Tian Tian never followed celebrities, nor did she pay attention to the entertainment industry, so she didn't know that Peng Fei had made money in such a short time.
After reading through their chat history, she was a bit surprised.
"This guy is something else, suddenly becoming an idol in the entertainment industry and wanting to donate his earnings to his hometown? For their shabby place, even if the road is actually built, this amount of money might not be enough to even start, is he really willing?"
Chen Dongyang felt that Tian Tian was too biased against Peng Fei.
Perhaps because he was a man and understood men better, his intuition told him that Peng Fei wasn't that bad, so he was willing to speak up for him.
"The money has all been transferred to me, so it's certainly not for show. Besides, if that place is truly built up and changes the local mindset, so that no one is sold into it anymore, it would be a great deed."
"You know the environment there better than I do. If the road is actually built, many things will need coordination. I don't feel at ease leaving it to others, and I plan to handle it myself. Do you agree?"
Tian Tian naturally agreed.
Back in the day, she and Chen Dongyang had also stayed in remote, impoverished areas for a long time, contributing to the local education for several years.
Charity had become a belief and habit for their family. They felt uneasy if they didn't do it.
Moreover, if it succeeded, it would also fulfill Chun Chun's wish.
Peng Fei was very grateful and really wanted to ask about Zhan Jing Chun's current situation, but he dared not.
It felt like he had just achieved a little and wanted to go to her to claim credit.
He decided to do even better, make his hometown's construction even more perfect, and then go to Chun Chun to apologize for his past transgressions.
The next day, Peng Fei rejoined the film crew.
At his level of fame, though popular, he could only accept roles in web series by unknown directors with small productions, and even then, they were of a suggestive nature.
They claimed to express brotherhood, but those who understood, understood.
The web series was filmed in about 20 days. Peng Fei then moved on to commercial performances and fashion shows, busy every day.
Time flew by, and two more months passed. The web series aired and became a massive hit.
How popular was it?
On a certain short video app, for every five videos you scrolled through, three were related to it.
It was almost a matter of national discussion.
Even many celebrities were quoting lines from the show.
Peng Fei, who was once an unknown rural model, had successfully ascended to become a top-tier idol.
Immediately after, he received a job offer that he never could have dreamed of.
To participate in Paris Fashion Week's spring exhibition next year.
He had received work requests to go abroad before, but because Peng Fei didn't have a passport and had never left the country, his agent felt it was optional and declined them.
But this was different. Those who could participate in Paris Fashion Week were remarkable figures. Peng Fei would be on the same stage as them, truly a symbol of status, and he had to go, no matter what.
After finishing his current work, his agent immediately began coordinating his schedule, asking him to return to his hometown to apply for a passport.
This was the first time he had returned home in over a year, and it was a triumphant homecoming.
Peng Fei called his sister and mother to inform them, and the news spread the next day.
When he got off the plane, transferred to a business car, and endured the bumpy ride back to town, he was almost greeted with a welcoming parade.
Reporters from the county television station, carrying cameras, and holding banners, all the townspeople had come to the town and surrounded him tightly, as if welcoming a great and important figure back.
Peng Fei didn't care whether people praised him or how they praised him. Hearing everyone say that the road had been flattened where it needed to be and that construction had already begun in many places was the greatest comfort.
His mother, sister, elder sister, and uncle, along with his cousins, stood at the very front of the crowd. Peng Fei greeted them one by one, introduced his agent, and asked them to get in the car to go home.
This was the first time his mother and uncle had ridden in a car in their lives, and they were incredibly proud and honored.
However, while they were one way in front of outsiders, they were another way back at home.
His mother couldn't help but complain to Peng Fei.
"You've earned so much money, why don't you send more home to help repair the houses, and let your cousin get married? Why did you donate it all for the road?"
"You don't know how angry I was when I heard you were paying for the road construction all by yourself! I raised you with so much hardship. Besides your sister, and with your uncle's help, who else has ever helped us? Why should you build it for them?"
"You're so foolish! Millions of dollars, neither I nor your uncle could earn this much in several lifetimes. If we spent it ourselves, what kind of life couldn't we have? You're so stupid!"
Peng Fei could now understand Zhan Jing Chun's feelings back then when his mother said these things.
When people stand at different perspectives, see things from different levels, and have completely different understandings, it's truly like talking to a brick wall.
You can't understand what they're saying, and you can't agree with what they're saying, it's truly disheartening.
He was grateful that he had left and reached this point.
No matter how angry his mother was, he would earn more money in the future to build his hometown and help everyone else leave.
He couldn't let the next generation of children repeat their old path; it was too tragic.
His mother said a lot, and seeing Peng Fei ignore her, she pressed on.
"What's your attitude? Why aren't you paying attention to me? Are you still angry with me? I'm your mother, how can you be so heartless? If it weren't for me, would you have today?"
"In ancient times, scholars studied diligently for over a decade, and upon becoming the top scholar, they would still vie for a noble title for their mothers. You haven't even brought home that much money, and now you look down on me?"
"Or have you found that woman again, reconciled with her, and she's not letting you recognize me?"
Peng Fei wasn't angry about anything his mother said, but he couldn't stand it when she slandered Zhan Jing Chun.
"Can you please stop talking about her? We wronged her in the first place, we hurt her, why should we still curse her?"
"Especially you, you even [unclear word for mistreated] her... such trashy family. If she hadn't run away, can you imagine what kind of life she would be living now?"
"That's right, I found her again, but she doesn't fancy me! She'll never reconcile with me, you can rest assured!"
"Alas, Mom, I don't blame you. You've barely been to the town a few times in your life, and there are things you simply cannot understand."
"You can't imagine how rich her parents are, how successful their family is, how much of a golden branch she is, and how kind they are."
"If she wanted revenge after running away, forget about you and me, she could have leveled the entire town with her family, do you know that?"
Her words silenced Peng Fei's mother.
She believed him.
After all, not long after President Peng left, a group of people driving black cars came to the village and even entered their house.
The man leading them was very tall and intimidating.
However, they just looked around and left without saying much.
Could it be that those people were sent by Zhan Jing Chun?
She no longer dared to argue with Peng Fei: "The money is spent, there's no use saying more. I won't mention it anymore, okay?"