Chapter 1088: The Big Playboy

For a man from a poor background who had never tasted foreign liquor or seen shark fin and bird's nest before graduating from university, eating and drinking with others without spending a penny of his own was a rather pleasant experience.

Especially after having enjoyed his girlfriend's 'imperial' service the night before, it was even more blissful.

Zhao Fusheng was in a very good mood now, feeling utterly content.

The best restaurant in the city—high-end, classy, and upscale. Zhao Fusheng never cared about the venue when eating; as long as the food was good, he was satisfied. So he was quite pleased.

The place was chosen by Ye Jing. Naturally, he didn't come alone; accompanying him was a man said to be the son of some big shot from the capital.

Since he was a playboy, he naturally had his own cronies. Coincidentally, there were a few of them here, so they chose this place.

That's how social networks work. A friend's friend may not be your own friend, but at least when you meet, you can smile without becoming enemies who despise each other.

Circles are always about mutual help.

Ye Jing's friend was called Xue Yuanfang, a very poetic name. He was just over thirty. His grandfather was a big figure who had crossed snowy mountains and grasslands. Although his father was not well-known, he now governed a region. He had two older brothers, both already in politics.

As the youngest son, with no interest in politics, Xue Yuanfang had just muddled through over the years, but he was still a notable figure in the capital's circles.

He became acquainted with Ye Jing by chance. The two hit it off, naturally growing closer.

Xue Yuanfang's friend was called Liu Liang. He looked refined, wore glasses, seemed very steady, always had a smile when talking to people, and made them feel at ease. Even if you knew you weren't on the same wavelength, he still made you feel welcome.

Xue Yuanfang was an interesting person. Seeing that Zhao Fusheng wasn't the type to be glib, he didn't say much more and instead chatted with Liu Liang.

Ye Jing was very fast. After Jiang Wen called, he arrived by noon the next day.

After a brief rest, they met at the hotel.

In Ye Jing's words, Xue Yuanfang was just there to have fun and watch the excitement.

Though he said that, Zhao Fusheng didn't believe it at all. These playboys, though their private lives might be messy and they might occasionally hook up with pretty girls, it didn't mean they were the kind of unscrupulous playboys who bullied others. At least, from what Ye Jing said, Zhao Fusheng knew that Xue Yuanfang never participated in gambling or touched drugs.

A person with strong self-control could never be as worthless as he appeared. Zhao Fusheng was sure of that.

Opportunities always favor those who are prepared. That saying is never wrong.

Some might succeed by luck, but remember, they only attribute their success to luck after they've achieved it. Before success, no one relies on luck to change their fate.

"Fusheng, do you really want me to join your company?" After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Ye Jing looked at Zhao Fusheng seriously.

Unexpectedly, he didn't beat around the bush but spoke directly.

Zhao Fusheng nodded: "Yes. The company needs a vice president for the film and television department. After much thought, I think you're the most suitable."

They were both smart people; there was no need to hide anything. Each took what they needed, and it went without saying.

Perhaps because he had drunk a bit, though not drunk, Ye Jing was quite relaxed in his speech and demeanor. This state was best for drinking—not too nauseous, not completely sober, with a bit of haziness, setting aside usual shrewd calculations.

Hearing Zhao Fusheng's words, Ye Jing suddenly laughed: "Kid, you're trying to use me as a pawn."

Zhao Fusheng laughed heartily, didn't deny it, but looked at Ye Jing: "Brother Ye, can you swallow that anger?"

Obviously, he was referring to the incident where Ye Jing was set up.

Ye Jing chuckled: "Even if I can't swallow it, what can I do? In this world, sometimes connections can solve problems, but in the face of money and interests, nothing works."

As he spoke, he picked up his glass, drained it, and muttered a curse: "Damn this world!"

Clearly, that previous incident had hurt Ye Jing deeply, leaving him somewhat disheartened.

Zhao Fusheng didn't comment on Ye Jing's words. He silently refilled his glass, then said: "What if, just what if, I gave you enough financial support? What if you could ensure every one of your works was a masterpiece?"

Hmm?

Ye Jing raised an eyebrow, looking at Zhao Fusheng in surprise. He had thought Zhao Fusheng intended to use his connections to expand Future Film's influence, but now it seemed the guy had other plans.

