Chapter Fourteen: Arrangements and Solitude

On the highway from Rongzhou to NC, Li Yunxi drove swiftly. Zhou Xuan, having had a bit of alcohol, sat in the back seat, but he wasn’t asleep.

Reflecting on the evening’s gathering, Zhou Xuan realized that Chen Yulin had truly displayed the formidable power of the richest man in Jiangbei. Though this was just a small, private event, wherever Chen Yulin went, he was the center of attention. The aura he exuded was subtly different from what Zhou Xuan had seen in the villa—his gaze now was sharp and confident, his presence commanding like a tiger, intimidating to the average person.

This, Zhou Xuan thought, was the real Chen Yulin: the business tycoon who had dominated the commercial world for over a decade, and created the Sky Group with billions in annual output. Looking at Chen Yulin, Zhou Xuan wondered whether he himself would someday possess such power, perhaps even surpass it.

As for the matter with Wei Lian, Zhou Xuan had brought it up with Chen Yulin before leaving. Right in front of Zhou Xuan, Chen Yulin made a phone call to someone in NC. After thirty seconds, he hung up and told Zhou Xuan the issue was resolved.

Although Zhou Xuan didn’t know the exact details of how it was handled, he was certain that once Wei Lian returned, Luo Fatty would soon offer an apology. Zhou Xuan was deeply grateful to Chen Yulin; though he could have dealt with Luo Fatty himself, it wouldn’t have been so easy, and if things escalated, it certainly wouldn’t have been worth the trouble.

Zhou Xuan’s foundation was still weak, so he had always been careful not to conflict with others unnecessarily. Chen Yulin, however, was very polite, insisting it was a trivial matter, and invited Zhou Xuan to visit his home whenever he’d like. The two exchanged phone numbers and agreed to stay in touch.

Soon, they arrived at the residential complex where Zhou Xuan rented his apartment. After getting out of the car with Li Yunxi, Zhou Xuan said, “Thank you, Teacher Li. If you hadn’t introduced me to President Chen, resolving the issue with Luo Fatty wouldn’t have been so easy.”

Li Yunxi smiled, “No need for formalities! Besides, Chen Yulin admires you; it’s nothing to do with me. Your talent has even impressed Chen Yulin. I think, perhaps after you graduate, you should consider joining Sky Group.”

Zhou Xuan laughed, “I’m still in middle school. Let’s talk about it in the future!”

Li Yunxi knew that with Zhou Xuan’s talent, his future achievements might even surpass Chen Yulin’s. But in this world, talent alone was far from enough, so he reminded Zhou Xuan, “If you ever run into problems you can’t solve, just let me know. I’ll help however I can.”

Sensing Li Yunxi’s sincerity, Zhou Xuan replied, “Thank you, Teacher Li. I believe that with advances in science, Tianyi’s illness can definitely be cured. You and Madam Li must stay positive and not worry too much.”

Li Yunxi nodded, “We will. Thank you, Zhou Xuan. You must be tired too, go in and rest early.”

“Alright, you head home early too. Take care,” Zhou Xuan said, and then bid farewell to Li Yunxi and went home.

Upon returning, Zhou Xuan found his parents had already come back. It was already half past ten at night. After a brief greeting, Zhou Xuan went to his room and called Liu Yixue.

They chatted for a while, and Zhou Xuan told Liu Yixue that the matter with Luo Fatty had been resolved.

The next morning, Zhou Xuan got up early to buy a motorcycle. Without a vehicle, he found things too inconvenient. He planned to wait for his manuscript royalties to arrive, establish his own company, and then buy a small car for daily use.

He went to a motorcycle dealership, and was dazzled by the many brands and models. He asked the owner to recommend a motorcycle around five thousand yuan.

The owner inquired about Zhou Xuan’s needs and suggested a Jialing model, priced at just over five thousand one hundred. Zhou Xuan wasn’t an expert, but didn’t want to be taken advantage of, so he called his uncle for advice.

His uncle recommended another Jialing model, with a rough price range between four thousand and four thousand three hundred. Zhou Xuan told the owner as his uncle had advised, and the owner’s expression turned sour.

“That price isn’t possible, at least four thousand five hundred.”

“Four thousand two hundred. If not, never mind.” Since his uncle said the maximum was four thousand three hundred, Zhou Xuan insisted on four thousand two hundred.

Initially, the owner refused, but when Zhou Xuan threatened to leave, he quickly agreed.

Thus, Zhou Xuan rode his new motorcycle back to his hometown to inform Wei Lian that the issue with Luo Fatty had been resolved.

Upon hearing this, Wei Lian looked at Zhou Xuan with newfound respect. He had thought Zhou Xuan was simply boasting, but now realized he could truly resolve the matter.

But remembering his father’s suicide due to Luo Fatty, Wei Lian was overcome with grief.

Zhou Xuan patted his shoulder and comforted him, “Don’t worry. Sooner or later, we’ll deal with Luo Fatty.”

Wei Lian nodded, “Now can you tell me why you saved me? Since you’ve helped my mother and me, as long as it’s not illegal, I’ll agree to anything you ask!”

Hearing Wei Lian’s promise, Zhou Xuan was delighted. He smiled, “I don’t have any special requests, just hope that you’ll work for me in the future.”

Wei Lian hadn’t expected such a simple request, and smiled in agreement, “What kind of work?”

Zhou Xuan replied, “For now, the job is managing a website called hao123. Just check daily if the site is accessible, or add some promising new links. After the New Year, you’ll need to establish a company and start promoting internet café management software.”

“The internet?” Wei Lian exclaimed.

“Yes. It should be easy for you, and I think you’ll find it interesting. I believe you can do well!” Zhou Xuan explained.

Wei Lian was surprised that Zhou Xuan, a middle school student, had developed a website and was planning to run management software for internet cafés. It made him wonder if his own graduate studies at a prestigious university had been wasted.

Since he also wanted to develop his career online, Wei Lian agreed without hesitation.

Zhou Xuan continued, “Your starting salary will be two thousand a month. What do you think? After the company is established, you’ll be in charge—just set up the framework. Rest at home with your mother for three days, and on the morning of the sixteenth, come to my house. I’ll hand over the website for you to manage.”

“Alright,” Wei Lian agreed enthusiastically. A salary of two thousand a month was considerable, even in the provincial capital Rongcheng.

After leaving Wei Lian’s home, Zhou Xuan returned to pack his things.

This time, he was heading out on a long journey to Black Bamboo Valley, known as “China’s Bermuda.” Many people had vanished mysteriously there, but Zhou Xuan was determined to go in search of something crucial for his future development.