Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

The temporary refugee camp outside Wuhan, though simple and crowded, offered a rare sense of peace, a feeling of having survived a catastrophe. Wang Huanbo (still needing to act as Instructor Li for the time being) stood on a small hill at the edge of the camp, gazing at the winding Yangtze River and the silhouette of Wuhan in the distance, his heart filled with turmoil. The twenty-four-hour countdown hung like a Damocles' sword over his head, reminding him that his departure was imminent.

The system's prompts were clear and unambiguous; he had to return to his own time and space. But before leaving, he had to arrange a way out for his comrades who had shared life and death with him and endured countless hardships. He took a deep breath, turned, and walked towards the makeshift shelter in the camp—a makeshift dwelling for them, the "Nanjing Breakout Victims"—made of tattered canvas and wooden stakes.

When they saw him return, everyone gathered around him, their eyes filled with reliance and trust. It was this young officer who had led them out of the mountain of corpses and the sea of ​​blood, creating a miracle of survival.

Wang Huanbo's gaze swept over familiar yet weary faces: Mr. Meng held his daughter Shujuan's hand tightly, his face showing both the joy of reunion and deep worry for the future; Doukou sat beside a makeshift stretcher, carefully feeding Pusheng, who had been discharged from the hospital but was still pale, her eyes gentle yet firm; Yumo and the fake priest John stood together, exhausted, but the tacit understanding and affection between them were self-evident; Shunzi, Old Smoker, and other soldiers stood straight, awaiting his instructions; Chen Qiaozhi and the female students also looked at him expectantly.

"Everyone," Wang Huanbo began, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority, "we are safe for now, but the road ahead is long. The Japanese are still rampaging, and the nation is still in peril. What are your plans for the future?"

He first looked at Mr. Meng and the group of female students: "Mr. Meng, Shujuan, and all of you students. You are the future of the country, and the seeds of education must not be extinguished. Wuhan is not a place to stay for long; the flames of war could spread at any time. I suggest that you continue your westward journey to Chongqing, which is the wartime capital, relatively safe, and where you can continue your studies."

Mr. Meng sighed, looking troubled: "Instructor Li, to be honest, after escaping from Nanjing, I... I've already lost everything. The little money I have left is probably..." He had been forced to work under duress from the Japanese army, and his savings had long been exhausted. Now he was practically penniless.

Wang Huanbo nodded; this was exactly what he had expected. He casually picked up his slightly worn canvas bag (which he actually took out of the system space), took out a heavy cloth bag from it, and handed it to Mr. Meng.

"Mr. Meng, here are some silver and silver, and some hard currency," Wang Huanbo said in a low voice. "Most of it is ill-gotten gains we looted from the corpses of Japanese soldiers, and a small portion is just a small token of my appreciation. Take it and take the children to Chongqing. Settle them down and let Shujuan and her classmates continue their schooling! They are hope!"

The cloth bag was incredibly heavy. Opening one corner revealed a glittering gold interior—mostly filled with small gold bars and some high-quality silver coins and jewelry! Its value was enough for Mr. Meng and the group of female students to live comfortably in Chongqing for several years and support their studies! This was the majority of the wealth Wang Huanbo had acquired from his system space and during the battle!

Mr. Meng's hands trembled violently, and his eyes instantly reddened: "Instructor Li! This...this is too precious! I, Meng, am unworthy of such an honor...this is unacceptable!"

"Take it!" Wang Huanbo said firmly. "This isn't for you, it's for the children! It's for the future of China! Don't refuse anymore! Remember, when you get to Chongqing, live in anonymity and raise the children well! Let bygones be bygones!" He patted Mr. Meng's shoulder meaningfully.

Looking into Wang Huanbo's clear and determined eyes, and then at the expectant and innocent faces of his daughter and classmates beside him, Mr. Meng nodded heavily, tears streaming down his face: "Instructor Li! I can't thank you enough! I, Meng... will definitely live up to your trust! I will definitely send the children safely to Chongqing and nurture them into talents!" He pulled Shujuan and was about to kneel down before Wang Huanbo.

