After He Hongjun left, Father Lu said to Feng Qingxue, "This man possesses both ambition and ability, and is definitely not an ordinary person."
"Father, how did you see that? Where did you notice it from?" Feng Qingxue was very curious. Isn’t He Hongjun just a normal young man who had stopped by while on the road to seek aid from relatives, extremely down on his luck? His looks and temperament are quite unremarkable.
Lu Tianjun and Guan Cheng, both no longer young, looked at Father Lu with questioning eyes asked, "Yes, how did you see that?"
Father Lu smiled and said: "His parents died and he chose to leave home rather than remain under his brother and sister-in-law’s care. This indicates he is decisive and courageous. Many people prefer to starve to death at home than to venture out and seek a new way of life. The fact he didn’t choose to wait for death shows he’s courageous. Moreover, his decision to take care of his childless elderly aunt in Shanghai indicates he’s clever and ambitious. Do we know what Shanghai stands for? There are countless advantages to settling in there. By taking care of his aunt until her death in exchange for a place to stay, he shows he understands the concept of fair exchange, and knows how to strike a chord with human weaknesses while maintaining respect and decency."
Feng Qingxue seemed to be lost in thought, while Lu Tianjun and Guan Cheng nodded in agreement. They now understood that Father Lu was teaching them how to judge a person’s character.
"Yes, he’s very clever. I remember something he said now – he always sought help from households that looked good because there was a high chance they would give him food." Guan Cheng suddenly said.
Lu Tianjun then added: "Indeed, he is no ordinary person!"
"There are millions of people in the world. When meeting someone for the first time, it’s hard to distinguish who is good and who is bad, or predict what the person you saved will become in the future. So, it’s better to be mindful in dealing with people."
Saying this, Father Lu took a sip of hot water from an enamel mug Guan Cheng handed him.
"Better to establish a relationship built on goodwill than one based on grudges. When you save a person who is capable of gratitude, he will remember your kindness regardless of whether he becomes successful or not. A person without empathy might not want to acknowledge his destitute past if he becomes wealthy, but if you treat him like an ordinary person, rather than mocking or humiliating him, he would neither repay the kindness nor hold a dangerous grudge against you. Cause and effect form a cycle; if you sow seeds of kindness, you’ll be rewarded with kindness. No one can guarantee whether they’ll continue to be successful in the future, or whether someone poor today will remain so tomorrow. Life is unpredictable, as the saying goes, ’Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west, and the wheel of fortune turns.’"
Upon hearing this, Lu Tianjun asked: "Should we also save the villains?"
"Unless he’s on the verge of dying without any chances of turning things around," replied Father Lu in a deep voice. "Better to offend a gentleman than a villain. Do you think this adage came into existence without reason? No, it didn’t. It is the wisdom derived from the experiences of wise men from generations before us. If you offend a gentleman, it won’t trouble you, as the gentleman is magnanimous and doesn’t dwell on small matters. On the other hand, most villains are narrow-minded and vengeful. Once they turn their fortunes around, their first act would be to take revenge on those who offended them."
Feng Qingxue strongly agreed with this, "So we should always be kind to others because we can’t predict future events. Of course, acts of kindness should be performed in ways that ensure our own safety and are within our capabilities, with regard to proportion and measure."
Father Lu nodded. "Regardless of whether He Hongjun is good or bad, saving him today benefits us without causing any harm."