Despite being incredibly wealthy, I want to be a prosecutor.

On the first floor of the Donggua County Guesthouse, Zhou Hong rented a room specifically to use as a water bar.

Unfortunately, units 201-205 are for special purposes only; you can't just move in if you have money, let alone occupy them long-term.

On the other hand, Zhou Hongchang booked a four-person room on the first floor. He removed the bed and transformed it into a small 1-square-meter water bar with a coffee machine, good coffee beans, and water bar equipment.

The three waiters, one of whom was a barista and the other a bartender, were hired from Chiang Rai, Changkat.

At this moment, Zhou Hong was chatting and sipping coffee with Fu Niang.

Fu Niang's hometown is a rural area in Donggua County. She was admitted to the Huixi Finance and Accounting School in the provincial capital.

"It's time to go back to our hometown." That's what Zhou Hong said, but he knew that since he had taken his younger brother to the Xiang Kingdom, even if they had relatives at home, they probably weren't very good to the siblings.

The phone rang suddenly; it was Xiaobao.

"Zhou Hong, how many points did you get?" Xiao Bao asked excitedly, then added, "I did pretty well. Getting into a good junior college shouldn't be a problem."

Zhou Hong glanced at his watch. Oh, it's already the 29th, and the whole province is distributing points.

There are many ways to check scores in different provinces nowadays.

If you need to pick up your report card from the Education Bureau, you can check it online.

In Jiangbei Province, a voice information service has been launched, allowing for paid telephone inquiries; otherwise, it would take several days for the grade reports to be sent to the schools.

"Damn it, you're really in a hurry. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were aiming for a top university!" Zhou Hong scoffed.

"Damn it! I'm worried about you. It feels like your brain's all sharpened after your trip abroad!"

"Alright, I've got something to do. I'll check later!" Zhou Hong slammed down the phone.

It's the 29th already, so I'll have to go back to school in a few days to fill out my college application.

"Boss, I have a female student from my junior school..." Fu Niang hesitated.

Zhou Hong waved his hand and said, "We'll talk about it later. I have something to take care of."

……

That day, Zhou Hong returned to Chiang Rai and had dinner with his teacher, who mentioned that his job might be changing soon.

This is understandable; the problems of the "Empress Dowager Foundation" have been resolved, and staff can now be sent to impoverished rural areas.

There's no point in me staying any longer.

However, since Laos has already opened its borders, it's not something that can be easily abandoned.

In particular, Zhou Hong looked at the new long-term task in the system module: "Make connections with political figures in remote areas."

The system didn't mention any rewards or follow-up details, but it never speaks without a purpose, which is certainly related to the long-term goal of "HEPING".

The next day, Zhou Hongfei flew to Bangkok and visited Wanxiang Film Studio again, where he met with the last remaining contracted director and had an in-depth discussion.

In the evening, the "Little Inspection" aircraft flew to Hong Kong, and the following morning, it transferred to a commercial flight to return to the mainland.

……

July 2nd, afternoon, classroom of Class 3, Grade 12 at No. 3 Middle School.

After the winter break, Zhou Hong never came to his classroom again.

During the college entrance examination, he took the exam at No. 1 High School.

Many classmates looked at Zhou Hong with strange eyes.

Sitting in the last row, Zhou Hong's deskmate was Zhang Xiaobao. Actually, Zhang Xiaobao was one of the shorter students in the class and should have sat in the front row, but he volunteered to sit in the last row, saving the teacher a lot of trouble.

Even though most of the students at No. 3 Middle School are academically weak, it's not uncommon for parents to ask the homeroom teacher for better seats.

"Hey, is the second floor over at the plaza finished yet?" Zhang Xiaobao asked mysteriously.

Zhou Hong nodded: "Two of them seem to be almost done, but they need to be aired out first, because of the pollution from the renovation, right?"

Xiao Bao nodded, his voice even lower: "So, it's true that I saw you become the top-selling apartment? It's true that the Rolex you gave me was real, and it's true that you bought a cell phone for our old friend. None of it was just a dream?"

Zhou Hong was speechless, but the situation was indeed too strange, and Xiao Bao was probably still in a daze.

Xiao Bao let out a long sigh of relief: "That's great! I told the class group that you posted it, but nobody believed me."

Zhou Hongli's face immediately darkened. He rarely checked the QQ class group. "Hey, why are you saying this in the group?"

Xiao Bao gritted his teeth, "What's most hateful is that I asked Du Jianjun and Zhao Kaifeng to testify, but neither of them said a word. Damn it, you bought them that phone for nothing! It made me think that because my dad has been beating me so much lately, I've been having mental problems and daydreaming all the time!"

