Honestly, if Chen Jiaojiao hadn't brought him to see it today, he wouldn't have remembered the real hardships of ordinary people.
Cars costing one to two hundred thousand, models that Xiang Wan, a single woman, wouldn't even bother to buy, yet here were people discussing how to purchase one through a loan, pooling their family's entire resources.
It was as if they were undertaking a monumental task, with the whole family gathered to brainstorm.
He had long overlooked the yearning for a better life in ordinary people.
After leaving the 4S shop, Chen Jiaojiao took him to the talent market.
The weekend talent market was as crowded as a vegetable market, teeming with people.
The company recruiters at the booths seemed like vendors selling produce.
They casually browsed a few stalls, and Xiang Yang realized that with his education, the salary he could expect was pretty much the same.
Relying on his major to reach the pinnacle of his life and hold his head high in front of his sister was likely at least ten years away.
After wandering around, it was noon.
Chen Jiaojiao chose a high-end Western restaurant for lunch.
Xiang Yang, dressed in an ordinary t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, felt acutely aware of the disparity the moment he stepped into such a place and saw the other men dressed elegantly and appropriately.
In contrast, Chen Jiaojiao, with her attire, seemed at ease wherever she went.
He suddenly felt he was beginning to understand her.
Once seated, Chen Jiaojiao unceremoniously ordered steak, red wine, dessert, and soup.
Looking at the astonishing numbers on the menu and then at her nonchalant actions, Xiang Yang's scalp tightened again.
After the waiter left, Chen Jiaojiao asked him,
"Does your offer to treat me to lunch still stand?"
"Of course, it does."
Although Xiang Yang wasn't wealthy, and finishing this meal would negate a week's worth of work, he still possessed a degree of manliness.
Chen Jiaojiao smiled and got to the point.
"Tell me, if in the future you enter society and meet a girl whose horizons are wider than yours, whose spending habits are higher than yours, and who is better than you in every aspect, but you fall for her uncontrollably."
"And yet, you can only offer her the kind of life she saw this morning. Would you still dare to pursue her?"
Through her subtle hints all morning, Xiang Yang now had a clear understanding of and desire for money.
He used to be both money-loving and aloof, but today he realized that liking money and a good life wasn't a sign of vanity.
It was a symbol of capability.
Only incapable people attacked capable individuals with sour, resentful language to mask their own embarrassment and dissatisfaction with life.
He had been too narrow-minded before; today, his mind was opened.
"I understand what you mean. Miss Chen, I also know what choice to make now."
The days passed peacefully. A week later, on Friday evening, Chen Jiaojiao invited Zhou Jinbei to Jiang Nan Fang's house for the weekend.
All three women were single, and it was boring to stay home alone.
Jiang Nan Fang's house had a few adorable children, and the lively atmosphere allowed the girlfriends to talk to each other, which was nice.
The children were also excited to see them.
While Jiang Nan Fang was cooking in the kitchen, they played boisterously in the living room.
During dinner, Chen Jiaojiao asked Zhou Jinbei,
"A few days ago, a client at my place mentioned that Nancheng might be getting a Universal Studios. Do you know about this?"
Zhou Jinbei certainly knew.
This project was what Zhan Bei Jue had been busy with recently.
The project was enormously costly and had a significant impact. If the company won the bid, it would become another landmark building.
However, all the reputable construction companies, both within and outside the city, were eyeing it. Zhan Bei Jue was determined to win and was personally leading his team to tackle it.
It had to be Chen Jiaojiao; even before the bidding began, she had obtained such internal information.
"Well, what do you think I do for a living?"
Chen Jiaojiao turned to tease the children.
"Perhaps in the future, your daddy will build Universal Studios, and you'll be VIP customers who don't have to queue to get in."
"Don't forget me when you go to play in the future! Auntie Jiaojiao will carry your bags, help you with your things, and maybe snag a free ticket too!"
The children giggled, and the dining table was filled with laughter.
Hearing this, Jiang Nan Fang's eyes flickered, and she looked at Zhou Jinbei.
"Why didn't you tell me about something so important?"
Zhou Jinbei was momentarily taken aback by her words.
"You and my second brother are... I thought it was all work-related, and you wouldn't be interested..."
"I'm not interested in your work, but I'm interested in making money."
Jiang Nan Fang recalled the scene when she visited Disneyland.
The shops inside had incredible daily foot traffic, with queues stretching endlessly. Benefiting from prime location and timing, she wondered how much money they made in a day.
She had long been envious but had never had the opportunity.
Now, the opportunity was presented right before her eyes, and she almost let it slip away.
"Making money? You don't develop real estate, so how would you profit from it?"
Jiang Nan Fang explained her idea, and Chen Jiaojiao and Zhou Jinbei excitedly slammed their chopsticks down.
"Oh, indeed, when it comes to making money, it's you! How did we not think of this?"
"Yes, even a fly's leg is still meat, and this kind of shop, though it looks like a fly's leg, is actually a big fat cow!"
"If we could open two shops there through connections, wouldn't the money flow in like tap water?"
"I'll tell my second brother later to make sure he wins the bid. We'll negotiate several代理 (dai li - agency/franchise) agreements and open more shops! Oh, just thinking about it makes me feel like I'm about to strike it rich!"
The two of them were easily excitable, while Jiang Nan Fang was much calmer.
"Don't get too excited yet. I just have this idea. Whether your second brother can win the bid is one thing, and whether we can get the代理 is another. Most importantly, there's a problem right in front of us."
"What problem?"
"Startup capital. To negotiate代理, you need registered capital, right? If you want to negotiate more代理, you need a lot of startup capital, don't you?"
"Without money, it's all talk. Considering our current financial strength, how many代理 do you think we can secure?"
"..." The two of them fell silent.
Chen Jiaojiao had poured all her resources into opening her beauty salon and still owed Lu Mingzhe over a million in debt.
As for Zhou Jinbei, her family was in disarray, and she was now just a small employee.
Only Jiang Nan Fang had a sliver of financial strength.
The idea was good, but they truly lacked the funds.
"Then what should we do? We can't just let the opportunity slip away, can we? How about I sell my car..."
Halfway through her sentence, Chen Jiaojiao couldn't continue.
Relying on her to sell her car would be like a drop in the bucket.
In the end, it was Jiang Nan Fang who took charge.
"I was just trying to keep you two in check and stop you from getting too carried away. Don't be so down."
"You two might not be able to, but you have me. I'll handle the money matters."
"You two will be responsible for negotiating the代理 and seeking favors from Zhan Bei Jue. I'll be responsible for providing the funds. We'll each do our part."