Chapter 2257 Blind Date

"Chairman, do you think this world will change?"

As Zhao Fusheng got out of the car, Liu Yiming suddenly asked him.

Hearing this question, Zhao Fusheng was stunned for a moment. After a long silence, he nodded: "I think it will, because humans are ultimately more cruel and more clever than animals."

With that, he stepped inside and went home.

In fact, Zhao Fusheng hadn't finished his thought, because he knew that with the development of science and technology, the world would become increasingly indifferent.

Or rather, many things would make ordinary people more and more disappointed.

An era of dazzling strangeness was about to arrive.

...

...

Back home, in a bad mood, Zhao Fusheng turned on his computer and started browsing the internet.

After reading some documents for a while, he casually opened a forum where he saw many criticisms of voice live streaming platforms and video websites.

"What a mess of nonsense!"

"These young people today, can't they just work properly?"

"I think these websites will eventually go bankrupt."

"They affect children's learning; computers shouldn't be so widespread."

"These young people learn all their bad habits from the internet."

People said all kinds of things, but without exception, they held a negative attitude toward the internet, completely forgetting that they themselves were using the internet—without it, they couldn't express their opinions at all.

Looking at these comments, Zhao Fusheng recalled something.

The English science fiction writer Douglas Adams once proposed a so-called Three Laws of Technology in his masterpiece *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*.

The content of these three laws was quite interesting.

First: Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and just a natural part of the way the world works.

Second: Anything that’s invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.

Third: Anything invented after you’re thirty-five is against the natural order of things and the beginning of the end of civilization as we know it.

Clearly, this law perfectly fit the thinking of some people today.

Because these people were all conservative.

They believed that the world's development should proceed according to their own vision, not according to technological progress.

Of course, some people in China were simply used to kneeling.

In their eyes, everything foreign was good.

When they saw sci-fi settings in domestic works of art, they would rant wildly—unscientific, too fantastical, pseudo-sci-fi—but when works like Marvel or *Terminator* were brought up, they would immediately start licking fervently, calling them imaginative and liberating. Don't ask, just praise their foreign daddy.

Double-standard dogs—that's what these guys were.

Sighing, Zhao Fusheng shook his head. Some things were beyond his power.

Just as he was a shareholder of Facebook but couldn't influence some of its decisions, a businessman was just a businessman—nothing in the face of power.

Unless Facebook planned to give up the US market, it was impossible for it to enter China.

...

...

After a simple snack, Zhao Fusheng rested well. The next morning, Liu Yiming came to pick him up for work, and they tacitly avoided continuing yesterday's topic.

Clearly, both realized that this was not a problem that individual effort could solve.

In this world, some people seemed clever but always complicated simple problems, only to be caught by their own cleverness.

While others seemed simple-minded but could often simplify complex problems, always solving seemingly unsolvable issues and broadening their own life path.

Zhao Fusheng was clearly not a man of great wisdom.

But neither was he the type to be caught by his own cleverness.

He was just an ordinary person.

An ordinary person, faced with such a problem, had only one choice: silence.

Or rather, the only thing he could change was the fate of those around him.

As for this era, Zhao Fusheng was absolutely certain that he was powerless.

"What's wrong? In a bad mood?"

Seeing the expression on Zhao Fusheng's face, Zheng Yao asked curiously.

"Nothing."

Zhao Fusheng waved his hand: "You need something?"

"I want to talk to you about something else."

Zheng Yao smiled and said to Zhao Fusheng: "I'm planning to take some time off."

"Time off?"

Zhao Fusheng frowned, looking at Zheng Yao with confusion: "What, are you feeling unwell?"

"Get lost!"

Zheng Yao glared at him and said irritably: "I have things to deal with."

"Alright, suit yourself."

Zhao Fusheng shrugged: "But I don't think you need to take leave, do you? Can't they just email you?"

Zheng Yao was speechless. This guy was a vampire capitalist, exploiting people like that.

