In the days that followed, Zhou You kept a very regular routine. He had half a day of classes each week. When he wasn't at the sparring gym, he was at the swimming pool. His entire demeanor had undergone a significant change. Before, he was more youthful and easygoing, with a hint of scholarly air. Now, he had become much more robust, and with the balancing effect of swimming, his physique was practically golden proportions—not overly defined, but with smooth muscle lines. It was the kind of live muscle that could explode with power at any moment. The nutritionist really knew their stuff, far better than Li Houliang's half-baked efforts. And it wasn't just Zhou You who benefited; the entire training facility reaped the rewards.
First off, after the renovation, the place felt much more grand, leaving a stunning impression at first glance. Secondly, with the addition of a masseur and nutritionist, it looked more professional, no longer like a casual hobby, gradually taking on a semi-professional vibe. Recently, many people had come specifically to learn, and the fee standards had gone up. Specialized massages now required separate payment, and the same went for the nutritionist. Of course, the top priority was serving Zhou You himself.
Coupled with the partnership with the swimming pool, the number of high-end clients kept growing, and the coaching staff had expanded too. It was a thriving scene.
During this period, aside from Zhou You, Wang Fangfang benefited the most. At one point, she even lay limp on the bed and said to Zhou You, "Brother You, how about you go out and play for a few days?" Zhou You just smiled. Compared to earlier times, the difference was stark now. Perhaps by tapping into his hidden strengths, even Li Houliang hadn't expected Zhou You to improve so quickly, nearly brushing against the threshold of professional level. This made Li Houliang envious: "Brother You, if you'd started training earlier, you might've gone pro!" But Zhou You shot him a glance and said, "And then go up there every day to get beaten?" That hit home.
Time flew by like a white horse passing through a crack. "President Zhou, *Lost in Thailand* is out. Go see it when you have time, at least contribute one ticket to the box office," Xu Zheng called. Since returning from Thailand, Zhou You hadn't contacted him at all—too careless. "Sure, I'll book a few screenings," Zhou You replied casually. It was his own investment, like a child of sorts. There wasn't much good to watch lately, so he might as well check it out. For now, he could only drag Wang Fangfang along.
Watching the scenes play out on screen: Xu Zheng: "Do you dare to ask?" Wang Baoqiang: "I dare!" He leaned in to ask, but the woman in the elevator answered a call: "Hey, I'm in the elevator. There are two idiots in here." The entire theater burst into laughter. Zhou You had been through the bombardment of entertainment from later eras—countless funny clips from self-media had raised his threshold pretty high. But even so, watching this movie, he couldn't help laughing at times. The whole theater was filled with laughter. The box office was solid.
"Brother You, this movie is hilarious. Did your investment pay off again?" Wang Fangfang clung to Zhou You's arm, looking up at him, her eyes practically sparkling. "Yes, looks like it won't lose money," Zhou You said, feeling a surge of satisfaction at her admiring gaze. He patted her head and added, "The biggest investment a person can make is in themselves. What you learn and store in your mind, no one can take away. How are you and your brother doing with your studies?" A while back, Zhou You had arranged for school teachers to teach them about self-study exams and hired tutors. When the swimming pool wasn't busy, they put a lot of effort into studying.
"Yeah, it feels pretty good. If I'd had these conditions in high school, maybe I could've gotten into college," Wang Fangfang said, genuinely noticing the difference. One-on-one tutoring was incredibly effective. Zhou You stayed silent. Back then, his colleague's kid had spent at least 100,000 yuan just on tutoring in senior year alone, let alone starting from childhood. According to the colleague, it was at least 400,000 yuan—over 100,000 in middle school, with the bulk in high school. Zhou You had been shocked at the time, only to find that other colleagues felt the same. He realized it was the norm. Tutoring might not get you into Peking or Tsinghua, but it could at least land you in a top-tier university—unless you were exceptionally... exceptionally... slow.
"Study hard. In a few years, you'll be a bachelor's degree holder. Then go for a master's, and my Fangfang will be a graduate student," Zhou You said, pulling her along. "Then you'll manage the swimming pool with even more ease!" "Brother You, I want to give the company a little perk—treat everyone to a movie. What do you think?" Wang Fangfang swung his hand back and forth, beaming with pride. Zhou You agreed right away and also called Li Houliang, telling him to bring his staff along as a small employee benefit.
When Li Houliang got the call, he immediately gathered everyone: "Everyone, Brother You just called and said he's treating us to a movie—the latest comedy. We'll take the evening off, eat dinner, and then go together." The row of sturdy men below roared in unison: "Great!" The sound was deafening.
Since Zhou You became the major shareholder, the ones who benefited the most were the coaches. To be honest, before, they lived hand-to-mouth with few clients. Now, while it wasn't exactly a bustling crowd, there was a steady stream of customers. Plus, with no rent pressure, Zhou You had raised the coaches' pay, making it top-tier in the entire sparring circle. Every coach was full of drive. They all held Zhou You in high regard—not quite at his beck and call, but close to it.
Not long after *Lost in Thailand* was released, word of mouth grew better and better. Many were organic promoters. "Have you seen that new movie? It's hilarious!" "So beautiful, and you wouldn't believe it—they're a ladyboy!" "Thailand is gorgeous. I need to go there sometime." "I laughed so hard my contacts fell out. No wonder everything looks blurry."
Now, those who knew Zhou You was the behind-the-scenes investor all called to congratulate him. Shi Wenxiu specifically congratulated him and asked when he'd be in Beijing. The crew was heading back soon to shoot a few pick-up scenes for the wrap. Wang Baoqiang and Huang Bo also sent their congratulations, and Zhou You returned the gesture. He felt a bit guilty toward Huang Bo, since this time he'd taken a flat fee instead of converting it into shares for dividends.
He Mei was also keeping a close eye on the movie's domestic performance, since Zhou You had specifically reminded her. "Brother You, our company suddenly got a ton of orders—all for the *Lost in Thailand* crew's special tour route," He Mei said, her smile never fading. Since the company was founded, they'd had some business, but it was just scattered tourists, barely keeping things afloat. Now, it was showing signs of blowing up.
"Seize the opportunity. The next few years hinge on this wave. Make sure the service is top-notch and don't mess up, President He," Zhou You teased, feeling a sense of satisfaction from nurturing this venture. By now, Zhou You had gradually stopped hiding his investments in film and television, as more and more people were finding out. Especially at the swimming pool and sparring gym—everyone knew now, and their respect for Zhou You had deepened. No wonder he didn't care about the small change. He was just playing around.