Wang Huanbo quickly helped her up, saying, "Mr. Meng, you mustn't! Please get up!" Meng Shujuan also looked at Wang Huanbo with teary eyes, her heart filled with endless gratitude.

After calming Mr. Meng down, Wang Huanbo approached Doukou and Pusheng. Although Pusheng had woken up, he was extremely weak. The doctor said his lungs were severely damaged and he would no longer be able to engage in strenuous exercise; fighting a gun would be out of the question.

"Doukou, Pusheng," Wang Huanbo knelt down, looking at the young couple who had supported each other through hardship, "What are your plans?"

Doukou raised her head, a blush flashing across her face, but her eyes were unusually firm: "Sir, I...I've made up my mind. I'm not going back to Qinhuai River. Pusheng almost lost his life fighting the Japanese, and from now on...I'll take care of him! We...we'll find a place where no one knows us and live a peaceful life!" She tightly grasped Pusheng's thin hand.

Although weak, Pu Sheng nodded with difficulty, his eyes filled with dependence and affection as he looked at Dou Kou: "Instructor... I... I'm useless, I can't fight the Japanese anymore... but my life was saved by Sister Dou Kou and you... I... I want to be with her and live well..."

A warm feeling welled up in Wang Huanbo's heart. In these chaotic times, such sincere emotions were especially precious. He smiled, took out a slightly smaller but still heavy cloth bag from his bag (system space), and stuffed it into Doukou's hands: "Good! This is a good thing! Take this money. Find a quiet little town, do some small business, or buy a few acres of land, and live a good life. Pusheng is a hero, the country owes him. This is... a small token of our brotherhood."

The bag contained a considerable portion of their remaining wealth, enough for the two of them to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. Doukou and Pusheng, unable to refuse, accepted it with profuse thanks, their eyes filled with anticipation for their new life.

Next, Wang Huanbo divided the remaining valuables (mainly silver dollars and some loose gold and silver jewelry) into two piles. He distributed the larger pile to several soldiers, including Shunzi and Lao Yanqiang, who were wounded and unable to return to the battlefield. "Brothers," he said, "you are heroes! Take this money back to your hometowns, or find a place to settle down, get married, have children, and live a good life! The country will not forget you!"

The other pile, though smaller but still considerable, he divided equally among the soldiers who decided to stay in the army and dedicate themselves to the war effort. "This is our brothers' resettlement allowance! Take it and send a message home to reassure your parents! On the battlefield, kill as many Japanese devils as possible! Take care!"

The soldiers accepted the money, their eyes filled with tears, and saluted Wang Huanbo, saying, "Instructor! Take care! Until we meet again!"

Finally, Wang Huanbo looked at Yu Mo and John. Yu Mo generously took John's hand and said to Wang Huanbo, "Instructor Li, John and I have discussed it. He... he wants to take me back to America. To leave this place of heartbreak and start anew."

John added in broken Chinese, "Li, Mo, and I are going home. America is safe. Thank you for saving us."

Wang Huanbo nodded; this was a good choice. He took out the last few loose US dollars and a few small pieces of gold jewelry (picked out from his system space) and handed them to Yu Mo: "Miss Yu Mo, Father John, I wish you a safe journey and happiness. Consider these a gift from me. Live well in America."

Yu Mo accepted the gift without hesitation, giving Wang Huanbo a deep look. This young officer, whom she had once regarded as a "rookie," was now a towering hero in her eyes: "Instructor Li, your kindness and virtue will never be forgotten! Take care!"

Most of the other dancers decided to travel to Chongqing together to make a living. Having worked in the industry for many years, they had some savings and could support each other, so they weren't worried about making ends meet. Wang Huanbo also gave each of them some silver dollars for travel expenses, for which they were extremely grateful.

With everything arranged, and watching everyone either heading towards a new life or continuing their journey, Wang Huanbo felt no worries. As night fell, he excused himself, saying he needed some time alone, and quietly left the refugee camp, heading towards a small grove of trees not far away.