Chapter 136

Chapter 136

Zhai Hongyi and Tang Qingqing simultaneously reached out to pat Wang Heizi's head, but Wang Heizi was prepared and quickly squatted down to dodge.

He even deliberately made faces at the two of them, looking thoroughly annoying and nothing like his usual shrewd business self.

Wang Heizi continued to shout fearlessly:

"Hey! Don't get me wrong, I think this idea is actually pretty good. You guys are my buddies, and if we're together, I won't worry about you all getting separate families and not being able to hang out anymore!"

Wang Heizi had initially been joking, but the more he spoke, the more he felt it was a good idea.

Ever since they separated, he had sensed that the original balance of their trio was off. Those two clearly had more in common.

He was just a high school dropout, while one was a college student and the other a future college student. If they hadn't known each other for so long, it would be hard for them to stay friends as adults.

Especially since Zhai Hongyi and Tang Qingqing went to big cities, while he stayed in a small county town, making their perspectives very different.

Wang Heizi wasn't without thoughts on this, but changing was extremely difficult, and he couldn't bear to leave the place he had worked so hard to establish.

He had been through several years of ups and downs in society and knew that without common interests, they would inevitably grow apart.

That was why he came over this time, not wanting their relationship to become distant.

The longer he spent in the world, the more he cherished true friends.

In the business world, it was hard to find the kind of pure friendship formed during childhood, which often involved interests.

Today, someone might be your best friend; tomorrow, they could become your enemy.

Wang Heizi particularly agreed with something Zhai Hongyi once said: there are no permanent friends or enemies, only shared interests.

Since he started doing business, most people around him were like this.

At first, he didn't realize it and naively thought some people, though not as close as Zhai Hongyi and Tang Qingqing, weren't too bad. But after being betrayed a few times, he deeply understood the essence of that saying.

Today, they call you brother and treat you well; tomorrow, they can betray you.

Especially during the previous fundraising incident, many people were dragged down after the event went wrong. Many former partners ended up in trouble.

Although Wang Heizi listened to Zhai Hongyi and Tang Qingqing and didn't get involved, many of his "friends" ignored his advice. They not only invested all their hard-earned money but also borrowed more.

As a result, they lost everything and ended up in debt.

These people had business relationships with him, and when they lost everything, he suffered too because they used his goods' money and disappeared with the goods.

He trusted them when they said they were having financial difficulties and paid most of the money upfront instead of a deposit.

Unexpectedly, he was deceived.

What was worse was that if they had admitted it early on instead of lying about the goods being on the way, Wang Heizi wouldn't have signed a contract and faced a huge penalty for breach of contract.

That so-called friend, knowing he couldn't deliver the goods, still assured Wang Heizi repeatedly, causing him significant losses.

If Wang Heizi hadn't felt uneasy and been cautious when signing the contract, he would have lost everything.

That so-called friend later fled, leaving no trace.

Afterward, Wang Heizi learned that he had been tricked by these two working together.

That so-called friend, owing a lot of debts, immediately sold him out when others came calling, without any hesitation.

Even Wang Heizi's own family members were not easy to deal with.

He didn't notice it before, but after he became successful, he realized something was off.

His mother used to complain about certain relatives, and he thought she was petty. But now, as an adult, he saw how annoying some people could be.

This made Wang Heizi even more reluctant to lose Zhai Hongyi and Tang Qingqing as friends, yet he acutely felt the distance between them. Now it was manageable, but once they had their own careers and families, they might drift apart.

But!

If these two became a couple, things would be different!

Some things can be said among friends, but not others. If Zhai Hongyi and Tang Qingqing became a couple, he would be their only pure friend!

Even if they had other friends, none could replace him.

Zhai Hongyi and Tang Qingqing were both stunned by Wang Heizi's words, not noticing how much he had thought in that moment.

Initially, they just wanted to punch him, but when their eyes met, their ears turned slightly red, and they looked away.

Wang Heizi looked at one, then the other, feeling hopeful!

He was a man and had never seen Tang Qingqing look at him that way!

Wang Heizi thought he was quite decent; many girls wanted to date him, but he never agreed.

But Tang Qingqing looked at him the same way she did when they were kids. Being together with her didn't have the same unspoken tension that existed between Zhai Hongyi and Tang Qingqing.

That's why, even as adults, Wang Heizi could still hang out with Tang Qingqing without feeling awkward.

