Chapter 111: Brothers and Dreams!

As he left the school, Jiang Lun looked through the car window and saw many people standing along both sides of the narrow road. The small town was not particularly prosperous, yet it had its share of small shops, diners, internet cafes, and card rooms.

"Man! This place is just like my hometown!" Mai Le looked out the window and couldn't help but sigh.

Jiang Lun fell silent. The town back in his hometown was slightly better than this, but the villages were a different story. Seeing those left-behind children at the school reminded him of his own younger siblings and the scenes from his childhood, which were not much different.

The ten-day trip had come to an end, but this was only the first half; they would have to head out for another round in the latter half of the month.

By evening, Jiang Lun took a taxi to the apartment complex where he used to live. Familiar with the layout, he went upstairs and knocked on the door.

As the door opened, Cai Fei poked his head out. Seeing Jiang Lun, he grinned excitedly, "Hey! That was fast. Did the company car drop you off?"

"No," Jiang Lun said as he slipped inside the open security door. "I took a taxi."

"You're such a big star now, and you're still taking taxis?"

"Stop teasing me. Where's Qilin?"

"Right here!" Wang Qilin peeked out from the kitchen, wearing an apron. "You two take a seat; I'll be ready in a minute!"

"What's he doing?" Jiang Lun glanced toward the kitchen and saw Wang Qilin holding a chef's knife, clumsily hacking away at something. It was clear he was no expert in the kitchen.

"Never mind him. I've got something important to discuss with you!" Cai Fei put an arm around Jiang Lun’s shoulder and cheerfully steered him toward his room.

"What are you doing? Can't we talk in the living room?"

Jiang Lun was pulled into the room and pressed down into a chair at the desk. Cai Fei then pulled a black leather notebook from his nightstand drawer, flipped it open, and placed a bank card in front of Jiang Lun.

"What is this?" Jiang Lun asked, looking at him in confusion.

"There's a hundred thousand in this card! Qilin and I want to do something. We each asked our families for fifty thousand in startup capital. We aren't planning to go home this summer; we’re ready to battle it out here in the capital!" Cai Fei looked proud and ambitious, his eyes filled with hope.

"Do you have a project?" Jiang Lun glanced at the card.

"Not yet..." Cai Fei chuckled and immediately added, "That's why we came to you. You've always got the best ideas! We wanted to ask for your advice!"

A hundred thousand in startup capital...

Jiang Lun didn't want to discourage them. It wasn't easy for college students to start a business these days. Some designed projects but couldn't secure venture capital, and even if they succeeded in Series A funding, they might fail for other reasons—like lacking a profitable business model, having a niche audience, or misjudging the market—and fall apart before reaching Series B. Out of millions of entrepreneurs, only a handful actually succeeded.

Besides, one of them was into martial arts and the other into dance. Trying to start a business with only a hundred thousand and no project was going to be tough.

He spoke tactfully, "This money is from your parents. I don't recommend you start a business right now. If you want to make money or experience the world, I can introduce you to some film crews. With your skills and training, you might even make a name for yourselves!"

He knew Cai Fei’s family wasn't short on money, so they certainly weren't doing this for survival. But he doubted they were truly passionate about business either; were they just acting on a momentary burst of youthful fervor?

"Well..."

A flicker of disappointment crossed Cai Fei's face, but he didn't push it. He gave a sheepish laugh, "Actually, we just wanted to find something to do to pass the boring summer. Whether it succeeds or not doesn't really matter... Anyway, let's stop talking about this. Let's go see what good food Qilin has made."

"Old Cai, I'll keep your startup plans in mind. If I come across a suitable project you could invest in, I’ll definitely help you connect with it," Jiang Lun said. He couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. These were the two brothers who had witnessed his three years of struggling in the capital. Since they had come to him for help, he felt guilty if he did nothing at all.

However, he quickly thought of something else and said, "Right, the company is planning to have me re-shoot the music video for 'Nunchucks' in a few days. Would you be interested in taking part? It’s mostly martial arts sequences—that’s your specialty!"

"'Nunchucks'?" Cai Fei thought for a moment and said, "I don't have a problem with that. But what about Qilin?"

"I'll figure something out!" Jiang Lun scratched his head. His songs didn't really call for dance, let alone ballet, but he would have to think of something; if all else failed, he would arrange a different role.

Wang Qilin hadn't prepared a gourmet feast; it was just barbecue. He had spent his time in the kitchen chopping ingredients. The three of them set up a grill on the balcony, popped open bottles of beer, and started eating.

During the meal, the three of them seemed to have a silent understanding; no one mentioned the business plans, focusing instead on the trivialities of daily life. Jiang Lun talked about the things he had seen and heard while out on promotional tours. People might think stars had it easy, but behind the scenes, there were plenty of sorrows and tears.

Fortunately, the promotional period would end in July. The rest of the schedule involved TV show appearances, and by August, it would just be standard commercial performances, which would be much easier than this month.

As the drinks were finished and refilled, Wang Qilin got drunk early. He held up his glass, sighing as he poured his heart out, "Man! You guys, tell me, why am I so unlucky? My family home was demolished, and we got a compensation package and new apartments. By rights, I should be happy, but this school issue... it's haunting me!"

"What's wrong?" Jiang Lun asked casually, clinking his glass against his.

"What could be wrong? I didn't pass the exam!" Wang Qilin laughed and downed his drink.

"What exam? You're a junior in college, not a high school senior!" Cai Fei patted him on the head. "You're talking nonsense because you're drunk!"

"No, you guys don't understand. You don't know..." Wang Qilin smiled bitterly and shook his head. After a long silence, he said slowly, "There was an opportunity for an exchange program in Italy for advanced studies. I applied, but I didn't get in. Heh, they only selected one male student from the whole department. My coursework was the best, but I made a mistake on the day of the exam! Heh..."

"When did this happen?" Cai Fei’s pupils dilated, and he grabbed Wang Qilin. "When the hell did this happen? How come I didn't know?"

"What are you talking about? I told you! I want to be the greatest dancer in the world. My dream is to be a professional dancer! Of course, I have to go to a better place to learn!" Wang Qilin pulled Cai Fei’s hand away and jumped up, shouting.

In the past, when he threw tantrums, it was just him being sulky or emotional like a girl. This was the first time they had seen him like this.

But after his shout, he went limp, his body sagging as he collapsed. He missed the chair and hit the floor hard. It was as if that fall had triggered a switch, and he curled up, hugging his legs and bursting into loud, uncontrollable sobs.

Jiang Lun’s drunkenness faded by more than half. He stood up and looked at Wang Qilin, opening his mouth, but unable to find the words. Cai Fei stood there just as stunned, his eyes blank.