School Beauty's Invincible Martial Expert

Chapter 168 Poverty Alleviation Funds

Residents of the Fuxing Community certainly didn't wish to see anyone in a BMW car collecting poverty aid funds. Yet, such an event had indeed occurred, right within the Fuxing Community. Consequently, everyone was on high alert. Naturally, those with connections still sought ways to leverage them, hoping to be designated as a needy household, which might just split them a few thousand dollars.

As for the 130,000 yuan fund, Auntie Zhou didn't know what to do for a time. When she first received it, it felt great. Now, this money had become a hot potato, as many people were already seeking favors from her. Regarding these people, Auntie Zhou truly didn't know how to refuse them.

After thinking it over, she still didn't know how to select the needy households from the Fuxing Community.

If truth be told, everyone in the Fuxing Community was a needy household, every family had its significant difficulties. Whom to give the money to? Whom not to? Either decision would offend someone. Auntie Zhou couldn't help feeling rather distressed.

At that moment, a staff member of the Residents' Committee chuckled, "Sister Zhou, why should you worry so much?"

"Little Liu, do you have a solution?" Auntie Zhou asked curiously.

"Heh, there are plenty of ways," Little Liu chuckled and said, "Actually, if you ask me, why should we be the ones doing this job?"

"Then..." Auntie Zhou looked at him curiously and said, "If we don't do it, who will?"

"Let the residents of Fuxing Community spontaneously form an organization," Little Liu chuckled and then said. "Then let them pick all the names of the needy households. Wouldn't that solve the problem?"

Auntie Zhou suddenly brightened up upon hearing this, "Right, now that you mention it, I've just had an epiphany."

"Heh heh..." Little Liu chuckled.

"Hmm, I'll send out a notice this afternoon, letting the residents of Fuxing Community select their representatives to become the Residents' Committee!" Auntie Zhou said cheerfully. "This way, I can avoid the awkwardness in our work at the Residents' Committee."

Upon hearing this, Little Liu laughed and said, "Also, once they've picked the list, we can choose again. Finally, during the selection, we can publicize the list. If everyone agrees, then we can distribute the money."

"Hmm, that's a good idea." Auntie Zhou nodded and said, "This way, we won't fear accusations of back-door deals or concerns that we're taking the money for ourselves."

"Exactly!" Little Liu nodded.

Auntie Zhou was always efficient in handling affairs. That very afternoon, she immediately used the community broadcast to announce, urging the community residents to voluntarily form a Residents' Committee and then finalize the list of needy households.

The Fuxing Community instantly became lively.

According to the Residents' Committee's instructions, only seven members were needed for the committee. And these seven people definitely had to be well-respected individuals within the community. The candidates were quickly finalized by everyone. One of them was Li Yunpeng.

Li Yunpeng had recently become quite popular, and as a figure in Central Television and a national outstanding teacher, he had multiple prominent roles, making him an obvious choice to lead the Residents' Committee.

Li Yunpeng, unhesitatingly, soon selected several suitable candidates, including some elderly and former model workers from the Fuxing Factory...

The seven individuals were quickly finalized.

In the end, these seven selected twenty-six particularly needy households from the many residents of the Fuxing Community. Given the hundreds of households in the community, choosing these twenty-six was relatively challenging, involving much work, including visits and investigations, and required gathering extensive information.

Li Yunpeng only had classes on Saturday nights, so he had more free time during the week. He devoted much of his time to this task. He was a serious and determined person. Having taken on this job, he was committed to being responsible for it to the end. Such was Li Yunpeng's attitude and dedication to his work.

The seven committee members, after roughly three days, finally finalized the preliminary selection. There were over thirty households, however, they still needed to choose twenty-six households from these thirty-plus.

The seven committee members worked tirelessly one night and finally selected twenty-six households.

These twenty-six households all shared a common trait—they were impoverished. Whether they were households of childless elderly, disabled members, or families that had lost their ability to work, these families were all in severe difficulty and extreme poverty. Even though they qualified as part of the welfare system, a few hundred yuan per month was just enough for basic necessities.

It was nowhere near enough to improve their standard of living.

Li Yunpeng immediately handed the list over to the Residents' Committee, which then posted the list of these twenty-six households on the bulletin board for public display.

