My IQ has been increasing year by year.

Chapter 425 Arrangement

Chapter 426 Arrangement

When Chen Zhuo returned to Princeton, the kitchen light in Pierre's house was still on.

Matilda left him dinner.

A bowl of hot soup, a small basket of sliced bread, and a bowl placed upside down on a plate. When the bowl is lifted, there is half a plate of stewed beef that is very tender, with a small dish of green beans next to it.

After washing his hands, Chen Zhuo sat down at the dining table.

The soup is still hot.

Matilda peeked out from the living room.

"Is that enough?"

"enough."

"Should we toast the bread again?"

"Need not."

Pierre sat on a single sofa in the living room, a book on his lap, glasses perched on his nose. He heard Chen Zhuo's voice and looked up.

"How's it going in Trenton?"

Chen Zhuo paused for a moment, his hand holding the spoon still.

"It's connected."

Pierre looked at him.

"Community center?"

"Okay," Chen Zhuo said, "The basic bridging will begin next Tuesday."

Matilda walked from the living room and stood by the kitchen door with a slight smile on her face.

"Which child is willing?"

Chen Zhuo thought for a moment.

"He hasn't admitted he's willing yet."

Pierre smiled.

"But he had a reservation card?"

"I took it," Chen Zhuo said. "I've tucked it into the first page of the ledger."

Matilda's smile widened upon hearing this.

"That's good."

Chen Zhuo lowered his head and drank his soup.

The soup had the flavors of onions and carrots, and the rising steam gently cooled my face, slowly suppressing the chill brought in from outside.

Pierre did not ask any further questions.

He simply closed the book, placed it beside his knees, and said, "Eat slowly."

Chen Zhuo ate slowly.

He spent a long time at the community center today, and then went back to the chapel to go over things with Abraham. To say he went over things was really just writing down the few things he could think of at the moment.

money is not a problem.

These words are easy to write.

But back in Princeton, sitting at Pierre's dining table, halfway through his hot soup, Chen Zhuo suddenly realized something.

He said money was not a problem.

But the statement that money is not a problem cannot remain merely on the paper of the chapel.

How do I get the money in?

How do we enter?

Who can withdraw it?

How to withdraw funds?

How to write the scope of expenditures.

We can't let Luke take the cash, we can't let Abraham bear legal risks he shouldn't have to, we can't make the community center feel troubled, and we can't let this turn into Chen Zhuo becoming Luke's guardian.

These are things Chen Zhuo doesn't understand.

He would bury a conjecture on the last line, and he could deduce from a few pages of tattered ledgers whether a child could go back to the previous step, but he didn't understand the special education funds, trusts, accounts, and lawyer documents in the United States.

But some people understand.

Chen Zhu finished the last piece of bread and cleaned up the plate.

Matilda told him to leave it.

Chen Zhuo still took the plate to the sink to rinse it, dried his hands, and then went upstairs.

His room was quiet.

Hodge's manuscript folder lay open on the desk.

The pale yellow Madrid title page was still pressed to the side, the title bar was still empty, and the small piece of paper was visible below the last few pages of Hodge's manuscript.

Check the grid selection.

Chen Zhuo glanced at it but didn't touch it.

He took the Trenton folder out of his bag.

There were a few more sheets of paper in the folder.

A photocopy of the community center appointment card, a copy of the learning instructions, and a schedule written by Abraham.

And that piece of paper he wrote on in the chapel.

money is not a problem.

Chen Zhuo stared at those four words for a while.

Then he picked up the phone and dialed David.

The phone rang four times before it was answered.

It was a bit noisy on David's end, like he was outside. There were people talking nearby, and the sound of cups hitting the table.

"List?"

"There's something I need to ask you."

"math?"

"money."

There was a sudden silence on the other end of the phone.

David's voice immediately became clear.

"You finally remembered you have money?"

Chen Zhuo pulled out a chair and sat down.

"It's not that I want to spend it."

"Who is that?"

"A ten-year-old child."

David's side went completely silent.

A few seconds later, he said, "Wait a minute."

The phone rang with the sound of a chair being moved and a door being pushed open. The background voices were fainter, indicating that David had probably gone outside or to a quieter room.

"Now tell me."

Chen Zhuo opened the Trenton folder.

"His name is Luke. The community center did a basic assessment today and is willing to start with basic bridging, three times a week for four weeks. Later, they may take over the school district and there may be bridging programs. There will be additional fees after he officially enrolls."

David did not interrupt.

Chen Zhuo continued, "I don't want to give him cash directly."

"right."

"They don't want me to become their guardian."

"Absolutely right."

"I don't want him to feel like he owes me anything."

David paused for a moment on the other end of the phone.

"continue."

Chen Zhuo looked at the schedule on the table.

"But as long as he's still willing to work, the money can't be cut off."

David did not answer immediately.

It was as if he had already broken down those few words in his mind.

Are there stable adults in the family?

"Yes," Chen Zhuo said. "Abraham, the person in charge at the church."

"Is he willing to participate long-term?"

"willing."

"What about community organizations?"

