"For the years onward, Albert and Johan enjoyed their retirement," Jeremy continued. "They'd both reached their eighties, and their children, along with Mark's, convinced them to step back and enjoy their remaining years with their wives."
Cynthia translated steadily, though Arvin noticed her stiffen slightly. She knew what was coming next.
"They'd married later in life," Jeremy explained, his expression softening. "Johan wed six years after Mark, and Albert..." A small smile crossed his face. "Well, if Mark and Johan hadn't practically dragged him to some social events, Albert might have stayed single forever, too consumed by his work to even think about romance. He finally married twelve years after Mark, six after Johan. Their wives had significant age gaps compared to Mark's wife, but they all became close friends, supporting each other just like their husbands did."
Jeremy's voice grew quieter. "So, five years before everything fell apart, they officially retired. They'd visit each other's homes with their wives, enjoying the rewards of their hard work. But then..."
He paused while Cynthia caught up with her translation. "One day, at Albert's house, someone unexpected showed up. Theodor Seymour, Mark's grandson."
Arvin noticed how Fang Chou's face changed when Jeremy mentioned this name, showing clear respect.
"They hadn't seen Theo in six years. He'd been studying at Oxford," Jeremy continued, shifting slightly in his seat. "At first, everyone was just happy to catch up. But then Theo dropped a bombshell when he announced he wanted the headmaster seat at the academy."
"This shocked both men," Jeremy said, his eyes widening. "Why would Theo suddenly want this position after being gone so long? When Johan asked him directly..." Jeremy's voice hardened. "That's when they learned the truth."
"Theo apologized first," Jeremy continued, his voice tense. "He hated bringing bad news during their retirement, but felt he had no choice. The school they'd built with Mark was in danger."
"Albert, sharp as ever despite his age, immediately asked if something was wrong at the school," Jeremy said. "Theo gave a wry smile and said, 'As expected of Grandpa Albert. You always could see right through to the heart of things.'"
Jeremy leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping to a more intimate tone. "The shift had started the moment Rick took office, but it was subtle at first, like poison slowly spreading. Since Albert and Johan's successors, who unfortunately lacked any real passion for education, handled talks with Rick, they just believed whatever he told them."
"Everything looked great on paper," Jeremy's voice turned bitter. "Enrollment numbers, financial reports, grades... all presented perfectly. But something rotten was growing underneath. It all came to light after Albert and Johan fully retired."
"There had always been some discrimination against poorer students," Jeremy explained, tapping his fingers once on the table. "The school even got a new nickname: 'Richman Academy.' It wasn't obvious until after the retirements."
Jeremy's hands tightened. "But that wasn't the worst part. Rick had closed doors to lower-income students. He even shut down the scholarship program, the very thing that had kept the school's reputation strong since the 1973 genius's statement."
"Mark had made sure donations would fund scholarships for bright students from modest backgrounds," Jeremy continued. "But now, even after blocking these opportunities, the discrimination moved toward middle-class students. Some were mocked and bullied..." His voice trailed off, and Arvin noticed a shadow cross his face, revealing a personal connection to the story.
This isn't just history to him, Arvin realized, watching Jeremy's expression. There's something more personal here.
"When they heard this," Jeremy continued after collecting himself, "Albert and Johan were horrified. By then, they were both richer than even the wealthy class. Albert's company was making hundreds of millions each year, while Johan's bakery had grown into a global business with stores across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East."
Cynthia kept translating precisely, though Arvin caught her quick glance at her brother when he mentioned the discrimination.
"They'd faced tough business rivals," Jeremy explained, gesturing slightly. "But this was different. MRS Academy wasn't just another investment. It was special, a promise to their friend, a dream they'd helped build. If not for Mark's passionate rambling that night, none of it would exist. They even owed some of their success to the school's fame after '73, especially Albert, whose government connections gave him early business opportunities."
Jeremy paused for a sip of water. The evening light made warm patterns across the table as he gathered his thoughts. "Albert asked Theo how he knew all this. Turns out, before leaving for Oxford, Theo had paid certain teachers to be his informants, using his own investment money to get weekly, honest reports."
"He'd tried telling his father," Jeremy added, shaking his head. "But it was useless. Like the other successors, Theo's father didn't pay much attention to the school. He cared more about his own business."
"Albert and Johan shared a look," Jeremy continued. "They told Theo they'd investigate first, verify everything before taking action. Theo understood their characters well enough, so he just sighed, thanked them for not dismissing his concerns outright, and left."
