CHAPTER 744: CHAPTER 742 COMPARABLE TO THE SPRING FESTIVAL TRAVEL RUSH [FOURTH UPDATE]

The next morning.

Lu Xiaobu hadn’t even opened his eyes in the RV when he heard the bad news.

Grandpa Wang had passed away!

He left with a smile on his face!

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaobu sat in the vehicle, stunned for a moment, and uncharacteristically lit a cigarette.

Gone?

Just like that?!

To be honest, there was no grief, as they had only known each other for less than a day.

But there was an incessant flood of bleakness welling up from within.

Because Lu Xiaobu felt like the old man had been waiting for someone to fulfill his last wish!

Once someone appeared, his waiting was over.

Inexplicably, another burden of responsibility had once again landed on Lu Xiaobu’s shoulders!

"Let Xiao Wang stay, ask him to handle the funeral for me! Cover any expenses!"

Lu Xiaobu didn’t get out of the car but quietly arranged it.

"Yes."

Liang Lan nodded, her face unable to hide her sorrow.

The other three women were no exception.

After all, women are sentimental!

They simply couldn’t accept the Grandpa Wang, who had been chatting with them endlessly about the past the day before, and who had become as excited as a child upon hearing Lu Xiaobu’s plans,

was suddenly gone today!

They hadn’t even had the chance to say good morning to the old man!

Rest assured, Grandpa Wang, they will certainly do their utmost to ensure your craft is passed on!

"Zhang Meng, let’s go, find Grandpa Wang’s junior brother—Guan Changsheng," commanded Lu Xiaobu.

"Yes!"

Zhang Meng nodded and started the vehicle.

...

Amid the somewhat somber atmosphere, Lu Xiaobu and his group reached their destination.

Guan Changsheng’s house was much nicer than Grandpa Wang’s, seemingly living a decent life.

However, Lu Xiaobu noticed something obvious.

That was a small warehouse by Guan’s door, wide open, filled with various exquisite bamboo products.

Judging by the traces on these furnishings, old and new, they weren’t made in one go!

And most strikingly, there was a sign at the door—take whatever you need.

Turned out, everything was for free.

Just as Grandpa Wang had said, his junior brother hadn’t let go either.

As they reached the doorstep, before they could knock, they overheard an argument.

"Dad, can you please stop fussing with this stuff? You can’t sell it, and the bamboo is sharp; what if you get hurt?" A woman’s voice came through.

"Don’t mind me!" A persistent middle-aged man’s voice responded, sounding like he was in his fifties or sixties.

Woman: "I can leave you be, but could you please not drag Xiao Hu into this anymore? He needs to go to school and take tutoring classes, learn the piano; he really has no time to play with you!"

The old man’s anger clearly rose: "Play?! Is this a plaything?! This is craft! It’s our ancestral heritage! Far better than that darn piano!"

The woman’s anger rose as well: "Craft! Craft! It’s only a craft if people want it; if not, it’s junk! Look at that pile of stuff in the small warehouse, how long has it been thrown there!? Does anyone want it?! Even for free, no one wants them!"

The old man was at a loss for words: "What do you mean no one wants it? Someone clearly took one yesterday!"

The woman scoffed: "Yes! It was taken away, taken for a game of mahjong! Look, they’ve just returned it!"

The old man fell silent.

The atmosphere sank into a lull.

A few seconds passed.

"Forget it, I don’t have time to argue with you, I’m taking Xiao Hu to his tutoring class," the woman said at last.

Soon, the door opened.

"Who are you?" The woman at the door was visibly taken aback upon seeing Lu Xiaobu and the others.

"Oh, we’re here to see Mr. Guan," Lu Xiaobu said with a smile.

"Oh, he’s inside." The woman nodded and then turned to call out, "Dad, someone’s here to see you!"

After speaking, the woman led the visitors away.

Watching the woman leave, Lu Xiaobu sighed — it’s really not easy for any craftsman who is still holding on!

Survival comes before development; that is always the truth!

If they can’t survive, then let me help them survive!

...

Entering the room, Lu Xiaobu explained their purpose and situation to Guan Changsheng.

After a brief silence, Guan Changsheng agreed: "Okay, I’ll go!"

"Aren’t you going to pay tribute to your elder apprentice brother?" Liang Lan asked, puzzled.

"I’ll go after we find a successor," Guan Changsheng sighed. "If we can’t find one, there would be no point in going."

This nearly cold remark made Lu Xiaobu and the others feel once again the craftsperson’s pessimism and sorrow regarding the inheritance of their skills!

Don’t be fooled by their seemingly fierce talk; in reality, they probably have already given up!

You see, Guan Changsheng’s eager agreement was nothing more than a desperate attempt, making the best of a bad situation!

A sorrowfully desperate attempt!

...

By the time they returned to Shimen, the atmosphere in the car was very heavy, with everyone feeling the weight in their hearts.

Without understanding, you’ll never know just how desperate the situation is for these craftsmen.

"Sister Lan, issue the command, start the school, open enrollment!"

Lu Xiaobu commanded with a grand gesture, no longer waiting!

"Yes!"

Liang Lan was also full of fiery enthusiasm!

...

On that very day, the news of Lu Xiaobu’s school starting enrollment spread throughout the entire Heavenly Dynasty!

In fact, people had been extremely interested in Lu Xiaobu’s school for a long time!

So once the news was released, people didn’t even care to check the details; they just grabbed their children and rushed to Lu Xiaobu’s school!

"I can’t believe it, school is finally starting!"

"I’ve been waiting for this day for so long!"

"What are y’all getting so excited about!? It’s just Lu Xiaobu setting up a school!"

"Just a school!? Why don’t you say ’just’ when Lu Xiaobu is the one doing it?! Who is Lu Xiaobu?! A man whose essays have been included in textbooks! Who has given speeches at universities nationwide! The one for whom the nation’s university presidents have collectively petitioned when establishing a school! Tell me, could a school set up by such a person be anything less than excellent!?"

"Exactly! Lu Xiaobu is famously known as the one who squanders his family’s fortune without a second thought! His school is surely staffed with renowned teachers and equipped with the best facilities! Going to such a school will definitely get you into a good university!"

"Damn! Yeah! How did I not think of that! I want to enroll too, but, my kid is still in class!"

"Screw the classes! Go have a look, it’s likely that everyone else’s kids have already gone to Shimen to find Lu Xiaobu!"

"We can’t lose at the starting line!"

"That’s right, that’s right! We’ve got to be quick!"

"..."

On that day, as soon as the news was out, a mass migration activity began, comparable to the Chunyun (Spring Festival Travel Rush)!

All the schools were dumbfounded!

Have all these parents gone mad?!

It’s just Lu Xiaobu opening a school!

Why does it seem like you are dragging your sons to be reborn, and moreover, to be reborn into the Lu Family?!

How many spots does the Lu Family even have?!

Besides, how many wives would Lu Xiaobu have to marry to enable your children to be successfully ’reborn’?!

At this rate, even a steel rod will be ground down to a needle, honestly!