A young man from another world returned to his hometown.

Just as he was about to lash out, several elderly fruit farmers emerged from the woods carrying shoulder poles.

The old woman was cursing, Uncle Han stood there with his stick, refusing to move, the old farmers were blocking the way, and those in the crowd who were really there to join in the fun began to quietly shrink back.

Seeing this, the fat woman was still muttering to herself, but she had already started to move.

The gangsters exchanged glances, cursing and hurling threats, but none of them actually charged forward.

The crowd dispersed, mostly dispersed.

Lin Jiayao let out a long sigh and walked to Lin Yan's side.

"Ayan, did you see that? Even Uncle Han can see clearly what kind of people those are."

"Um."

Lin Yan responded but didn't speak immediately.

"That's how people in rural areas are."

He spoke, his tone not one of criticism or regret, but simply stating a fact calmly.

"Most people are inherently good, hardworking, down-to-earth, and able to endure hardship. But there is a group of people who are narrow-minded, poor, and have not received much education. Their minds are limited to their own little world. As long as there is an opportunity to gain something, they will rush to it regardless of whether it is right or wrong. If they succeed, it is considered a skill; if they fail, they will curse others."

The two cousins ​​did not refute it, because they grew up here and they knew what was going on, but no one usually said it out loud.

Lin Jiayao thought for a moment.

"And what about the old woman? She was just an ordinary rural person, how did she end up like this...?"

Lin Yan said.

"Grandma is different; she has backbone."

"But how many people like that are there?"

Lin Jiayao quieted down and didn't say anything.

Lin Yan spoke slowly.

"The problem isn't with them; the problem is that they have nowhere to learn and no way out for them."

Lin Jiayao glanced at him, somewhat unsure of his meaning.

"So you mean...?"

"I want to start a vocational school."

Lin Yan said, and Lin Jiayao was taken aback.

"A vocational...school?"

"It's right in town, so we don't need a big space; a dozen or so classrooms will suffice."

Lin Yan paused.

"Instead of teaching Chinese and math, we'll teach practical skills: electrician, welder, machinist, planting techniques, animal husbandry techniques, cold chain operations, and machinery repair."

Lin Jiayao listened and nodded slowly.

"What about the tuition?"

"We will accept low-income or no employees, but locals will be given priority, and those who have completed their training will be given priority in our factory placements."

"factory?"

"Lychee deep processing plant, cold chain base, and more will follow."

Lin Yan said.

"I don't want to rely solely on manpower; I want to build the entire industrial chain here, from planting to harvesting, to processing, to sales—all in one place."

Factories need people, people with technical skills, which is why schools are needed first.

Lin Jiayao remained silent for a while.

"Ayan, are you serious?"

When did I ever say anything unserious?

Lin Jiayao frowned again.

"This... involves running a school, which is very difficult..."

Lin Yan looked at him.

"I know, so I'm sorry to trouble you."

Lin Jiayao took a deep breath.

"That's right, this is the place where I was born and raised. No matter how difficult it is, we have to get it done. Leave it to me."

"You don't need to worry about the funding."

Lin Jiayao gave a wry smile.

"Is that all you're capable of, anyway?"

Lin Yan turned around and glanced at everyone not far away.

"Education is the slowest way to change this land, but it is also the most stable way."

"Establish rules and build schools."

"From now on, whatever we do that involves the collective, we must post a notice on the village committee's bulletin board, clearly stating who we are recruiting, what the requirements are, and what the benefits are. All of this must be made public so that everyone can see clearly and speak according to the contract."

……

next morning.

Lin Yan was awakened by a fragrance.

It smells like rice.

He turned his head to the side; the other side of the bed was empty.

Lin Yan finished dressing and walked out of the room, just as he bumped into Xier peeking halfway out of the kitchen.

Those pointed ears, which should have been disguised as round ears by magic, were perhaps forgotten to be hidden because they were at home, or perhaps because they were too focused. The two pointed tips stood out conspicuously on either side of their heads.

When she saw Lin Yan come out, she trembled, her ears twitched back, and she quickly lowered her head, stirring the contents of the pot with a wooden spoon as if to cover up her actions.

"Darling, you...you're up?"

"Um."

Lin Yan took two steps closer, looked into the kitchen, and froze.

Breakfast was laid out on the stove.

Eight-treasure rice and sausages were transformed into rice balls by Xier, arranged neatly in a circle, and decorated in the middle with a few petals of otherworldly flowers that Xier had nurtured. In the pot, there was also a cream stew with elven characteristics, with a few small flowers floating on top.

The small white flowers that can be found outside every village in this other world are usually picked by the lover of a hero when he goes out on an adventure to express his love.

Lin Yan watched for a moment, then couldn't help but chuckle softly.

What time did you get up?

Syl's back stiffened for a moment, and she lowered her head even further.

"...before dawn."

She turned around, holding the breakfast in both hands, walked up to Lin Yan, stopped, raised her head, and looked straight at him with a determined expression. Her cheeks and ear tips were burning red.

She took a deep breath and stammered.

"Honey...would you like to eat first, or...?"

"Let's eat first."

Lin Yan interrupted her with a smile, reached out and gently patted her head, then brushed back the few strands of bangs that had been messed up by the stove fire. The head pat was done in one smooth motion, without any hesitation.

Syl: "..."

She stood there, her ears peeking out again, red like two little flames, perhaps he had learned some tricks from a romance novel.

But the rest of that sentence remained unspoken, buried in the morning steam rising from the stove.

In the village, the construction company that Lin Jiayao hired and the workers gathered by his uncle are already repairing the paved road.

After breakfast.

Lin Yan said he wanted to check on the progress of the road construction and would take Xier to see the construction site.

Sylph's eyes lit up immediately, and she responded half a beat faster than usual. Lin Yan could tell at a glance what book she had been reading last night and what she was planning for today.

He didn't say anything, but simply pushed out his uncle's old Jialing motorcycle.

Lin Yan got on, and Xier sat on the back seat, stepping on the pedals.

The dirt roads in the countryside are already full of potholes. After walking only a few steps out of the yard, the wheels rolled over a mound of dirt, and the whole motorcycle lurched.

Syl leaned forward, placing both hands on Lin Yan's waist. He paused for a moment, as if waiting for something, before slowly closing them together and embracing him.

She pressed herself against his back.

Lin Yan clearly felt a little warmer behind him, and a faint scent of grass and trees. It wasn't the fragrance of flowers, but the magical scent unique to the elves, like a forest in the mountains after a morning rain.