"When the reins of power are truly handed over to others, and you find yourself with nothing left, forced to start all over again, only then can you truly understand what it means for life to be difficult!"
"Don't be so selfish in life; think long-term. Look at your own children, who are crying out for nourishment. Childhood is important, but adulthood is even more so!"
"If you don't work hard now, they will have to fight for themselves when they grow up. Do you want to see your children struggling to survive under someone else's thumb? Bowing and scraping for meager gains? Think about it carefully!"
After speaking, the old man, angered, flicked his sleeves and left.
Jiang Nan Fang and Zhan Bei Jue exchanged a look, and neither had the appetite to eat anymore.
Fearing Zhan Bei Jue would be unhappy, Jiang Nan Fang comforted him.
"Grandpa is old. He feels that his descendants should stay by his side. It's normal for him not to accept it immediately."
"Take it slow. You just promised to help him with financing, so you won't be leaving anytime soon."
"I still have to go to the company later. I won't keep you company."
She called Zhou Jin Bei to arrange things for Shen Min Er, but no one answered.
He didn't reply to her WeChat messages either.
"What did your cousin go off to do? She's been completely silent since last night."
"What did she tell you before she left yesterday?"
"Her family's mess has flared up again. She must have gone home to clean up their mess. If you want to know what happened, you have to call Zhou Jin Xiu."
Fine, she'd call.
Jiang Nan Fang called Zhou Jin Xiu again in front of him.
This time, he answered.
"Are you up yet? Where's Bei Bei? Why isn't she answering my calls?"
The other end of the line was eerily silent. After a few seconds of silence,
Zhou Jin Xiu suddenly burst into tears.
"Nan Fang... As expected, only you remember me and want to help me at critical moments."
"I'm so touched, sob sob sob, where are you now? Can we meet? I'm dying, save me."
Since Zhou Jin Xiu decided to go home and build a career, they hadn't contacted each other much.
Occasionally, when they did connect, it was because Zhou Jin Xiu was drunk, joking and asking how Jiang Nan Fang was doing.
Every time, he was all smiles and full of spirit. His sudden shift to such a dejected state startled Jiang Nan Fang.
"What's wrong? Why are you dying? Speak properly, don't scare me, alright?"
"It's too complicated to explain over the phone. My father is looking for me everywhere, and if he finds me, he'll beat me to death."
"Where are you? Can I come find you? You have to help me this time."
Jiang Nan Fang looked at Zhan Bei Jue.
He had never had a good impression of Zhou Jin Xiu. With half-closed eyes, he acted as if he hadn't heard anything, his expression blank.
But Jiang Nan Fang had always considered Zhou Jin Xiu a friend, and she couldn't stand by and do nothing.
"Alright, then come over to my place. I'll wait for you at home."
After hanging up, Zhan Bei Jue, with a grim expression, took out his phone and personally called Zhou Jin Bei.
This little girl, who appeared carefree and thoughtless on the surface.
Actually, she was more composed than anyone.
Every time a major incident occurred, she would secretly handle it behind the scenes.
She really should have swapped genders with Zhou Jin Xiu.
No one answered. After several attempts, Zhou Jin Bei finally picked up.
Her voice was groggy.
"Second Brother, what's wrong?"
Zhan Bei Jue immediately detected something was wrong.
"Where are you?"
"At home. I slept late last night and just woke up."
"Your voice doesn't sound well. Is everything okay?"
There was something wrong, and it was very serious.
Zhou Jin Bei had cried for most of last night, and her eyes were now swollen like walnuts.
But she didn't want Zhan Bei Jue to know.
There were many things one had to learn to grow up and resolve on their own.
Others could help you for a while, but not for a lifetime.
It wasn't as if Zhan Bei Jue was rich, so he had to help everyone in need, right?
"I'm fine. I have a headache and want to take the day off. Second Brother, please tell my sister-in-law that I won't be coming to the company today."
Zhan Bei Jue pretended not to know what had happened in the Zhou family.
"What's wrong? Caught a cold?"
"Maybe I caught a chill yesterday. I have a bad headache. I'll take some medicine and go back to sleep, and I'll be fine. Goodbye."
After the call ended, Zhan Bei Jue rubbed his temples and leaned his head back against the chair.
His grandfather was right about one thing.
A person couldn't live too selfishly.
Even if not for oneself, then for those around them, it was wrong to retire prematurely when one still had the ability.
He wondered if Jiang Nan Fang could understand him, without joking.
For now, he truly couldn't emigrate.
In fact, Jiang Nan Fang knew very well that such talk was only for when emotions ran high.
It was unrealistic to expect Zhan Bei Jue to abandon everything and wander the world with her.
Unlike her, Zhan Bei Jue's family relationships were not simple.
Once he drew a clear line with those scumbags, he would have no lingering attachments.
On his end, in addition to the vast business of the Zhan Group, there were many peripheral relationships that couldn't simply be discarded.
As a man, besides his wife and children and a warm hearth,
He also bore many other responsibilities.
To abandon them so easily would truly be very selfish.
After all, as adults, to wish for a carefree, simple, and bright life like in the dramas was entirely wishful thinking.
Soon, Zhou Jin Xiu arrived.
The security guard, with Zhan Bei Jue's permission, let him in. Jiang Nan Fang greeted him at the entrance, but Zhou Jin Xiu hesitated to enter.
He wore a white shirt and black trousers, which looked like they hadn't been changed in days. The shirt was wrinkled, and the pants were covered in cigarette ash.
Combined with his red eyes and messy hair, he truly looked like a wanderer on the run.
"What's wrong? What exactly happened?"
The last time Jiang Nan Fang saw him, he was still full of spirit, talking about how successful his career was now.
"I... I'm too ashamed to say it. If you still consider me a friend and believe in my character, lend me some money first."
It wasn't that Jiang Nan Fang didn't believe him or wouldn't lend him money, but rather that she wasn't wealthy herself right now.
"How much do you need?"
"Ten million?"
"How much?"
"If not, eight million will do! Ah, five million will do!"
"...Zhou Jin Xiu, tell me the truth, what happened?"
He ran his hands through his hair, looking full of regret.
"Just don't ask for now, I... can you not ask?"
"No."
Zhan Bei Jue had walked out at some point, appearing coldly behind Jiang Nan Fang.
"Who lends money without giving a reason? Even close brothers settle their accounts clearly. What do you need the money for?"
"..."
Zhou Jin Xiu had always been inferior to Zhan Bei Jue in every way since childhood, which had always caused him to harbor resentment.
The reason he got into trouble today was also because he was eager to prove himself and wanted to stand tall in front of his parents.
Who would have thought...
Anyone could laugh at him, but not Zhan Bei Jue.
Being questioned by him, Zhou Jin Xiu's already low spirits became even more agitated.
"If you're not lending it, then don't. I didn't expect to borrow from you anyway. What are you so proud of?"
"Fortune favors the bold, and times change. Zhan Bei Jue, you won't always be stronger than me!"
"I'm leaving! Consider it as if I never came today!"