Chapter 15: Paying Tuition

"Changing jobs?" Zheng Qian was a bit puzzled.

As a department manager, Manager Li Tao had been with the company for five years. His salary was stable, and his life was happy. Why would he suddenly want to change jobs?

"Yes, changing jobs."

"Nowadays, after paying off the mortgage and car loan every month, plus basic living expenses, I can't save much money."

"Yebai is a second-tier consumer city without any industry to support it. I'm already thirty, and I want to have another child with your sister-in-law."

Zheng Qian understood what Manager Li Tao meant. Basically, the company had no future, and he had already hit a glass ceiling. There was no way to move up unless he changed jobs.

"I met a client a few years ago who contacted me recently to ask if I'd be interested in working for him. After thinking it over, I agreed."

Zheng Qian's company was in the transportation business, but all they did all day, besides sitting in the office, was visit clients. At its core, it was just an information arbitrage company without any real industry to support it.

When clients had shipping needs, they would contact them, and they would then contact a primary carrier, taking an information fee in the middle. You could call them an intermediary.

"This client of mine is named Chen Weiqiang. His old man has some real industries and gave him a sum of money to support his entrepreneurial venture."

"What business is it?"

"Also transportation, but maritime shipping. One 70,000-ton vessel for international routes, and two 40,000-ton vessels for inland routes. He's already secured the licenses."

"You've got great capability, and you've been with me for so long. I want to bring you along to the sales department over there. I wonder if you're interested?"

Zheng Qian suddenly understood why he had been so hesitant about this; why didn't he just say it straight?

To put it nicely, Manager Li Tao was helping him move up, but to put it bluntly, he was poaching from his former employer.

"Brother Tao, I can't thank you enough for looking out for me like this," Zheng Qian stated his stance to Manager Li Tao.

"Great, that's settled then." Manager Li Tao also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Tomorrow is Monday, so go ahead and process your resignation. We'll head over there on Wednesday. What do you think?"

"Hold on, Brother Tao. Do you think this company is reliable?"

"Absolutely reliable. Why?"

"Since you say it's reliable, then I want to buy some shares."

"Buy shares? Hahahaha." Manager Li Tao laughed out loud. "Kid, you're thinking too much. Their business is huge. Do you even know how much a single ship costs? What are you going to buy shares with?"

Zheng Qian couldn't reveal anything about the system to the outside world, not even to Manager Li Tao.

"Brother Tao, didn't I just say I got a girlfriend? She happened to say she's willing to put up a sum of money to support my business. Since there's such an opportunity and you say it's reliable, I might as well buy some shares and work together."

"Kid, you aren't drunk and joking with me, are you?" Manager Li Tao froze, his face filled with disbelief.

"How much is she giving you?"

"Thirty million. I wonder how many shares that can get me?"

Manager Li Tao was completely dumbfounded. This kid was really living off a woman in style.

He just got a new girlfriend, and she's already putting up thirty million to support his business?

Why hadn't he heard Zheng Qian mention this girl before?

"It's true, Brother Tao. Don't look at me like that. How many shares can thirty million get me?"

"This... you'll have to talk to President Liu. If you're not joking, how about I set up a meeting for you tomorrow?"

"Sure."

"You really are something, kid..." Manager Li Tao gave Zheng Qian's chest a playful punch. "Tell me, how did you two meet?"

"It's a long story... I'll tell you in detail another day."

Actually, Zheng Qian had thought about starting a business long ago; it wasn't just a sudden idea.

When a person accepts a salary or service fees, their brain actually stops thinking.

They spend what they earn, and even overdraw their consumption.

In this way, they are forever locked into the mindset and perspective of a wage earner.

Moreover, the system had previously warned Zheng Qian that once he got married, the system would automatically disappear, and there would be no more tenfold cashback.

Just like last night, when the system asked if he wanted to marry Jin Lu, Zheng Qian didn't have a single penny of his own besides the system's money. How could he marry Jin Lu?

And since Zheng Qian was a romantic, it was impossible for him to stay unmarried forever. The right thing to do was to take advantage of the time the system was active to elevate his wealth to a certain level. Who knew, maybe one day he wouldn't be able to resist and would marry some woman.

Leaving aside building a business empire for now, he at least needed to understand that level of wealth so he could truly control it.

Relying solely on working a job could never achieve financial freedom. Just like Jack Ma, Pony Ma, and Robin Li, who controlled so many company shares, even if they did nothing every year, their dividends alone would be more than they could ever spend.

Save for a rainy day and prevent trouble before it happens.

When the system was gone one day, Zheng Qian would still be a wealthy man.

What Manager Li Tao mentioned was the perfect opportunity to use the system's cashback money to do business.

Zheng Qian didn't care if he lost money; his current goal was also to broaden his horizons and gain business knowledge.

If he lost, he would just consider it as paying tuition.

After they finished chatting, Zheng Qian sent a text message to Jin Lu, asking her to come and pick him up.

Manager Li Tao accompanied Zheng Qian downstairs with a smile, seemingly wanting to meet Zheng Qian's new girlfriend.

As Zheng Qian sat in the passenger seat of the 760Li, which still had temporary license plates, he didn't forget to roll down the window and wave to Manager Li Tao. "Brother Tao, I'm off then. You should head back."

Manager Li Tao saw the brand-new car and Jin Lu, who sat in the driver's seat, looking noble, cold, and possessing a queen-like aura.

Holy crap, she was a textbook definition of rich, beautiful, and high-class!

He nodded at Zheng Qian, tapped a few times on his phone, and then went upstairs.

Zheng Qian then received a message from Manager Li Tao:

'Kid, you are seriously amazing...'

"How much did you drink to be grinning like that?" Jin Lu glanced at Zheng Qian, who was staring at his phone screen and giggling.

"Hahaha, not much. If you don't believe me, smell..."

As Zheng Qian spoke, he leaned over and planted a deep kiss on Jin Lu's cheek, leaving a mark.

"You're still doing this even after drinking?"

"Of course, I'm a real man."

"I don't believe you."

"Then I'll make you believe it completely in a bit."

"Sure, as long as you're up to it," Jin Lu said with a mischievous grin.

Upon returning to Jiangshan International, Zheng Qian had to be carried off the car on Jin Lu's back.

"Is this all you've got? Is this all?" Jin Lu patted the back of Zheng Qian's hand, which was draped over her.

"Brother Tao must have served me fake alcohol. How is the after-effect so strong? Don't get too smug..."

Zheng Qian had just been boasting, but in the short time on the road, his body had lost all strength, and his cheeks were flushed red.

To describe Zheng Qian's current state in one phrase, it would be:

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak...