Chapter 929: Meeting with MacLehose

Time passed quickly, and a week passed in the blink of an eye. Lin Shanyuan and the others finally came up with a relatively complete plan.

Xia Yu once again called a meeting with everyone, and also called in Wang Gengwu to attend. With collective wisdom, the plan was further improved, and the new departments and majors to be added to Jiuding University were also determined accordingly.

After the meeting, Xia Yu ordered Huo Jianning to contact the Hong Kong government and send a formal invitation. Sir Murray MacLehose confirmed that he could spare an afternoon to meet with Xia Yu the next afternoon.

The following afternoon, Xia Yu, fully refreshed, brought Huo Jianning and his bodyguards and drove to the Governor's residence.

Led by MacLehose's personal secretary, Xia Yu and the others arrived at MacLehose's office.

Seeing Xia Yu's figure appear in the doorway, MacLehose, who was dealing with some documents, immediately smiled and got up to welcome him.

'Mr Xia, welcome!'

'Good afternoon, Governor!'

'Good afternoon!'

After a round of pleasantries, MacLehose led Xia Yu and Fok Kin-ning to sit down, and his secretary began making tea after asking the two men what they preferred.

'Governor, I'm afraid I'll have to take up a lot of your valuable time this afternoon,'

Xia Yu said with a smile before the tea was ready.

MacLehose shook his head and said with a smile, 'You're being modest, Mr Xia. If you say my time is valuable, doesn't that mean your time is even more valuable than mine?'

'Throughout the history of Hong Kong, you are the first person to become a guest of honour at the White House, and the matters discussed are no longer confined to the small city of Hong Kong.

'As the person with the strongest international vision and strength in Hong Kong, I have always wanted to have a good chat with you.'

After all, MacLehose was no ordinary person. Although Xia Yu had not asked Jiuding Newspaper Company to report news related to him, the change of the US presidency had too great an impact, and MacLehose naturally got the relevant news from other channels.

In Hong Kong, Xia Yu was still able to control public opinion, but in the United States and Europe, the appearance of Xia Yu, a yellow man, also attracted the attention of some media.

However, MacLehose did not learn about Xia Yu from the media, but from news from the UK, which reminded him that Xia Yu's influence in the international community was already extraordinary, and that he should pay more attention.

Xia Yu didn't take it seriously, and said with a faint smile, 'Governor, I am not a guest of the US President, I just happen to have some common topics with Reagan, such as the economy and employment.'

'It so happens that I have seen a lot of things in the United States this time, and I am deeply moved. That is why I have come here to have a good chat with you, Governor.'

'Come to think of it, it seems that although I have visited you many times, I have never really sat down and had a good chat.'

McLehose nodded with a smile and asked in return, 'Yes, but isn't this a good start?'

'Yes!'

Xia Yu smiled and nodded in reply.

Then he straightened up and said, 'Governor, although I also have many businesses in the UK and the US, ultimately, Hong Kong is the place where I was born and raised. This is my hometown. You have been in Hong Kong for more than nine years, and you should know the Chinese people's complex about their hometown.'

MacLehose nodded in understanding. He did understand the Chinese people's attachment to their hometowns, and he respected it.

Xia Yu continued, 'Although Hong Kong is my hometown, I can say without reservation that it is only after seeing the appearance of developed countries that I have a concrete idea of Hong Kong's backwardness and poverty. If I don't have the ability, then it's fine, but since I have a certain ability, then I can't just let it go.'

'My original intention is the same as yours!'

'Governor, you have been in power for more than nine years, and you have always been deeply loved and supported by the people of Hong Kong. You are the best governor Hong Kong has ever had. It was you who promoted drastic reforms, which have brought profound changes to the social landscape of Hong Kong. Under your administration, Hong Kong has seen earth-shaking changes in healthcare, education, transportation, welfare, social security, infrastructure, and so on.'

Hearing this, MacLehose couldn't help but smile.

The same words, when spoken by different people, have completely different effects.

Compared to ordinary people, the praise for his governance performance expressed by a top boss like Xia Yu was undoubtedly quite pleasing to MacLehose's ears, and it made him feel very comfortable.

Xia Yu wasn't flattering or blowing smoke up his butt, but just speaking his mind.

It's like you can't offset your merits with your faults.

Motives are motives, actions are actions!

It is undeniable that MacLehose's rule of Hong Kong had elements of wrestling with the mainland and establishing a positive image of the UK in the hearts of Hong Kong people.

But he did make huge changes in Hong Kong. During his rule, Chinese became the official language of Hong Kong, public housing was built within ten years to improve the living environment of at least one million citizens, nine-year compulsory education was implemented, the Independent Commission Against Corruption was established, the subway was built, and people's livelihood was improved.

Later, Hong Kong became one of the 'Four Little Dragons of Asia', thanks to the solid foundation laid during his 10 and a half years in office.

