106. Staying Disciplined Still Brings Success

After getting into the car, Bai Haonan recounted the story with a puzzled expression. Yu Jiali first covered her mouth in surprise, then burst into a fit of laughter that rivaled her father’s in volume. Judging by the resonance in her chest, one could tell she still had plenty of room to lose weight.

Bai Haonan had heard rumors: "I vaguely recall hearing that there were a lot of homosexuals in some gyms. I finally saw it for myself today. No wonder they kept hovering around us; so they were eyeing me?"

Yu Jiali did not feel disappointed; instead, she laughed even harder, her frame shaking violently. Ada looked at her, confused, perhaps unable to grasp this woman’s volatile emotions, and chose to curl up a bit tighter, looking cautious.

By the time Bai Haonan had driven quite a distance, she finally managed to stifle her laughter. "No wonder, no wonder I didn't feel any of that 'vibe.' Several of them looked quite handsome, robust, and masculine. How could they... just..."

The driver had a broader base of knowledge. "I’ve heard from hostesses and others at nightclubs that most gay men are very particular about their appearance. Hmm, I think it’s that 'body management' someone mentioned at the meeting today. Look at these prominent men nowadays; apart from us athletes, perhaps it’s the homosexuals who care most about their physique. They were ahead of the curve on body management. Ugh... our gym can’t end up filled with that crowd. Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps!"

Yu Jiali laughed again. "Mm-hmm, with you there, if anyone has those tendencies, we'll find out right away!" She burst into laughter once more.

Bai Haonan replied sheepishly, "Let me take you back."

Yu Jiali didn't forget her plans. "Let's grab a bite to eat, then go check out a bar. It's rare that I don't have any work scheduled for tonight."

Bai Haonan now understood how busy Yu Jiali was. While she might appear to be a wealthy heir sitting on a fortune, she had been groomed for leadership from a young age. Her ability to seamlessly take over from her father was a testament to her hard work. Moreover, because Yu Deshui had let go of the reins unusually early, Yu Jiali not only had to manage the company, maintain operations, and expand into new business areas, but she also had to navigate dealings with the government and various social circles on the foundation her father had built. At her age, she already held six or seven social titles. Her evenings were often filled with business meetings and various functions. What might look like a glamorous, high-society gala to the aspiring flight attendants at the aviation college was, in Yu Jiali’s eyes, nothing more than tedious, obligatory social networking—something she had no interest in but was forced to attend. Furthermore, this busy lifestyle involved little physical exercise; it offered no help with weight loss and, on the contrary, promoted overnutrition.

There was a reason why successful people were often portrayed as portly.

Lately, she had been using gym sessions as an excuse to dodge many of these evening banquets, though she often still had to rush off to various appointments afterward. Seven or eight o'clock was always her busiest time.

This was perhaps the first successful person Bai Haonan had gotten to know deeply. Unlike the experts like Biological Enzyme, the kind of successful person ordinary people envied wasn't actually living the debauched, wine-and-women lifestyle he had imagined. At least for professional athletes like Bai Haonan, they had always privately assumed that bosses lived lives of decadence. Clearly, however, the comforts of life were things the Yu Deshuis of the world no longer cared for.

Yu Deshui might have gone through a phase of seeking thrills and debauchery, but Yu Jiali, raised with this in mind, had certainly skipped that experimentation. She was accustomed to luxury and had reached a state where it didn't matter if things were good or bad—a calm, commanding demeanor. She was merely curious about things like the mysterious nightlife.

Bai Haonan hesitated for a moment. "If... if you're paying, then let's go. I'm broke as of the last two days."

Yu Jiali was startled. "There's still a day or two left in the week, and you've already spent all your money from last week?"

Bai Haonan didn't blush. "I wasn't exactly well-off when I came to see Niu'er. As soon as I got the money, I gave him half, then treated everyone to a meal. Dozens of people finished off the food and drinks, so it was all gone. I wanted to go out and have a blast, but I didn't have the cash."

Yu Jiali, who had likely never struggled with daily expenses in her life, realized, "No wonder you can squander so much money despite earning so much. This spendthrift attitude of yours, with absolutely no concept of financial management, is exactly why you've ended up in this state. It seems you have enough self-awareness to insist from the start that you shouldn't handle your own money..." As she spoke, she struggled to turn around and grab her Birkin bag from the back. She caught a glimpse of the mess in the backseat and asked while digging out her wallet, "You drove this car all the way from Jiangzhou. Why can't you tidy it up?"

Bai Haonan’s reaction remained true to his nature. "Why tidy it? This car is useless for picking up women. Even if I drift or do tail-slides, the girls just say it makes them want to vomit. Back in the day, when I drove my Porsche, just hitting the gas or the brakes would make the girls act like they were reaching a climax. So, this is just for getting around. Besides, Ada makes a mess of it as soon as I clean it, so I can't be bothered."

Yu Jiali, who had clearly been excluded from his "picking up women" category, finally chose a card and gave it to Bai Haonan. "Creating a good living environment is about making yourself comfortable. Tomorrow, take this card to Xiao Qin and register it. There should be 100,000 in cash in there for opening the account. Consider it your working capital as a shareholder. You can spend it, but you must keep a ledger for every expense. When it runs out, make sure it’s replenished. If you overdraw, it will be deducted from your shareholder dividends. Can you do that?"

Bai Haonan was sharp. "Are you training me in financial management?"

