The heavens set sail from the courtyard

The place where Hua Zi arranged to meet Wang Gang was not a restaurant, but a bar.

Back when they were in school, Lu Tao and his friends liked to go to bars, and Gao Qiang went with them twice.

The bar was recommended by Miley. The environment was quite nice; it wasn't the kind of place that was smoky and noisy. There were also band performances on weekdays. Most importantly, the location was excellent, on a bustling street in the city center.

They heard that the bar owner was a friend of Mi Lai, so Lu Tao and his friends basically never paid anything; the bills were always charged to Mi Lai's account.

Speaking of which, Mi Lai is quite popular. I wouldn't say she has friends all over the world, but she certainly has friends from all walks of life. This is largely due to her forthright personality, generous nature, and willingness to spend money.

When Wang Gang arrived at the bar, Hua Zi hadn't come yet, so he simply sat at the bar and ordered a beer.

"Handsome, it seems like you haven't been here in a while?" The bartender pushed a beer in front of Wang Gang and said, "I remember you used to come with your classmates, why are you alone today?"

Wang Gang laughed and said, "You have a good memory. I've only been here twice, and you remember both times?"

The bartender was a woman in her mid-twenties, wearing a women's suit jacket, with her hair tied up in a bun and a slick of hair down her forehead, making her look somewhat like King from the King of Fighters game.

“You’re Mila’s friend, I recognize you,” the bartender said with a smile.

Wang Gang narrowed his eyes and said, "You know Mi Lai too?"

As the female bartender wiped the glasses, she said, "Milai is also my friend. She invested in this bar, so we're kind of business partners."

Wang Gang suddenly realized, "Oh, it's the boss! My apologies for not recognizing you sooner."

The female bartender put down her glass and said, "My name is Manny, and yours is Manny."

Wang Gang pointed to himself and said, "My name is Gao Qiang."

When Manny saw a customer approaching, she said to Wang Gang, "There will be a band playing in the store later. Have fun. This drink is on me."

After saying that, Manny went to the side to greet the guests.

Wang Gang glanced at Manny and had a feeling that this woman was not simple.

A woman who can open a bar on the busiest street in the capital must be extraordinary, but it has nothing to do with Wang Gang.

Wang Gang sat at the bar, drinking and playing the Snake game on his phone, until Hua Zi finally arrived half an hour later.

"Qiangzi, sorry, someone came up and needed to watch the car, so I'll be in a bit of a hurry," Hua Zi said as soon as he arrived. "It's on me today, don't be shy!"

Wang Gang laughed and said, "Looks like you're doing well selling your used cars!"

Hua Zi chuckled and snapped his fingers at Manny.

"Give me a bottle of Budweiser."

Manny raised her hand to indicate that she had heard, and Hua Zi then sat down next to Wang Gang.

"Qiangzi, let me tell you, the used car market is booming right now. I just don't have enough capital, so I can only do it on a small scale. Otherwise, I could buy a Mercedes next year."

Looking at Hua Zi's spirited appearance, Wang Gang couldn't help but laugh. Speaking of the whole series of struggle, only Hua Zi was really working hard. The others either relied on their fathers or connections.

Only Hua Zi climbed his way up from the bottom, selling used cars, running a barbershop, a cake shop, and later a Thai restaurant, working hard step by step to make his business bigger and stronger.

"Qiangzi, what do you think? If we work together, we're sure to make a fortune in the future," Hua Zi said with a smile, putting his arm around Wang Gang's shoulder.

"Sigh!" Wang Gang sighed and said, "I was forced by my parents. They insisted that I find a job."

Hua Zi laughed and said, "That's perfect. You and I can sell cars together. Once we achieve some success, your aunt and uncle will be very happy."

Wang Gang said, "I just want to ask you for a favor. If my parents ask about it in the future, just say that we are selling cars together."

Hua Zi realized what was happening and asked in surprise, "Are you trying to lie to your uncle and aunt?"

