Chapter 614: A Very Difficult Path

Fang Hong spoke eloquently, while the mother and daughter chewed their chopsticks, listening silently to his grand discourse.

They had never heard such insights before!

Chen Jinfei also listened in silence, hoping he would say more, for it gave him a sense of clarity, as if a puzzle had been solved.

In fact, this was a question Fang Hong had to ponder since rising to his position: why earn so much money? What should he do with it? Would he also have to emigrate in the future?

Because many wealthy people in the future are fleeing overseas.

For example, on Singapore's billionaire list, nine out of ten are ethnic Chinese.

As a reincarnated soul, he saw more clearly than ordinary people, so sometimes he pondered how to walk the path ahead and how to deal with those above.

If he didn't fully understand this society, he couldn't maintain an equal relationship with those above.

Just like him and Zhang Hongsen: though Zhang oversaw him, their relationship was never one of superior and inferior, but of active cooperation.

How to make the pie bigger, how to reach outward.

"Capital easily hardens class structures; it follows the law of the jungle. If you can defy the upper class's entrenched status quo and rise up, you're awesome—you become strong enough to entrench yourself and oppress others, and that's your skill, that's capital."

"But our society is different: when you're weak, it protects you, gives you a relaxed environment to stand out. If you leverage this system to realize your own value, then you must share that value."

"Why? Because the value you created stems from this system's relaxed environment, from your predecessors—who are others—and from their sharing with you."

Fang Hong looked at Liu Tianxian and asked, "Do you understand?"

"I don't quite understand, but I sort of do," Liu Tianxian said, shaking her head, then nodding.

"I'll give you a simple example: Li Lianjie graduated from a state-run martial arts school; his talent and ability were built on the school's free or low-cost training."

"Under capitalism, tuition would be ten times higher—if everything were about money, do you think Li Lianjie's family could afford it? They couldn't. Then he'd never have become a kung fu superstar."

"The problem is this: he couldn't even afford school, yet he shared the value of others—his teachers—went to school, learned real kung fu through training, and of course, he also put in his own effort."

"Now he's a hot commodity, but under the system's distribution mechanism, he must now share his value: receive a hundred yuan, hand over ninety thousand yuan to cultivate more people—isn't that the logic? Should he share?" Fang Hong looked at the three, scanning their faces one by one.

The three exchanged glances, their expressions slightly confused—they couldn't say whether it should or shouldn't be done; it seemed right, yet it also seemed wrong.

But logically, it made sense: if you became an elite through the system's support, you should share your value.

Cultivate more people, help more people live better—that's our society's logic.

"In the past, when we studied dance, art schools were supported by the state and local governments; students could learn for free or at low cost, and teachers, despite having little salary, still taught us their skills."

Liu Xiaoli recounted her past experience and added, "I don't know if it should or shouldn't be done, but if everyone is selfish and thinks their talent can exploit others, then ordinary people will have no chance."

Many ordinary people simply can't afford tuition, because elites monetize their value tenfold or a hundredfold.

They improve their own lives and ensure better lives for their descendants—this undoubtedly blocks the paths of many.

Fang Hong could afford the Director Department precisely because of this system's environment; if tuition were truly unaffordable, he couldn't have attended either.

At least people like Xu Liyun could support themselves by working in factories making clothes.

This society has unfairness everywhere, but education alone is absolutely fair: pass the exam, get in; fail, get out.

It's the only path for commoners to rise up!

Liu Tianxian said nothing; she understood, and sometimes she helped those in need with whatever she could manage.

"You're right—if we all followed capitalism's logic, elites would become the most selfish group, turning around to oppress, leaving ordinary people with no way out," Chen Jinfei began to understand what those above intended.

But this matter is still in exploration, still in its early stage—this phase is inevitably painful, and that can't be avoided.

"That's why I look down on Li Lianjie: he became an elite through the system and refuses to share. I understand—people are selfish."

"But you can't go overseas and sneer, claiming we exploited you—that's completely wrong. Honestly, Fang Long is a thousand times stronger than him."

Fang Hong slapped Liu Tianxian's shoulder: "Even my Xixi is ten thousand times stronger than him."

"Oh come on, how could I compare to him? He's a kung fu superstar," Liu Tianxian laughed.

"I'm serious—you're smarter than him. He has no depth, no independent judgment, no profound reflection on life or society; in netizens' terms, he's a middle-schooler."

