Chapter 214 - Groundbreaking Ceremony
At this moment, Jack's expression became complicated and conflicted.
Fifty million dollars is money he could earn in twenty or thirty years. It's impossible to say he doesn't want it.
However, this young man who can casually take out fifty million, just how terrifying is his background?
If this person gave you fifty million, would you dare to accept it?
If he took the money, got noticed, and ended up losing his life, it wouldn't be worth it! His gaze shifted, and in the end, he gritted his teeth and approached with a forced smile, saying, "Um... buddy, take back the 50 million, I don't want it."
"Oh? You don't want it, why?" Noah looked at Jack in confusion.
Baldy's lackeys were also dumbfounded, anxiously asking, "Jack, why don't you want it?"
"Yeah, don't let the free money go to waste!"
"That's right, 50 million is not a small sum, and it was voluntarily given by this kid!"
"Why don't you want it?"
The lackeys started discussing, clearly puzzled.
"Shut up, all of you!" Jack turned around and fiercely glared at the lackeys. "What do you guys know?"
After speaking, he looked at Noah again and said, "Brother, give me your card number. I'll refund the money, I can't accept it."
"Are you sure you don't want it?" Noah asked again.
"No!" Jack shook his head vigorously.
Noah didn't insist since Jack didn't want it: "Then return the money."
He gave his card number to Noah.
Soon, the money was refunded.
"So it was Noah..." When returning the money, Jack learned Noah's name.
"Noah, did the money go through?" Jack cautiously asked.
Noah nodded.
Jack breathed a sigh of relief. The money had been refunded.
"Noah, since you know the owner of this Noah barbecue restaurant, from now on, we won't collect protection fees from this barbecue restaurant. Today's incident, from beginning to end, didn't happen."
Jack said, his only desire now was to distance himself from Noah.
"That works." Noah nodded.
The next step was simple. Jack left Orchard Breeze Avenue with his lackeys.
"Noah, thank you so much." Grace walked over, gratitude written all over her face. "You just saved me ten thousand dollars!"
"It was nothing." Noah waved his hand, it was a small matter for him.
Anyone with a bit of common sense wouldn't accept that 50 million.
And with today's incident, Noah estimated that Grace's barbecue restaurant could safely continue operating on Orchard Breeze Avenue.
If any trouble came their way, with Noah's face, Jack should be willing to lend a hand and help solve the problem.
Around ten at night, Noah drove home as usual.
Since Charlotte started working at the barbecue restaurant, Noah no longer needed to come in every day to help. He would just stop by once in a while to check on things.
Now, his focus was on taking the remaining company public and collaborating with the Winchester Family logistics.
...
The next day, a phone call woke Noah up from his sleep.
"Noah, it's Quentin," Quentin's respectful voice came through.
"What's up?" Noah asked.
"The construction of the school in the slum area is starting today, and I wanted to invite you to attend the ribbon-cutting," Quentin said.
Quentin could tell from Noah's lazy voice that he was still in bed, so he cautiously asked, afraid of disturbing him.
"When?"
"Ten o'clock in the morning," Quentin said.
"Alright, I'll come over in a bit."
Noah tidied up and drove to the slum area.
He wasn't particularly interested in these ribbon-cutting events; he was mainly there to see how Grace and Scarlett were doing living in the slum area.
At half-past nine, Noah arrived at the slum area.
The construction noise was still thundering in the slum area, with bulldozers, excavators, and cranes in operation. Workers wearing uniforms and safety helmets were moving around, and the air was filled with dust, which was somewhat suffocating.
The slum area redevelopment project was a large-scale project lasting two to three years, so there wouldn't be much improvement in the slum area in the short term.
However, all the residents had already moved to their new homes, which had much better living conditions.
"Noah! You finally came!"
Laughter came from a middle-aged man wearing glasses with black rims. He walked over with a smile, followed by more than a dozen men in suits, each exuding a faint air of authority.
This middle-aged man was Quentin, the director of the education bureau.
"You changed your glasses?" Noah glanced at Quentin.
"Yeah, I changed them. The lenses were shattered that day at the School of Economics and Finance, so I had to change them," Quentin said with a smile.
"Noah, let me introduce you to the people behind me. They are colleagues from the education system, as well as the future principal and administrative director of Maplewood Primary School."
"Hello, Noah!"
The people stepped forward and respectfully greeted Noah.
"Noah, your boundless love and donation to the slum area, building Lisa, your benevolent deeds truly touched me!"
"Yes! Noah, please let me bow to you!"
"You are the benefactor of over three hundred children in the slum area!"
"You are different from those celebrities who organize charity galas, create publicity, and even raise money. You truly do good deeds, practical deeds, and kind deeds!"
These people spoke one after another, some of them bowing directly to Noah, expressing sincere gratitude and respect deep from their hearts.
There are plenty of wealthy people nowadays, but there are very few wealthy people like Noah who not only have money but also give back to society.
There are few who can live by the principle of "do good deeds for oneself when poor and help others when wealthy".
And clearly, Noah is one of those people.
"But with more wealth comes greater responsibility."
Noah waved his hand dismissively and said casually.
"Alright, Noah, it's time to start the ribbon-cutting ceremony and get to work! Those children are waiting for us! Let's go!"
Quentin said with a smile.
Noah nodded, and a group of people, led by Noah, headed towards the location of the future Maplewood Primary School.
The stage had already been set up, with a huge curtain behind it that read "Celebrating the Ribbon-Cutting and Construction of Maplewood Primary School."
Below the stage stood a group of children, lined up in a row, totaling over three hundred.
They were all somewhat thin, and some of them even wore tattered clothes with patches. They looked at the stage with wide eyes, feeling timid.
"Noah, please go up on the stage!"
Quentin gestured for Noah to go up first.
Noah didn't refuse and walked up the stage. The people behind him followed and stood in a row. Naturally, Noah stood in the middle.
All eyes were on Noah in the center.
"Noah, big brother!"
When she saw the boy standing in the center of the stage, Scarlett, a cute and stunning little girl, exclaimed with excitement.
Scarlett never expected to encounter Noah at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
"Scarlett, do you know the person on the stage?"
A dark-skinned little boy next to her asked.
"Of course, I know! Noah big brother even came to my house for dinner!"
Scarlett's face showed a proud expression.
