Asking his parents or younger brother for money caused Qin Gang's emotions to fluctuate wildly.
Why was he willing to abandon his comfortable life and venture out to start a business, working hard? It was all because he never wanted to live under his younger brother's protection his entire life; otherwise, he would feel his life was meaningless.
Furthermore, his deep-seated pride and self-esteem couldn't bear it. Every day, people would talk about his younger brother, Qin Chuan, "Boss Qin," how amazing he was, how extraordinary he was.
It was as if Qin Chuan was the only one in the Lao Qin family, and he and his elder brother were invisible.
All these reasons led Qin Gang to resolutely decide to leave his comfort zone, venture out on his own, and achieve something of his own.
However, reality was often cruel, a million miles away from his ideals.
After leaving home, Qin Gang came to a strange big city, alone and with no one to turn to.
He tried to emulate his younger brother's business strategies and worked in sales for others, but after only two days, he quit voluntarily.
The meager commission was too far from his goal of making big money. This approach was simply not viable.
He put his mind to it and withdrew the bonus Qin Chuan had given him for the Lunar New Year from his bank card. Although he had spent a lot, he still had sixty to seventy thousand yuan left!
He found a wholesale market, bought a large batch of goods, and started his own stall as a boss.
But the result once again slapped him in the face. For a full two months, the money earned from selling at the stall was barely enough to cover his living expenses, not even enough for gas.
Dejected after repeated setbacks, Qin Gang went to a bar to drown his sorrows. By chance, he encountered Cao Yuqing, who was being harassed by thugs. Seeing that Cao Yuqing was very beautiful, Qin Gang stepped in and beat off the thugs.
This is how he met Cao Yuqing. At that time, he was still driving his beloved Audi.
Later, when Cao Yuqing learned that he wanted to start a business but lacked good avenues, she recommended that he go into the automotive industry.
Both new and used cars offered significant profits.
Qin Gang's heart was stirred. He had to admit, he genuinely liked cars. Moreover, Cao Yuqing was also in car sales, and being in the same industry, they had more common ground.
Thus, under Cao Yuqing's guidance, Qin Gang plunged headfirst into the automotive industry.
To get startup capital, he gritted his teeth and sold his beloved Audi, thus beginning his entrepreneurial journey.
Indeed, the automotive industry was at a good stage of development at the time. Everything in China was just starting, prices were not transparent, and cars, being luxury items, were "big toys" for the wealthy.
Whether it was new or used cars, profits were made quickly, and the buyers were very generous with their money.
In just a few months, Qin Gang managed to double his initial capital of over 300,000 yuan, turning it into over 700,000 yuan.
This filled him with confidence. He realized that starting a business was surprisingly easy.
He shared good news with his girlfriend almost every day, and Cao Yuqing was also very happy to hear it.
Then, by chance, Cao Yuqing mentioned that she had a client who wanted an imported car. She quietly told Qin Gang that she had contacted this big boss privately, and if they could successfully complete the deal, they could earn at least 100,000 yuan per car.
Qin Gang was immediately tempted. Earning 100,000 yuan from one car! That was a month's profit.
Without hesitation, he took out all his money and, using the contact information Cao Yuqing provided, wired it to overseas channels to arrange for the imported car to be brought back.
And so, Qin Gang dreamed of striking it rich.
But as time passed, there was no progress on the imported car. Qin Gang had a bad feeling and called the other party more than a dozen times a day, urging them to ship the goods quickly.
However, the most terrible outcome occurred: the phone number became unreachable. At this point, even the most foolish person would realize they had been scammed.
Qin Gang was stunned. This news was like a bolt from the blue. He rushed to find Cao Yuqing. Just as he was about to question her, Cao Yuqing sat on the ground and wailed, crying heartbreakingly.
This was because, among the money lost, were tens of thousands of yuan she had painstakingly saved over the years.
Qin Gang, who had originally intended to question Cao Yuqing and even demand compensation, was completely dumbfounded. The relationship they had finally established showed cracks.
A few days later, Cao Yuqing proposed to break up.
But Qin Gang had already fallen in love with her. Even though he had lost all his money because of Cao Yuqing, he still couldn't let go.
To win back his girlfriend, Qin Gang considered it carefully and decided to take her home to let her witness the extent of his family's wealth.
This was all of Qin Gang's experiences since leaving home. Unexpectedly, his girlfriend now wanted him to borrow money from his parents or brother to make a comeback.
Qin Gang's emotions fluctuated greatly at that moment.
If he were to borrow money from his parents or brother, wouldn't that mean his lifelong inner resolve would be discarded, and he would have to completely compromise with reality?
"What? Are you still childishly clinging to that so-called shred of self-respect?"
As Qin Gang's emotions became extremely volatile, Cao Yuqing seemed to see through all his thoughts and said with a cold laugh.
"You think it's a disgrace to ask your parents or your brother for money."
"Qin Gang, if you are still this childish and immature, then I'll tell you, no matter how wealthy your family is, we won't last long."
Cao Yuqing spoke, her tone very sharp.
"Because that money isn't yours, understand?"
"Especially the money your brother earned, it's not yours!"
"If you want to be respected, I advise you to quickly discard that pathetic self-respect. The poor have no self-respect; face is only for the rich."
"Think about it carefully!"
After speaking, Cao Yuqing crossed her arms and stopped talking, instead gazing out the window at the scenery.
In the driver's seat, Qin Gang's expression was uncertain.
That evening, during dinner, Qin Chuan carefully noticed that his second brother seemed a little off. He asked if something had happened, but Qin Gang said it was nothing.
After dinner, Qin Gang left with his girlfriend.
Only Qin Chuan, Li Ya, their parents, and the elder brother's family remained at home.
The conversation naturally revolved around his second brother and the girlfriend he brought back, as she was now the focus.
During the conversation, Qin Chuan hesitated for a long time before speaking his true thoughts.
"I'm actually not optimistic about my second brother and his girlfriend, Cao Yuqing."
His words instantly silenced the lively atmosphere. Everyone looked at Qin Chuan in shock. His elder brother, Qin Yang, had a glint in his eyes.
"Xiao Chuan, how can you say that about your second brother and his girlfriend?"
Qin Mother, recovering first, rebuked him with an annoyed expression.
Her second son had finally come out of his shell after all these years and found a girlfriend, and she was overjoyed. Now her youngest son was saying such a disheartening thing. Who would be happy about that?
Qin Shuren also frowned: "Xiao Chuan, don't say such things carelessly in the future!"
Although his youngest son was indeed the pillar of the family, no matter how capable he was, he was still their son. When they made mistakes, they still had to be criticized.
Li Ya, sitting beside him, also quietly tugged Qin Chuan's sleeve, signaling him to take back his words quickly.