"The community center has already taken the first step."

"The school system?"

"It hasn't started yet. We need to wait for the basic integration before the community center gives the school district preliminary advice."

Are you clear about the child's guardianship issues?

"I don't know."

"Then don't touch the guardianship documents," David said immediately. "Don't sign any documents related to guardianship, placement, medical care, or legal responsibilities of the school."

"I know."

"No, you might not know this," David said. "You might think you're just helping by signing your name, but some documents can lead to serious responsibilities later on. You can be a funder or a learning facilitator, but don't become a legal guardian."

Chen Zhuo picked up a pen and wrote on the paper.

No guardianship agreement will be signed.

David continued, "You want to donate directly in your name?"

"In no mood."

"Very good," David said. "And don't name it after the child."

Chen Zhuo raised his eyes slightly.

Why?

"Because that would put a lot of pressure on him," David said. "A ten-year-old child, suddenly knowing that there is a foundation named after him specifically for his education, he may not feel safe, he may feel like he's being put on a pedestal."

Chen Zhuo paused for a moment, his pen still in his hand.

He remembered the question Luke had asked in the chapel.

Then I'll pay you back later.

"We won't use his name," Chen Zhuo said.

"We can use a common name that the church or community center would accept," David said. "For example, a special account for youth education, or a youth education trust. From the outside, it looks like it's for ordinary educational purposes, but internal documents can list Luke as the primary beneficiary."

Chen Zhuo wrote it down.

Don't use Luke's name.

The primary beneficiary.

"Where does the money come from?" Chen Zhuo asked.

"It depends on whether the local institutions can handle it," David said. "If the church has an education fund, we can make designated donations; if the community center has a compliant account, we can set up a special purpose account. A more secure approach is to have a lawyer set up an educational trust, with expenditures linked to the church and the community center."

"Who's in charge?"

"It's managed by local adults," David said. "That Abraham, plus the designated person in charge at the community center, it's a double-signature process, and every payment goes through the project."

"Dual signature?"

"It means that it's not something one person can just take," David said. "Transportation, lunch, teaching materials, clothes, assessments, bridging projects, school fees, and necessary accommodation can all be included in the expenditure scope, but the money doesn't go into the child's hands or into any private pocket."

Chen Zhuo continued writing.

Double signature.

They don't give cash directly.

Education-related expenditures.

"Show the lawyer your bill every month," David said.

"Your lawyer?"

“Use my men first,” David said, “not to make things difficult for them, but to protect everyone—to protect you, to protect Abraham, and to protect the child.”

Chen Zhuo looked at the few lines of text on the paper.

"Can you do it?"

"Yes," David said. "The question is, to what extent?"

"What do you mean?"

"Short-term funding is very simple," David said. "A four-week basic bridging program, put in a little money, and specify transportation, meals, and teaching materials, and that's enough."

"Not in the short term."

David paused for a moment.

"So how long do you plan to cover it?"

Chen Zhuo did not answer immediately.

Princeton outside the window is very quiet.

Night fell on the treetops, and the streetlights in the distance cast a pale yellow glow on the path.

On the desk, the Trenton folder and the Hodge manuscript folder were placed side by side, with a ten-year-old child's appointment card on one side and Hodge's manuscript, which was already in its last few pages, on the other.

"Until he stops."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

When David's voice rang out again, it was a little slower than before.

"Chen, do you know what that sentence means in legal documents?"

"What does that mean?"

"This means it's not just ordinary financial aid," David said. "It's an open-ended, long-term education trust that covers basic education, formal schooling, secondary school, vocational school, university, and even if he continues his studies thereafter, all of which can be included in the scope of education-related expenses."

Chen Zhuo said, "Then write it like this."

"You're not planning to graduate high school?"

"Not set."

"Not before university?"

"Not set."

"What if he goes to university later?"

"Calculate."

"What if he goes on to graduate school?"

"It counts."

David paused again.

"What if he quits halfway through?"

"Then stop."

"What if he wants to go back to school in a few years?"

Chen Zhuo said, "Then let's open it again."

A soft laugh came from the other end of the phone.

It's not mockery.

David finally confirmed that Chen Zhuo wasn't just saying it casually this time.

"You really look like a rich person now."

Chen Zhuo said, "That's who I am."

David laughed out loud.

"You should have said that to Sam's face; he'd be furious."

Chen Zhuo leaned back in his chair and smiled.

David said, "Chen, you're finally starting to spend money like someone who owns the proceeds of a patent trust."

"Doesn't it look like it?"

"Before, you looked like someone who had suddenly found a bank, but you were still carefully counting the coins."

Chen Zhuo glanced at the paper on the table that read "Money is not a problem".

"I just don't know how to spend it."

"It's okay," David said. "You'll find someone who knows how to spend money."

Chen Zhuo put down his pen.

That's an easy thing to say.

But he knew that David had already broken down the matter into an actionable structure in his mind.

Once these words are written into the documents, "money is no problem" will no longer just be four words on the chapel table.

David then asked, "How much money do you want to put in?"

