Love Cannot Be Bought
If you ask what the most challenging thing to do today is, many will undoubtedly say it’s starting a business. Indeed, in a society that is increasingly developed and with an ever more segmented market, succeeding in entrepreneurship requires more than just choosing the right project and having ample funds; it also needs good connections.
After graduating from university, Wei Hao was determined to become a boss. He failed repeatedly, and after many setbacks, he finally realized the harshness of reality – passion alone was not enough. A close friend advised him to leverage his connections.
Heeding this advice, he abandoned his first love and accepted the affection of a wealthy girl who had always admired him. With her father’s network and funds, his business began to flourish. However, after gaining wealth, he realized that his first love was more precious than money. He regretted his decisions, but love isn’t a commodity to be bought or sold. How should the wealthy girl, whose emotions were played with, face all this?
Leveraging Connections
One night in February 20XX, Wei Hao was feeling heavy-hearted while having a small gathering with his close friend Feng Yao. He drank heavily and, with tears streaming down his face, said, “I am a complete failure. Look at me, I’ve achieved nothing since graduation. I’ve tried many trades, but none succeeded. I’m on the brink of collapse…” Before he could finish, he drained his glass and collapsed, drunk, like a heap of mud in the hotel.
At 29 years old, Wei Hao was born into an ordinary farming family in Jiaozuo, Henan. Due to the poor family conditions and his parents’ frequent illnesses, the family was already impoverished. To support Wei Hao’s education, his excellent elder brother dropped out of school before finishing junior high and went to Guangzhou to work. With his brother’s financial support, Wei Hao studied hard and was admitted to a key university in Nanchang.
Before heading to university, Wei Hao boldly declared to his family, “I will work hard to earn money in college and won’t ask for money from you. These four years will be an accumulation of experience. After graduation, I will start my own business and ensure you all live well.”
Although Wei Hao worked very hard and did many part-time jobs over the four years, they were all small gigs, and he didn’t gain much. Before graduation, while his classmates were busy job hunting, Wei Hao seemed unhurried. He approached his schoolmate Wang Bing and said, “I’ve researched many advertising companies; their businesses are booming. Let’s start one together.” He then analyzed the market prospects and initial investment in detail. Wang Bing, also eager to start a business, agreed enthusiastically.
In September 20XX, they rented a two-bedroom apartment in a residential area and registered a small advertising company. After the company’s establishment, Wei Hao and Wang Bing worked tirelessly, running around to secure business.
A month later, Wei Hao finally persuaded a company to sign a six-month advertising contract. Before signing, the company wanted to visit their office. However, upon learning that they were operating out of a residential apartment, the potential client immediately terminated the cooperation. After more than half a year, they managed only a few small deals, barely covering costs and making a loss.
Desperate, Wang Bing suggested splitting up. After the company dissolved, Wei Hao took a sales job at a cable company, but his entrepreneurial dream continued to burn within him.
In May 20XX, with some savings, Wei Hao took over a small restaurant. However, due to his lack of understanding of the restaurant business, this venture also ended in failure. Unyielding, Wei Hao kept trying. Over the years, he opened a small supermarket and a stationery store but never achieved significant success. The only consolation was his first love, Yang Jia, who stood by him through thick and thin.
In April 20XX, Wei Hao’s parents borrowed 50,000 yuan from relatives, and he decided to make one last effort. He obtained an agency for a clothing company and rented a storefront to open a physical store. Initially, business was good, but soon the street was scheduled for redevelopment, and Wei Hao received a notice to vacate. It was like a bolt from the blue, shattering his entrepreneurial dream again. Desperate, he went to a bar with Feng Yao to drown his sorrows.
After listening to Wei Hao’s lament, Feng Yao suggested, “To succeed in starting a business nowadays, you need three things: a good project, capital, and connections. You lack all three. Let me give you a shortcut. Xia Lulu, who has always admired you, comes from a wealthy family, and her father’s network is extensive. If you get together with her, I guarantee a bright future for you.”
Before Feng Yao could finish, Wei Hao laughed heartily, finding the idea ridiculous. “Firstly, I have a girlfriend. Secondly, even though Xia Lulu is financially well-off, she’s fat and not good-looking. You underestimate me.”
Xia Lulu, two years younger than Wei Hao, was born in Nanchang. Her father was a leader in a government department with extensive connections. At a class reunion, Xia Lulu fell for Wei Hao at first sight. Despite her repeated expressions of love, Wei Hao always remained passive.
In early May, a distressed Wei Hao received a call from his mother: “Your father has had a stroke and is in the county hospital. We have no money…” Helpless, Wei Hao turned to Xia Lulu for help. With her assistance, his father was saved, but the family burden grew heavier, and relatives kept asking for money.
During this painful period, Wei Hao pondered Feng Yao’s words repeatedly. He couldn’t betray his girlfriend, but the financial strain was unbearable. Eventually, he broke the news to Yang Jia. Heartbroken, she immediately left Nanchang.
Xia Lulu, already secretly in love with Wei Hao, readily accepted his advances. During that time, she kept buying clothes for him, and they quickly became a couple.
