“Uncle Liu, I’m not withdrawing my shares because of a failed romance. I’ve thought it through clearly. I can’t keep being half-hearted about things anymore. Between my current job and business ventures, I can only choose one.”

If he had been as successful as Zhou Cheng, would his family respect his opinions more?

He had scattered his energy in unnecessary directions.

This wasn’t right.

One shouldn’t be too greedy. Those officials who relied solely on their salaries could still perform their jobs well, couldn’t they?

Just like Tang Hongen – even in that era when private business wasn’t allowed, and despite having been sent to labor camps, he still managed to… Shao Guangrong smiled bitterly. Besides, if he continued to be involved in these businesses, wouldn’t he be too thick-skinned?

Take his mother, for instance. While she thought it was right for him to receive dividends from his shares, she simultaneously criticized Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng’s marriage, believing that career-driven women like Xia Xiaolan who focused entirely on work couldn’t maintain a good family and that her marriage with Zhou Cheng would eventually fail.

Without being as driven as such career women, how could he justify taking dividends? Did he think he possessed some innate business acumen that would make any venture profitable?

Taking money that Xia Xiaolan had helped everyone earn while listening to his mother disparage her – when Shao Guangrong heard those words, he felt like his whole body was burning with shame!

These thoughts Shao Guangrong couldn’t bring himself to share these with Liu Yong, but regarding withdrawing his shares, he had made up his mind before coming to Pengcheng. Regardless of Young You’s attitude today, his decision wouldn’t change.

Liu Yong frowned: “Then you need to tell Xiaolan.”

Shao Guangrong checked his watch – it was already 10 PM, and Xia Xiaolan needed her rest too.

“Let’s discuss it when all shareholders are present for the building materials store’s accounting. Uncle Liu, I’ll head back to the guesthouse now.”

Liu Yong drove him partway.

Naturally, Shao Guangrong wouldn’t stay at the prestigious Nanhai Hotel; he was staying at a guesthouse.

Kang Wei, returning from a late-night business trip and hearing about Shao Guangrong’s situation, went to the guesthouse to get him: “Want to have a few drinks?”

“…Let’s go!”

When Shan Yujun had previously broken things off, Shao Guangrong had laughed at Kang Wei for not being able to let go.

Now it was his turn, and he understood how painful it had been for Kang Wei back then.

Shao Guangrong drank himself into a stupor, but instead of pouring out his sorrows on Kang Wei, he kept repeating that it was all his fault.

It seemed he had finally learned to control himself and not become loose-lipped when drunk.

Things between Shao Guangrong and You Li were impossible now.

Kang Wei gazed deeply at his childhood friend who had drunk himself under the table.

The notion that all ends well when a playboy reform was just fiction written by storytellers.

In this world, people fall in love every day, and people break up every day. When relationships involving genuine feelings end, the pain is unbearable. Some quickly move on to new relationships, using them to escape their pain, while others remain imprisoned by their previous relationships… Kang Wei poured himself a full glass and raised it to his already passed-out friend:

“…Here’s to failed romance.”

…

Du Zhaohui was efficient in his work, especially regarding matters concerning Xia Xiaolan.

He went to visit his father Du Chengrong overnight, playing the role of a filial son.

Du Chengrong naturally wouldn’t reveal exactly how long he had been unconscious, but he did have trusted doctors.

These weren’t the ones Xia Ziyun had paid to hire.

Xia Ziyun had no connections; those she could casually hire with money couldn’t possibly be true experts.

“The patient can first come to HK for detailed examinations, after which we can formulate a treatment plan.”

This was Du Zhaohui’s response to Xia Xiaolan.

Xia Xiaolan thanked Du Zhaohui and immediately began arranging various documents for Tang Youru. Since Ji Ya had previously gone to HK for medical treatment, they had done this once before, and Secretary Lai was well-versed in handling such matters. As for You Li, she had already obtained her travel permit before, so she could go directly.

