Chapter 0944: Wishful Thinking Rings Loud and Clear

That night, Zhao Fusheng had a dream.

In the dream, he seemed to have traversed tens of thousands of years, overcoming countless obstacles, before returning to this world.

He woke up.

Zhao Fusheng was covered in sweat, but he knew that sometimes dreams might be reflections of reality.

It is said that humans are three-dimensional beings living in a four-dimensional universe, swimming in the river of time, but Zhao Fusheng felt he was a small fish in that river, swimming upstream, striving to break free from constraints.

Although he couldn't turn back time or change its flow, he could change the world around him.

Since he had already started, he might as well keep going.

That was Zhao Fusheng's only thought now.

He was not a saint or a hero, unable to save too many people, but he could try to help some.

Of course, he also let his dad make a little money.

Zhao's father was always quick to act. The next morning, he left home in a hurry to arrange the matters he had discussed with Zhao Fusheng.

The vinegar was easy to handle; the Wanda Commercial Building itself had a supermarket, and ordering more stock was no big deal.

But for the banlangen, he needed some connections.

Fortunately, it was just a traditional Chinese medicine, a common household remedy, and selling it in the supermarket wasn't a big issue.

So, at noon, Zhao's father called Zhao Fusheng, saying he had made the connections and would soon start stockpiling both items.

“How much should we stockpile?” Zhao's father asked Zhao Fusheng over the phone.

“How much liquid capital do you have on hand?” Zhao Fusheng paused and asked upon hearing his father's words.

Zhao's father was taken aback, then replied, “I just received a payment, about three or four million.”

After saying that, he asked nervously, “If we stockpile that much, could something go wrong?”

It couldn't be helped; the event hadn't even happened yet, and it was all based on his son's word. Ultimately, it came down to his trust in his son's judgment. But if they invested several million and things didn't go as Zhao Fusheng predicted, they would lose a lot of money.

“Then let's put one million into banlangen and one million into vinegar,” Zhao Fusheng thought for a moment and decided. “After all, Ninghai isn't like the south; it shouldn't be that extreme.”

To be honest, he didn't remember clearly whether Ninghai had any SARS cases, because when SARS broke out in his previous life, he was already in the capital.

As for the situation in Ninghai, he mostly learned about it from his parents and others.

Vaguely, Zhao Fusheng remembered his mother mentioning that at one point, for at least a week, schools in Ninghai were closed, shops shut down, and the prices of banlangen and vinegar skyrocketed, selling out completely. Even his mother had bought a batch.

That being the case, Zhao Fusheng thought he could give it a try.

“Alright then,” Zhao's father nodded. A loss of two million was still bearable for him now. If they could make money, great; if not, it wouldn't be a fatal blow.

After hanging up, Zhao Fusheng thought for a moment, then called Zheng Yao to give her some instructions.

Zheng Yao had heard him talk about the situation in Guangdong Province before and had made her own inquiries. After receiving Zhao Fusheng's call, she said that after the company's year-end party that evening, she would immediately leave the capital with her team.

In fact, many things have signs before they happen; we just overlook some details. If we were a little more vigilant, many things could be avoided.

It is said that planning lies with man, but success depends on heaven. Zhao Fusheng thought this was very true. Some things don't go as we wish; no matter how meticulously we arrange them, a tiny change can lead to unpredictable results.

So, regarding the SARS issue, after doing what he could, he stopped paying attention.

After all, Zhao Fusheng was not a god; he naturally had his own concerns.

Everyone dies eventually; the difference is only sooner or later.

Many people say, “I might as well die early,” but deep down, they are terribly afraid. That's human nature. If given a choice, who wouldn't wish to live forever?

Zhao Fusheng was betting on that.

He believed that once the SARS outbreak spread, the public's panic would inevitably lead to a frenzy for banlangen and vinegar. Then, the money he and his father had invested would quickly recoup costs and yield a small profit.

To be honest, from start to finish, Zhao Fusheng never intended to make a fortune from this. Investing two million and earning back two million—a 100% return—was already a handsome profit.

As for the exorbitant profits of three or four times the investment, Zhao Fusheng was afraid his family didn't have the stomach for it.

Moreover, he wouldn't mind undermining those unscrupulous merchants.

Of course, he couldn't tell his father this now; otherwise, given his dad's temperament, he might easily throw in another two million and sell everything at cost.

In Zhao Fusheng's view, such behavior was quite foolish.

Because most people are ungrateful; they would think the owner of Wanda Mall was stupid, not knowing how to adapt or seize opportunities.

Since ancient times, the common people have always been the most ignorant—pitiable and hateful, that's what ordinary folks are.

They forget the suffering they once endured when their bellies are full, and they abandon their principles for petty gains.

Similarly, they can extend a helping hand out of deep-seated kindness.

Humans are forever the most complex animals.

…

…

“People are truly hard to fathom.”

Sitting in the general manager's office of Brilliant Technology, Zhao Fusheng said helplessly to Qian Dongliu, “Old Qian, what do you think?”

Qian Dongliu was older than both Zhang Qian and Zhao Fusheng; he had enlisted early, and in their type of unit, veterans of seven or eight years and rookies of three or four were treated the same.

“People are indeed complex animals,” Qian Dongliu sat across from Zhao Fusheng, his expression calm. “When we were soldiers, we often saw people who looked innocent one moment and drew their guns the next. So back then, we knew clearly that whether facing an old man or a child, the only ones we could trust were our comrades.”

When he said this, Zhao Fusheng somehow felt a hint of sorrow in his eyes.

This must be a sad story.

But Zhao Fusheng didn't intend to ask, because he didn't want to make Qian Dongliu sad again.

“The past is past; now we all look forward,” Zhao Fusheng smiled and said to Qian Dongliu, “That guy Tan Kaixuan pulled out all his funds. It must have had a big impact on you, right?”

Qian Dongliu smiled bitterly and sighed, “To be honest, if you hadn't given instructions beforehand, I would never have agreed to let him drain my funds.”

Brilliant Technology's business now mainly consisted of ten internet cafes and three gaming arcades spread across Ninghai.

They seemed ordinary, but their monthly profits were substantial. The funds accumulated over a year amounted to nearly three million.

And all of it was taken by Tan Kaixuan. If Zhao Fusheng hadn't given prior instructions, Qian Dongliu would have wanted to kill someone. After all, no one would feel good seeing their hard work drained away.

Zhao Fusheng naturally understood his feelings: “What, can't bear to part with it?”

“To be honest, I can't,” Qian Dongliu was a smart man and answered truthfully.

He knew well the relationship between Zhao Fusheng and Tan Kaixuan. Given Zhao Fusheng's personality, even if Tan Kaixuan drained all of Brilliant Technology's liquid capital, or even sold the company, Zhao Fusheng probably wouldn't do anything to Tan Kaixuan.

As it turned out, Qian Dongliu was indeed a smart man.

After hearing his words, Zhao Fusheng pondered for a moment and slowly said, “This time, Tan Kaixuan was indeed in the wrong, but my idea is that we might as well take this opportunity to sell off Brilliant Technology.”

“What?”

Hearing this, Qian Dongliu was stunned, because he never expected Zhao Fusheng to make such a decision.

What on earth had happened?