As soon as Jason walked out of the piano room, his phone rang. It was Eric from the student union's finance department.
"Jason, where are you right now?" she asked. "I just contacted the university's finance office. Why didn't you pick up when Mr. Miller called you?"
Jason remembered he had ignored a strange number earlier while practicing.
"Oh, that must've been him," Jason said. "I was in the middle of a piano lesson, so I usually don't answer unknown numbers."
Eric paused for a second. She had reached out to the university's actual finance office, but she didn't expect this response.
At Riverside University, department heads like Mr. Miller weren't just random staff members. A senior accountant at the finance office usually had years of experience and at least a master's in accounting. Even assistant accountants were considered professionals, and they definitely weren't the type to casually talk to student council officers.
The student union? Totally different level. Even the student body president had to be polite when dealing with assistant accountants.
Eric herself, as head of the finance department within the student union, didn't have any real pull. Her role was more like managing club budgets and reporting numbers to the school's accountants—not telling them what to do.
So when she said, "Jason, that was Mr. Miller. Call him back right away," there was a trace of disbelief in her voice.
Jason didn't think twice. He called back, and Mr. Miller answered immediately.
"Jason," the man said warmly, "I hope I didn't interrupt your studies with my earlier call?"
If Eric had heard this tone, she would've been floored.
Because Mr. Miller wasn't a strict man, but he was definitely the type to keep things professional. Even with the student body president, he usually spoke in a polite but firm, almost bureaucratic way.
And yet here he was, sounding like he was worried about disturbing Jason.
Jason replied respectfully, "Not at all, Mr. Miller. Sorry about not recognizing your number earlier."
"It's no problem," Mr. Miller said with a chuckle. "I heard from Eric that you're looking to make a donation? Where are you right now? Maybe we can meet."
"I'm on my way across campus," Jason said. "Are you at the admin building? I can stop by."
"Yes, perfect," Mr. Miller said. "Come by, and I'll meet you downstairs."
When Jason arrived, he saw both Eric and Mr. Miller waiting for him at the entrance. Eric looked… stunned.
She hadn't expected Mr. Miller—a senior university accountant—to actually come downstairs in person to greet a student.
Even as student union finance head, she felt completely out of her depth.
Jason wasn't a faculty member. He wasn't even a graduate assistant. He was just… a student.
And yet here was Mr. Miller, treating him like a visiting dignitary.
"Jason, you really are a talent," Mr. Miller said with a friendly smile, his tone almost fatherly.
Jason returned the smile. "Mr. Miller, you're too kind. I've actually heard people on campus praise your professionalism before—seeing you today, I get it."
The older man laughed. "Hah, let's not flatter each other too much. Come on, let's talk in the reception room."
The two walked side by side, chatting casually as if they'd known each other for years.
Eric followed behind, completely stunned.
Mr. Miller wasn't bowing down exactly… but the way he spoke, the way he acted—it didn't feel like he was talking to a student at all.
It felt like he was speaking to someone important.
Someone with influence.
Eric noticed something unusual right away. Instead of taking Jason to one of the standard student lounges, Professor Miller led him to the university's main reception room—a space usually reserved for visiting dignitaries or major donors.
When they got there, Eric was even more stunned to see Professor Miller personally preparing coffee. Normally, an assistant or a work-study student handled things like that.
But Professor Miller didn't look the slightest bit uncomfortable. He smiled warmly and said, "Jason, first of all, thank you for your generosity toward the university and your willingness to help students in need."
He handed Jason a folder containing the donation proposal.
Jason accepted it calmly, flipping through the papers as though this was business as usual for him.
Eric, on the other hand, felt like she was watching someone sign off on a multi-million-dollar government contract.
And it will be.
After scanning the document, Jason spoke in an even tone. "I'll start with a donation of two million dollars. half a million for scholarships and financial aid, half a million to improve student housing and campus facilities, and one million for research and tech innovation. Assuming everything goes smoothly, I plan to contribute an additional ten million dollars over the next ten years."
The room went silent.
Professor Miller's eyes widened slightly before he caught himself.
Eric, however, couldn't even hide her reaction. two million upfront? And ten million more over the next decade? That kind of money didn't just make the donor room—it practically bought the building.
Professor Miller composed himself quickly, though the excitement in his voice betrayed him. "Jason, on behalf of the entire university, thank you. This is extraordinary."
Jason shook his head lightly. "Professor, there's no need to be so formal. Honestly, this wasn't even my idea. My family insisted on giving back to the school."
That made Professor Miller pause.
Earlier, when Eric first mentioned Jason's donation plans, he had quietly looked up Jason's student record. His background appeared entirely ordinary. But then he checked Jason's recent expenses: luxury cars, private lessons, charitable contributions. None of it matched the profile of an average family.
Clearly, the real power here wasn't Jason—it was whoever stood behind him.
"Jason," Professor Miller said carefully, "give me a moment. I'd like to notify the department leadership right away."
He didn't dare ask about Jason's family directly. If they wanted to stay private, prying would be both rude and reckless.
Five minutes later, the door opened again, and Eric nearly forgot how to breathe.
The head of budget management walked in first, followed by the deputy finance director, and then—shockingly—the finance director himself.
The finance director, Mr. Stevens, stepped forward immediately and shook Jason's hand with both of his. "Jason, on behalf of the entire university, thank you—and please extend our gratitude to your family as well."
Eric's mind was spinning. The finance director himself? Coming here for a student? And taking the initiative to shake his hand?
Before she could recover, the dean of the School of Engineering walked in, his voice full of annoyance—but not at Jason.
"A donation of this scale from one of my students, and nobody told me?" he said sharply. Then he turned to Jason with a big smile. "From now on, young man, consider me your point of contact for anything you need on campus."
Jason, a student in the School of Engineering's Automation Department, had never even met the dean before today. But the dean was now acting as if Jason were his personal protégé.
And then, the vice president of the university himself arrived.
He greeted Jason like a visiting diplomat, not a student.
By this point, Eric had already jumped to her feet. So had Professor Miller, who now stood quietly off to the side.
Even standing in the corner, Eric felt like the air in the room had gotten heavier. She couldn't relax, couldn't sit, couldn't even believe what she was witnessing.
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