Chapter 0278: Goodbye to Ideals

Greed is a poison, because human desire knows no bounds.

Sometimes Zhao Fusheng felt that fate was like a subway heading toward spring. Along the way, we encounter many different scenes—some breathtakingly beautiful, others suffocating storms.

In the carriage, passengers come and go. None will accompany you to your stop; everyone has their own destination. All you can do is wish them well.

But Zhao Fusheng knew he could only travel his own track to the end, cherishing those around him and blessing those who left.

Many things need no explanation, because they are meaningless. Likewise, seeking forgiveness is meaningless, because a mistake is a mistake; any excuse or reason is feeble.

By the same token, Zhao Fusheng could understand Wang Zhen’s choice—or rather, the choice of Wang Zhen’s parents—but he could not accept it.

He understood because if it were his own parents, they would do the same. After all, nearly a million yuan was no small sum; leaving it in the hands of an outsider was ultimately inappropriate.

But for Zhao Fusheng, it amounted to distrust, so he couldn’t accept it.

Because from the very beginning, he had been the one leading Wang Zhen. Wang Zhen’s choice proved that Zhao Fusheng had misjudged something.

Wang Zhen was still the same person, but he wasn’t cut out for big things. He was more inclined toward the ordinary life his parents suggested.

Some people are naturally suited to an ordinary life. Even if you try to force growth or offer support, it doesn’t work. It’s not that they’re hopeless; they simply aren’t suited.

Thinking back on Wang Zhen’s recent behavior, Zhao Fusheng couldn’t help shaking his head and sighing.

After completing the banking business, Zhao Fusheng was escorted out by the manager. As a small branch, the sudden million-yuan transaction was quite unexpected.

Back in the dormitory, Zhao Fusheng placed the bank card containing 990,000 yuan in front of Wang Zhen.

“The money is all here. You can check it later,” Zhao Fusheng said calmly.

“Old Zhao, I…” Wang Zhen’s face flushed red. He truly felt sorry toward Zhao Fusheng, but his parents’ words were still fresh. After all, this was no small amount of money, and his family wasn’t wealthy. With this money, his and his younger brother’s future lives were secured.

Besides, he thought, he wouldn’t need that much to buy a house with Dong Chenxi.

Zhao Fusheng waved his hand. “No need. I understand how you feel. Tell your aunt and uncle it’s nothing.”

Then he said to Wang Zhen, “Consider my suggestion. In your hometown, you could try buying a few street-facing commercial properties and open a store or something.”

“That’s what my mom said too. We’ll rent out the house and open our own shop,” Wang Zhen said smugly.

He now felt even more that his parents were right—even Zhao Fusheng thought the same.

Zhao Fusheng smiled helplessly. He couldn’t exactly tell Wang Zhen that this was just normal adult thinking.

“It’s good that you think that way. Also, if you trust me, don’t spend all this money. Set aside at least a portion. If I ever have a good project, we can partner up,” Zhao Fusheng continued, looking at Wang Zhen.

“You… you still want to include me…” Wang Zhen was moved. He hadn’t expected Zhao Fusheng to still be willing to work with him after what happened.

Zhao Fusheng waved his hand. “Not me. My dad.”

“Huh?” Wang Zhen was confused, not understanding Zhao Fusheng’s meaning.

Zhao Fusheng said nothing. Some things couldn’t be explained now. Whether Wang Zhen could seize this last chance depended on his fate.

He had done all he could. The bond from their past life remained. As long as Wang Zhen didn’t stab him in the back, Zhao Fusheng would never watch him fall into poverty.

“Thank you,” Wang Zhen said after a long silence.

Zhao Fusheng smiled. “You know, I once had a dream. In the dream, there was a grassland. The wind blew, and the grass bent. At first, I thought I was the wind. But after being battered and bruised, I realized I was just a blade of grass.”

Life is truly strange. The moment you understand its powerlessness is precisely when you mature.

“No matter what, you’ll always be my best friend,” Wang Zhen suddenly said.

Zhao Fusheng nodded. “I know. I’ve always known.”

“Well, I’ll pack up and head back first,” Wang Zhen said after a moment’s thought.

Final exams were over. His family lived out of town, so naturally he was going home.

Zhao Fusheng nodded. “Go ahead. Dong Guoxiang is here, so don’t worry.”

Both he and Wang Zhen knew that even when school resumed, Wang Zhen would no longer be involved in maintaining wo123. Today’s choice meant Wang Zhen was no longer on the same boat as Zhao Fusheng.

Watching Wang Zhen leave with his suitcase, Zhao Fusheng shook his head. In his past life, he knew that many things in life were futile. But he still refused to give up, trying hard to change Wang Zhen’s fate.

Yet it turned out that being born at the wrong time was worse than being a ghost.

That’s why many people, after growing up, look back at their student days and realize how happy they were then. Even though at the time, trivial matters felt like the end of the world, it was really just the beginning.

On the journey of life, we lose many companions. Some friends flash by like passersby on the street.

“So, Old Wang just left like that?”

At that moment, Tan Kaixuan appeared beside Zhao Fusheng, looking cynical.

“Yeah. His parents thought the money was too much. This time we made a profit, but if we lose next time, it wouldn’t be worth it,” Zhao Fusheng said with a smile, glancing at Tan Kaixuan. “You saw this coming?”

If he remembered correctly, Tan Kaixuan had tested him during the New Year’s dinner. At the time, Zhao Fusheng thought Tan Kaixuan was just curious. But now it seemed that among those around him, Tan Kaixuan was the only one who had seen Wang Zhen’s problem.

“Bro, that’s a million. Even I’ve never seen that much, okay?” Tan Kaixuan rolled his eyes at Zhao Fusheng. “My parents have saved for years. As far as I know, they only have about three million in the stock market. But you, in less than two months, made that much with Old Wang. What did you expect him to do?”

Zhao Fusheng stood there speechless for a long time, then shook his head. “Yeah, it’s too much.”

In his eyes, with his foresight, making this money casually was nothing. But he forgot that for ordinary people, this amount was truly too much.

When people suddenly obtain something beyond their normal experience, they often become anxious.

“You know, sometimes I think, if I had talked it over with my parents and followed you into the website business, could I have made even more?” Tan Kaixuan suddenly said something Zhao Fusheng hadn’t expected.

He had always thought Tan Kaixuan didn’t care about this.

“And then?”

“I thought about it for a long time. You know what the answer was?” Tan Kaixuan laughed. “The answer is, I’d be damned if I’d accept it.”

“Because I think I’m no worse than anyone else. You’re my brother. Whether you’re rich or poor, or I’m rich or poor, we’ll always be brothers. But I really can’t bring myself to work under you,” Tan Kaixuan said, then looked at Zhao Fusheng. “Do you think I’m being pretentious?”

Zhao Fusheng shook his head. “No. If it were you, I wouldn’t find it strange.”

As the person who understood Tan Kaixuan best in this world, Zhao Fusheng knew him even better than he knew himself. He even remembered what Tan Kaixuan had once said: “The city has everything, but you can’t see the end. I stop not because of what I see, but because of what I don’t see. When you understand that, you’ll truly understand life.”

At that time, Tan Kaixuan was seen by others as a successful man worth billions, but Zhao Fusheng knew he didn’t live comfortably. The happiest time of his year was when they drank together.

To shine before others, one must suffer behind the scenes.