Zhou Hong remained silent, then suddenly remembered that he had originally planned to help Wang Jinzhu, who was working on a construction site, but he had been too busy, especially lately, and had almost forgotten about it.

The noisy classroom suddenly quieted down as the homeroom teacher, Ms. Lin, walked briskly onto the podium.

Although everyone has graduated, the old teacher's prestige remains.

After the college entrance examination scores came out, Teacher Lin was in a good mood. The top three students in the class, on whom he had placed high hopes, were likely to be admitted to public universities.

In particular, class monitor Bai Shanshan scored 539 points, a score that even meets the admission requirements for some top-tier universities in the province.

No one from No. 3 Middle School has produced a single outstanding student in recent years.

"Haha, everyone's here today! Even Zhou Hong, our little prince who took a leave of absence and hasn't been seen for half a semester, is here! Shall we all give him a round of applause to welcome him!"

Teacher Lin's gaze swept over the sea of ​​black heads in the class. Today was the day to fill out college applications, which was originally only for a portion of the students.

However, the announcement to all students and the fact that the classroom was packed was because today was the graduation photo day, which could also be considered graduation day.

Zhou Hong came to him once before the college entrance examination. He went to ask for leave alone and brought good cigarettes and alcohol. He felt that this child was different from before.

Now, at first glance, the first person you see when you enter the classroom is Zhou Hong. He's wearing a light-colored T-shirt and pants, and for some reason, he looks so neat and tidy that he's particularly eye-catching. In a room full of people, you'll unconsciously notice him sitting in the last row. He stands out from the crowd, like a handsome and rich guy from an idol drama, forming a stark contrast with most of the other students in the class who are still quite unsophisticated.

I've never felt this way before.

Teacher Lin was also very puzzled, and subconsciously made a joke to Zhou Hong.

Everyone laughed, and many people thought that the homeroom teacher was mocking Zhou Hong again, and everything was back to what it was before the winter vacation.

"Alright, let's get down to business. Hand out the application forms and fill them out. This will be quick, and you're all pretty confident. I've already consulted with several classmates, and those who didn't believe me have probably asked relatives and friends for advice. Okay, let's get down to business!"

The application form was quickly sent to Zhou Hong. Without hesitation, Zhou Hong did not fill in any schools for early admission, first batch admission, or second batch admission.

For the third batch of undergraduate admissions, my first choice was the International Law program at Capital City University, and for my second and third choices, I chose not to accept any other major.

Zhou Hong did quite well on the exam. It wasn't the 200-plus points he always mentioned, but rather 413 points. In fact, he had many options for attending a third-tier university, but Zhou Hong still filled in Capital City University as planned.

"Why did you choose a private school?" Teacher Lin seemed to suddenly pay close attention to Zhou Hong.

Firstly, you shouldn't give away good cigarettes and alcohol for nothing; this is one of the most important moments in life.

Secondly, this guy may have cheated, but he performed exceptionally well, scoring 200 points higher than usual, making him one of the better students in the class.

"Haha, whatever!" Zhou Hong laughed.

Teacher Lin shook her head. This child has always been very principled, and this feeling is even stronger now that they meet again after the incident. There's no point in trying to explain it to him.

Zhang Xiaobao, standing next to him, was scratching his head in frustration. He scored 244 points on the test and his dad almost broke his legs at home, saying that his son was really like a free gift with a phone top-up!

He filled out an application for a private junior college in his province and was dejected.

The teacher personally collected each and every application form. This was no joke; missing even one could cause serious problems later on, so he did it himself.

"Everyone is free to do as they please now. You can take some photos on campus to remember the occasion. At 4 o'clock, we will take our graduation photos together."

After Ms. Lin left with a thick stack of application forms, class monitor Bai Shanshan walked up to the podium. "After taking graduation photos, those of us who have time should have a get-together. Let's invite our homeroom teachers, Mr. Zheng, Mr. Wang, and Mr. Li. We students will split the bill, so we won't charge the teachers. What do you all think?"

Perhaps because of graduation, Bai Shanshan looked youthful and radiant today. Wearing a white dress, white socks, and canvas shoes, she was quite different from her previous image. She was very beautiful and glamorous, and many male classmates kept secretly glancing at her.

At this moment, she stepped onto the podium, allowing the male students to openly feast their eyes.

She had a strong appeal, and her classmates readily echoed her sentiments.

……

Zhou Hong did not leave early; he stayed to take graduation photos and attend the dinner.

It's the final moment of my high school life, and I have mixed feelings.

After the teachers and some students left the restaurant, small groups gradually formed around the tables, continuing to drink, some crying and some laughing.