"Otherwise, he wouldn't be so easily influenced, wouldn't pose for photos with that person—no manners at all. Even ordinary people are stronger than him."

Fang Hong rarely criticized anyone.

Even when he had grievances with Fang Long, he never criticized him; even when he had conflicts with Fa Ge, he never criticized him.

He never criticized Wang Xing, Wang Zhangtian, Yu Dong, or others—those were battles of interest!

The group fell silent; this man was hard to judge—Li Lianjie was still controversial, but based on his rise and certain actions, it was indeed true.

His words and deeds were widely online—he really did seem like someone who'd been fooled.

"This is also a problem we must solve: after elites rise, how do they share their value with ordinary people, narrowing the gap between them?"

"Apart from fools, what ordinary people must do is embrace those above. This process naturally brings complaints, but they haven't abandoned the hard path."

"If we truly followed capitalism, it would be simple and convenient, with greater gains—but we persist in walking the harder road."

Fang Hong's voice was quiet, yet it echoed in Chen Jinfei's heart, giving him sudden clarity.

He understood the intentions above: no wonder so many elites and billionaires emigrated; no wonder they urged them to invest in high-tech fields.

Those above wanted to give ordinary people more benefits, to create space for their survival.

One point four billion people, plus a hostile external environment, plus elites and billionaires who left and took away vast wealth—

So those above face great difficulty: they want elites to share their value, but those elites refuse.

That's the contradiction.

Like Jack Ma: early on, he struggled to start his business; in the middle, he relied on countless free policies to rapidly become a behemoth.

E-commerce grew fast because no taxes were levied—it was only after it became huge that taxes were imposed, because it created jobs and gave many people chances to get rich.

What country gives ordinary people such benefits?

But after Alibaba became a behemoth, it ignored the fate of small businesses, monopolized traffic, squeezed suppliers and consumers, and leveraged financial speculation.

After being cracked down on, he constantly played the victim, claiming he was oppressed, winning sympathy from countless fools.

What's there to sympathize with? You're an elite with immense value—ordinary people have no reason to sympathize. The system has always tried to narrow the gap between you and the elites.

Otherwise, e-commerce wouldn't have made so many people rich.

But after those people seized the traffic, they covertly harvested the wealth of this group as well.

"Xiao Fang, you can't say these things outside. If you do, it'll cause a huge uproar—many people will curse you," Liu Xiaoli warned.

Criticizing a celebrity will invite backlash; many in society empathize with such a person.

Criticizing capital will also draw some curses, because many people aspire to it.

"I won't say these things outside—I'm just sharing them with you because I feel compelled to. They curse me because they're foolish, foolishly aspiring to capital, unaware that without capital, they're not even mud," Fang Hong said.

He understood this deeply: during the Black Swan Event, over a million died on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, lives as worthless as grass.

And yet, which is harder—our massive efforts to lock down and dynamically zero out cases—or which is simpler?

"Yes, just tell us. Don't say things recklessly," Liu Tianxian added, also worried.

Fang Hong's words deeply shocked them; he had clearly pondered and understood the intentions above.

You don't need any talisman—just resolutely follow a very difficult path.

This was Fang Hong's conclusion over the past few years: time and again, he broke boundaries, yet the authorities tolerated him.

Of course, Chen Jinfei also benefited—he's a businessman, and these words showed him how to walk his future path.

You can be rich, you can live a wealthy life, but you must share your value, shine and radiate where it's needed, to those who need it.

The meal was quickly finished; afterward, they walked around the courtyard lawn.

"Hey, your words are truly thought-provoking," Liu Tianxian linked arms with him.

"I've been thinking the same thing—I don't know if I'm right, but it probably is," Fang Hong smiled.

"Oh, so you were just saying those things to us," Liu Tianxian tapped his head.

"Not just to you—I'm saying them to myself too, because I need to become even more resolute. As my business grows larger, I inevitably must deal with the authorities, and inevitably face contradictions between two ideologies."

"Sometimes, if you don't make a choice, others will make it for you. You have no choice: will you follow the crowd, or walk a very difficult path? You need a firm goal," Fang Hong said.

Even the Jade Rabbit and Chang'e must face this issue.

"I know—you'll walk the harder path," Liu Tianxian looked at him.

"How do you know?" Fang Hong smiled.

"Because you're my husband—I know you," Liu Tianxian leaned her face close.

(End of Chapter)