School Beauty's Invincible Martial Expert

"That won't do!" Mother Xiao hurriedly shook her head upon hearing this.

"Why won't it?" Xiao Minghua responded quickly, "Your family is in such a tough situation right now, where would Xiao Han get the money to attend those Junk Universities? It's better for him to start working with me sooner to relieve the family's burden. He could find a wife sooner too and carry on the Xiao family lineage."

"Xiao Han's grades have improved, and I plan to let him go to college," Mother Xiao said.

"Even if his grades are better, what of it? You were the last in your class, do you think you could suddenly become the top student?" Xiao Minghua scoffed, cigarette dangling from his mouth, "Sister-in-law, schooling isn't the only way out. Look at how many big bosses have little education. But they aren't short of money, their lives are full of color.

And after all, why go to school if not for a high-paying job? In the end, you're still working for someone else, carrying their shoes, holding their bags. Why bother? It's more comfortable being your own boss."

Unfortunately, Mother Xiao did not agree with Xiao Minghua's words and countered, "Attending a university isn't necessarily about securing a good job. It's more about shaping one's life, values, and worldview. It can greatly broaden a child's horizons and understanding. The way a middle schooler perceives things compared to a university student is completely different.

So letting Xiao Han go to college isn't just about making more money."

"Why say so much when there's no money?" Xiao Minghua said with a candid smile, "This is a realistic world, where the rich are kings and the poor are ghosts."

Mother Xiao did not refute.

At that moment, Xiao Mingguo came in from outside with his child. Xiao Mingguo is Xiao Jianguo's brother and thus Xiao Han's uncle. Xiao Mingguo has a child named Dahai, who is in his senior year at high school number two and was born the same year as Xiao Han.

"Big brother, happy New Year!" Xiao Mingguo entered carrying a gift.

"Second brother, happy New Year," Xiao Minghua greeted jovially as he rose to accept the gift.

"Eldest Uncle, happy New Year," Dahai, a rather large man at 176cm tall and over 180 pounds, and a big eater, greeted.

"Dahai, here, take a red envelope for good luck!" Xiao Mingguo handed Dahai a red envelope right in front of Mother Xiao and Dahai. Mother Xiao looked somewhat displeased. Giving a gift behind someone's back is one thing, but doing it openly can seem disrespectful.

Although annoyed, Mother Xiao did not react, but Xiao Han had no response either.

In his eyes, the red envelope wouldn't contain more than two hundred yuan. Who cares about those two hundred yuan? Just as Xiao Mingguo arrived, Xiao Han's aunt also came in with her two grade-school children. The living room immediately became lively as Xiao Minghua hurried to give Xiao Han's younger cousins red envelopes. Mother Xiao and Xiao Han both noticed this scene.

If it seemed like Xiao Han didn't care, that wasn't entirely true. After all, it hinted at a disrespect. No one wants to be looked down upon.

"Xiao Han, you're here too?" Xiao Mingguo was slightly surprised. He seemed caught off guard when he saw Xiao Han and looked mildly astonished.

Mother Xiao's mouth turned upwards slightly, a smile appearing on her face, then said, "Yes, second brother, little sister, you all came?"

"Second sister-in-law, it's been years, how have you aged so much?" Xiao Han's aunt said in surprise, looking at Mother Xiao.

"Yes," Mother Xiao nodded, then said, "Time makes one old."

"You've aged quite a bit though, haven't you?" Xiao Han's aunt, under forty and typically well-maintained, hence looking rather young, remarked.

Mother Xiao was momentarily stunned, then laughed, "Yes, everyone gets old someday."

"That's not how you should put it." Xiao Han's aunt chuckled, then said, "Though everyone ages, some age like they are in an elevator and others as if they are on the stairs, gracefully aging. Which do you think is better?"

"Err..." Mother Xiao didn't know how to respond.

At that point, Xiao Han interjected, "This is the first time I'm hearing that taking the stairs is more graceful than an elevator."

Xiao Han's aunt was taken aback, her gaze swiftly landing on Xiao Han, "Xiao Han, haven't seen you in years and you've grown so tall and handsome! Tsk tsk…"

"Alright, everyone's here, let's sit at the table," Xiao Minghua called out.

Everyone crowded around the dining table. It was a large table, seating ten people. Xiao Minghua's son and daughter-in-law also came.

With the whole family gathered, this might have been the first time in years that the Xiao Family Clan had so many members together. Xiao Minghua took the head of the table, with Xiao Mingguo by his side. The brothers looked somewhat alike and both enjoyed drinking.

Xiao Minghua's son, Xiao Zhicheng, also accompanied them.

"Come, let's have a drink," Xiao Minghua said.

"Drink!" the drinkers raised their glasses.

