Chapter 0817: Barely Enough Room to Stand

In a sense, Zhao Fusheng wasn't short of the three hundred thousand.

Dong Guoxiang had some money, and Future Advertising's Zheng Yao could also come up with a portion, but in Zhao Fusheng's view, buying this house was his personal matter, and there was no need to involve them.

Besides, Old Jiang's money sitting in the bank was just lying idle, so why not use it?

Zhao Fusheng genuinely thought so.

"It's simple. I've already discussed it with the house owner," Zhao Fusheng explained in response to Jiang Wen's question. "As long as I pay him, the house is ready to move into."

This place was originally a school-district house rented out to students near the school. The owner didn't live here but elsewhere.

Now that someone wanted to buy the house and was willing to pay in cash, he couldn't wait to take the money.

And because it was a rental school-district house, all the facilities were complete, and one could move in with just a suitcase.

"So?"

Jiang Wen looked at Zhao Fusheng suspiciously, not quite understanding his meaning.

Zhao Fusheng chuckled: "So the two of us need to go to the bank to withdraw the money."

"Oh, no need to go to the bank." Jiang Wen was taken aback by Zhao Fusheng's words and replied casually.

"Bro, that's three hundred thousand, not thirty thousand."

Speechless, Zhao Fusheng looked at Jiang Wen and complained.

After all, three hundred thousand in cash was no small sum. Zhao Fusheng now regretted not having notified Jiang Wen earlier to prepare the cash in advance. Going to the bank now would be troublesome.

"Well, come with me." Jiang Wen said nothing, instead pulling Zhao Fusheng out the door.

An hour later, standing in Jiang Wen's study, Zhao Fusheng stared at him in shock.

"So, you keep the money at home?"

Zhao Fusheng said, dumbfounded, looking at Jiang Wen.

Just now, Jiang Wen had opened a safe in front of him, which contained over five hundred thousand in cash.

"Yeah, going to the bank to withdraw it is too much trouble. It's better to keep it at home and just take it when I need it," Jiang Wen replied in a tone that suggested Zhao Fusheng was making a fuss over nothing.

Clearly, he thought Zhao Fusheng's reaction was over the top.

Zhao Fusheng's mouth twitched a few times. He was completely done evaluating Jiang Wen's way of thinking.

This guy might be top-notch in filmmaking, but in daily life, he was just a fool.

And hopelessly so.

But fortunately, that meant Zhao Fusheng could effortlessly take the three hundred thousand and leave Jiang Wen's house by car.

Worried about Zhao Fusheng's safety, Jiang Wen had his assistant accompany him back.

Most celebrities' assistants are relatives or close acquaintances. After all, as public figures, if any little thing could easily leak to the outside world, that wouldn't be appropriate.

In such cases, using one's own people as assistants is undoubtedly the best choice.

After driving to the building, Zhao Fusheng contacted the house owner and arranged to meet at the property registration office. Then he took Jiang Wen's car to the property registration office.

Pay money, get goods.

It was a very fair transaction. Zhao Fusheng handed over three hundred thousand yuan to the other party, who in turn went with him to transfer the property deed into his name.

And so, in the year 2001, Zhao Fusheng finally owned his second apartment in Beijing.

“Teacher Fusheng, I don’t quite understand—why don’t you keep writing screenplays?” Jiang Wen’s assistant, driving Zhao Fusheng home, couldn’t help asking.

Having often met Zhao Fusheng with Jiang Wen, over time he had come to know that Zhao Fusheng had a good temper; generally, as long as the question wasn’t too offbeat, Zhao Fusheng would answer.

Zhao Fusheng smiled. “Why should I keep writing screenplays?”

“Well, every one of your screenplays has done well at the box office, so of course you should keep writing.” The assistant was baffled, clearly unable to grasp Zhao Fusheng’s thinking.

“The purpose of my hard work to make money is, in the end, to be free to do what I want. So when circumstances allow, I basically won’t consider doing things I don’t like.” Zhao Fusheng said to the assistant with a smile.

The assistant blinked; obviously, he didn’t quite understand Zhao Fusheng’s words.

Zhao Fusheng said no more, but his gaze drifted out the window. He didn’t need to explain too much, because he knew well that the young assistant wouldn’t understand how he felt at this moment.

Just as he himself once hadn’t understood what those hardworking drifters in Beijing, living in cramped basement cubicles, were striving for.

The surrounding traffic streamed endlessly. In this rapidly changing metropolis, more and more outsiders poured in. A dozen years later, many people’s goal would become owning a home in this city and becoming a true Beijinger.

Once, Zhao Fusheng had been the same—busy and toiling every day, longing to fulfill his dream someday.

But now, he already owned two apartments.

He had his own company, his own beloved.

For a moment, Zhao Fusheng felt as if he were dreaming.

“Teacher Fusheng, Teacher Fusheng.” At that moment, Jiang Wen’s assistant’s voice rang out: “We’re home.”

Zhao Fusheng snapped out of his daze and smiled at him. “Thank you. I’ll treat you to a meal another day.”

Flattered, the assistant quickly waved his hand. “You’re too kind. Whatever Teacher Jiang instructs, I must handle properly.”

Zhao Fusheng said nothing more, watched him drive off, and walked into the residential complex on his own.

As soon as he entered, he saw Yang Panpan sitting there chatting with Fan Baobao. They were talking about something and burst into laughter, while Zhang Qian sat on the sofa, his face bright red.

“Oh, back pretty fast.” Zhao Fusheng smiled and said to Fan Baobao, “So you’ve gotten to know each other?”

“Mm, Sister Panpan is amazing—she knows martial arts!”

Fan Baobao was clearly in awe of Yang Panpan’s martial arts skills, and said seriously, “I plan to take her as my teacher and learn some moves.”

Huh?

Zhao Fusheng’s expression instantly stiffened. He stared at Fan Baobao, dumbfounded, and blinked. “What did you say?”

“I said, I want to learn martial arts.” Fan Baobao waved her little fist, full of confidence. “That way, if I encounter a bad guy, I can act bravely, just like Sister Panpan.”

Zhao Fusheng was completely taken aback. He looked at Fan Baobao speechlessly, thinking to himself, I hired a female bodyguard for you, not so you could learn martial arts from her.

But clearly, Fan Baobao couldn’t hear Zhao Fusheng’s silent cry from the depths of his heart, and Yang Panpan—well, she had never been afraid of Zhao Fusheng.

In her view, this guy Zhao Fusheng, aside from being quick-witted, was hardly worthy of Fan Baobao, such a refined and spirited girl.

Yes, ever since seeing the “Clear Mouth Girl” commercial, Yang Panpan had become Fan Baobao’s fan.

And all this, Zhao Fusheng still didn’t know. He only found it strange why Yang Panpan’s gaze at him was full of contempt.