He wouldn't even let her take leave!

"What exactly is it?"

Zhao Fusheng looked at Zheng Yao curiously.

As far as he could remember, she rarely took time off.

"Well, I'm planning to go on a blind date."

Zheng Yao explained to Zhao Fusheng.

"Blind date?"

Zhao Fusheng looked at Zheng Yao with an absurd expression, finding it hard to believe that such a thing could happen to her.

She was the CEO of Future Group, a strong woman with tens of thousands of subordinates, and she still had to go on blind dates?

"Can you not make that face?"

Zheng Yao smiled bitterly: "Think about it, how old am I? If I wait for free love, where would I find a boyfriend?"

Zhao Fusheng nodded: "I understand that, but still, does it have to be a blind date?"

He wasn't unaware of Zheng Yao's situation, but the problem was that Zheng Yao was no ordinary woman. Not to mention anything else, just her shares alone were worth a fortune.

Plus, over the years, Zhao Fusheng had never been stingy with her salary. If there were diamond bachelors among men, then among women, Zheng Yao could definitely be called a diamond spinster.

And a super valuable diamond at that!

Besides, with Zheng Yao's strong personality now, could an ordinary man handle her?

"Oh, don't overthink it."

Zheng Yao looked at Zhao Fusheng helplessly. Although he hadn't said it, she already understood his meaning.

In the end, Zhao Fusheng felt she was undervaluing herself.

After all, in his view, she should be able to find a better marriage partner rather than relying on blind dates to find love.

But from a woman's perspective, Zheng Yao could only say that Zhao Fusheng didn't understand women.

Sighing, Zheng Yao said: "I'm just going to check it out. They say it's the child of an old classmate of my father's."

"Alright."

Zhao Fusheng nodded. After all, this was Zheng Yao's private matter, and he shouldn't say too much.

Friends were friends, but it was better not to meddle in such things.

...

...

Watching Zheng Yao leave his office, Zhao Fusheng shook his head helplessly.

Thinking about it, the people around him, especially the women, were indeed at the age to start a family.

Fortunately, Dong Chenxi and Dong Guoxiang both had partners now, so marriage shouldn't be a big problem.

As for Zheng Yao, since she herself planned to go on a blind date, Zhao Fusheng couldn't say much.

And Bai Jie?

Well.

Zhao Fusheng felt it was better not to interfere in her private life.

After all, everyone had their own hobbies.

Just as he liked making money, liking handsome guys was also a habit.

As friends, as long as it didn't affect her normal work, Zhao Fusheng thought it best not to meddle in her private life.

"Chairman, Miss Dong is here."

At that moment, Liu Yiming walked in and said to Zhao Fusheng.

Dong Chenxi?

Zhao Fusheng frowned slightly and nodded: "Please come in."

Although he hadn't summoned Dong Chenxi, since she came to see him on her own, she must have something to discuss, so Zhao Fusheng naturally needed to talk to her.

Besides, regarding Zheng Yao's matter, Zhao Fusheng needed to find someone to get the scoop, and Dong Chenxi was undoubtedly the most suitable person.

Actually, Bai Jie would be, but her views on marriage and love were problematic.

After thinking it over, Dong Chenxi was the best choice.

Soon, Dong Chenxi walked in.

"Perfect timing, I was about to look for you."

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said to Dong Chenxi.

Liu Yiming poured a glass of water for Dong Chenxi and then left Zhao Fusheng's office.

"What's up? Something on your mind?"

Dong Chenxi sat down, took a sip of water, and casually asked Zhao Fusheng: "Why are you looking for me?"

"You first, what brings you here?"

Zhao Fusheng didn't immediately state his purpose but looked at Dong Chenxi and asked.

Dong Chenxi pursed her lips: "You go first, I'm not in a hurry."

"..."

Zhao Fusheng was speechless. What was wrong with this person? She came on her own initiative, and now she was sitting back like a fisherman, not in a hurry.

