Chapter 130: If you strike it rich, don't forget your friends!

Returning once more to the parking lot, upon seeing the Jaguar with its four round headlights, an expletive slipped from Du Zhong’s lips. His resentment deepened as he cast a wistful glance at Su Mu and asked, “You and your partners—how much has the company earned recently?”

“Um… over a million dollars, I suppose,” Su Mu replied in a deliberately casual tone, hoping to avoid the topic. The look in Du Zhong’s eyes instantly turned pitiful.

Du Zhong continued, “We’ve been friends since childhood; if fortune favors us, let’s not forget each other! I’ve had my eye on a car for a long time. No matter what, my dad won’t buy it for me. He’s been planning to get me a used car, but parking it next to your company car here would be so embarrassing!”

“It’s the company’s car; we’re just borrowing it for now.”

“But the company belongs to you guys!”

“…”

Su Mu was at a loss for words. By some twist of fate, he and Li Ping’an had struck it rich, but he had forgotten about Du Zhong, who was also a close friend. Feeling awkward, he hurriedly said, “I have other plans. When we start a new company, I’ll definitely invite you to join. Get ready to invest.”

“I have no money. How about I just be your little assistant? Like today, driving you around, carrying your bags, moving boxes.”

Hearing this, Su Mu laughed and said, “That works. As long as you behave, I’ll give you one percent of the shares!”

“Oh, look at you getting cocky now! The boss sure talks differently.”

It was all in good fun, without any bitterness. Su Mu and Li Ping’an’s success was something Du Zhong was happy about. His father worked at a bank, and their family was comfortably middle-class. They never lacked food or shelter, and among the three friends, his family was the most well-off. He hadn’t yet reached the age where money consumed his every thought.

They had known each other since they were very young; their friendship was not fragile. None of them, including Su Mu, believed money could affect their bond. Starting a business was about ideals, about freeing themselves and their families from financial constraints—not about the money itself.

From a very young age, Du Zhong often had the most pocket money and frequently bought snacks for Su Mu and Li Ping’an. He remembered when Su Mu was bullied; Li Ping’an rushed to his defense. Throughout their journey, they had always been there for each other.

Those were pure and beautiful years—just a little worry at first, but nothing too heavy. At their age, life was meant to be enjoyed. A beautiful love seemed more precious than a hundred million dollars. Life was just beginning.

Countless Chinese parents worked tirelessly so their children could enjoy life—to have a comfortable existence without the burdens they themselves had faced. Many youths missed their chance when stepping into adulthood, losing many of life’s beautiful moments forever.

Du Zhong was lucky to have enjoyed comfort from the start, and now Su Mu and Li Ping’an were catching up. Material worries were fading; they were focusing more on life itself.

Most of the world’s troubles, indeed, were tied to money.

After persistent questioning and receiving Su Mu’s firm assurance that he would include him in future ventures, Du Zhong finally got into the car and obediently took on the role of driver.

“How did your brain grow like this? I always thought you were just smart, but you actually have a knack for business. That QuGou supermarket—my dad’s even jealous. In one and a half months, you’ve added over two million dollars to the account.”

“How do you know that… oh, your dad can see it?”

Su Mu wasn’t surprised. His father worked at the bank where QuGou had opened its account. He explained, “It’s not all profit. The payments to suppliers haven’t been made yet. The new store is being funded with their money temporarily.”

Du Zhong, sharper than Li Ping’an, understood this and asked, “Then why not open more stores? There’s plenty of money. If many companies sell together, wouldn’t that earn even more?”

“That’s exactly the plan. If the second store succeeds, it proves the business model can be replicated. Then expansion will be rapid. But it won’t be too fast—we have to keep enough reserve to avoid cash-flow issues. We’re temporarily using suppliers’ money, but it will be paid back.”

“But if you keep restocking, your company bank account will always have funds. The previous debts get paid off, but new debts keep piling up?”

Su Mu nodded with a smile. “That’s why we can open a second store immediately. The actual profits aren’t that high. Chain businesses are very profitable and grow quickly. Take Walmart, for example; they use the same financing method and now have over a hundred stores.”

“The one we saw in New York?” Li Ping’an asked.

“Yes, exactly.”

As Du Zhong drove out of the parking lot, he grumbled again, “You guys secretly went to New York without me?”

“You were in school then and never drove. How’s your driving now?” Su Mu quietly fastened his seatbelt. He didn’t need a map; he had all the roads of Los Angeles memorized.

Du Zhong rolled his eyes. “If you’re worried, don’t ride. See? We’re moving forward just fine.”

Li Ping’an shot back, “Give me a break. Walking is faster than your driving. If you don’t speed up, the cops will be here!”

…

They had considered living near Du Zhong’s home; the neighborhood was decent. But due to negative feelings about Chinatown, Su Mu wanted to buy a house farther away. Growing up there was one thing, but who could love a poor, run-down slum?

Except for the elderly who couldn’t speak English and had no choice but to live there, most young people longed to leave, only frustrated by a lack of money to afford homes elsewhere.

Even nostalgia had to wait; the so-called “longing” was more like idle whining. Few who moved out of Chinatown ever came back—except those who went bankrupt or had nowhere else to go.

Now, with a chance at prosperity, Su Mu wanted his family to move to a wealthy area—close to Hollywood or Beverly Hills—places favored by the rich.

The importance of owning a home was deeply ingrained in Chinese culture. Even Su Mu, at his age, was no exception. When the subject of buying a house came up, Du Zhong and Li Ping’an immediately perked up.

Li Ping’an suggested, “How about Malibu Beach? Open the door and you’re on the ocean, with sand right in the yard.”

“That place is overrun by black people; there’s nothing there. Same with Santa Monica Beach—chaotic and terrible. If we have money, we should buy in Beverly Hills! If we don’t have enough, I can talk to my dad. You’re making so much money now; only a fool would refuse you a loan. Banks live off loans—they’ll definitely approve it.”

Su Mu was deeply tempted. If the Upper East Side was New Yorkers’ dream neighborhood, then star-studded Beverly Hills was what every Angeleno desired.

With the company thriving and loan pressure easing, it seemed unlikely both companies would be losing money anytime soon. He hesitated and said, “How about we go take a look first?”

…