77: Chapter 77 Simp and Deep Affection

Zhao Xiaoshuai's family wasn't exactly wealthy in the past, so after his second uncle, no one else came to borrow money.

His grandparents on both sides had already passed away, so there were no large family gatherings.

After accompanying his parents to visit a few of their closest relatives, he was granted his freedom and could go out to have some fun.

It wasn't that he didn't want to spend more time with his parents, but his mom and dad wouldn't be able to rest; they would be out visiting relatives until the third day of the Lunar New Year.

He wasn't familiar with those people, and he didn't need to show his face.

His good brother Liu Ming was in a similar situation, so the two of them hit it off immediately and found a diligent barbecue restaurant that was already open to grab some skewers.

"Xiao Shuai, you've got to admit, ever since you gave me that mysterious blessing last time, everything I've done has been incredibly smooth!"

"Not only did I close several business deals that I'd been struggling with, but your sister-in-law, who had been holding out, finally agreed to marry me."

Liu Ming was all smiles, taking a sip of beer and a bite of meat, looking like he was on top of the world.

After listening to his childhood friend brag for a while, Zhao Xiaoshuai caught a glimpse of the effects of "Divine Favor."

It seemed like a super luck aura; although it didn't reach the point where he'd constantly find money on the ground, things always tended to develop in the direction he hoped for.

Not to mention great wealth or status, his good brother would at least definitely be able to live a happy life.

"But there have been some strange things, too."

"The other day, I went for a foot massage with a client, but none of the good-looking technicians were on shift."

"Later, I went to a KTV, and it was pretty much the same situation."

"Fortunately, the client, despite being disappointed, just kept drinking with me and continued talking business, and to my surprise, we closed the deal shortly after."

"I guess it was a blessing in disguise."

Hearing his good brother's words, Zhao Xiaoshuai couldn't help but chuckle; it seemed his previous worries were unnecessary.

"Divine Favor" naturally took his happiness and life into account, it was just that the method used to prevent him from ruining his family was a bit peculiar.

To prevent a man's infidelity, it could only ensure he wasn't exposed to temptation.

It seems that even a "God" has no better way.

As they started drinking more, the two of them opened up and talked about the ins and outs of their experiences with their ex-girlfriends (ex-wives).

"They say men turn bad once they have money, but in my opinion, women aren't any better."

"Once they've seen more of the world, they start to feel that their current man isn't good enough for them."

"I heard that right after my ex-wife divorced me, she hooked up with some boss. Turns out he just liked that type, and once he found out she was divorced, he kicked her to the curb after playing with her for a few days."

"She later came back to contact me, thinking I didn't know about those things. Although I didn't have the heart to block her, I won't pay any attention to her again."

Liu Ming drank cup after cup; talking about his ex-wife, it was clear he still hadn't let go.

Zhao Xiaoshuai was better off than him, able to more objectively describe and analyze Chu Ziqing's transformation and choices.

In the past, hindered by a lack of experience and her family's specific upbringing, Chu Ziqing was just an innocent and pure girl when she first entered university.

But as her experience grew, she saw many "other people's girlfriends" and realized that people could live like that.

After comparing, she discovered that those women who dressed better, used better things, and lived better lives didn't seem as pretty as her.

Added to that, the constant promotion from tons of 'sisters' in certain app communities gradually changed her values.

She felt she could live better and deserved to live better.

She had the right to seek out a "high-quality male" who matched her status.

And what exactly was "good"? It was high-end cosmetics, designer bags, cars, houses, and everything that could make her feel like a person above others.

Gradually, her suppressed nature surfaced, turning her into what she was now: a vain woman sinking into materialism.

She felt she had found herself and understood what real life was.

But from the moment she left Zhao Xiaoshuai, it was no longer possible for her to obtain the "best" future that belonged to her.

Zhao Xiaoshuai looked at his good brother: "Ming, where do you think the difference between deep affection and being a simp really lies?"

Liu Ming took a big gulp of beer and let out a burp before speaking slowly:

"If you fawn over the right person, that's called deep affection. If you fawn over the wrong person, it's just called being a simp."