Wang Gang laughed and said, "It's not exactly a lie, just a white lie." Hua Zi said with difficulty, "Qiangzi, what are you planning to do? We've all graduated; we can't live off our parents forever!"

Wang Gang laughed and scolded, "Am I the kind of person who lives off his parents? I just haven't found the right person yet, and my parents keep nagging me, so I want some peace and quiet."

Hua Zi advised, "Qiang Zi, I'm not trying to criticize you, but you should get over this. It's just a school reprimand, what's the big deal!"

Many of our classmates, even after obtaining their degrees, are still selling computers in computer malls; very few are truly able to apply what they've learned.

Wang Gang knew that Hua Zi truly considered him a friend and cared about him, so he subtly revealed:
"I've never cared about school disciplinary action, and I don't care whether I get my degree or not. To tell you the truth, I just don't want to work."

Hua Zi asked, puzzled, "If you don't want to work, what do you want to do? Start a business and become your own boss?"

Wang Gang said, "I won a big prize in the lottery before, five million."

"Ah!" Hua Zi exclaimed in surprise, "Are you running a fever?"

Hua Zi reached out to touch Wang Gang's forehead, but Wang Gang slapped his hand away.

"Stop kidding, I'm not lying to you, I really won the lottery," Wang Gang said. "My parents even went with me to the lottery center to collect the money."

Hua Zi swallowed hard, asking incredulously, "Are you serious?"

Wang Gang nodded and said, "After receiving the money, my parents bought two shops and a 100-square-meter apartment. They still have one million left, and I plan to find some projects to invest in."

Hua Zi's face suddenly turned red, and he exclaimed excitedly, "You have money to invest in me!"

Wang Gang said, "I have no interest in selling used cars."

Hua Zi said, "It's okay if you're not interested. Just invest the money. Leave the car sales to me, and you can sit back and collect your profits!"

Wang Gang asked in astonishment, "Is the used car market really that hot?"

Hua Zi excitedly pulled the stool closer to Wang Gang.

“I’m not lying to you, the used car market is really booming right now, it’s incredibly profitable. I can buy a car and sell it in five days at most, and make this much money.” Hua Zi held up three fingers.

"Thirty thousand?" Wang Gang joked.

"What are you thinking about?" Hua Zi rolled his eyes at Wang Gang and said, "It's three thousand. You can earn three thousand in five days, and ten thousand a month is a piece of cake."

"Qiangzi, invest in me! I'm short of capital right now. As long as the money is there, I can buy more used cars and quickly expand the business. You'll get a share of the profits then."

Wang Gang's heart skipped a beat; Hua Zi's suggestion wasn't entirely unacceptable.

Throughout the series, Hua Zi is quite capable, has good judgment, and is willing to take risks and work hard, making him a promising talent.

"How much investment do you need?" Wang Gang asked.

Hua Zi was overjoyed upon hearing this. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Two hundred thousand, no, one hundred and fifty thousand. With just one hundred and fifty thousand, I can rent a place, open a used car dealership, and then buy a few more cars. I can use the money from selling cars to pay off the loan, and then buy more cars with the proceeds from the sales. I can earn back my investment in a year at most!"

Wang Gang stroked his chin and said, "150,000 is a bit too little! I'll give you 500,000. Let's expand the dealership, make the storefront more attractive, and stock more used cars to bolster the business!"

Hua Zi was stunned for a moment, probably shocked by the amount of 500,000.

Wang Gang said, "The car dealership can be registered under your name. I'll only be responsible for the investment and won't be involved in the operations, but I'll own 60% of the shares. Do you have any questions about that?"

Hua Zi said excitedly, "60% is too little. You invested the majority of it. I didn't contribute much. I would be satisfied with 20%."

Wang Gang laughed and said, "Then let's make it 70%! You take 30%, and I'll check the accounts every quarter. Is that alright?"

“Of course, no problem,” Hua Zi said excitedly.

"I'll draft a contract later. Even though we're familiar with each other, we still need to go through the proper procedures to avoid future disputes," Wang Gang said, raising his glass. "May our cooperation be fruitful." (End of Chapter)