The display would last for seven days. If during these seven days, no residents objected, then these twenty-six households would be designated as needy, and the Residents' Committee would distribute 5,000 yuan in aid to each household.

On the first day of the display, many people stopped by the Residents' Committee entrance to check the situation. Discover hidden content at empire

"How did Zhang Jianguo even make the list?" someone suddenly asked.

"Whose family does Zhang Jianguo belong to?" Nobody recognized him. About Zhang Jianguo's home, few knew, only a small part knew that he lived on the east side of the community, alone in a shack, over sixty and lame.

"Heh, it's just that Zhang Jianguo," a man in his fifties chuckled, "He's not a good person—involved in many scandals when he was young. He abandoned his wife and child, eloped with another woman, and later shattered his leg in a construction accident and was abandoned by that mistress.

After wandering alone for decades, he returned to the Fuxing Community old and ill, hoping to be forgiven by his wife and children. Unexpectedly, he was turned away, so he just set up a shack in the east side and said he would die in Fuxing Community if it came to that."

"That's quite pitiful," the people around him said.

"His son is doing well, bought a car," the uncle disdainfully said. "Such a person deserves death. He enjoyed his youth carelessly, and now he wants everyone to help him? I definitely oppose giving him the poverty aid status!"

"Right, I oppose it too!" Immediately, everyone had an opinion.

The crowd on the spot turned into a mess, everyone seemed very excited. Why should this old man enjoy such benefits? He made mistakes in his youth, and now others should bear the consequences? Who would agree to that?

"There are so many poor families in Fuxing Community; the slot should be given to someone else!" someone spoke up.

At that moment, Li Yunpeng said, "Zhang Jianguo indeed made unforgivable mistakes in his youth, but now, he is just a frail old man. No matter what, he's still a resident of our Fuxing Community, and also, he used to work at Fuxing Factory. Since that's the case, shouldn't we lend him a hand?"

Upon hearing this, most people were silent. After all, it was Li Yunpeng who spoke up. His image was highly esteemed and he attracted nationwide attention. Merely being a teacher garnered respect from everyone, not to mention he was also a nationally recognized outstanding teacher. That title was even more impressive.

"But his son has a car and a house; legally, his son should support him!" another person spoke up.

"Right!" Li Yunpeng nodded, "But now his son does not accept him. He kicked him out, so we can't just stand by!"

"Old Li, if you think we can't just stand by, you should go and persuade his son," someone in the crowd came forward and said. "Even if you help him once now, after the five thousand is spent, he will still be a poor old man. If you want to solve the problem in the long run, then you must mediate the relationship between him and his son. Otherwise, you will never really help him."

"Uh…" Li Yunpeng was momentarily stunned.

"That's right, I think what Big Liu said makes sense!" Everyone felt the argument was reasonable.

Seeing that everyone felt this way, Li Yunpeng couldn't continue to insist. Otherwise, if he continued, they'd think he was colluding with Zhang Jianguo. Or that Zhang Jianguo had offered him some benefit. So, Li Yunpeng no longer persisted.

"Alright then." Li Yunpeng nodded, "Then I'll remove his name and replace it with someone else!"

Li Yunpeng listed another family instead. Only then did the objections stop.

After the public announcement for three days, the Residents' Committee immediately audited the twenty-six households to first ensure there were no issues with these households, and then checked their submitted materials for any discrepancies.

Soon, one hundred thirty thousand cash was distributed, five thousand per household. Receiving this money, the twenty-six households were extremely happy and excited. Their gratitude towards Xiao Han was naturally self-evident.

Initially, Chen Zihan did not understand Xiao Han's approach. After all, fifty thousand was not a small sum for Xiao Han's family; it could even be considered a large amount. With Mother Xiao's income of over two thousand a month, it would take over two years of work without spending to save such an amount. But Xiao Han just donated it effortlessly.

"Xiao Han, do you really not regret it?" Chen Zihan asked curiously.

"Yeah!" Xiao Han nodded, "There's nothing to regret."

"But..." Chen Zihan pursed her lips, then said, "Fifty thousand is no small sum for your family!"

"Right!" Xiao Han smiled, "Just like five thousand is no small sum for those poor families. They can solve a lot of their problems with that money. But if my family kept this fifty thousand, it would just sit in a bank account."

"You say you are just that kind-hearted?" Chen Zihan giggled.

"I'm just doing what I can," Xiao Han smiled.