Chapter 447: Showing the Way

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

In the midst of life’s hustle and bustle, savoring stolen moments of leisure brings out the real essence of living, which is all about finding genuine happiness.

Zhou Chao reclined on the backyard sofa, sipping tea and enjoying the gentle breeze while immersed in a book. He felt a profound sense of relaxation, a liberation from the previous hustle and bustle, and his mood lightened considerably.

Just as Zhou Chao was relishing this leisurely moment, Aunt Wang briskly approached and stood beside him. She said, “Mr. Zhou, your friend has come to see you.”

Zhou Chao was a bit surprised by this revelation. He didn’t think he had many friends in Jingdu.

“Do you know his name?”

“Si Cong!”

“Oh, it’s him. Please bring him in,” Zhou Chao replied, realizing that Si Cong was unexpectedly in Jingdu. He remembered that Si Cong had been traveling with beautiful women earlier.

Before the man arrived, his voice echoed through the air.

“Young Master Zhou! Young Master Zhou!” Si Cong’s excited voice drew nearer, filled with enthusiasm and anticipation.

Hearing the voice, Zhou Chao calmly called out, “I’m in the backyard!”

Si Cong quickly appeared from the house and saw Zhou Chao comfortably seated on the sofa, engrossed in his book.

“Young Master Zhou!” Si Cong greeted enthusiastically.

“Please, have a seat,” Zhou Chao gestured to the empty space in front of him.

Si Cong promptly took a seat, and Aunt Wang brought a cup of tea, placing it respectfully in front of him.

“Thank you,” Si Cong said politely, expressing his gratitude to Aunt Wang.

Si Cong, noticing that Zhou Chao was still engrossed in his book, tactfully sipped his tea.

After a while, Si Cong had nearly consumed half of his tea, and just as he was about to speak, Zhou Chao set aside his book. He looked at the Si Cong and asked, “Have you received the money?”

Upon hearing this question, Si Cong’s excitement flared up. He saw Zhou Chao’s calm demeanor and restrained his enthusiasm before replying, “I’ve received it. 1 guessed you’d be back, so I checked the flight and rushed over here as soon as I could.”

“Hmm, you guys can distribute that money among yourselves based on your respective investments,” Zhou Chao said as he took a sip of his tea. He spoke slowly, surprised that Si Cong had come to him so promptly.

At that moment, Si Cong’s heart was filled with joy. During his journey to Zhou Chao’s place, he had roughly calculated the amounts. The total was approximately 12 billion US dollars, which translated to around 82.8 billion Chinese yuan. Since he had invested 7 billion, it meant he owned nearly 60% of the shares, which equated to approximately 48 billion yuan. He could confidently say that he could now hold his head high in front of his father. However, he wondered whether his father would want the full 5 billion he had borrowed or if he would go with the ownership share. These thoughts left Si Cong in a moment of silence.

“What’s on your mind? Why so quiet?” Zhou Chao asked curiously, thinking Si Cong was pondering their profit distribution.

Si Cong was snapped out of his contemplation by Zhou Chao’s question. He quickly raised his head and said without hesitation, “I was thinking about the 5 billion my dad contributed and how much I should repay him.”

Hearing Si Cong’s response, Zhou Chao was momentarily at a loss for words. He had assumed Si Cong was thinking about the profit distribution among them.

“I thought it was something else. There’s no difference between your share and your father’s. He has supported you through thick and thin, enabling you to live freely like this. Moreover, I heard that your family’s group has been going through tough times recently. Some decisions require courage, and sometimes you have to make difficult choices without hesitation,” Zhou Chao said with deep meaning in his gaze. Zhou Chao knew that Si Cong’s family had undergone a transformation recently, selling many assets to rebuild their group. It had taken only a few years for their new group to rise from the ashes.

Si Cong was momentarily stunned by Zhou Chao’s words. It seemed there was more to what Zhou Chao had said, possibly related to his father. It appeared that he needed to call his father later to discuss these matters. After all, Zhou Chao’s insights and vision surpassed his own and even his father’s.

“Thank you for your advice, Young Master Zhou. 1 have a clear idea now,” Si

Cong said, suppressing his doubts. He nodded in acknowledgment.

“You were supposed to be enjoying your time with your beautiful companions. Why did you come to Jingdu?” Zhou Chao teased.

Si Cong chuckled and replied, “Well, taking care of one’s health is important. Besides, the club came to play a match, so I decided to drop by. By the way, how is your club doing? Weren’t they going to South Korea for an intercontinental competition?”

Si Cong’s question reminded Zhou Chao of his promise to accompany Meng Sanqian and cheer for the club in South Korea. However, it seemed impossible now, considering his current situation. He needed to stay in China for some time.

“I’ve been so busy lately that I forgot about it. When there’s news, they’ll call me,” Zhou Chao said with a smile. But deep down, he hoped for a good outcome.

Si Cong quickly understood the situation. After all, Zhou Chao was not like them, the second-generation heirs, who had the luxury to manage the club. In fact, even a casual decision made by Zhou Chao could bring substantial benefits, which took them years of hard work to achieve. Si Cong and the others had shared over 80 billion this time, and they could imagine how much Zhou Chao had gained. However, all of this had to be kept hidden, as it was based on personal relationships, and they needed to be grateful for the opportunity to participate.