Some were drinking for the first time, and while they were drinking, they ended up slumping under the table.

Some vomited violently before even reaching the restroom.

Zhou Hong, Zhang Xiaobao, Zhao Kaifeng, and Du Jianjun were having a lively drinking session.

Beer was no problem for Zhou Hong.

"I'm treating you to KTV at Xindu later."

"It's at Xindu KTV in a bit, my treat..."

The boy who wobbled and called out to people from the table was Gou Dacheng, the rich kid in the class. He was tall and thin with a very fair face. He always dressed differently from ordinary people and loved designer brands.

The richest families in the class were Zhang Xiaobao's and his family. However, like Zhou Hong, Zhang Xiaobao's family was from Zhouzhuang, which is a rural area. Xiaobao later moved to the city, while Zhou Hong and other rural residents were able to attend No. 3 Middle School because the original rural high school and No. 3 Middle School were merged.

Zhang Xiaobao's father, whose specific business was unknown, dabbled in various things here and there, making a small fortune, but in other people's eyes he was just a nouveau riche.

The Gou family was different. Right after the reform and opening up, the Gou family brought out their ancestral brand "Gou Ji Roasted Chicken" and started selling roasted chicken.

At first, Gou Dacheng's grandfather and father rode bicycles to the countryside to sell roast chicken. Gradually, they established a sales point in the county town.

It's now sold in department stores in the city, and it's even won some kind of provincial bronze award. It's also known as a designated government hospitality product for provincial VIP buildings.

Zhou Hong knew that all of this was just a sham, but Gouji Roast Chicken was now truly the undisputed leader in the county, with almost all of its competitors going out of business.

Everyone in the county knows that the Gou family is definitely rich, but no one knows how much. The Gou family members are also very low-key. You never see them driving luxury cars in and out. They still live in the old courtyard, but now the foundation has been expanded many times over, and it has been turned into a large courtyard house.

As a student, Gou Dacheng didn't do anything wrong. After all, there's no occasion to flaunt your wealth. You can't exactly order ten meat dishes at the cafeteria to show off.

But now Zhou Hong knows that Gou Dacheng is wearing a Longines Complication watch. Although it is a basic model, it still costs five or six thousand RMB.

In a county town, being a student is quite remarkable; it's equivalent to half a year's salary for a middle-aged person with a government-affiliated job.

However, when it comes to watches, most students probably only know about Rolex from watching videos, and don't know what Longines is.

Gou Dacheng staggered over to Zhou Hong's table, patted Xiao Bao on the shoulder, and said, "Zhang Xiao Bao, it's my treat when we go to Xindu later, don't argue with me!" He waved to Zhou Hong and the others, "Come on, come on!"

Then, surrounded by several people, he walked towards the girl's table.

Zhang Xiaobao asked Zhou Hong, "Want to go sing karaoke?"

"Going where..." Zhao Kaifeng immediately curled his lip. "Going to see his performance? He's chasing after the class leader, didn't you guys know?"

"Oh? Really? Isn't he afraid the 'madman' will beat him up?" another male classmate asked in surprise.

"Madman" is the nickname of Du Feng from the sports class, and he was also the ringleader in the beating of Zhou Hong.

Zhao Kaifeng scoffed, "What could he possibly be afraid of? You really don't understand."

"Hey, stop talking, stop talking!" Zhang Xiaobao snapped.

Zhao Kaifeng immediately thought that Zhou Hong had been beaten for something similar, and then went to the police station for hitting someone too hard in retaliation. He laughed it off, "Yeah, it has nothing to do with us. Come on, let's drink." There were seven or eight beer bottles in front of him, but he didn't seem to have drunk any. It seemed that he was used to drinking and that drinking was something he did at home.

It seems he, like Wang Jinzhu, went to work on a construction site, and was even in a construction team.

"Kaifeng, how much do you and Dajin earn per day now?" Zhou Hong asked.

Zhao Kaifeng said, "He and I are both laborers, and we earn 8 yuan a day now. For senior laborers, it's 15 yuan a day."

Zhou Hong remained silent. This was not the time of labor shortage that would occur in ten or twenty years. Migrant workers' wages were meager these days. The income Zhao Kaifeng mentioned was not guaranteed, and it wasn't the kind where there was work every day.

Moreover, it is common to be owed wages and given IOUs.

But compared to before the reform and opening up, farmers can now freely go to the city to work and earn money, instead of toiling in the fields for generations. As a result, the enthusiasm of migrant workers is so high.

It was the migrant workers of today who, with their meager wages, started the era of large-scale infrastructure construction.