"However, women don't really care if you fawn over them or not. When love fades, the only thing that can keep her is the value you can provide."

"Emotional value counts, of course, but the most important thing is material value, because life can wear down all emotions."

"My wife used to serve me meticulously every day when I was successful, and even when I fell on hard times, she was able to endure the bitterness with me for a while. At that time, it was emotional value that was sustaining her."

"But when she saw that I really couldn't make a comeback, the frustrations and trivialities of life increased rapidly, and she naturally chose to leave."

Zhao Xiaoshuai ate a skewer, carefully chewing on his good brother's musings:

"What you said reminds me of something I read online."

"Many people are always worrying about how to find the 'right person,' but actually, the 'right person' has always been standing in your future."

The two brothers clinked their glasses with a smile, downing those unpleasant past events along with their drinks.

No longer talking about unpleasant things, Zhao Xiaoshuai changed the subject:

"Ming, I recently inherited an estate from a relative. In the future, if you're short on startup capital for business, just ask me, but there is one rule."

Liu Ming looked at his good brother with a chuckle, not doubting his claim of having made a fortune; he knew his childhood friend wasn't one to spout nonsense.

"Oh? There's a rule? Let's hear it."

"Anything less than a hundred thousand, don't bother asking me."

Liu Ming almost choked on his drink, "Look at you acting all cool. Is your relative named Zhao Gongming?"

"Something like that."

In fact, going into business with a good friend is a very risky endeavor; whether it succeeds or fails, there's a possibility of losing a friendship for nothing.

So, after thinking it over, he chose the idea of investing as a shareholder rather than starting a company together.

Moreover, the relationship value he saw in the system gave him an extra layer of confidence.

Their friendship could withstand the storms.

And this could also be a way to indirectly borrow some of his brother's good luck; since they were close enough to share pants, sharing luck was perfectly fine.

"Alright, if there's a chance in the future, I'll definitely think of you first."

His good brother was once a young second-generation rich kid, having experienced wealth before; that Corolla was just his old car for getting around.

But later, business went poorly, and coupled with some bad luck, his family's fortunes plummeted. After paying off their debts, they could only be considered a middle-class family.

Although he wasn't as well-off as before, he still had the vision. If he really started a business, handling deals worth millions or even tens of millions wasn't beyond his capabilities.

Although his good brother accepted his claim of inheriting a relative's estate, he likely didn't have a clear concept of his actual financial strength.

"Ming, I'll drive this car for one last day. Tomorrow morning, come with me to pick up my new car."

"Sure. Although this car is old, it's really durable. It accompanied me through my most difficult times, and I can't bear to replace it. What car did you buy? I actually need to replace mine too."

"You'll know tomorrow."

If one were to talk about Zhao Xiaoshuai's dream car, it would be a maybach.

For this, he endured the loneliness of "several days," saved up enough funds at once, and planned to pay in full for a maybach S680.

The 4S dealership in Chuncheng didn't have this specific configuration of maybach in stock, so they urgently arranged for one, and he scheduled to pick it up on the morning of the second day of the Lunar New Year.

He would give his good brother a surprise then.

"So mysterious. It's not like you're buying a Benz, right?"

Zhao Xiaoshuai smiled mysteriously and didn't say anything more.

They drank from the afternoon into the evening. Seeing that it was about time, he said, "Remember to get up early tomorrow; I have things to do in the afternoon."

"Got it, you're always so busy."

Although he had become a super-rich man, he didn't rush to pay the bill.

Their meals were always one-for-one; last time Zhao Xiaoshuai paid, this time it should be Liu Ming.

The two of them didn't quibble over how much each meal cost; every time, they just ate whatever they wanted, wherever they happened to be.

As for tomorrow afternoon, it was the time Zhao Xiaoshuai had specifically set aside for a showdown with Meng Yawen.

He needed to win her over in one afternoon, or at most by the evening, so he could comfortably attend the dinner at her house on the third day of the Lunar New Year.

Of course, if he couldn't, then he wouldn't need to go on the third day.

However, he still had a certain degree of confidence; after all, girls in love are always blind.