After spending enough time at home, Zhou You decided to return to Luzhou. Before leaving, he transferred two million yuan into his parents' bank account, mainly for the initial costs of house renovations and rural farming. His parents were at a loss and anxious upon receiving such a huge sum, wrapping the bank card layer after layer and hiding it in the most secret spot in the house.
...
After returning, he first went to his teacher's house to pay New Year's greetings and, in passing, asked for recommendations of agricultural farming experts and professors. After all, many experts nowadays are all talk with no practical experience; purely theoretical approaches often fail to work in real-life situations. His teacher had been in Luzhou for years and had long-standing ties with several nearby universities, so going through him was far better than Zhou You blindly stumbling around on his own.
As the provincial capital, Luzhou housed many schools, including an agricultural university. Last year, Big Head had just started working in sales, traveling all over the country, and Zhou You was also on the move constantly, so their schedules never aligned. It had been a long time since Zhou You visited Big Head's home. This year, with some free time, he brought gifts to pay a New Year's visit, exchanged a few words with Big Head's parents, and arranged a future meeting with Big Head. They could only catch up during the New Year break.
The two agreed to meet at the school gate for a small gathering at a local eatery. Zhou You rode his electric scooter toward the restaurant and spotted Big Head pacing around as soon as he arrived. Although it had only been a little over a year since graduation, the social grind had changed Big Head's demeanor. The childishness on his face was gone, replaced by a sharp, capable look that clearly set him apart from the students around him.
"Big Head, you've got that business elite vibe now," Zhou You couldn't help teasing.
"Cut it out. You haven't changed at all—you're getting younger and living the easy life," Big Head replied, looking at Zhou You. He really hadn't changed, still carrying that same laid-back, unhurried air from their college days.
Since school hadn't started yet, there weren't many people around. They found a quiet restaurant and chatted over a meal, reminiscing. Big Head mainly talked about his work over the past year. In his words, it had completely overturned his worldview; he felt that over twenty years of education had been a total waste. Zhou You nodded in agreement, noting that school and society were two different things. He thought to himself, *I've done sales too, so I know all the ins and outs.* But now, Big Head was clearly enjoying it. Sales was the job that exposed you to the most things and the most diverse people. Zhou You still remembered how his senior had guided him when he first started in sales—drinking, whoring, smoking, gambling, cheating, and stealing—not that he was an expert in any of it, but he'd dabbled in it all. Big Head had stepped into that world right after graduation.
"But my parents don't want me doing this. They hate that I'm always on the road and never home," Big Head said, reaching for a piece of meat before hesitating and putting it down. "Sales means constant eating and drinking—look at my figure."
With winter clothes on and his naturally big face, Zhou You wouldn't have noticed that Big Head had nearly gained a whole size if he hadn't mentioned it.
"Most people get beaten down by society, but you've actually gained weight after graduation. Still, your parents are right—sales isn't a long-term plan," Zhou You said, having experienced the hardships of sales himself, so he wasn't optimistic about sticking with it.
"This is stress weight gain—it's work-related. My parents want me to take the civil service exam, but I'm not interested. My mom might have me join her in business instead. Being your own boss beats working for someone else," Big Head mused, figuring he'd probably only last another year out in the world.
Fresh graduates who haven't faced society's harshness always think they can make it on their own. Only after getting knocked down do they realize how sweet it is to rely on their parents.
"What does your mom do?" Zhou You asked. Despite visiting Big Head's home a few times, he'd never known what his mother did.
"My dad works at a livestock and fisheries unit, and my mom runs a shop related to that field," Big Head said with a grin.
Zhou You grinned back. That was the reality of society. Making money wasn't shameful. After all, it was a technical industry—you couldn't survive in it without some skill.
"Isn't that great? When I went home for New Year's, my relatives wanted to start farming. I asked my teacher to find experts at the agricultural school. When you go home, ask your mom if she knows any organic farming experts—I'd like to invite one to take a look," Zhou You said, thinking, *What a coincidence—multiple approaches at once!* "And when it's time to buy supplies, I'll get them from your mom and boost her sales a bit."
"A university teacher not sticking to his job, going back to farming?" Big Head asked, puzzled.
"It's not me doing it; it's my relatives. I'm just investing. Let me say it again, Comrade Big Head: my main gig is investing, and teaching is my side job. Got it?"
"What have you invested in? I didn't know."
"I won't go into the distant stuff, but I'll tell you about the recent one." Zhou You then rehashed his successful film investment from last year, spinning it into a grand tale.
Big Head listened, stunned. "I haven't kept in touch much this year, and you've quietly built up such a fortune? That's not fair—it makes me look useless. You're paying today, no arguments."
The two chatted and joked, growing more cheerful. In life, with family, friendship, and love, what more could one ask for? Big Head had a great personality. Given his family background, he was among the top in their class—living in the provincial capital with several properties. But he never flaunted it or looked down on Zhou You; instead, they got along well. Now that Zhou You was making big money, Big Head wasn't jealous—just mildly surprised, unlike others who both fear a friend's hardship and hate to see them succeed.
The past year had been colorful for both of them. Zhou You, though now earning some money, had no physical assets—mostly investments, and those were still in their infancy. He couldn't help Big Head much unless Big Head wanted to start his own business. But the success rate for startups was too low; it was better to stay steady. No rush—there was plenty of time ahead.
With his parents' support, Big Head would never have to worry about food or drink. Zhou You could only add a little extra flair. The expert invitation plan was moving on two tracks—whichever worked, they'd take it, and if both worked, even better. Zhou You would just act as a bridge and leave the rest to them, letting them gain experience. He'd only step in for major issues or big decisions. Otherwise, was it their venture or his?
If not for finding them a legitimate thing to do, Zhou You wouldn't bother with all this effort.
Back in his room, Zhou You had once thought it was fine, but now, after traveling and seeing more, he realized this kind of house wasn't very comfortable to live in.
The author has over a hundred thousand words of backup drafts, so rest assured and invest. Recommendations are still ongoing.