Yu Jiali sighed. "You’ve never had a concept of financial management. Perhaps in the eyes of a professional athlete, you feel you can earn money anytime, but even my father always keeps risk awareness in mind and thinks about how to coordinate arrangements..."

Bai Haonan tried to remain patient. "What is the point of making money? It's to spend it and feel good! If you have money, spend it; if you don't, figure something else out. A living person isn't going to be suffocated by a little trouble! What's the PIN? Tonight's treat is on me!"

Yu Jiali shook her head slightly and pointed to the numbers on the back of the card, but she said nothing.

Even though Bai Haonan had never been to the nightlife scene in this provincial capital, he possessed a keen sense of smell. After driving around a bit, he complained to the thoughtful Yu Jiali, "The scale of your provincial capital is far worse than Rongdu. It's so small!"

Yu Jiali adjusted her approach. "There are only seven million people here, less than half of Rongdu's fifteen million. But even as a second-tier provincial capital, we can still generate 1.2 billion in annual output and give back to society through profits from various industries. Old Bai, you are a smart man with a lot of potential, and you can create great value. Be patient and humbly learn the things you've missed out on, okay?"

Bai Haonan cast a quick glance at the passenger seat. "Little Yu, I know you mean well, but we're not on the same page. Isn't the point of living to just be happy? Why go through so much trouble? Some people want to make a fortune; I just want to live freely and happily. None of this matters!"

Yu Jiali whispered, "I still think you have great potential as an investment. Living a life of pleasure is one thing, but you could choose something more meaningful..."

Bai Haonan had already hurriedly found a spot lit with neon lights. "Fine, fine, fine! Women are always nagging, especially the ones who want to manage me and 'mean well.' Can you not spoil the mood!? This is the place!"

Yu Jiali pursed her thick lips, grabbed her bag, and got out of the car. Bai Haonan showed off Ada’s utility to her: "As long as it’s in the car, it won't cause trouble, and it can even watch the car!"

Yu Jiali made a waving gesture to the car window. "Even a dog knows to learn from its mistakes. Once it’s been abandoned, it knows how to take precautions. Can't you..."

Bai Haonan snapped, "I've been abandoned too, which is why I don't want to let anyone be worth me missing them!"

Yu Jiali immediately fell silent. Under the colorful neon lights, she pouted and blinked hard, perhaps trying to hold back the heat in her eyes.

Women are so easily moved.

Bai Haonan was truly an expert. After walking past a few bars, he settled on one: "This one is good. It won't be too noisy, and the environment and atmosphere are clearly the best. Once the peak hour hits later, it’s bound to be the busiest."

Yu Jiali had a whimsical thought: "If your judgment is correct, how about we try opening a bar?"

Bai Haonan couldn't help but look at the little chubby girl in the night. If she had felt like "junk food" when they first met, she was definitely more toned now, and in this setting, she had a certain charm of a silly woman. "Do you know that most nightclubs need connections to the underworld? Do you know how dark and deep this industry is?"

Yu Jiali pouted. "Whose background could be bigger than the government's? I was chatting with the district party secretary just yesterday. Besides, my father used to have friends in this circle, too. The point is, if we understand this and run it with the unique features of a fitness center, we can do any business that is profitable and legal."

Bai Haonan was puzzled. "I've always heard that it's better to stick to what you know in business. Why do you like to do everything?"

The two had already walked into the bar, which hadn't yet become rowdy. A blonde, blue-eyed foreign singer was already performing on stage. Bai Haonan suddenly snapped his fingers, causing Yu Jiali, who was in the middle of explaining, to stop. "My father likes fixed assets; I prefer diversified investment. I try a little of every industry. Who knows, one might become a huge profit point in the future, and even if others just break even, it’s better than bank interest rates... Why?"

Bai Haonan had a flash of inspiration. "Look, I rarely see foreign singers in bars in Jiangzhou or Rongdu; you only see them in five-star luxury hotels. I don't know if it's because this is a border province, but having one in a bar like this makes it feel much more high-end! Our gym could hire foreign coaches, too!"

Yu Jiali loved it when he considered work, but she tried to be encouraging yet corrective. "Good idea, but what about the price? If it's too high, wouldn't it be uneconomical? I remember foreign fitness coaches are many times more expensive, right?" Letting Bai Haonan build things himself was indeed the right choice. In just a few days, he had decided to simply and directly franchise a chain fitness brand—the less aggressive kind—using others' mature experience for renovation, equipment, configuration, and even staff. After all, the prices were transparent; paying an extra 200,000 or so in brand licensing fees bought a full set of professional assistance for setup and future operations. For the flush Jia Zheng company, this was the most efficient way, and they had already entered the execution phase over the last two days.

Bai Haonan let out a cunning chuckle. "Forget about foreign coaches. There are plenty of retired foreign soccer players, especially from South America and Africa. We had a few Africans and Russians on our team before; they were very cheap when they were in their prime, let alone now. The price is about the same as a domestic coach. I'll make a call later and ask around. I’m on good terms with an African guy; wouldn't that instantly elevate our status?"

Yu Jiali was good at encouragement. "You're amazing! Look, when you put your mind to work, the results are so good!"

Bai Haonan, having just had a flash of brilliance, immediately returned to his true self. "Look at that girl over there, not bad, right? Would you mind if I went to hit on her?"

Yu Jiali wanted to hit him over the head with her high-end bag!