“By the way, Zhou Chao, Qin Fen and Zhang Wenxuan are on their way to Jingdu. Today, you mustn’t decline; we’ve got plans,” Si Cong quickly added.

“I’m up for a meal, but please, no bars or clubs!”

“We’re definitely not going to those places. We all know you’re not into that scene. We’re going to play golf. I heard there’s a golf course in the suburbs of Jingdu, up to international standards. There’s even a large equestrian center nearby. We can all check it out later.” Si Cong grew more excited as he spoke, completely oblivious to Zhou Chao’s subtle and puzzled expression.

“Alright, no problem,” Zhou Chao agreed without any hesitation.

“Great, I’ll make a reservation for the golf course right away.” Si Cong stood up and gestured with his phone.

Zhou Chao nodded, and he had a pretty good idea that Si Cong would make a call to his father after booking the golf course. His hints had been quite obvious, and if his father still couldn’t see through it, he might be quite naive.

Sure enough, after Si Cong had reserved both the golf and horse-riding venues in the front yard, he contemplated for a moment and then made a call to his father. It rang several times before his father answered, his voice sounding somewhat weary.

“Si Cong, is there something you need?” came a slightly tired voice from the other end of the line.

Hearing that voice, Si Cong’s heart skipped a beat, becoming increasingly convinced that what Zhou Chao had mentioned earlier was most likely true.

“Dad, is something happening with the company?”

Si Cong’s question surprised the person on the other end of the line. He hadn’t expected his son to be concerned about the company’s affairs. This momentarily brought a sense of relief.

“Yes, there are some discussions within the company lately, but there’s no clear direction yet.”

Si Cong fell into silence for a while before speaking up, “Dad, someone told me that sometimes you need great courage to make decisions. When it’s time to cut your losses, you must have the determination to do so. Don’t hesitate or look back. Maybe it’s for the best.”

Upon hearing this, Si Cong’s father fell into silence for a moment. After a while, he finally spoke, “Who said that?”

“It was Young Master Zhou,” Si Cong replied without any concealment. “I visited him in Jingdu today, and he brought it up during our conversation.”

“I see. You don’t need to worry about this matter. I know what to do now. By the way, did you get any updates on your previous investment? I don’t want to hide it from you; the company’s finances have been a bit tight recently. If you have a chance, please check on it.”

Si Cong smiled and said, “Dad, you don’t need to worry about the finances. I’ll transfer 30 to you this afternoon. It should be enough for your immediate needs.”

“You cheeky kid, what can you accomplish with just 30? Even 3 million would hardly make a dent!” His father laughed and scolded Si Cong. Perhaps Si Cong’s words had made him realize something, as his tone had lightened considerably.

Si Cong chuckled with a sense of triumph and grinned for about three to four seconds before saying, “Dad, do you think I’m ignorant? When 1 mentioned 30, I meant 30 billion!”

30 billion? Where did you come up with such a massive sum? Did it come from the returns on your previous investments?” His father, as expected, quickly pieced it all together.

“Dad, can’t you indulge my vanity a bit and let me show off a bit?”

“Get lost, you impudent child. However, your judgment this time was not bad. Remember to transfer the money this afternoon. Since you’re at Young Master Zhou’s place now, don’t talk too much. Go and chat with them. Remember to transfer the money in the afternoon.” With that, his father hung up without giving Si Cong a chance to react.

“Who would have thought that the old man could be mischievous at times? But this time, Young Master Zhou really did us a big favor!” Si Cong sighed, collected his emotions, and walked toward the backyard with a smile on his face.

As he returned to the backyard, he noticed Zhou Chao engrossed in a book, and it was about physics, which piqued Si Cong’s curiosity.

“Young Master Zhou, why are you reading such a technical book?”

Just passing the time, reading whatever comes my way. How much longer do you think it’ll take for Qin Fen and the others to arrive?” Zhou Chao put down his book and asked.

Si Cong checked the time; it was almost 11 o’clock. He calculated that Qin Fen and his group should be arriving soon, as Qin Fen’s private plane was quite fast.

“They’re probably on their way already. Why don’t we head to Huabin Manor Golf Club first, and they can go straight there when they arrive?”

Zhou Chao’s smile deepened upon hearing this suggestion. He nodded and said, “Sounds good. Let me change into some sports clothes, and I’ll be right with you.”

After speaking, Zhou Chao went inside with his book, while Si Cong headed to the front yard.

A little while later, Zhou Chao returned in sportswear, holding his phone, which was in the middle of a call.

“All Li, Si Cong and I are going to the golf club. Are you coming?”

“I’d like to, but I think I’ll pass. I need to go shopping with my mom in the afternoon. Next time, you can take me there,” Jiang Li replied regretfully.

“Alright, we’ll plan for that next time.”

After ending the call, Zhou Chao saw Si Cong waiting for him in the front yard.

Let’s go!”

Just as they had taken a few steps, they saw the gate being opened, and a robust figure walked in..