However, Xia Yu did not simply come to make MacLehose happy.

Then he changed the subject and said, 'Governor, you came to Hong Kong in 1971. This year is 1981, and soon your term of office will be ten years. Although there are still seven or eight months left, basically things have already been decided, and the outside world has already begun to talk about the decade that is about to pass and the new decade that is about to begin.

'Legally, it is the responsibility of the Hong Kong government to build Hong Kong, but in a broader sense, it is the responsibility of every Hong Kong citizen.'

'I think with my abilities, I should be able to help the Hong Kong government!'

MacLehose felt that he had already roughly heard the meaning in Xia Yu's words, so he nodded without hesitation in affirmation, 'Mr. Xia, if you don't have the ability, then no one in Hong Kong will have it!'

'You have already made an indelible contribution to Hong Kong in the areas of education, healthcare, charity, employment, and so on!'

'On behalf of the Hong Kong government, I would like to thank you for your dedication to Hong Kong, and I sincerely hope that you will continue to contribute to Hong Kong!'

Xia Yu smiled broadly, and after a moment of humility, he said, 'Since you, Mr. Governor, have given me your approval, I will speak directly.'

'Please go ahead!' MacLehose extended his right hand in a gesture of invitation.

'The first thing is about Jiuding University.'

He then looked at Fok Kin-ning next to him, who immediately took out a document from his briefcase and handed it to Xia Yu, who then personally handed it to MacLehose.

The latter immediately took it.

Xia Yu's words then followed: 'Governor, the first phase of Jiuding University has been completed, and you also attended the groundbreaking ceremony before. The school will open in September this year. Here is some information and plans about Jiuding University. Please take a few minutes to have a look.'

'Okay!'

MacLehose nodded in response and then opened the document in his hands.

A few minutes later, MacLehose said to Xia Yu in surprise, 'Mr Xia, Jiuding University plans to enrol 8,000 students this year? This number already exceeds the combined enrolment of Xiangjiang University and Xiangjiang Chinese University!'

Xia Yu immediately said, 'Yes, but even so, this year, the vast majority of students will still be unable to receive higher education after graduating from high school. If possible, I would hate to increase the number of admissions, but unfortunately the conditions do not allow it.'

'If Jiuding University can admit 8,000 students, it will benefit at least 8,000 families!'

MacLehose first affirmed Jiuding University, and then asked, 'But Mr. Xia, running a university is not simply about enrolling students, but about giving students a good education. Can Jiuding University achieve this?'

Xia Yu replied, 'Yes, it can. In terms of hardware, Jiuding University has received more than 600 million Hong Kong dollars in social donations. Apart from the construction of the school and the procurement of various hardware facilities and laboratory equipment, there is still more than 400 million Hong Kong dollars in the school's account. So there is absolutely no shortage of hardware!'

'In terms of software, Jiuding University has recruited high-level teachers and professors from all over the world. So far, 621 teachers and professors have been recruited, and President Wang is still actively recruiting teachers. I believe that by June, the university will be able to recruit more than 1,200 teachers and professors, which is enough to keep the teacher-student ratio below 1:7!'

MacLehose nodded at once, and his worries vanished. A teacher-student ratio of 1:7 was already exceptionally good. As far as he knew, the teacher-student ratios at Xiangjiang University and Xiangjiang Chinese University were between 1:8 and 1:9!

Money could solve any hardware problem. Jiuding University's financial resources were many times stronger than those of Xiangjiang University and Xiangjiang Chinese University, so there was no problem with the hardware.

With better software and hardware, there was no reason that Jiuding University students could not receive a good education.

In that case, what was Xia Yu still worried about?

Although he had a vague suspicion in his heart, MacLehose still asked, 'Mr Xia, what are your other concerns?'

Xia Yu immediately said, 'It's that the school is too small!'

'Currently, Jiuding University covers an area of 60 hectares, and the teaching buildings and dormitories that have been built are sufficient to accommodate 20,000 teachers and students.'

'But this year, Jiuding University will recruit 8,000 students, and together with the more than 1,200 teachers, as well as some administrative and school support staff, Jiuding University will have around 10,000 people after the start of the school year.'

'If we don't expand now, and wait until next year to recruit students, Jiuding University will be full, and by the year after next, we won't be able to recruit students.'

'Therefore, the area of Jiuding University needs to be at least doubled, otherwise there will definitely be problems in two years!'

'I hope that Governor Sir can allocate some more land around Jiuding University to Jiuding University for school construction!'

MacLehose frowned slightly, always feeling that something was wrong, and he pondered in secret.

Xia Yu also did not rush, picked up his teacup and slowly drank.

In a moment, MacLehose looked at Xia Yu sharply and asked, 'Mr. Xia, I remember that when Jiuding University was first approved for construction, the area was discussed with you, so why is this happening now?'