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Seeing Gu Heng grimacing, Xu Hong’s heart softened a bit, and she lessened her grip slightly, whispering, "You smelly brat! Just like your father, you get cocky once you have some money! We’ll settle this when we get back!"

In Xu Hong’s eyes, whether Gu Heng spent millions on a Bentley or millions on building a house, it was all spending on his own family.

Though still somewhat reluctant, this was due to a fear of poverty and the discomfort of suddenly living a good life... and not because of being stingy with her own family.

But what Gu Heng said on stage just now had truly crossed Xu Hong’s line...

In her view, anything involving the larger collective, even if her own family paid a penny more, was a huge loss...

However, in this situation, she chose to save face for Gu Heng, not creating a scene as she had done earlier at home...

Gu Heng was clear about his mother’s thinking...

She epitomized the typical rural woman’s mindset of prioritizing the family essentials above all, for in her heart, nothing was more important than that small plot of family land...

If it were a usual affair, Gu Heng would be willing to indulge her, but on this matter, he had no choice but to defy her...

After all, to fulfill his father Gu Jianguo’s dream, this money had to be spent...

....

....

Clearly, Gu Heng was a bit too idealistic and had underestimated the complexity of rural people’s hearts; sometimes, even spending money could be a difficult task...

On the high platform, it took the village chief half a minute to recover from Gu Heng’s speech.

He hurriedly addressed the crowd through the microphone, "You all heard what Gu Heng just said, Gu Heng is willing to donate 2 million! For the remaining 2 million, each family only needs to contribute 15 thousand. Do you have anything else to say now?"

The village chief only wanted to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

As for the positioning of each surname’s ancestral spirit tablets, he couldn’t care less.

But the villagers below clearly weren’t planning on cooperating, with Zhang Laoba, who had just quarreled with Gu Heng’s family, being the first to voice opposition, "Impossible, our village’s largest surname by number is Li, with around 30 households. Larger surnames come first, smaller surnames follow, that’s the rule set by our ancestors.

It doesn’t matter if Gu Jianguo spends 200 million, even if his family covers all the costs for repairing the clan hall, it still can’t happen!"

Zhang Laoba’s mind was quick, and with just one sentence, he stirred up conflict between the largest Li surname in the village and the Gu family...

After all, putting the ancestral spirit tablets of the Gu surname in the first place didn’t really affect others much; the ones truly affected were just the Lis...

"Exactly, there’s over a hundred of us Lis, and we should make way for just a few of the Gus?"

"If I agreed, tonight my ancestors would surely come to take me away!"

"This is impossible to accept in my family; I could never agree!"

As expected, following Zhang Laoba’s instigation, many of the Lis began to speak out in opposition.

The village chief, sitting above, twitched with anger as he listened to these opposing voices...

These damn fools...

They cry poverty and put on an act of misery when it’s time to donate.

Now there’s someone willing to contribute a large sum, and they’re still finding things to complain about...

If it were anything else, he might be able to assert his authority as village chief, but on the matter of repairing the clan hall, he really didn’t dare...

It was a new era, but rural areas still revered ancestral worship, and if he dared to make decisions on their behalf, he could expect some bold enough to create trouble at his home. By then, it wouldn’t just be the Gu family’s ancestral spirit tablets that couldn’t be placed at the forefront; his own family’s spirit tablets might end up being burned to ashes...

Gu Jianguo, noting the dissent around him, looked rather displeased...

He had never imagined that despite his family’s willingness to shell out 2 million just for the prime placement of an ancestral spirit tablet, these people would still disagree...

Gu Heng, seeing his father’s expression, knew exactly what he was thinking and maintained a serene smile on his face...

He then helped Gu Jianguo up, saying, "Dad, let’s go home."

Gu Jianguo also realized that his hope of honoring his ancestors was hard to fulfill...

His son had made the greatest effort; if there was blame, it lay only in his own underestimation of the shamelessness of these so-called fellow villagers...

Having helped Gu Jianguo stand up, Gu Heng said with a smile to the group of villagers who were staring at the three members of his family, "Since everyone seems so eager to save me money, then I reluctantly accept everyone’s kindness.

I won’t donate the 2 million. Our Gu family will also stay out of the clan hall repair. Arrange the spirit tablets however you wish, it has nothing to do with me."

Having said that, Gu Heng led his parents out of the village committee compound.

Gu Jianjun’s family was now following Gu Heng’s lead completely. Seeing that Gu Heng was leaving, the couple each picked up a long bench and followed behind him...

"Is the Gu family abandoning their ancestors? Makes sense; driving a Bentley worth millions, why would you need those poor ancestors?"

Seeing that Gu Heng’s family was jeered away, Zhang Laoba felt extremely pleased, unable to resist verbally mocking them.

Could Xu Hong tolerate this?

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Just as she was about to retort, Gu Heng stopped her.

Gu Heng, still wearing his gentle, spring breeze-like smile, said, "Zhang Laoba, are you hard of hearing?

Didn’t you hear what I just said? Since you disagree, then I will simply build a small clan hall next to my house, exclusively for the spirit tablets of our Gu surname. It’s just a matter of spending money, right? I’m already planning to spend five to six hundred million on building a house for my parents, so what’s a few hundred million more?"