It's just that they have money.

With nothing else to do, Xu Wen moved a small stool and sat at the kitchen doorway, watching Fang Chen skillfully wash and prepare the vegetables.

"Did the boss learn to cook before?" Xu Wen asked.

"I haven't studied it; I just figured it out myself."

Food lovers always want to cook for themselves, but once they start cooking too much, they feel nauseous just smelling the food from restaurants that use inferior ingredients.

It was only after he started cooking for himself that Fang Chen understood why his parents always said that food outside was not good when he was a child.

Heat the oil in a wok, add the pork belly, and with a sizzle, the aroma of the oil instantly fills the air.

Xu Wen couldn't help but take a deep breath.

"It smells so good," she said sincerely.

"Of course, this is local black pork, it's much more fragrant than imported white pork."

In the past, Fang Chen was reluctant to buy black pork.

Good quality black pork costs about the same as beef, it's damn expensive.

Fang Chen poured the bamboo shoot slices into the pot, stir-fried them for a few seconds, and then simmered them over low heat.

Then he slid the fish into another pot, oil splattered, the bamboo shoots were cooked, he ladled them out onto a plate, and started cooking the fish again.

Pan-fry until golden brown on both sides, add boiling water, bring to a boil over high heat to make a milky white soup, then add tofu cubes and turn to low heat.

Soon, the hot dishes, still sizzling from being cooked, were served.

Braised bamboo shoots, twice-cooked pork with garlic sprouts, crucian carp and tofu soup, and stir-fried bok choy.

"Eat up." Fang Chen handed her a bowl of rice.

Xu Wen picked up a bamboo shoot with his chopsticks, took a bite, and his eyes immediately lit up: "Delicious!"

"Eat more if you like it." Fang Chen sat down and picked up his bowl to eat.

Home is different from being away from home, and the two quickly started chatting over the meal.

"Boss, do you plan to continue like this?" Xu Wen asked with a serious curiosity in his eyes.

"How has it always been?"

"It's like... not going to work, not starting a business, just going to the gym, grocery shopping, and looking at house renovations every day." She paused, "Of course, I don't mean to say that's bad, I'm just curious."

Fang Chen finished chewing the food in his mouth before asking, "What do you think I should do?"

"I don't know," Xu Wen answered honestly. "It's quite normal to do nothing. Maybe it's an occupational hazard; I want to know the boss's long-term plans."

Fang Chen put down his chopsticks, leaned back in his chair, and looked at the ceiling for a moment.

"To be honest, I haven't decided yet," he said. "From childhood to adulthood, we've been taught to go to school, get into a good university, find a good job, get promoted and receive a raise, get married and have children, and retire. Suddenly one day, those steps in between can be skipped, and I don't know which way to go."

Xu Wen nodded without interrupting.

"But one thing I'm sure of," Fang Chen said, turning his gaze to Xu Wen, "I don't want to become someone who only knows how to spend money. That kind of person might feel good at first, but in the long run, they'll feel empty."

"So, what do you want to do?"

"I want to," Fang Chen said, pursing his lips, "but I don't know what to do."

Xu Wen was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly said, "Actually, I have similar concerns."

"You?" Fang Chen looked at her curiously.

"Um."

Xu Wen also put down his chopsticks and said seriously, "When I first graduated, I joined the investment banking industry not because I liked it, but because it paid high salaries, was respectable, and sounded good. My family's financial situation is average. My parents had a hard time supporting me to complete two degrees, and I wanted to earn money as soon as possible to repay them."

She looked down at the rice in her bowl, her voice softening: "But once I got there, I realized that wasn't the life I wanted. Spending over ten hours a day staring at Excel and PowerPoint presentations, dealing with exhausting colleagues and harassing bosses..."

"So you resigned?"

"Yes, I quit after six months." Xu Wen looked up and gave a bitter smile. "My parents were so angry that they didn't speak to me for half a month. They thought I was crazy, giving up a high-paying and respectable job to work as a private assistant."

Fang Chen's lips curled into a slight smile: "Then do you regret it?"

No regrets.

Xu Wen said firmly, "My current work may be trivial, but every single thing I do is to help you solve your problems, and besides..."

"Boss, you're paying a pretty high salary."

Fang Chen didn't expect her to answer like that, and burst out laughing.

"What are you laughing at..." Xu Wen was embarrassed by his words and continued in a low voice, "Besides, I want to study for a PhD abroad. Although there are scholarships for PhD programs, the application process and settling in require money. And if the scholarships are not enough to cover all the expenses, my family probably won't be able to afford to study abroad. Moreover, I don't want to rely on my family anymore."

"How much money do you need to deposit before you go?" Fang Chen asked.

"At least one million."

"With your current monthly salary of 50,000, it will only take you a little over a year to save up a million," Fang Chen calculated.

"It won't be that fast," Xu Wen laughed. "There are all sorts of expenses, and I also have to send money to my parents, so I can't save much."

Fang Chen nodded and did not continue the topic.

He picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks, chewed it a couple of times, and suddenly asked, "Do you know what I want to do?"

Xu Wen raised his head, his eyes filled with curiosity.

"I want to remake Romance of the Three Kingdoms."

Xu Wen paused for two seconds, then blinked: "What?"

"Romance of the Three Kingdoms," Fang Chen repeated, his tone serious. "Not one of those commercial films packed with big stars and special effects. I want to make a TV series that truly respects the original work and history, like the old version of 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms,' but with better technology and richer details."

Xu Wen opened his mouth, unsure how to respond.

Seeing her expression, Fang Chen laughed: "Do you think it's outrageous?"

"It's not outrageous," Xu Wen carefully chose his words, "it's just... the range is a bit too big."

"I know." Fang Chen put down his chopsticks. "That's why I said I want to, not that I'll do it right away. I'll put my ideal here for now and take it slowly. I'll realize it when I have enough funds, enough resources, and a reliable team."

[Host's ideals confirmed. Long-term mission issued: Remake Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Initial funding of 2000 million yuan has been disbursed. Please check.]

Fang Chen took out his phone and checked his balance; he had over 30 million yuan in his current account.

My heart is calm and undisturbed.

Do you know why I wanted to make a film about the Romance of the Three Kingdoms?

Why?

"Perhaps it was due to the limitations of the era, but the 94 version of Romance of the Three Kingdoms has many shortcomings. However, that does not prevent this work from being called a work of art."

Fang Chen sighed and continued, "After that, as technology improved, the quality of Three Kingdoms-themed films actually declined with each iteration. I especially want to criticize the 10 version of Three Kingdoms. I even thought it was good when I was a kid; it was my introduction to the Three Kingdoms. It's practically a stain on my life!"

Xu Wen didn't know anything about the Three Kingdoms period, nor had he read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Not knowing how to respond, he could only listen quietly and eat quietly.

After Fang Chen calmed down, the two continued eating, talking about the Three Kingdoms period, historical dramas, recent popular dramas, and the bad movies they had each watched.

The meal lasted nearly two hours, and all the food on the table was eaten clean.

Xu Wen took the initiative to clear the dishes, and Fang Chen didn't stop him, leaning back on the sofa and scrolling through his phone.

Ivy messaged me: "Mr. Fang, the first draft of the concept is almost finished. Tomorrow at 2 PM, at the same coffee shop as last time?"

Fang Chen replied, "The day after tomorrow, I have something to do tomorrow."

It's the weekend, and I promised to take Zhang Zhenghao to experience a high-end medical check-up.