So while Shao Guangrong was still unable to get up from his heartbreak hangover, You Li was already packing her bags for HK.

With impending heavy debts, You Li had no mood for romance.

She and Shao Guangrong hadn’t officially started dating, so You Li was much less affected.

Shao Guangrong was deeply hurt because he had been certain You Li would become his girlfriend. The sudden reversal made You Li the one he couldn’t have… Shao Guangrong couldn’t handle this gap.

To put it bluntly, Shao Guangrong liked You Li – the kind of like where he was certain of success. You Li had feelings for him too, but they were more of gratitude.

Shao Guangrong was a veteran of romance who had stumbled, while You Li was a young woman who hadn’t fully awakened to love, unfamiliar with yearning and sorrow. Moreover, she had more important matters waiting for her attention, so her heartache was naturally limited.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t go to HK but stayed in Pengcheng instead.

She needed to do the accounting!

The building materials stores, Wenquxing, and Luna were all waiting for Xia Xiaolan’s decisions.

The building materials business had expanded to 10 branch stores, and throughout 1987, there wasn’t much profit to distribute as most of the earnings had been reinvested into new store expansions.

Even so, they could still distribute 2 million in profits to shareholders.

In front of all the shareholders, Shao Guangrong formally announced his intention to withdraw his shares.

Xia Xiaolan had already heard about it from Liu Yong, so she wasn’t very surprised. She only asked if Shao Guangrong had thought it through.

“Sister-in-law, I couldn’t be clearer about this. Not just the building materials stores, I want to withdraw my shares from Qihang Capital as well.”

“Alright, as long as you’ve thought it through and won’t regret it in the future!”

Personally, Xia Xiaolan felt more comfortable doing business, as it had fewer constraints.

But Shao Guangrong’s path wasn’t in business.

This experience could be considered a young people’s tendency to explore, just like Zhou Cheng, who had been even more successful in the cigarette business than Shao Guangrong, but once he decided to stop, he never touched on business matters again.

Shao Guangrong had also wanted both worlds, realizing it a few years later than Zhou Cheng, only now making up his mind.

Shao Guangrong had no choice in this path, something Zhou Cheng had understood early on. They both carried their families’ expectations and couldn’t afford to be willful.

Xia Xiaolan agreed to Shao Guangrong’s share withdrawal. The last time Shao Guangrong gave up his shares, they were split between Liu Yong and Bai Zhenzhu, resulting in Bai Zhenzhu holding the largest share at 29%. This time, Bai Zhenzhu absolutely refused to take Shao Guangrong’s 4%, and neither Liu Yong nor Kang Wei wanted it. Despite being profitable shares, they treated it like a hot potato.

Xia Xiaolan had no choice but to take it herself.

With the current scale of 10 stores, 4% of shares were worth considerable money.

Including dividends, Xia Xiaolan calculated it at 1 million for Shao Guangrong.

As for the 0.04% share in Qihang Capital, based on its current value, Shao Guangrong had invested 400,000 initially. Now this 0.04% share, according to the company’s total asset valuation, should be worth around 1 million yuan or so. In reality, nobody would sell their Qihang Capital shares, so this 0.04% stake would naturally command a premium… Huo Chenzhou was willing to pay 4 million yuan for it.

Dongfeng Holdings had paid 10 million yuan, which originally could have bought 10% of the shares, but now, just half a year later, 4 million yuan could only buy 0.04%.

Yet Shao Guangrong refused to sell to Huo Chenzhou:

“Uncle Liu, do you want it? I only want my initial investment of 400,000, and I’ll transfer this 0.04% share to you.”

Money was indeed a good thing.

Shao Guangrong wasn’t obsessed with wealth, but he wasn’t one to treat money like dirt either. Yet here he was, refusing 4 million and only asking Liu Yong for 400,000.

Liu Yong’s gaze wasn’t filled with gratitude but with sympathy:

What a fine young man, and now he seemed to have lost his mind!