Tang Qingqing treated him the same way she treated other men.

"Don't get mad, I'm serious. You should really consider it," Wang Heizi said, trying to convince them.

Just then, Old Liu walked out, and Wang Heizi hurried over. "Old man, don't you agree with me?"

"What agreement? You're talking nonsense again."

"Old man, don't you think Brother Hongyi and Sister Qingqing are a good match? If Sister Qingqing were with Brother Hongyi, she wouldn't have to worry about being bullied..."

Old Liu spat at him, "Pah! My apprentice getting bullied? She's going to be a police officer! Besides, who says female comrades are meant to be bullied? Women have never been inferior to men!"

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that... Sister Qingqing is so busy she doesn't recognize family when she's working. Wouldn't it be better if there was someone who understands her? Brother Hongyi is such a... Ouch! Brother Hongyi, go easy on me; my head isn't made of iron!"

"Still spouting nonsense! Qingqing is about to start university, what are you talking about?"

When Wang Heizi heard this, he immediately understood the situation.

It's not appropriate to discuss these matters while she's still in school; it can wait until after graduation.

It seemed he wasn't the only one interested, and Wang Heizi felt relieved.

"Right, right, you're absolutely right!"

After a brief rest, Zhai Hongyi took them to enjoy the famous roast duck.

Zhai Hongyi had prepared well in advance, reserving a private room. As soon as they entered, the roast duck and other classic dishes were served.

Wang Heizi had done his homework and had been telling Old Liu all about the capital's roast duck on the way. Now, he could finally taste it.

Indeed, it lived up to its reputation; the flavor was exquisite.

During their days on the train, none of them had eaten well.

Especially Wang Heizi, since he became successful, his diet had been quite good, making him particularly sensitive to the train food.

At the stops, he would run out to buy food. Once, he encountered a dishonest vendor whose food was unclean, causing him great trouble.

Fortunately, he got some anti-diarrheal medicine from the train staff; otherwise, he might have ended up in the hospital due to dehydration.

Despite his current lively appearance, he was still feeling weak. This meal made Wang Heizi feel alive again.

"How does it taste?" Zhai Hongyi asked Tang Qingqing.

Tang Qingqing nodded, "It's really delicious."

"Then why are you eating so little?" Zhai Hongyi frowned slightly, dissatisfied.

Tang Qingqing sighed, "Brother, honestly, am I really eating little for a girl?"

Everyone else at the table, except Old Liu, had stomachs that seemed bottomless.

Li Gang and Hong Baoguo maintained their peak condition through daily exercise, even on the train, where they could eat several steamed buns in one go.

Wang Heizi wasn't as voracious but still ate a lot without gaining weight, thanks to his training with Zhai Hongyi.

Tang Qingqing's appetite was considered large among girls, but compared to the others, it seemed small. Plus, she was prone to hypoglycemia, making her appear to eat even less.

Zhai Hongyi didn't say anything more, knowing Tang Qingqing wasn't starving herself to stay slim. Still, he couldn't help but ask, worried she might be compromising her own comfort.

He worried if he was being too nosy, yet he couldn't stop himself from asking.

The group finished the feast, with Hong Baoguo even wiping the plates clean with steamed buns, leaving nothing wasted.

As they left the private room, three girls approached them.

"Brother! What are you doing here?" The leading girl, upon seeing Zhai Hongyi, brightened up and skipped over.

She was very pretty, with a slightly round face that added to her charm, large bright eyes, and a dimple when she smiled.

Seeing the girl, Zhai Hongyi's slightly upturned lips flattened.

He looked at Tang Qingqing, "Go downstairs first; I'll join you shortly."

Wang Heizi led the group downstairs, but before they took a few steps, he heard the girl say:

"Brother, aren't they your best friends from your time in the countryside? Why don't you introduce us?"

The girl enthusiastically ran to Tang Qingqing and introduced herself with a smile:

"I'm Zhai Sining, Zhai Hongyi's sister. Thank you for taking care of him; our whole family is grateful."

Zhai Hongyi, expressionless, stopped Zhai Sining and handed the car keys to Wang Heizi, "Heizi, go get the car."

Wang Heizi, skilled at driving large vehicles, took the keys without hesitation and left, completely ignoring the girl.

If he hadn't noticed the odd relationship between the girl and Zhai Hongyi, he wouldn't have been in business for so long.

Given their special relationship, it was best for them to avoid any complications.