I arranged to meet Cao Xue at a teahouse near Jiulongju; I arrived first, and after we had a cup of tea, he arrived as well.

Perhaps it was because of the long time that Cao Xue had been gone, but he had changed a lot. Now he had a short haircut that looked quite respectable, and his clothes were no longer the kind that would expose his tattoos. He was now wearing a very ordinary long-sleeved sweatshirt.

Amazed by his transformation, I stared at him for a long time before saying, "When other people go to South Korea, they at most get a face change... What's going on with you? You've completely changed your soul!"

"If I even changed my soul, I wouldn't come to see you, you damned man."

I laughed: "I'm relieved to hear you say that..."

Cao Xue sat down opposite me, and I poured him a cup of tea. Then I said, "I heard that you and Nicole opened a bar in Lijiang. How's business?"

"It'll do, it definitely can't compare to yours... I heard you made over 100,000 in business yesterday alone!"

Of course I wouldn't deny it, and replied with a smile, "The bolder the person, the greater the harvest... Our bar has a big investment too."

"Everyone earns money through their own abilities. I'm happy for you, but I'm not envious of you."

"That's right. Boss Cao makes a fortune every day, how could he possibly look down on the little business we do?"

Cao Xue tossed a cigarette into his mouth, lit it, took a drag, and replied, "We're on the same side, so I won't pretend to be rich. Ever since I got a good deal at Jiulongju with you guys, I haven't earned any real money in over a year... My uncle says I'm not cut out for making money, and he's thinking of having me go back to drive for him... Damn it, who's ever seen a middle-class person with millions in assets working as a driver?"

I nodded in agreement and then said, “Your biggest problem right now is that you’ve reached a higher level in your thinking, but your money-making skills haven’t kept up… However, I think you’ve already succeeded a lot. After all, being able to make good investments is a kind of ability… Look at your uncle, he doesn’t have your eye for investment, so his shops in Jiulongju are still sitting on the ground.”

"You're a good conversationalist; that's what I was thinking too."

I picked up my teacup and took a sip. I felt a glimmer of hope. I saw an investment need in Cao Xue, and this guy had benefited from following me before, so he trusted me to some extent. It all depended on how I described the bar's prospects to him.

After quickly organizing my thoughts, I said to Cao Xue, "You treat me like one of your own, and I treat you like one of my own, so I won't beat around the bush... The reason I called you here today is to discuss the transfer of shares in the bar..."

"The bar business is so booming, and you're saying you want to transfer your shares... Are you kidding me?"

“I’m not kidding you. I have another project to do and I urgently need the money… Otherwise, I really wouldn’t want to give up my shares in the bar.”

Cao Xue pinched his chin and replied after a while, "I was afraid I wouldn't be able to control myself from spending money recklessly, so I deposited all my spare money with Nicole... If you're really interested in transferring the bar's shares, then I'll have to discuss it with Nicole."

I stared at Cao Xue in surprise, and after a long while, I exclaimed, "You deposited the money with Nicole?... That's several million!"

"If it weren't for her, I would have squandered it all long ago."

After a brief pause, Cao Xue lowered his voice and said, "It's not easy to meet a woman who makes your heart flutter... I know I'm a rough man, but I'm willing to change for her... Actually, depositing the money with her is to show her my determination to change... I, Cao Xue, am truly sincere towards her."

I was even more shocked. Cao Xue said he had developed feelings for Nicole. What about Chen Jin?

To be fair, I really can't sympathize with Chen Jin, because this guy is just... just a bit too much! I think if he had been more disciplined in his private life all these years, he probably would have gotten together with Nicole by now.

I shouldn't comment too much on other people's love lives, so despite my shock, I didn't delve into the topic with Cao Xue. I simply told him, "Then go and discuss it with Nicole... I won't brag, you already know the situation at the bar... What you need to judge is whether the bar can maintain its current momentum. If it can, then you've made another good investment; if not, then you'll definitely lose money..."

“I know there’s no such thing as a sure-fire business… So, tell me, what percentage of the bar do you own, and how much do you want to sell it for?”

I wasn't trying to make a quick buck off Cao Xue, so I only quoted a price based on my own needs; Cao Xue paid me 00 million, and I transferred all 30% of my shares to him.

...

After discussing the share transfer with Cao Xue, I walked around "Jiulongju" hoping to find some of the feeling I had when I first started my business. I hope this is just a starting point in my life, not the end.

I ran into Brother Ping inside again. He was packing his luggage and said he had finished his business in Dali and would be going to Thailand tomorrow.

He still wouldn't give up and tried to persuade me to go with him again. He felt that my talents should be used for real estate speculation... and said that such an opportunity would not come again.

I still chose to refuse, because I'm a very clear-headed person. Although I long for life in Phuket, real estate speculation can no longer satisfy my inner desires. At this moment, I've decided that only by building a truly remarkable career can I regain control of my life.

...

As soon as I got back to my place, Nicole called me to ask where I was. I knew she was talking about Cao Xue taking over the shares, and I hoped she could give me an answer over the phone, but she insisted on meeting me in person.

About ten minutes later, she returned and, before I could say anything, said to me, "Michael, you..."

Are you kidding Cao Xue? How could you let him take over your shares? You're just being reckless!

I was a little surprised because subconsciously I thought Nicole would support it, since she knew better than anyone the bar's prospects.

I gestured for Nicole to sit down first, and then replied, "We're all on the same side, why would I joke like that with him? ... I urgently need some money to start a new project, and he happens to have some spare cash but can't find a good investment opportunity... We're just mutually benefiting."

"What a perfect win-win situation! ... Do you know that you are the core competitiveness of this bar? ... If you withdraw your investment from this bar, it's like digging a pit for Chen Jin and Cao Xue to jump into... They really aren't as good at business as you. You can't just think about your own immediate needs and ignore the lives of others!"

(End of this chapter)

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