Chapter 0115: The Wheel of History

In the end, Zhao Fusheng finally managed to persuade Fan Beibei, but of course, there was a price. The little princess said she would leave the zoo, but only if Zhao Fusheng promised to give her a backpack with a monkey on it when she started kindergarten.

Zhao Fusheng really wanted to complain about this—why was a little girl so fixated on monkeys?

But regardless, he managed to appease Fan Beibei with the backpack. The two left the zoo and took the bus home.

When they arrived, Father Zhao wasn't home yet, but Mother Zhao and Li Yuan were there. Handing the little girl over to Li Yuan, Zhao Fusheng sat beside his mother and asked in a low voice, "Mom, how's the supermarket coming along?"

"Don't worry, your father has almost everything arranged." Mother Zhao naturally understood what her son was concerned about. She smiled and said, "Your father contacted a few old comrades. They went to the provincial capital themselves to learn about decoration. Once we find a suitable place, we can start."

Then she looked at Zhao Fusheng: "Son, do you think I should quit my job?"

Zhao Fusheng was taken aback for a moment, then understood his mother's intention. It seemed she still wasn't at ease letting others handle the money.

After thinking it over, Zhao Fusheng said, "If there's nothing important, you might as well quit. Aunt Li is not in good health and has to take care of Beibei. I'm afraid Dad won't be able to handle the supermarket alone."

There was no helping it. Neither his maternal nor paternal relatives could offer much help, so Father Zhao had to do everything himself. Zhao Fusheng felt that if his mother could quit her job and help his father, it wouldn't be a bad idea.

Mother Zhao nodded. "I'll think about it, think about it."

Unlike Li Yuan, who had to take unpaid leave due to health reasons, Mother Zhao had emotional ties to her current job. She had worked there for twenty years, from graduation from nursing school to now, with colleagues and familiar surroundings. To suddenly say she would quit and dive into business—how could she make up her mind immediately?

Zhao Fusheng could understand his mother's thoughts. At middle age, one's impulses are naturally different from those of youth.

"By the way, do you have enough money for your trip to Beijing?" Mother Zhao asked in the hallway as she saw him off.

She hadn't brought it up at home, mainly afraid that Li Yuan would be suspicious.

"Enough. Why?" Zhao Fusheng was a bit puzzled, not knowing why his mother suddenly brought this up. There were still over half a month until the National Day holiday. What was his mother worried about?

"No, I'm just afraid that when you go to Beijing and meet Baobao, you'll be embarrassed if you don't have money." Mother Zhao glared at her son. Zhao Fusheng was good in every way, but sometimes his woodenness took after his father.

Zhao Fusheng laughed. "It's fine. Don't worry, I have enough money."

Not to mention that he had secretly kept fifty thousand yuan for himself, but in Beijing, Mu Qingqing had arranged for his accommodation and meals. He didn't have to worry about not having enough money.

If she wanted his help, she naturally had to pay a price.

Zhao Fusheng didn't feel embarrassed about it at all. Mu Qingqing was certainly beautiful, but Zhao Fusheng wasn't the type to be immobilized by a pretty face. The reason he agreed to Mu Qingqing was not only out of respect for that song but, more importantly, he also wanted to see what Beijing was like at this time.

The higher the level of civilization, the easier it is to evolve into extreme barbarism.

Zhao Fusheng was certainly full of deep affection for this world, but he also understood that beneath the veil of prosperity, some places concealed darkness and filth.

The entertainment industry was even more so. Chinese people often sneered at tragic events like those in the Korean entertainment industry, unaware that certain circles in China, if exposed, would be even more appalling.

Fan Baobao was determined to become famous, to be a star and earn money to support her family. Zhao Fusheng had no way or reason to stop her, because even if he told her now that he was a rising star in the advertising industry, that money wasn't earned by Fan Baobao herself.

Everyone has their own pride and self-respect. Fan Baobao could accept help from the Zhao family and was willing to promise that if she never became popular, she would marry Zhao Fusheng. But she would never agree to accept Zhao Fusheng's money and give up her dream.

Because that would be charity, not kindness.

This truth was actually very simple. In this world, apart from Zhao Fusheng's parents, who could accept his money with peace of mind, no one else could enjoy such happiness.

Or, to be more precise, Zhao Fusheng didn't intend to do that either. Because doing so would subtly insult others' dignity and also his own.

……

……

When he returned to the dormitory, that guy Wang Zhen had already moved his things and dragged Wen Yu to help Dong Chenxi move. Only Tan Kaixuan was left in the dormitory, poring over a book on finance, deep in thought.

Seeing this, Zhao Fusheng found it a bit strange. He frowned and asked, "What are you reading that for?"

Tan Kaixuan smiled. "I find finance quite interesting. I'm thinking of studying it."

At that moment, Zhao Fusheng silently sighed to himself. This guy really left him speechless. No matter how things turned, Tan Kaixuan always ended up on that old path.

Zhao Fusheng had originally thought that Tan Kaixuan might be interested in the internet and take a different road, but now it seemed that the inertia of history was always surprising.

"What's up? Why are you spacing out?" Tan Kaixuan asked, puzzled, seeing Zhao Fusheng silent.

Zhao Fusheng shook his head. "Nothing. By the way, where's Hu Xia?"

"Don't know. Seems like she went to some poetry club activity," Tan Kaixuan said with a helpless shrug.

Clearly, he and Hu Xia had different interests. The difference between men and women was obvious. At this age, most girls were into things like poetry and literature, and Tan Kaixuan hadn't yet learned the skill of reading a girl's mind.

His attitude toward girls was still at the stage of fawning over pretty ones.

Zhao Fusheng didn't feel like commenting on that. After all, when it came to matters of the heart, even with close friends, it was inconvenient to say too much or too little. He wouldn't do anything that might invite resentment.

With a wry smile, Zhao Fusheng turned to mind his own business.

Some things were better left unsaid for now. Zhao Fusheng had no interest in playing the role of a clairvoyant who, with a flash of insight, told Tan Kaixuan that he saw some outstanding qualities in him. The path Tan Kaixuan had to walk was ultimately his own choice of direction.