I'm in the county town, and you say I'm a big shot?

Chapter 384 Idealism vs. Realism
Liu Shuai treated us to a meal at a restaurant called Lao Shencheng No. 8 Restaurant, located at Gate 8 of the Oriental Pearl Tower on Century Avenue 1 in the New District. The restaurant specializes in Shanghai-style cuisine, and since it was just the two of us, we opted for a simple meal: braised catfish, stir-fried shrimp, home-style tofu, and a yellow croaker soup with pickled mustard greens – economical and affordable.

I also ordered a bottle of Sky Blue.

Liu Shuai knew that Fang Qingye couldn't hold his liquor, so he drank most of the bottle. While he was enjoying himself, Liu Shuai glanced at Fang Qingye, looking like he wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Liu Shuai, just say what you have to say. Don't be so formal with me," Fang Qingye asked.

Liu Shuai hesitated for a moment before saying, "Qingye, I'm treating you to dinner today, and I have a favor to ask of you."

"Ask me? You're too kind. What is it? What's the matter?"

"Lend me some money," Liu Shuai said, explaining his reason.

"What are you planning to do?" Fang Qingye asked.

"buy house."

Liu Shuai then explained the whole story.

It turns out that in order to solve the housing problem for its employees, the Shanghai Banking Regulatory Bureau purchased a batch of commercial housing from developers and sold them to its employees at a preferential price.

"How much per square meter?" Fang Qingye asked curiously.

"Average price: 6500 yuan."

"So cheap?" Fang Qingye was a little surprised. The average price of houses in Shanghai has now exceeded 2 yuan per square meter, and in core areas of the inner ring such as Huangpu and Lujiazui in Pudong, it has exceeded 4 yuan!
"It's cheap, but part of the property rights belong to the work unit. It's fine for me to live in, but I can't sell it for the time being," Liu Shuai hurriedly explained.

“That’s good too. Someone like you needs it the most,” Fang Qingye said.

"Yes, but it also depends on seniority. All that's left for me is a 120-square-meter apartment on the sixth floor," Liu Shuai said.
"There's no elevator, and I'm not very satisfied with the floor, but if I give up this opportunity, I don't know when I'll be able to get another one. As for apartments outside, I simply can't afford them right now."

Fang Qingye nodded.

Liu Shuai continued, "The sixth floor is cheaper, but it's still 6000 yuan per square meter. A whole apartment costs about 72 yuan. You can get a mortgage, but you need to pay a 30% down payment, which is 22 yuan."

“Actually, my salary isn’t low, and I also have some under-the-table income. I’ve been working for four years, so making a down payment shouldn’t be a problem. But I’ve been spending a lot of money since I got a girlfriend, and last year I bought a Honda. My savings are basically all gone,” Liu Shuai explained.

“In your situation, you should buy a house first and then a car. Public transportation in Shanghai is quite convenient,” Fang Qingye said.

“That’s what I thought too, but Li Lei disagreed. She said her best friend’s boyfriend has already bought a car, and if she doesn’t buy one, her best friend will laugh at her. Besides, she needs to drive back to her hometown. There’s nothing I can do.” Liu Shuai sighed after saying that.

Fang Qingye didn't ask any further questions, but said, "Okay, give me your bank card number, I'll transfer 22 yuan to you in a bit, is that enough?"

“That’s enough. I’ll write the IOU right now. I expect to pay it off in three years, so let’s set the interest rate at the same rate as a three-year bank loan,” Liu Shuai said.

"We're all old classmates, why should I ask for interest? You can just pay it back according to your own circumstances and the agreed time."

"Three years, I will definitely pay it back in three years." Liu Shuai immediately asked the waiter to bring paper and pen, wrote an IOU and handed it to Fang Qingye. Fang Qingye glanced at it and stuffed it into his pocket. He took out his phone, logged into mobile banking, and transferred 22 yuan to Liu Shuai on the spot.

"I plan to send some money back to my parents next month when I get my salary. I've been working for four years and haven't sent a single penny back. I feel ashamed," Liu Shuai said with a bitter smile.

"Don't think like that. You have a car, a house, and a girlfriend now. You've basically settled down in Shanghai, which puts you ahead of many of your peers!" Fang Qingye comforted her.

"Next, get married, then focus on your career and try to get a government position. Then you'll be a winner in life."

“That’s my plan too.” Liu Shuai became excited: “I’m already a deputy section chief, and I’m about to be promoted to section chief, and then to deputy director. As long as I can make it to the deputy director level, then I’ll be a leader, and that’ll be something.”

"Hehe. Then I congratulate you in advance." Fang Qingye raised her wine glass, and the two clinked glasses.

"Commander Liu, since we've come this far, I'll say a few more words," Fang Qingye said with a smile.
"If you need any help in the future, just let me know! Don't make any big mistakes, okay? You're my only old classmate at the China Banking Regulatory Commission, and I'll be counting on you for help with some things in the future."

Fang Qingye spoke vaguely, but Liu Shuai had been in the workplace for several years, so how could he not understand what he meant?
"Don't worry, I won't do anything illegal or disorderly. We're just country kids with no connections. When other people get into trouble, someone will help them smooth things over and make a big deal out of it. But what about me? Who can help me with that? That's why I'm very careful."

"That's good. Come on, let's have another drink and congratulate you on becoming the director of the Shanghai Banking Regulatory Bureau!" Fang Qingye raised his glass.

"Hehe. I wouldn't dare dream of becoming a bureau chief. I'd be perfectly content just to be a section chief in this lifetime. Let's do it!"

After finishing her meal, Fang Qingye returned to the hotel.

After taking a shower, he lay in bed, took out his phone, and video chatted with Bai Ou on WeChat. He liked to share things about his life with the girl, such as his conversation with Liu Shuai that day.

After listening, the girl said, "Ye Zi, I've discovered that your two close college classmates, Li Ye and Liu Shuai, are an idealist and a pragmatist, respectively."

“You’re right,” Fang Qingye said with a smile. “Sometimes the two people have completely opposite ideas.”

“Li Ye is romantic and compassionate. He’s willing to give up his comfortable life in the big city to live in a remote mountainous area for the rest of his life for his ideals and beliefs. Liu Shuai is much more realistic. He’s thinking about cars, houses, money, and positions. Ye Zi, which kind of person do you think is better?” Bai Ou asked again.

"Many people and things cannot be simply categorized as good or bad." Fang Qingye looked at the girl in the video very seriously:
"Some might say Liu Shuai is vulgar, but even Confucius said: 'Wealth and honor are what people desire, but if they are not obtained in the proper way, one should not accept them; poverty and lowliness are what people dislike, but if they are not obtained in the proper way, one should not avoid them.' Making a fortune and becoming a high-ranking official are what everyone hopes for, as long as they are achieved through legitimate means. This is the thinking of the vast majority of people."

"Li Ye's idealism seems more noble, but such people are a minority after all. Moreover, such idealism requires certain conditions: like Li Ye, who comes from a well-off family, he went to teach in the mountains without having to worry about material needs, because his family provided him with a guarantee of supplies, not only ensuring his livelihood but also donating money to build buildings for the school."

“If it were Liu Shuai, it wouldn’t work. His parents are in the old village and are counting on him to support them in their old age. How could he possibly go to western Sichuan to teach? I think what he’s doing now is the greatest filial piety to his parents and the greatest contribution to society.”

"Ha, Yezi, I'm finding you're becoming more and more like a philosopher," Bai Ou said with a smile.

"Not really, just a spontaneous thought."

"So, Yezi, what kind of person are you? An idealist, a realist?" the girl suddenly asked.

(End of this chapter)