Love letters are not allowed in the exorcism notebook!-Chapter 127: Life is infinitely close to perfection

Commonly referred to as "one dollar" among the populace, the term actually meant one Silver.

From the Former Dynasty to the new government, multiple currency reforms had been undergone. The internationally accepted "Silver" had replaced the "Silver Tael", currently issued by the new government with the President’s portrait, valued nearly equivalent to half Tael of silver.

The "Colorful Banknote" issued by Xingguo Bank on behalf of the government is pegged to both the US Dollar and the Silver. A one-dollar Colorful Banknote is equivalent to one Silver, and it can also be exchanged for 0.4 US Dollar. Of course, as the international finance market fluctuates, this exchange rate is not fixed.

Apart from "Colorful Banknotes", "New Currency", and "Silver", there are also "Food Coupons" issued by government departments to internal staff, which can be used at designated stores to redeem food, also known as Food and Meat Coupons, and represent money in the hands of the ordinary people.

As for higher levels of expenditure, terms like the legendary "Big Yellow Fish" and "Little Yellow Fish" refer to gold bars of ten and one Tael respectively. One Tael’s Little Yellow Fish, about 30 grams in weight, could be exchanged for approximately fifty Silver on the market at that time.

Wang Yunxiao had never seen these in actual form.

A monthly salary of twenty dollars sounds like a lot, but it isn’t enough to make someone lose their senses.

Added up, an annual salary of three thousand three hundred and sixty equates to sixty-six Little Yellow Fish.

Converted to an average gold price of around 600 in 2023, that approaches about one million.

That is no longer a number to keep calm about.

Youtiao was very good at math.

He was the Quartermaster, responsible only for calculations; how the scales divided the gold was Wang Yunxiao’s concern.

"Give all the money to Youtiao. I’ll talk to Principal Zhou later, and deposit all the money in the school’s finance room, where there is a safe," he said while looking at Chen Yan. "Hand over your share too. If you need to use it privately, ask Youtiao for it, otherwise keeping it at your place might invite disasters. Understand?"

Chen Yan was momentarily startled, thought it over, and finally nodded.

Wang Yunxiao had another layer of consideration.

Depositing the money in the Bank would, of course, be safer. But keeping it in the school’s finance room safe...perhaps it might even generate more over time?

One must have dreams.

"This money isn’t falling from the sky; it’s something we brothers will have to trade our lives for in the future. No one is allowed to spend it carelessly!"

Wang Yunxiao pounded the table, speaking solemnly, "If something happens to Chen Yan, her salary can be given to her parents. Do you have that? So all be alert, and don’t take your lives lightly. If you die, what’s the use of unspent money? Isn’t that a troubling loss?"

"Even if you make money, keep a low profile; every month, two or three dollars of pocket money per person is enough for anything! The rest of the money, a part of it keeps enhancing our gear, we must have at least a couple of guns in hand. If possible, buy some real estate, start some business, so we have a place to settle after graduation. The last part of the money should be untouched, just in case. Whoever gets a headache or needs medical treatment, that’s not a small expense either."

There was actually another thing he was too embarrassed to mention, which was to save up a dowry for the two young ladies.

Girls are shy, and bringing it up could make them blush.

But as an elder brother, he couldn’t overlook this matter.

No one had any objections, so it was decided.

That night, no one slept well, all dreaming of counting money.

Wang Yunxiao was also delighted. Since arriving in this time, he had endured all the hardships he’d never experienced in his past life. Now, at last, the bitter days were over, and he was on his way to becoming powerful, reaching the pinnacle of life, winning over a beauty...

Laozi, a mere Garrison Soldier and almost a cultivator, would soon earn a junior high school diploma and a position at the police station, with a monthly salary of twenty dollars. Would marrying a wife not be an ease?

With these conditions, finding a traditional, well-bred, elegant, pretty, well-read, gentle, charming, and understanding two-dimensional national style beauty to date was surely not a hard task, right?

Everything else didn’t really matter.

However, as fulfilling as dreams may be, reality is stark.

The next day when Wang Yunxiao went to see Principal Zhou, Zhou locked him in the office and lectured him for over half an hour.

"The school provides for you, clothing you, giving you a dormitory to live in, allowing you to study, training you to become talents useful to the nation and people. Now that you have skills and can earn money, do you think of the school finance room as your personal safe? Do you think the school is your family’s business? I might as well not sit in this principal’s chair, let’s swap you in to sit here instead!"

Principal Zhou’s spittle flew, leaving Wang Yunxiao unable to raise his head.

"That’s not what I meant..."

"But that’s what you were thinking!"

After sipping some tea and calming down, Principal Zhou spoke to Wang Yunxiao, "You’re a clear-headed person, and you might not be willing to listen to reason, so let’s not go into that. But there are three things you must do, otherwise, even if the Chief of Police personally comes, I wouldn’t make exceptions for you."

Wang Yunxiao quickly smiled apologetically, "You say it, I will definitely try my best."

"It’s not about trying; you must do these things, no room for negotiation."

Principal Zhou raised three fingers, "First, it’s fine you collect salaries from the police department and handle special cases; it’s also a chance to get out and train. But besides that, you must not get involved with people and affairs in the outside society using that status. This is a red line, anyone who disobeys, I’ll directly ask to leave. Go out and earn those twenty dollars, and don’t claim to be my student!"

Wang Yunxiao nodded, "Don’t worry, I also think the same." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Second, it’s okay for you to register at the police department and collect your salaries, but don’t use your real names. Especially for Chen Yan and Jiang Xiaotang, don’t even register them. Now, the new Chief of the Nantong Sub-Bureau is an ex-military, you tell him directly you need three salaries, he’ll understand what you mean."

"Third, you are my students, and should prioritize your studies. No matter how much money you make outside, it can’t interfere with your studies, neither during the day nor at night."

Principal Zhou stared into Wang Yunxiao’s eyes and said earnestly, "Next semester, the school plans to start a senior high section, and through examination, select some students from our school and also admit a few from outside. Some students think having a junior high diploma is sufficient, and indeed, the current social atmosphere supports that, as junior high graduates can find jobs. But I don’t want you to stop there."

"The school is providing resources to focus on training you, which is both a result of your own efforts and our expectations for you, in hopes that you can go further and have a broader development space. Do you understand?"