Chen Zhuo countered, "How much do you think is enough?"

"It depends on the path," David said. "If it's just basic connection, the amount is pitiful. But if it covers all education-related expenses along the way and there's no upper limit for each grade level, then you need to put in enough money to reassure the implementer."

"Then put in enough."

"To what extent?"

"So that they won't frown every time they encounter a fee."

David paused for a moment.

"This statement is very illegal."

"You can translate it into something that's legally understandable."

"Yes," David said. "The initial funding is set to cover long-term education expenses, with subsequent annual replenishment. The scope of expenditure is limited to education-related items, and there is no option for free cash withdrawal. Expenditures will be suspended when the child stops receiving education and can be restarted when the child resumes education."

"This is it."

Are you sure?

"Sure."

"This money will be much more than you imagine today."

Chen Zhuo looked at the paper.

money is not a problem.

He said, "I'm not imagining it."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

David said, "I understand."

After he finished speaking, the sound of papers turning over came from the other end of the phone.

"I'll have someone draft the structure tonight, and I'll give you a one-page summary tomorrow. The day after tomorrow, I'll have a lawyer contact you to confirm the details. You need to give me the official information about Abraham and the community center."

"it is good."

"And another thing," David said, "don't go and negotiate the amount with the community center yourself."

Why?

"Because you're too direct," David said. "You start by saying money is no problem, which scares people away."

Chen Zhuo thought for a moment.

This seems to have already happened a little bit.

David continued, "Let the lawyers say it, let the documents say it, let the accounts say it, don't let that kid stand there and hear a number he can't understand."

Chen Zhuo said softly, "Mm."

What are you going to tell him?

Tell him to go next Tuesday.

“Very good,” David said. “Don’t tell him you’ve prepared a trust for him to keep reading; that’s not what he needs right now.”

Chen Zhuo looked at the photocopy of the appointment card.

What does he need?

"He needs someone to actually take him there next Tuesday," David said. "He needs someone waiting at the community center entrance, and he needs to be able to get away with not doing a good job."

Chen Zhuo remained silent.

David paused, then said, "Chen, if it's just a matter of money, then this matter is already resolved."

After those words were spoken, there was a moment of silence on both ends of the phone.

At that old wooden table in Trenton, Luke sat there holding the ledger, asking who would pay. Abraham looked at the words "money is not a problem" without saying a word, and the image of him went through Chen Zhuo's mind again.

Money is very important there.

It's so heavy it can weigh down a train ticket, a lunch, a pair of shoes, a textbook, and even a child's first step back into the school system.

"But now," David said.

If it's just a matter of money, then the matter is already resolved.

Chen Zhuo looked at the pen on the table.

"Um."

David added, "The rest are the people, the procedures, and whether the children are willing."

"I know that."

Which area are you in charge of?

Chen Zhuo said, "During my time at Princeton, it was once every five days."

"And then?"

Chen Zhuo paused for a moment.

"Someone needs to pick you up next."

"Then write down what you're doing right now," David said. "You're not just teaching him how to solve problems; write it down so that someone else can take over."

Chen Zhuo looked at the Trenton folder.

He originally just wanted to ask about money.

David then revealed the next step as well.

If Chen Zhuo is going to Madrid in August, and possibly Geneva afterward, he can't just leave behind money.

Money can get the community center to open.

But you can't tell the next person who teaches Luke.

This child is capable.

He knows how to hide.

You can't ask long questions directly.

We can't start by talking about the school.

You cannot write "cannot" as "useless".

Chen Zhuo picked up his pen and wrote another line on the paper.

Learning records (takeover version).

David heard the sound of the pen tip moving across the paper.

"Are you writing?"

"Um."

"Write what?"

"Write down what I know in a way that others can understand."

David chuckled.

"That's right."

Chen Zhuo asked, "How long will it take to get the results on your end?"

"I'll give you a framework tomorrow," David said. "Within three days, I'll have my lawyers list out the feasible solutions. We might need to consult with the church and community center about local details, but that's not difficult."

"Thanks."

"Don't thank me," David said. "I just finally see you using tools like a normal, wealthy person."

Chen Zhuo said, "You just said I felt like I'd found a bank."

“That’s progress,” David said. “At least you know which way the bank door opens.”

Chen Zhuo smiled.

On the other end of the phone, David seemed to remember something.

"List."

"Um."

"Don't let this become your personal hero story."

Chen Zhuo did not respond immediately.

David said, "You can provide the money, I can have the paperwork done, and the lawyer can make the structure look nice, but whether that child can continue is not something that money and paperwork can decide on their own. Abraham must stay, the community center must stay, and that child must go in every day."

"I know."

"Good to know," David said. "Sometimes you write big things like a single line of formula."

Chen Zhuo looked at Hodge's manuscript folder.

"This time it's not a formula."

"That's good."

It was almost ten o'clock when the call ended.

The room fell silent again.

Chen Zhuo put the phone back on the table.

He did not open Hodge's manuscript immediately.

He first copied the paper he had just written down again.

Specialized education trust.

They don't give cash directly.