"Zhou Hong, the phone you gave me, they said it was a grey market import, and it's even turned on and working. I'll sell it for 1000, not bad, right?" Zhao Kaifeng said hesitantly.

Zhou Hong was taken aback, but he was too lazy to explain what "parallel import" phones meant, not to mention that they were all bought from the county post office, weren't they?

Of course, it's hard to say whether the actual post office hall is contracted out to individuals.

But more likely, the people at the phone store were just bluffing them to get a lower price for their phones.

"Alright, alright! Let's not talk about this anymore!" Xiao Bao's face darkened.

Du Jianjun sat opposite him, not saying a word. He and Zhao Kaifeng had sold the phones to a mobile phone store together.

They can't afford the phone bill, it's not something they should be using, and besides, it's some kind of counterfeit product. They don't know if they'll get caught using it.

I told Zhao Kaifeng in private that Zhou Hong probably made a little money by smuggling mobile phones, and he might go to jail at any time. I should stay away from him as much as possible to avoid getting involved.

Zhou Hong then took a break to call Jin Zhu, gave him a number, and asked him to contact him.

The number belonged to Chen Wanli in the city. He asked Chen Wanli to arrange an easy job for Jinzhu, but Jinzhu would have to pay his own salary.

It just doesn't feel right to directly ask Jinzhu to work for you.

In addition, he casually mentioned to Chen Wanli that he should take care of Lao Tian, ​​who worked as a security guard at the bathhouse. Of course, he didn't mean to promote him to some kind of fighting leader. Chen Wanli would no longer have any connection with such things on the surface.

"I'm almost done, time to go!" Zhou Hong glanced at his watch as he returned to his seat. In his field of vision, a pair of snow-white legs, cute white socks, and canvas shoes were walking towards him.

The fragrance was enticing, but it was Bai Shanshan. "Zhou Hong, are you trying to slip away again? Not today. We haven't seen you for half a year, not even during the college entrance exam. Everyone misses you. You have to go sing."

Zhou Hong smiled and said, "I really have something to do. You guys have fun, I'll treat you next time."

I have a lot to do, so I definitely can't go singing. I'm going to the Northwest tomorrow, so I need to spend more time with my parents tonight.

Gou Dacheng stood next to Bai Shanshan and said, "Yeah, if Zhou Hong has something to do, let him go."

In terms of pure looks, Zhou Hong is tall and handsome, which is a huge threat.

But speaking of which, before the incident during winter break, I didn't think this kid was handsome at all; he was just a big idiot.

Bai Shanshan glared at Zhou Hong: "I organize activities, and you're always the one who doesn't participate. Otherwise, our school finally has a provincial-level outstanding class leader spot, and it wouldn't have been snatched away by the class monitor of Class One!"

"Really? Is that so?" Zhou Hong scratched his head.

"Yeah, before I graduated, I swallowed all these grievances and cried several times, but I couldn't tell you guys. Otherwise, Zhou Hong, why do you think I asked you to meet me at school during winter break?"

"Ah, Zhou Hong got beaten up because of this..." Zhao Kaifeng was interrupted by Zhang Xiaobao before he could finish speaking.

Bai Shanshan's expression was somewhat unnatural. She glared at Zhao Kaifeng and said, "Your cement board will be shattered into eight pieces later."

Cement board is the tool Zhao Kaifeng uses as a laborer to scrape and smooth the surface of plaster. Realizing he had said the wrong thing, he dared not utter another word.

The boys all respected Bai Shanshan, the class leader. Some of the girls envied and resented her behind her back, but they also respected her to her face.

"I owe you a formal apology," Bai Shanshan said to Zhou Hong.

Zhou Hong smiled and said, "It's nothing, just a misunderstanding. I even benefited from it and got to go abroad and broaden my horizons."

"Yes, you've really opened your mind! You scored over 400 points higher on the college entrance exam, that's amazing! But I still feel a little bad for you!" As the class monitor, Bai Shanshan has always shown great concern for her classmates. Of course, Zhou Hong, who is now more discerning and no longer has the mindset of a student, can see a lot. But no matter what, she has done a great job as class monitor, making the whole class feel cared for.

"It's all in the past, no need to bring it up," Zhou Hong replied casually.

"Anyway, I'm relieved that you're alright. Classmates, I wish you all a better life in the future. I hope that when we reunite in five or ten years, our youthful and passionate hearts will still be beating strongly!" Bai Shanshan's speech, delivered with her fist clenched, immediately drew applause, and several classmates were already in tears.

Zhou Hong was speechless. "I should set up a motivation department in the company, just like North Korea does. I think you can be the head of that department."