Chapter 0018: Fan Beibei's Bizarre Train of Thought

People have levels of needs. Simply put, when a person is barely clothed and starving, it's hard to maintain so-called face, dignity, and even integrity.

If someone can maintain these, it shows they are not ordinary—they are capable of great things.

But most ordinary people certainly can't do this; their goal is simply to live well.

Thus, there always exist people in the world who can transcend their family, bloodline, and environment, who can break free from the constraints of their era and make the world see them differently. Such people are called heroes.

Zhao Fusheng didn't plan to be a hero, and he knew that Chen Shijie couldn't be a hero either.

So there was only one answer now: his high school classmate Chen Shijie was undercover.

Although he didn't know how this plot, usually seen in movies, had become reality, Zhao Fusheng was certain that once this gang was busted, the fifty thousand yuan Fan Jian owed wouldn't need to be repaid.

In other words, he didn't have to worry about Fan Baobao, that tigress, becoming his wife, nor fear being bullied by her for life.

Thinking of this, Zhao Fusheng's mood inexplicably lightened quite a bit.

It wasn't that Fan Baobao was unlikable; it was just that the childhood shadow she left on Zhao Fusheng was too strong, causing him to always feel a certain resistance toward her.

Some say that being born human means nonstop hustle and bustle; the only result of stopping is death.

And a person's love and hate are the only things they can possess before death.

For Zhao Fusheng, he loved this world, loved everyone around him, and hoped they could live a happy life. The past busyness and hardship were still fresh in his memory, so Zhao Fusheng worked hard to help those kind people around him live a little happier.

However, for now, Zhao Fusheng couldn't tell the elders this news. After all, Chen Shijie was risking his life undercover. If the news leaked because of him, it wouldn't matter if the case couldn't be solved, but if it harmed his old classmate, he would regret it forever.

Thinking this, Zhao Fusheng gritted his teeth and decided to keep the news secret for now.

People always feel doubly happy when approaching happiness, but when happiness is underway, they become anxious and uncertain.

Perhaps this is a common human failing.

Over the next few days, Zhao Fusheng attended classes as usual. Whether elective or required, he listened attentively and took notes. After these days, he finally understood what it meant for things to change and people to be different.

The familiar professors were gone, the familiar classmates were gone. Apart from a few roommates, Zhao Fusheng couldn't find many familiar faces among his college classmates.

Fortunately, the counselor was still Zheng Yao, and she did take leave for personal reasons, just as he remembered. Of course, before taking leave, Zheng Yao had spoken to Professor Qin, which helped Zhao Fusheng out.

As an advertising major, Zhao Fusheng had many subjects to study: Introduction to Advertising, Communication Theory, Ancient Literature, Modern and Contemporary Literature, Modern Chinese General Theory, Advertising Research, Fundamentals of Graphic Design, Corporate Image Design, English News Writing, Advertising Copywriting, Advertising Planning and Creativity, Advertising Creativity and Expression, Advertising Media, Modern Advertising Management, Advertising Psychology, Marketing Planning, and more than a dozen other courses.

Fortunately, after graduation, he had always worked in this field. Although he had forgotten much of the theoretical knowledge, with careful recollection, he could still manage.

In his previous life, he never understood why advertising students had to study literature, but later he realized that advertising emphasizes copywriting, and copywriting requires a literary foundation.

The most painful thing in life is to live a mediocre life, achieve nothing, and occasionally look back to find you've missed countless opportunities.

It's a feeling of wanting to slap yourself awake and start over.

Now, Zhao Fusheng had the chance to start over, so he cherished every opportunity to improve himself.

Fan Baobao later called Zhao Fusheng to ask about the result of his visit to Hanjia Alley. Zhao Fusheng didn't say much, only telling her that the other party said Fan Jian had lost forty-five thousand yuan, with the remaining five thousand as interest, and demanded repayment within a month, or they would come to take him.

He clearly felt Fan Baobao sigh heavily, seeming quite distressed.

But Zhao Fusheng didn't plan to reveal Chen Shijie's situation. The reason was the same as keeping it from his parents: before things were settled, he needed to be cautious.

Of course, Zhao Fusheng would never admit that he actually took some dark pleasure in letting Fan Baobao suffer a little longer.

…

…

As usual, he went home on the weekend. After saying goodbye to his roommates, Zhao Fusheng leisurely took the bus home. For him, being able to see his parents every weekend was an incredibly happy thing.

It's said that people who love to reminisce about the past are those who haven't lived well, because they can't get what they want, life is always full of misfortune, so they immerse themselves in the past.

Actually, this statement isn't entirely correct. Often, people recall the past because it holds memories they can't let go of.

For Zhao Fusheng, his parents were the ones he couldn't forget and always worried about.

As for his ex-wife, with whom he had spent over a decade, he occasionally thought of her too, but Zhao Fusheng always felt that if fate allowed, they might meet again.

Whether she would still like him then, he didn't know, but he was certain that if they met again, even if he couldn't give her a wedding, he would give her a happy memory.

When he got home, his mother hadn't finished work yet, but his father was there. However, seeing the little girl Fan Beibei in his father's arms, Zhao Fusheng was quite surprised. "Beibei, why are you here?"

"Brother!"

As soon as Fan Beibei saw Zhao Fusheng, she jumped up happily and stretched out her arms, clearly wanting him to hold her.

Zhao Fusheng quickly put down his bag and picked up the little girl.

"Brother, Beibei missed you. Did you miss me?" The little girl laughed happily, leaned in, and gave Zhao Fusheng a smacking kiss on the cheek, giggling nonstop.

Children at this age are the cutest. Even someone like Zhao Fusheng, a seasoned veteran of the world, couldn't help but be infected.

"Since you're back, you watch Beibei. I'll go buy groceries."

Father Zhao stood up and instructed his son.

A son naturally obeys his father's orders, and besides, Zhao Fusheng really liked Beibei. He sat down on the sofa with the little girl in his arms.

But for some reason, he felt that his father's retreating figure seemed a bit like fleeing.

"Brother, brother, Beibei wants to hear a story." Before Zhao Fusheng could figure it out, the little girl's voice sounded beside him.

"Okay, big brother will tell you a story."

In Zhao Fusheng's view, coaxing a child was a piece of cake. It was just telling a few fairy tales, not like walking through fire or jumping into a cauldron of oil.

"Little Fox and Little Rooster went to the valley to pick mushrooms. They crossed mountains and finally reached the beautiful valley. Little Rooster picked fewer mushrooms, Little Fox picked more, so..." Zhao Fusheng paused here and smiled at Fan Beibei.

He was about to tell Fan Beibei to learn to share things with friends when he saw Fan Beibei blink her eyes and ask him strangely, "Brother, why didn't Little Fox eat Little Rooster? Isn't chicken stewed with mushrooms delicious?"

Huh?

Zhao Fusheng was instantly dumbfounded.

He finally understood why his father had fled.

Fan Beibei, that little foodie, really had a bizarre train of thought.