Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

Jia Dongxu's "transformation" was fraught with difficulties from the very beginning.

On the first night, he locked himself in the small, damp inner room and opened his junior high algebra textbook. The first chapter was "Rational Numbers." Looking at the positive numbers, negative numbers, and absolute values, he felt like he was reading gibberish. He could understand the dimensional tolerances on blueprints when he worked in the factory, but with x and y, his head felt like it was about to explode. Qin Huairu brought in the foot-washing water and saw her husband frowning at a book. She was puzzled but didn't dare ask, simply turning the oil lamp a little brighter.

"Dad, what are you looking at?" Little Stick asked curiously as he came closer.

"Go away, go play somewhere else! Dad's studying!" Jia Dongxu waved his hand impatiently. Bang Geng pouted and ran out.

Jia Dongxu took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down and start working through the most basic concepts. After a whole night, he was dizzy and his eyes were blurry; he had only managed to memorize a few definitions and hadn't solved a single problem. He was so angry he almost tore the book up, but the thought of the three hundred yuan and Wang Huanbo's words made him hold back.

The difficulties went far beyond the studies themselves. Mrs. Jia quickly noticed her son's "abnormality." Before, when he came home from work, he would either lie there sighing and complaining, or she would urge him to go to Yi Zhonghai or the factory to complain about subsidies. Now, however, he spent his days engrossed in a book and scribbling in a tattered notebook!

"Dongxu! What's the use of that stuff? Can it be eaten or used as money?" Jia Zhangshi, hands on her hips, spitting as she spoke, "Instead of wasting your time, why not think about how to get more subsidies from the factory! Or go find that old bastard Yi Zhonghai! He's ruined you like this, you can't just let it go!"

"Mom! Don't worry about it! I'll use what I'm learning!" Jia Dongxu said without looking up.

"Useful? What good is it! Look at Wang Huanbo, he's a literary star descended from heaven! How can you compare to him? Don't you know what our family's situation is now? Qin Huairu is about to give birth, and Banggeng needs to go to school. Everywhere costs money. Do you think you can make money by reading books?" Jia Zhangshi persisted.

Qin Huairu silently sewed shoe soles, feeling anxious herself, but she could tell her husband was serious this time. She whispered to her mother-in-law, "Mom, if Dongxu wants to learn, let him learn. It's better than... better than him lying around all day."

"What's with the 'strong' attitude! I think he's gone mad!" Jia Zhangshi cursed, but seeing that her son ignored her, she had no choice but to vent her anger elsewhere.

What frustrated Jia Dongxu even more was the gossip circulating in the courtyard. His daily routine of carrying textbooks quickly made him the subject of gossip among the perverts.

Yan Bugui, adjusting his glasses, said to the three older women, "See that? Jia Dongxu's gotten educated too? Has the sun risen in the west? Is he even sure he got his elementary school diploma yet?"

When disciplining his son, Liu Haizhong came up with a new phrase: "Look at Jia Dongxu! Even though he's disabled, he knows how to study! You two are perfectly capable, all you do is eat! Useless!"

Xu Damao said sarcastically, "Hey, Dongxu, are you aiming for the top scholar position? Don't forget to give your brother a hand when you become a high-ranking official!" But in his heart, he sneered: A toad trying to eat swan meat!

Even Sha Zhu once secretly asked Wang Huanbo, "Huanbo, can Jia Dongxu really learn this? His brain... I'm not saying this to be mean, but back in the workshop, it took him ages to learn how to use calipers!"

Faced with these challenges, Jia Dongxu gritted his teeth and swallowed his anger. He no longer acted submissively as before, but instead chose silence and indifference. He poured all his energy into his studies. When he encountered something he didn't understand, he would tackle it head-on, repeatedly reviewing examples; if he still couldn't grasp it, he would write it down and, when Wang Huanbo had time, shamelessly go to the west courtyard to ask for help.

Wang Huanbo was always willing to help Jia Dongxu with his questions, explaining things in a clear and concise manner. He discovered that although Jia Dongxu had a weak foundation, he possessed a tenacious and persistent spirit. Moreover, his years of experience as a fitter had given him an intuitive understanding of geometry, space, and dimensions. As a result, he learned geometry and physics faster than purely abstract algebra and chemistry. This gave Wang Huanbo more confidence in his "investment" in Jia Dongxu.

Meanwhile, He Yushui absorbed knowledge like a sponge. Wang Huanbo's planned learning schedule for her far exceeded the school curriculum, yet she not only kept up but also frequently raised questions that even Wang Huanbo needed to seriously consider. Her goal was clear—to get into the best university and learn the most cutting-edge science and technology! Sha Zhu, seeing his sister's progress, felt proud. Although he didn't understand it himself, he knew it was a great thing and was even more grateful to Wang Huanbo, preparing delicious meals for him every day.

However, beneath the tranquility of the courtyard, undercurrents never ceased. After the incident of the elderly woman's poisoning, Yi Zhonghai had become quite depressed, but occasionally, when he saw Jia Dongxu walking by with a book in his hand, his eyes remained complex and unreadable. The fire of jealousy burning in Liu Haizhong grew ever stronger. He had been working so hard, wielding a sledgehammer to smash car bodies, yet he couldn't even become a workshop foreman! He felt that Wang Huanbo was so kind to Jia Dongxu and He Yushui, but only distant towards him. He secretly kept a closer eye on him, hoping to find some leverage over Wang Huanbo.

That evening, Liu Haizhong saw Jia Dongxu go to the west courtyard again, staying for more than half an hour before coming out, seemingly carrying a few pieces of paper. His eyes darted around, and he quietly followed him…