After three rounds of drinks, Xiao Minghua spoke up, "Originally, I planned to have Xiao Han and Dahai join me in venturing out after their high school graduation. However, it seems Xiao Han doesn't agree. So, Dahai, you'll come with me when the time comes."

"Eldest Uncle, I'll go with you!" Xiao Dahai nodded.

"Hmm!" Xiao Minghua nodded slightly and then continued, "Some people are just born to be poor. Since they choose to remain poor, let them be poor forever. They even think of going to college, without considering what stuff their own son is made of."

Xiao Minghua had a few drinks and his tone became somewhat harsh.

Without needing to be said, it was clear Xiao Minghua was referring to Xiao Han's family. Mother Xiao kept her head down and ate, while Xiao Han appeared very calm. He smiled and asked, "Eldest Uncle, how much money do you make in a year?"

"Not much," Xiao Minghua laughed as he heard this, he patted his stomach and said, "About a hundred thousand a year. My small supermarket makes a few tens of thousands, and I take some private jobs on the side to earn a bit more. This year, I'm planning to take a few people to GD to try and make some more money!"

"That's a lot!" Xiao Han's aunt hurriedly said, "Big Brother, at your age, why do you still work so hard to make money?"

"My son is disappointing," Xiao Minghua waved his hands helplessly, "If I don't make more money, I'm afraid I won't even be able to afford a house. Getting married has already drained my finances, and I still only paid the down payment for the house; I have to pay the mortgage monthly.

So, I plan to take Xiao Han and Dahai to venture out early, who knows, maybe they'll earn their dowries early as well? That would be great, right? It would also spare the elderly folks at home from worries, right?"

"Exactly, exactly!" Xiao Mingguo hurriedly nodded, "Eldest Brother still has some ability. I believe in Eldest Brother's capabilities."

"Auntie, why won't you let Xiao Han go out and hustle for a bit?" the aunt asked curiously, "Who knows, in a few years, Xiao Han might succeed in his career, and you can then enjoy your old age comfortably. Why must you work so hard and tire yourself out?"

"Money is secondary," Mother Xiao shook her head, "The important thing is that I just want his life to have a college experience."

"Oh, speaking so profoundly," the aunt laughed.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

At that moment, Xiao Han's phone rang; it was Yang Lu calling. He quickly answered the phone, exchanged New Year's greetings.

After hanging up, Xiao Dahai said enviously, "Brother Han, you actually bought an Apple phone? I'm so envious. That phone is expensive, right?"

"Psh, just a lousy phone, how expensive can it be!" the aunt said disdainfully.

"Auntie, that phone is expensive," Xiao Dahai hurriedly said, "I hear it costs six or seven thousand a piece."

"That expensive?!" Everyone was immediately stunned.

"It has to be that expensive!" Xiao Zhicheng's wife sourly took out an older Apple model and said, "They say their family is poor, but they are using the latest generation of Apple phones. I'm still using this old model."

Xiao Zhicheng's face changed, and he said awkwardly, "It's just a phone. As long as it can make calls, that's good enough, why chase so much."

"I just feel like, they're so poor yet can use such good phones, and our family is considered one of the most respectable among the relatives, right?" Xiao Zhicheng's wife scoffed, "Earning over a hundred thousand a year and still reluctant to buy me a phone?"

Xiao Minghua was immediately dumbfounded, he hurriedly said, "Oh my, I thought it was something serious, it's just a phone. I'll go buy you one later. Didn't they open an authorized Apple store in LJ city? I heard it's an official store, I'll go there."

"Great!" Xiao Zhicheng's wife suddenly rejoiced, "Thank you, Dad."

Xiao Minghua immediately showed a satisfied smile. However, everyone was curious, considering Xiao Han's family was so poor, how could they afford such an expensive phone? And, how much did Xiao Han's mother make a month? At most, it wouldn't be more than three thousand, how could she possibly afford to spend several months of salary to buy her son such an expensive phone?

"Xiao Han, where did you get this phone from?" Xiao Mingguo asked.

"Bought it myself!" Xiao Han replied, "During the winter break, I worked at the Apple store for ten days. I created a lot of profit for the company, so the boss gave me one and also paid a good bonus!"

"Is there really such a good deal?" the aunt asked curiously.

"Yes, I can testify to that!" Mother Xiao quickly nodded, "The manager of that store even came to our house to deliver gifts. They also gave a bonus of ten thousand yuan. I was baffled at first, but later I found out Xiao Han had been working at their store, making them over a hundred thousand."

Hiss... Stay connected through empire

Everyone immediately gasped. Earning over a hundred thousand for the boss in just ten days. That... that was just too unbelievable.

"I always say, working for someone is just like this!" Xiao Minghua seized the opportunity to perform, "If you start your own business, wouldn't that over a hundred thousand be yours? But working for someone? The boss might only give you a little bit of sweetness..."