Shu Guobing had stumbled onto a benefactor.
It was a friend of a friend—Shu Guobing didn’t know the guy’s background. He was just bragging at the drinking table as usual when this boss, flush with cash and no clue where to invest, heard Shu Guobing’s “rich entrepreneurial experience” and was floored, proposing a partnership.
At first, Shu Guobing thought it was just booze-fueled hot air. But the boss, plastered, pulled hundreds of thousands in cash from his car trunk right then and there.
Dumping that much cash on the table, everyone’s eyes bulged.
Shu Guobing realized the guy was serious—and he got nervous.
With four or five hundred grand sitting there, Shu Guobing couldn’t scrape together 50 yuan from his pockets. Partner with what?
He’d oversold himself and stammered, unsure how to backtrack. The boss, ever understanding, clapped his shoulder, “You’ve got big dreams, just bad luck and petty foes holding you back ’til now.”
Shu Guobing nearly teared up.
A true kindred spirit!
They hit it off, swearing brotherhood on the spot. The boss didn’t even ask for capital—just Shu Guobing’s effort.
No business plan yet, but the boss set his salary: 3,000 yuan base monthly, plus bonuses, year-end dividends, and full control of the venture!
Three thousand base?
This was 2004—even in Rongcheng, few earned that, let alone in this small city.
And that was just the base—bonuses separate, dividends at year-end. Shu Guobing jumped at it.
The table was stunned.
Shu Guobing landing this gig? Others wanted in, but the boss had eyes only for him.
It still felt like a dream.
Drinking buddies who’d called him “Old Shu” now said “Brother Shu.” With the boss’s card in hand, Shu Guobing strutted home, glowing.
Wen Hongyan thought she’d misheard.
“Three thousand?”
Maybe the liquor turned 300 into 3,000!
If Shu Guobing pulled 3,000 monthly, plus bonuses and dividends, why would Wen Hongyan need to grovel to her brother and sister-in-law?
Shu Guobing swore it was 3,000, no mistake.
Skeptical, she pressed, “What business?”
On the way back, he’d hatched a plan, eyes red with thrill, “Aquatics!”
After a year of frustration, a chance to shine—Shu Guobing locked onto aquatics.
His past flops were aimless, but aquatics was the one money-maker he’d touched. Deng Shangwei raked it in—Shu Guobing had no capital then, but now with a backer, why couldn’t he?
He hadn’t started yet, but he was already picturing fame and fortune.
Deng Shangwei was down on his luck, right?
He’d snatch his clients!
Wen Hongyan’s mouth doubted, her heart hoped, “Aquatics means Rongcheng?”
Shu Guobing confirmed, and she lit up, “Lu Lu can study there!”
If clumsy Wen Ying could manage, smart Shu Lu surely could.
With no AC at home, Shu Lu did homework at a friend’s during the day. That night, hearing her dad’s big break—moving to Rongcheng, her studying there—she froze. How’d this luck hit her dad?
A scam? Her dad’s pockets were cleaner than his face—their home was beyond bare.
No, worse than bare—no owned house in the city, just a rental!
No scam bait here—Shu Lu had to believe her dad’s rotten luck had turned.
The trio buzzed all night, sleepless.
Shu Lu flipped the boss’s card— Cai Youlun, their savior’s name, rolling off the tongue.
Wen Hongyan feared barstool promises wouldn’t hold. Next day, Shu Guobing called the number. Sober, Boss Cai still recognized his “brother,” inviting the family to the city’s best hotel for dinner.
In the private room, Shu Guobing pitched his vision, Cai nodding along, all approval.
“Guobing, you’ve done aquatics at Qingshiqiao—what’s the startup cost?”
Shu Guobing’s heart raced.
Cai sounded ready to write any check.
A setup like Deng Shangwei’s? Millions, maybe.
He wanted to go big but feared details exposing him, so he hedged, “Around a million or so.”
A million was flexible.
Hundreds of thousands? He’d take it.
One or two million? He’d manage.
Surely Cai, loaded as he was, could spare at least 100,000?
Shu Guobing fidgeted, Wen Hongyan pinched her hand under the tablecloth, but Shu Lu stayed cool—or looked it.
Cai roared with laughter, “Then take a million to start! Brothers need trust—you prove yourself, I trust you more, right?”
A million!
Straight out, a million!
In the city, new condos ran just over 1,000 yuan per square meter—a three-bedroom, top-notch place was 100,000-plus.
Older units? Tens of thousands.
To the Shu trio, a million was astronomical—even Wen Dongrong’s family couldn’t cough that up!
“Yes, Big Brother Cai, you’re my real brother—I won’t let you down.”
Shu Guobing felt Cai was closer than family.
No, better than family—his real brother or dad never gave this!
Cai grinned, “You’re the manager, grow the business—I’ll send someone to handle accounts.”
The million wasn’t cash-in-hand—Cai would assign an accountant. Shu Guobing’s hopes dipped, but Cai pulled 20,000 on the spot, “Settling-in funds for Rongcheng.” That disappointment vanished.
No million yet, but 20,000 was real.
Without Wen Dongrong’s help, they couldn’t muster 2,000—now 20,000? Shu Guobing floated.
Cai’s sincerity won Wen Hongyan over. Their hearts were already in Rongcheng—she quit her factory job the next day.
That gig, thanks to Wen Dongrong’s favor, kept her despite her slacking—her bosses had long wanted her gone but held back for his sake.
Now she quit, they were secretly thrilled, still calling Wen Dongrong out of courtesy. Not their choice—couldn’t stop her chasing Rongcheng riches. Wen Hongyan’s big mouth spilled it all; the factory knew why.
By the time Wen Dongrong heard, the Shu trio was on a bus to Rongcheng!
He told Wen Ying, who was stunned, “Aunt’s family is coming to Rongcheng for business?”
—This never happened in her last life!
