After resting for a bit, Zhou You felt a little better and swam slowly behind Wang Fangfang. They switched from freestyle to a leisurely breaststroke, gliding through the water.
Wang Fangfang led the way, with Zhou You trailing behind, watching her strong, slender legs open and close, open and close. Occasionally, ripples splashed on the surface, and he couldn’t help feeling a stir of youthful desire—his young body had ideas he couldn’t control.
Since it was a small-scale event, there were no shower facilities. It was also around noon, so Zhou You invited Wang Ping and Wang Fangfang to eat at the Emerald Lake Guesthouse and take a shower there.
“What do you two want to eat? Should we order dishes or go for the buffet?” Zhou You asked them, though he was already starving and leaning toward the buffet for speed.
“Buffet—we’re starving,” they said in unison.
“Great, suits me too. I’m famished. The buffet here is pretty good; Wang Ping and I have had it a few times.”
The three of them ate and chatted, mostly Zhou You and Wang Fangfang talking, with Wang Ping chiming in occasionally.
Curious, Wang Fangfang asked, “Brother You, are university teachers usually busy?”
“Depends. Someone like me isn’t busy because I don’t have research projects and don’t want any. Science and engineering types might be busier since they often run experiments and need to produce results.”
“Sigh, I only took up swimming because my grades were bad, and I didn’t even excel at that,” Wang Fangfang said with a worried look.
“Swimmers like us have few options, so fewer people are specializing in it now. Most use it as a sports specialty for school,” Wang Ping said helplessly.
“Fangfang is 22, but her results have never been good enough to make the national team. Sticking around in the provincial team is pointless, and she’s figuring out what to do next.”
After talking with Wang Ping last time, Zhou You realized no field is easy, especially in the cutthroat world of sports, where without results, you have almost nothing.
“For someone like me with no achievements, retiring means no job placement, just a tiny pension that’s not enough for anything,” Fangfang said, stabbing a piece of grilled meat from the buffet.
Fangfang had a small, oval face and big eyes. Due to years of swimming, her hair wasn’t very long. At 22, she was at the age of just graduating college and worrying about finding a job.
“Nothing’s easy these days. As a university teacher, my salary is pitifully low. If I hadn’t dabbled in investing, I’d have starved by now.”
The buffet was nearly empty, with only a few tables scattered across the large space. Buffets are usually crowded at night, but sparse at noon, especially at this hotel where it was a high-end option, drawing even fewer people.
Wang Fangfang and Wang Ping had trained in sports since childhood, so they were straightforward and simple. “Brother You, do you have any good projects you could bring us in on? We don’t have much money, but we can offer our labor and effort,” Wang Fangfang said, resting her chin on her hands, looking at Zhou You with a hint of admiration.
Facing them, Zhou You felt a bit embarrassed by their gaze. He put down his drink and said, “A lot of projects aren’t suitable for you—they’re too risky. The only one that fits right now is opening a swimming pool. Whether you run it yourself or partner with others, you have an edge there.”
“Wang Ping and I talked about this before. As China’s economy grows faster, people’s demand for health will increase, especially for swimming and fitness. You two are professionals with credibility and connections—you can lead people in having fun.”
“For example, the event I joined today was pretty good. Organizing occasional activities and keeping members engaged builds loyalty.”
“But the peak swimming season is over, so it’s not the right time to jump in. You can leverage your strengths to reach out to your senior classmates and see if any high-end hotels, resorts, or large residential complexes are outsourcing their pools.”
“When the time comes, depending on the situation, I’ll put up 80% of the capital. If you two are willing, each of you puts in 10%. I won’t have time for management since I have other things to do. I’ll give you each 20% shares, and I’ll keep 60%. That’s the rough plan—we can discuss details later.”
Zhou You didn’t elaborate too much, since nothing was set in stone yet.
“Alright, I’m full. Take your time eating. My first open-water swim was pretty tiring—I’m heading back to sleep. What are you two up to?”
Wang Ping had swimming lessons in the afternoon, and Wang Fangfang planned to rest there for a bit.
Zhou You didn’t stand on ceremony and left on his own.
Wang Fangfang looked at Wang Ping. “What do you think?”
Wang Ping said, “Zhou You doesn’t really care either way. Opening a swimming pool is the best path for us. After knowing him this long, he’s a steady, low-key guy. If we want to do it, he’ll probably invest, since he likes swimming too, and it’s not a huge expense.”
“I don’t know what to do. You know my family situation—we don’t have much money, and I have a younger brother. Just making it to the provincial team was a big opportunity for me,” Wang Fangfang admitted honestly.
Wang Ping knew her background—a typical rural family. If they were well-off, they wouldn’t have pushed her into such a grueling sport. “I’ve saved up a bit over the years, but it’s all on me. I’ve talked to many seniors, and most end up as coaches. Few manage to open pools—the path is too narrow. I’m ready to take a gamble, since there’s no good alternative.”
Wang Fangfang fell silent, unsure what to do. If she didn’t have to put up money, it was fine, but where would she get it? Her retirement fund was only a few thousand, barely enough for rent and food. She’d take it one step at a time.
Forget it, she thought, and focused on the buffet. She’d never dared to eat like this before—her coach would’ve killed her.
The buffet had a wide variety of dishes with good ingredients. After eating, they could stroll by the lake.
For Zhou You, it was no big deal, but for them, it was a major decision. Being a coach alone didn’t pay much, and since they weren’t building a new pool—just leasing or sharing profits—the costs were much lower.
Zhou You had talked to his boss a lot before because of his love for swimming, so he knew the general model.
High-end hotel pools usually operate on a lease basis, costing around 500,000 yuan a year, since they attract few customers—mostly hotel guests and some wealthy locals.
Summer outdoor pools in residential complexes were cheaper, around 200,000 yuan. The contract and rent fees were about 30,000 to 50,000, equipment costs for a water circulation system ran over 100,000, plus 20,000 for water, 10,000 for treatment chemicals, and other miscellaneous expenses—200,000 yuan total.