she was reluctant to leave, she still had to return to her busy schedule.
Although he was also reluctant to part, Yuan Linghan felt that this brief separation was also for the sake of reuniting next time.
Considering there were still many things to arrange before going abroad to participate in the show, Yuan Linghan, after seeing Chen Duling off, immediately boarded the high-speed train back to his hometown. Thanks to participating in this variety show, he is now considered a celebrity in his small county.
Upon receiving the call from the slaughterhouse manager, Yuan Linghan's first thought was that he might not be able to secure a subsidized housing unit next year. However, he had already planned to give up the subsidized housing unit during his trip back to his hometown, and he feared he would eventually settle in Beijing or Shanghai.
Even with a girlfriend, he still enjoys his single life. With Chen Duling, a rising star, also in the picture, her schedule will undoubtedly become very busy. This means the two of them should be prepared for long periods of separation.
This time when he returned to his hometown, Yuan Linghan didn't tell too many people. Instead, he quietly went back to his low-rent apartment. After putting down his luggage, he hopped on his electric scooter and headed straight for the children's welfare home.
Unlike nursing homes that specifically accommodate elderly people living alone, children's welfare homes are located in the suburbs. Thanks to favorable national policies, there aren't many children left in these homes. In fact, many of these children were abandoned due to congenital disabilities.
But for Yuan Linghan, this was his true home, the place where he grew up. He was assigned to work at the slaughterhouse, and he came almost every month. Although he rarely donated money, he often brought food, which made him very popular with the children at the orphanage.
When Yuan Linghan arrived at the orphanage, the old director, who could have retired but still stayed, was delighted to see her and said, "Little Han, why are you back?"
"I missed Grandma, so I came back!"
"You little rascal, what nonsense are you spouting! I heard from Xiao Jin and the others that you're famous now?"
Yuan Linghan, having parked her electric scooter, showed no sign of being annoyed by the old director's nagging. For this nearly seventy-year-old woman with no children of her own, Yuan Linghan was far more than the only child she had personally raised.
Helping Grandma Fu sit down, Yuan Linghan pulled over a small stool and sat down as well. He then smiled and said, "I've become a little famous, Grandma! I came back this time to discuss something with you. Please think about whether what I did was right."
"Then tell me!"
"Grandma, I participated in a variety show competition this time and earned a lot of money. Of that, I can take the money with a clear conscience, about one million yuan. The other two million yuan was given to me as tips, and I feel a bit hot to handle."
No sooner had she finished speaking than the headmistress exclaimed in surprise, "You little rascal, what do you mean by 'tips'? Did you go and perform for someone?"
Knowing that the elderly woman in charge of the hospital has always used a basic mobile phone, she firmly refused even when Yuan Linghan offered to buy her a smartphone. So it's understandable that she doesn't understand things like live-stream tipping.
After a brief explanation, the headmistress said, "Oh, I see. So, what do you plan to do?"
"Grandma, I'm going to participate in a competition abroad in a while. If I win, I can probably earn a few million. When I come back this time, I want to donate three million yuan, including the money from the donations from netizens and some of my own money, to the welfare home."
"Were you struggling to raise the money for Xiao Wu and the others' surgery? With this money, they can have the surgery. Even if Xiao Bao and the others are deaf, with cochlear implants, they might be able to hear people talking."
Today, the orphanage has only a dozen or so children left, five of whom suffer from congenital cleft lip and palate. This congenital malformation can now be cured or improved through surgery. There are also several children who are deaf or mute.
These aren't seemingly life-threatening illnesses, but it's precisely these illnesses that lead to their abandonment. Hoping for government funding from the county is naturally unlikely. And where can one find kind-hearted people in this small, third-tier county for social donations?
For the orphanage director, she saw batches of children leave after reaching adulthood, even hoping that these departing children would all live peacefully. But how many of the children who grew up in the orphanage truly succeed?
Moreover, the truly healthy children in orphanages are usually adopted. Only those children with congenital disabilities can be raised by orphanages until adulthood, and then enabled to live independently.
The director, who was originally retired but voluntarily applied to stay at the welfare home, spends her days taking care of these children. For her, perhaps her greatest wish in this life is to see these children regain their health.
After some discussion, the director of the welfare home took the initiative to call the county's civil affairs official. Upon learning of this, the official was also surprised and immediately said he would come to the welfare home in person to discuss the matter.
A dozen minutes later, upon seeing the civil affairs official arrive by car, Yuan Linghan smiled and stepped forward, saying, "Director He, long time no see!"
Upon seeing Yuan Linghan, He Lin, the director of the Civil Affairs Bureau, quickly realized who it was and said, "Wait, are you the one planning to donate money?"
"Yes! I went to the capital to participate in the recording of a variety show this time, and I made some money. I remembered that the hospital director had always wanted to treat the children like Xiao Wu, so I plan to donate some money to fulfill her wish."
Upon hearing this, He Lin, who had also transferred from the military to civilian life, patted Yuan Linghan on the shoulder and said, "Little Ling, you're great!"
Although Yuan Linghan could pay privately without involving the authorities, he felt it was inappropriate. The hospital director also indicated that government assistance would be needed to send the children for examinations and treatment.
When speaking with He Lin, Yuan Linghan said earnestly, "Director He, I hope this money can be used for its designated purpose. This money comes from the generous donations of countless netizens. If it is misappropriated or embezzled, it will be very difficult to handle the situation once it gets out."
"Don't worry! As long as I remain the director, I guarantee that every penny of this money will be used to treat the children in the welfare home. In addition, I will personally report this matter to County Chief Chen and ask him to contact the hospitals in the city or province."
"Okay, I might not trust others, but I trust you!"
During their casual conversation, He Lin inquired about Yuan Linghan's upcoming plans. He learned that Yuan Linghan was going abroad to participate in a wilderness challenge. If he won, he would receive a prize of several million yuan.
He Lin, who had some knowledge of wilderness and outdoor activities, was well aware of how brutal that top-tier wilderness competition abroad was. He immediately asked, "Xiao Ling, are you confident? I watched that show online; the competition is incredibly fierce in the freezing cold!"
Compared to He Lin's worries, Yuan Linghan laughed and said, "Director He, have you forgotten where I served before? As for cold resistance, among those contestants, I'm afraid not a single one can handle it."
Upon hearing this, He Lin thought of Yuan Linghan's service on the high-altitude border, where temperatures are extremely low year-round. Besides being surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the oxygen is also very thin. Serving there for three years truly requires extraordinary courage and perseverance.
The following day, at Yuan Linghan's specific request, County Head Chen Zhiyuan, on behalf of the county, accepted the three million yuan donation transferred by Yuan Linghan. Upon learning that the money had arrived in his account, Chen Zhiyuan also felt that this was a good deed worth publicizing.
However, Yuan Linghan said, "County Chief Chen, if you really want to take this opportunity to promote our county's civil affairs work, why not send someone to follow the entire medical treatment process and then promote it after the surgery is successful?"
I will later post these videos to my personal account. I can't guarantee anything else, but once these videos are shared, they will definitely make our county famous online. If we promote them now, they'll probably be forgotten very quickly.
In this lifetime, most people cannot escape the pursuit of fame and fortune!
For Chen Zhiyuan and He Lin, reputation was more important than profit. Yuan Linghan believed that as long as the three million yuan donation was used effectively, what harm was there in helping them gain recognition in the county?