Jeremy's voice grew darker, making even Arvin lean forward. "The retired old men put their retirement on hold. They called trusted people, starting a quiet investigation any detective would admire. One month later, they had all the proof they needed."
His tone turned grim. "They made a surprise visit, shocking everyone: their children, the board members, and especially Rick. They caught him accepting 'donations' from a parent who wanted special treatment for their child."
"Albert's eyes turned cold," Jeremy said, his voice dropping. "Johan exploded right there. No words needed to be said, but Rick tried defending himself anyway. He claimed all the money went toward improving the school."
Cynthia's translation carried the tension in her brother's voice, while Arvin noticed both parents' expressions darkening further.
"Technically, he wasn't lying," Jeremy continued bitterly. "The school had changed a lot since their retirement. Especially the headmaster's office, which now had new leather couches, expensive paintings they'd never seen before, a fancy mahogany desk that probably cost more than Mark's yearly salary. Countless 'improvements' that did nothing for education."
Jeremy's voice filled with emotion. "Seeing this, Albert and Johan felt guilty, sad, and angry all at once. This place had been their friend's second home. Mark had worked hardest of the three, often using his own money for repairs, fixing air conditioners, patching leaks, many small expenses that added up."
He paused for Cynthia to catch up. "Whenever they found out about these expenses, Mark would just thank them, saying they'd done more than enough by helping make his dream real. Among the three founders, he'd lived the simplest life. Not poor, but definitely not rich. Since he refused direct money help, they often bought him gifts: watches, clothes, school supplies, some furniture for the classroom, but mainly food, which his family always welcomed warmly."
"Everything happened fast after that," Jeremy said, speaking a bit quicker. "Rick was fired on the spot. He begged for another chance, arguing he hadn't failed because he'd kept his promise to make the school more successful. Enrollment was up, donations had increased, and the school's reputation among certain groups had never been better."
Jeremy's voice turned cold. "But Albert and Johan just stared at him. Johan said they appreciated him keeping his promise, but asked, 'At what cost? The soul of the school?'"
Arvin noticed how the family seemed to draw closer as Jeremy continued, "Albert declared that MRS Academy wasn't a school for the rich. It was a public school for anyone wanting to learn, not a place for wealthy kids to show off and mock others. Mark would have been heartbroken to see what had happened to the academy, to his dream."
"The damage was done," Jeremy continued, his voice softening. "Albert and Johan faced a tough choice. The school they'd built with Mark had been corrupted from within, and now they needed to decide its future. They asked Theo to meet at Johan's home the next day."
Cynthia paused briefly in her translation, taking a quick sip of water before continuing. The evening light had deepened, casting longer shadows across the dining room as the story neared its end.
"Over lunch, Theo made his request again," Jeremy said, his voice regaining some enthusiasm. "He explained he'd followed his grandfather Mark's path, becoming a teacher not just in name but in spirit. His time at Oxford wasn't just studying abroad but a deliberate choice to learn from one of the world's oldest teaching traditions."
Jeremy gestured as he continued, "Theo talked about how Mark had inspired generations of students, leaving a legacy worth preserving. He'd chosen Oxford specifically for its centuries-old teaching methods, believing that mixing those traditions with Mark's innovative approach would create something special."
A small smile crossed Jeremy's face. "The way Theo spoke about education... it brought tears to Johan's eyes. Even Albert, who rarely showed emotion, seemed deeply moved. They both said it was like seeing Mark himself standing before them again, with the same passion, the same belief in education's power to change lives."
"Theo promised to fix the problems slowly but surely," Jeremy continued, clearly admiring the young headmaster's commitment. "Both men gave their blessing without hesitation, seeing in him the same dedication that had defined Mark's legacy. And so at twenty-nine, the same age Mark had been when the school building was first founded, Theo became headmaster. That was six years ago, in 1999."
Jeremy paused, taking a long drink of water. The story had clearly tired him out, though he tried to hide it behind a polite smile. "And that's the history of our school... at least, the important parts that you should know."
Cynthia finished her translation, then added something of her own. (Chinese) "The changes weren't immediate, but they were steady. The scholarship program came back. Discrimination started facing real consequences. But..."
She glanced at her brother, who seemed to understand what she was thinking. Jeremy nodded slightly, showing there was more to tell.
Jeremy looked around the table, his gaze moving first to his parents, then settling on Arvin. The weight of the school's history hung in the air, but he knew there was still more to share.
(Chinese) "You're wondering," he said slowly, choosing his words carefully, "how this connects to today?"