"What do you mean?" Ye Jing asked after a moment of silence.

Zhao Fusheng smiled: "Nothing much. Just to let some people know that they can't have everything their own way. In this world, if you do something wrong, you have to face the consequences."

Ye Jing frowned but said nothing.

Zhao Fusheng smiled slightly, didn't say more, but took a sip from his glass and began to eat.

Liu Liang and Xue Yuanfang had also finished their chat and looked over at Zhao Fusheng and Ye Jing. Xue Yuanfang laughed: "So, Old Ye, have you two reached an agreement?"

Ye Jing smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Not that easy. I still need to think it over."

"Think over what? If you ask me, just join this company," Xue Yuanfang said directly to Zhao Fusheng and Ye Jing. "Fusheng, don't mind me being blunt. Old Ye is too concerned about face and can't let go. I know you want to pull him in to deal with those who screwed him over. I think it's a good idea. You have money, he has connections. Teaming up is the best. You can't just swallow the insult, can you?"

He blinked and looked at Zhao Fusheng: "This is so fun. Do you want to bring me along?"

Ye Jing was startled. Before he could speak, Zhao Fusheng laughed and shrugged: "Brother Xue, do you have money? Or can you guarantee you can help with connections to TV stations or distribution companies?"

"What do you mean?" Xue Yuanfang looked confused, not understanding Zhao Fusheng's intention.

Zhao Fusheng smiled: "I plan to set up a PR department for the company. Um, a proper PR department, not the kind you know. All external affairs of the Future Group I'm building will be handled by this department, including brand promotion and external communications."

"And then?" Xue Yuanfang asked blankly. "What does that have to do with me?"

Clearly, he still didn't get what Zhao Fusheng was driving at.

Zhao Fusheng chuckled: "Simple. I want you to be the head of this department. How about it?"

"Holy shit!"

Xue Yuanfang immediately lost his composure, staring at Zhao Fusheng in shock. Even Liu Liang and Ye Jing were astonished, never expecting Zhao Fusheng to have such an idea.

"Hey, kid, do you know what you're saying?" Xue Yuanfang asked Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng nodded, his expression quite calm: "What, Brother Xue, do you think you can't handle this? To be honest, I just thought of this idea on the spot. I hadn't considered it before. I just felt you might be very suitable for this kind of work."

"Work..."

Xue Yuanfang muttered to himself, his gaze a little unfocused, lost in thought.

After all, no one wants to be a useless parasite. Everyone wants to be their parents' pride and their family's glory. But two outstanding older brothers weighed on Xue Yuanfang like mountains.

He knew well that if he entered politics, the family's resources would never come to him.

That's why he chose to let himself drift along.

Now, Zhao Fusheng seemed to offer him a different choice.

"Why not give it a try?" The thought flashed through his mind. Xue Yuanfang suddenly realized that perhaps his life was about to change.

Seeing the expression on Xue Yuanfang's face, Zhao Fusheng smiled inwardly. He knew he might have caught a big fish.

No one understood better than him what Xue Yuanfang's identity meant.

To be honest, when Ye Jing introduced them, Zhao Fusheng was a bit stunned, because in his memory, there was only one big shot surnamed Xue.

Barring accidents, Xue Yuanfang's uncle would reach the top in ten years.

In other words, this was a top-tier princeling with a red background.

So Zhao Fusheng made a snap decision: he had to tie Xue Yuanfang to his chariot no matter what. He didn't need him to do anything; just being associated with him was enough.

Of course, besides Zhao Fusheng, no one knew about the Xue family's future glory. Even Xue Yuanfang himself was completely unaware.

In his view, Zhao Fusheng was just after his princeling status.

In fact, not only Xue Yuanfang but also Liu Liang and Ye Jing thought the same.

Ye Jing even felt that Zhao Fusheng's move was quite clever, since Xue Yuanfang's family was a notable one in the capital.

After a long while, Xue Yuanfang looked up at Zhao Fusheng: "Do I get company shares too?"

Zhao Fusheng smiled and shook his head: "No, you're just the head of the PR department."

Ye Jing was taken aback, and Liu Liang blurted out: "Are you kidding?"

But surprisingly, Xue Yuanfang smiled: "Okay, I agree."

At that moment, Zhao Fusheng smiled contentedly.