Chapter 0548 Ambition

Parting is undoubtedly the most painful thing for people in love.

Standing on the platform of the train station, watching Fan Baobao lean out of the carriage, Zhao Fusheng waved his hand: "Go back inside, take care."

"Remember to call me."

Fan Baobao said to Zhao Fusheng, then frowned and glared at him, trying to scare him: "Don't fool around with other women, you hear?"

Zhao Fusheng rolled his eyes, looking helpless: "Come on, look at me. I'm not handsome, nor am I rich. Who would be so blind as to take a liking to me?"

"That's true..." Fan Baobao nodded, but then her eyebrows shot up and her eyes widened: "Who are you calling blind?"

"Ah?" Zhao Fusheng was taken aback, then laughed it off: "Haha, that, it's a metaphor, just a metaphor."

Fan Baobao couldn't be bothered to comment on her boyfriend's antics.

The whistle of the green train sounded, carrying away the girl's reluctance and the boy's longing. It would likely be a long time before they met again.

As they say, birds of a feather flock together—an undeniable truth. Beautiful women are often surrounded by other beauties, and handsome men rarely have unattractive friends.

Of course, a pretentious guy like Zhao Fusheng wouldn't have friends who are any better.

Take Tan Kaixuan, for instance.

"What did you say?"

Zhao Fusheng stared dumbfounded at the smug Tan Kaixuan: "You got a loan from the bank?"

"Yeah, I had someone handle it. Our store is doing so well, a ten-million loan is no pressure at all." Tan Kaixuan's matter-of-fact attitude made Zhao Fusheng want to knock him on the head.

"That's ten million. Have you thought it through?" Zhao Fusheng said helplessly. In his opinion, he didn't like owing money to the bank, but this guy Tan Kaixuan had gone ahead and done it without telling him.

"I've thought it through. I think the catering industry has great potential." Tan Kaixuan said to Zhao Fusheng: "I plan to open a KFC in Binzhou too. Since I've secured the provincial agency rights..."

"Forget it, you decide." Zhao Fusheng waved his hand, looking like he couldn't be bothered.

There was nothing he could do. Just after returning to the dorm, he heard this news. Tan Kaixuan, this guy, had none of the demeanor of a future financial tycoon; he was charging headlong down the path of a catering magnate.

"Old Zhao, I knew you'd support me." Tan Kaixuan said happily.

Zhao Fusheng chuckled and gave him a look that said "figure it out yourself," then said nothing more.

In fact, he knew Tan Kaixuan's approach was understandable. Most entrepreneurs expanding their businesses would do the same, because aside from the ultra-rich, many people simply don't have that much capital.

However, Zhao Fusheng instinctively resisted loans. He felt bank loans were unreliable—what if they demanded early repayment or changed the terms at the last minute? That could cause huge losses for the business.

Zhao Fusheng had always admired Boss Wang of Shunfeng, who remained mysterious from startup to IPO and maintained strong control over his company.

Outside shares never exceeded thirty percent, and most of the equity was held in his own hands.

"Maybe I'm someone with a strong possessiveness?" Zhao Fusheng examined his own heart and said helplessly.

Seeing that Zhao Fusheng had no objections, Tan Kaixuan was in a great mood and said with a grin: "So, your girlfriend's gone, not happy?"

To be honest, regarding the relationship between Fan Baobao and Zhao Fusheng, he had gone from disbelief to shock to taking it for granted. As Tan Kaixuan himself put it, childhood sweethearts can't be judged by common sense.

"Heh, do you think you'd be happy in my shoes?" Zhao Fusheng said irritably.

"Come on, I'll take you out to eat." Tan Kaixuan patted Zhao Fusheng on the shoulder.

Zhao Fusheng initially wanted to refuse, but on second thought, he had nothing else to do, so he might as well go out with him. So he followed Tan Kaixuan downstairs.

Downstairs, there was a fruit vendor, about forty-something, with apples and oranges on his cart. Tan Kaixuan's eyes twinkled, and he said to Zhao Fusheng: "Stay here. Don't move. I'll go buy some oranges."

With that, he walked toward the fruit stall, laughing to himself.

Zhao Fusheng was taken aback, then realized what he was doing. He watched Tan Kaixuan's back helplessly, wondering how this guy could be so childish.

But he kept a straight face. When Tan Kaixuan bought the fruit and came back with the oranges, handing them to him, Zhao Fusheng took them and said flatly: "I'll just have two. You can have the rest."

Tan Kaixuan was stunned, looking at Zhao Fusheng strangely. He didn't believe Zhao Fusheng hadn't caught the meaning in his earlier words, but this guy hadn't argued or taken him to task. What was going on?

Zhao Fusheng grinned and said meaningfully: "Reading more books never hurts."

Huh?

Tan Kaixuan was completely baffled, with a sense of foreboding.

What is the highest achievement in pranking someone?

The answer is simple: you trick someone without them even knowing they've been tricked.

That was Tan Kaixuan's situation. He was sure Zhao Fusheng's last two sentences had a hidden meaning, but he couldn't figure out what.

Seeing Tan Kaixuan's confused look, Zhao Fusheng laughed heartily, his mood, dampened by Fan Baobao's departure, lifting considerably.

"Come on, let's go eat." After thinking for a long time without figuring it out, Tan Kaixuan decided to drop it.

That was his personality: he didn't like to drag things out or dwell on issues. He could let go without hesitation.

They walked toward the restaurant together. Along the way, Tan Kaixuan told Zhao Fusheng about his plans for the KFC store, and Zhao Fusheng listened attentively.

When Tan Kaixuan mentioned opening stores across the entire province, Zhao Fusheng frowned: "You don't actually have to do that."

"Why?" Tan Kaixuan was puzzled, not understanding Zhao Fusheng's meaning.

Zhao Fusheng smiled faintly: "You can sell the franchise rights."

Looking at Tan Kaixuan, he revealed a method many later dealers used to make money.

In Zhao Fusheng's view, opening a hundred stores wasn't as good as selling a hundred franchise rights.