"Haha, I really don't have anything important."

Dong Chenxi said to Zhao Fusheng: "I just came to chat with you about the luxury goods acquisition. Also, JD.com is preparing to go public. Did you know?"

JD?

Zhao Fusheng frowned.

To be honest, he really didn't know about this.

It wasn't that Liu Qiangdong intentionally hid it, but Zhao Fusheng hadn't paid attention to JD.com recently.

For Zhao Fusheng now, his earlier investment in JD.com no longer held his interest.

Not that JD.com had no commercial value, but as Zhao Fusheng's business grew, he and Dong Chenxi, including the top management of Future Investment, believed that JD.com's commercial value could never surpass Alibaba's.

If so, there was no need to continue investing.

Therefore, Future Investment had essentially left JD.com to its own devices.

Under these circumstances, not to mention going public, Zhao Fusheng hadn't even paid attention to their financing.

Of course, Dong Chenxi would compile reports for Zhao Fusheng to see, but he would just skim through them and then ignore them.

And now, it was about to go public?

"It seems Mr. Ma is quite optimistic about JD."

Zhao Fusheng suddenly remarked after a long pause.

The Mr. Ma he referred to was naturally Ma Huateng.

Previously, Tencent had been competing with Future Group for control of JD, and there had been a clash between them. Zhao Fusheng, relying on his foresight, had gained a slight edge.

"What should we do?"

Dong Chenxi asked Zhao Fusheng.

This was the main reason she came this time.

Zhao Fusheng smiled, thought for a moment, and waved his hand: "Let it be."

"Huh?"

Dong Chenxi was a bit surprised.

Although she knew Zhao Fusheng intended to give up on JD, she hadn't expected him to abandon it so completely, without even a hint of contention.

Zhao Fusheng nodded: "After the IPO, shares will definitely be diluted. We won't invest further. When JD's market cap grows enough, contact Liu Qiangdong or Tencent and just sell off."

He spoke calmly, as if stating something very simple.

But Dong Chenxi knew that Zhao Fusheng must have made up his mind; otherwise, he wouldn't speak so lightly.

After all, this was a project they had invested in for years.

Although the profit was certainly substantial, it was impossible not to feel regret at giving it up.

So, Dong Chenxi had originally planned to persuade Zhao Fusheng.

But unexpectedly, Zhao Fusheng seemed so relaxed about it.

"Alright, that's settled. Anything else?"

Zhao Fusheng looked at Dong Chenxi and asked.

Dong Chenxi shook her head: "Nothing else. I've started quietly acquiring shares in LVMH."

"Good, keep it up."

Zhao Fusheng said with a smile.

As far as he remembered, LVMH later became a very valuable luxury goods company, and its boss even ranked among the top three richest people in the world.

"What did you want to ask me?"

Dong Chenxi looked at Zhao Fusheng and asked.

"Do you know about Zheng Yao's blind date?"

Zhao Fusheng didn't beat around the bush and asked directly: "Did she tell you?"

"Blind date?"

Surprisingly, Dong Chenxi looked up in astonishment, puzzled at Zhao Fusheng: "Zheng Yao, going on a blind date?"

"Yeah, she just asked me for leave."

Zhao Fusheng looked at Dong Chenxi with a wry smile. Clearly, she didn't know about this.

"Hahahaha!"

Dong Chenxi burst into laughter, her expression absolutely priceless.

Zhao Fusheng was speechless: "Your schadenfreude is way too obvious."

"No, you don't understand. She did mention it to me once, said her family elders wanted her to go on a blind date, but back then she refused."

Dong Chenxi said with a smile: "She actually has suitors, but I've never met them. Bai Jie has."

"Oh?"

Zhao Fusheng was taken aback, his eyes lighting up instantly.

Someone pursuing Zheng Yao—that was news!

With that, he quickly said to Dong Chenxi: "Come on, tell me, what's the story?"