Chapter 1120: 1026: A Different Path in Life (Part 1)

Chapter 1120: Chapter 1026: A Different Path in Life (Part 1)

“What’s so bad about the widow from the Budu family?” Leon said angrily, “Roman should listen to his uncle and go back to marry her immediately…”

The door of Leon’s house was pushed open forcefully, and a suitcase was thrown out from inside.

“He’s over thirty and still playing the runaway act. If he stays any longer, Uncle Sapina will kick my butt!”

Shortly after, a frail man with a big head and thin neck staggered out, picked up the suitcase, and looked towards the yard helplessly and resentfully.

Mrs. Leono followed him out, softly comforting the frail man.

Then Leon’s eldest son Dom also came out, but turned his head to the yard and said, “Father, Uncle has the right to pursue love. Madam Budu may have some money, but her rudeness and sharp tongue are well-known…”

Leon’s figure appeared in front of them with a displeased look: “Pursue love? Ha, no wonder he wants to come to our house…”

He caught sight of his wife’s volcano-like impending eruption expression and quickly swallowed the rest of his words.

Well, this Mr. Roman is Mrs. Leono’s cousin, who once pursued her in their youth. Although Leon eventually won the beauty’s heart, he still held some grudges over this matter.

Leon turned to his eldest son: “Now that you’re married and occupying a separate room, we have no extra place for him to stay…”

Dom immediately said, “Father, I’m planning to go to Paris next week, and Maria will go with me. My room can be used for Uncle to stay then.”

Leon frowned, “What are you going to Paris for?”

“To enroll in the Paris Military Technology School.”

Leon pointed at Roman and shouted at his wife, “Listen, listen! It’s your cousin spouting nonsense about ‘Administration College’ and ‘Military Academy’ to Dom, causing him to lose his mind!

“Dom is the eldest son of the family. Now he wants to take his newlywed wife to another province. Who’s going to inherit the Leon family business in the future?!”

Dom patted his chest and said, “Father, you know, my dream is to become a tax officer and save suffering families like ours back in the day…”

“Tax officer?” Leon waved his hand, “You are just a farmer’s son; honestly staying home and farming is what you should do, don’t think about becoming an officer.”

Dom argued, “Uncle said the government now has new regulations. If I graduate with high scores from the Military Academy, I might be recommended to the University of Economics and Taxation or apply to the Administration College.

“Even if I can’t become a tax officer, I want to join the Official Investigation Bureau.

“As for inheriting the family business, leave it to Mark.”

Mark is his younger brother, 13 years old this year, quite grown-up for a country lad.

“You can’t just shirk your responsibilities, brother.” Mark pouted.

His academic performance has always been excellent, always ranking in the top three at the village Church school. He is bound to head to Paris someday—this is a path chosen by most second sons in France.

He looked at his father again: “Actually, you don’t need to worry. Brother can’t even count to 10,000, he surely won’t meet the recommendation scores, and he’ll return next year.”

Counting to 10,000 in French isn’t easy; one must learn the basics of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. This may also be why France produces so many mathematicians.

“I can definitely do it!” Dom responded defiantly, “I can ride a horse, which will earn me extra points!”

“No way!” Leon exerted his paternal authority, “You will stay at home and are not allowed to go anywhere!”

Dom stubbornly stuck out his neck but dared not stand up to his father anymore.

At this moment, he caught sight of Rochefort standing not far away, watching the commotion, and immediately strode over and seriously bowed, “Master Rochefort, you’ve come from Paris and must be knowledgeable; judge for us…”

Leon also followed, bowing, “Master, please tell this boy that the eldest son inheriting the family business is following Jesus’ will.”

Roman whispered beside him, “Master, Dom is very talented in learning, he was just delayed when he was younger, and he’s full of a sense of justice, he should be given a chance…”

“Shut up!” Leon turned to scold him, then said to Rochefort, “Master, this brother-in-law of mine has been idle since he was young, never cares about the land after sowing the seeds, and his harvest is less than half of ours.

“He spends all day going to the Church or borrowing books from Master Elvigne’s, shouting about wanting to go to Lanska University, but he’s over 30 years old and hasn’t accomplished anything, not even married.

“And now he’s encouraging Dom to be like him.

“Tell me, shouldn’t I give him a beating?”

Rochefort suddenly felt a headache, secretly regretting having watched the spectacle for one more second, and now found it challenging to leave.

In fact, he knew that this frail man might not necessarily be idle, but in the past, even with excellent academic performance, if the family had no money, there was no chance to attend school—let alone university, even ordinary school fees were beyond what a farmer could afford.

But now things are different, children from poor families can take the route of military or police school, not only exempting tuition fees but even receiving scholarships.

Those with good grades can go on to university for free.

There were talks about the government planning to establish Industrial Technical Schools to train middle and lower-level technicians, also adopting a half-free military school model.

There was even news that ordinary schools will waive tuition fees in the future.

So if Dom is capable, going to a big city now might be a good choice.

He deliberated a bit and said to the angry Leon: “You see, now with the steam pumping machine, various industrial fertilizers, and all-purpose flying cars, even with just you and your wife, you can manage the family’s land.”

Dom added from the side, “And the steam mill.”

“The steam thresher.” Mark chimed in casually.

“Exactly.” Rochefort nodded, “So why not let the child see the world?

“If it really doesn’t work out, he can come back and inherit the family business.

“If he achieves something, oh, you know, Colonel Ney, who fought alongside General Moreau to the gates of Vienna, his family used to make barrels. It only took him 5 years after graduating from the Paris Police Academy to become a colonel.

“Besides, even if he can’t be an official, with a flexible mind, one could earn what you make in a year within two or three months in Paris by doing some business or being a technician.”

Though the master from Paris spoke convincingly, Leon still felt uneasy, wanting to argue a bit more, but suddenly saw a black carriage stopping at his doorstep.

A well-dressed middle-aged man stepped out of the carriage, looked around at the crowd, and politely asked, “Excuse me, is Roman Odorik Sapina here?”