After their relationship was established, Wei Hao discussed his entrepreneurial dream with Xia Lulu. She suggested, “Go into the printing business. With my father’s connections, you can’t lose.”
Xia Lulu’s words excited Wei Hao. The ultimate goal of abandoning his first love was to achieve entrepreneurial success, wasn’t it?
Old Love Rekindled
Following Xia Lulu’s advice, Wei Hao started as a salesperson, tirelessly networking with malls and businesses to secure orders. Sometimes, Xia Lulu used her father’s name to help him get business. Within six months, Wei Hao mastered the trade.
With a growing income, Wei Hao realized that entrepreneurship required more than passion, persistence, and perseverance; it needed connections. As their relationship grew sweeter, Wei Hao visited Xia Lulu’s father, Xia Haifeng.
After dinner, Wei Hao spoke eloquently, sharing his post-graduation struggles. Moved by his determination, Xia Haifeng saw his daughter’s affection for Wei Hao and said, “I’ll invest in a printing machine for you to operate, but you must remain loyal to Lulu.” Xia Haifeng’s words surprised and deeply moved Wei Hao.
With the printing machine, Wei Hao not only continued to secure orders but also hired two salespeople to expand the business. His business flourished, and he repaid his family’s debts, helped his brother marry, and built a new house for his parents.
Though relieved, Xia Lulu often reminded him, “I’m genuinely devoted to you. Don’t repay my kindness with betrayal.” To cheer her up, Wei Hao would joke, “You are my goddess of wealth. I wouldn’t dare offend you.” His words always amused her.
Despite the wealth, Wei Hao felt unhappy. With increasing business, he had more social engagements and frequented entertainment venues, growing increasingly detached from Xia Lulu. Her overweight figure became less appealing to him. Many nights, thoughts of Yang Jia filled his mind, guilt consuming him. Where was she? How was she doing?
The most troubling was Xia Lulu’s constant pressure to marry. “Now that the business is stable, why do you keep delaying our marriage?”
One day in April 20XX, at a class reunion, someone brought up Yang Jia. A classmate remarked, “Yang Jia was so beautiful and devoted to you, but you left her for your career. People are so realistic now.” The comment hit a sore spot, and Wei Hao drank himself into a stupor.
Watching an American love film on his company computer, Wei Hao was moved by the pure love depicted and his longing for Yang Jia peaked. He decided to find her, even if just to see her once. Contacting classmates for her whereabouts yielded no results.
Desperate, Wei Hao traveled to her hometown under the pretext of a business trip and got her number from her parents. He couldn’t wait to call her. Hearing her voice, he was moved to tears. That night, they met in a café in Zhengzhou.
“I’ll never find another partner. You showed me the world’s hypocrisy. I still can’t believe you left me for money,” Yang Jia cried. “I made a mistake I’ll regret forever. Back then, given my family’s situation, I had no choice. Now I realize the true value of two loving hearts. After you left, I’ve been tormented and vowed to find you, hoping for another chance…” Despite his pleas, Yang Jia walked away, leaving him standing there, longing.
Back in Nanchang, Wei Hao incessantly called and texted Yang Jia. Her wounded, cold heart gradually warmed. He repeatedly professed, “A loveless marriage is a living death. I’ve decided to leave Xia Lulu for you, even if I lose everything. I’d gladly start from scratch.” Yang Jia, moved by his persistence, returned to Nanchang at his invitation. Excited, Wei Hao rented a fully furnished apartment for her, saying, “My greatest wish is to make you happy. I’d do anything
for you.” Yang Jia was deeply touched.
Their passion rekindled, they soon found themselves lost in each other’s embrace. However, Wei Hao’s increasing social engagements and the rare intimate moments made Xia Lulu suspicious. Using her instincts, she secretly printed his phone bill and discovered his affair.
Furious Revenge
That evening, Xia Lulu confronted Wei Hao with a stack of photos. “I want to know what you’re thinking.” Her calm demeanor shocked him. After a moment of silence, he confessed, “I was desperate when I left Yang Jia. I’m grateful for your family’s help, but now I realize my true love is Yang Jia. I can give up everything. I’m sorry.” With that, he left, leaving Xia Lulu stunned.
In the following days, Xia Lulu repeatedly contacted Wei Hao, urging him to reconsider, but his words only deepened her resentment.
To ease her pain, Xia Lulu often went to bars with her friend Tao Ning. One night, the bar played “Love for Sale” – “You sold my love / Forced me to leave / When I learned the truth, I cried / Love isn’t something you can sell…”
Before the song ended, she broke down in tears. Tao Ning comforted her, and Xia Lulu vented about Wei Hao’s betrayal, filled with hatred and loneliness. Tao Ning vowed to help her get revenge.
Tao Ning contacted her online friends Fei Zhicheng and Dai Min, and they agreed to kidnap Wei Hao for 20,000 yuan. On December 18, 20XX, around 10 PM, as Wei Hao walked through an alley, he was ambushed, hooded, and taken to a room. When the hood was removed, he was shocked to see Xia Lulu on the sofa.
At her command, Wei Hao was stripped to his underwear and tied to a chair. Xia Lulu finally spoke, “If you return to me now, I’ll forget this ever happened and won’t tell my father. We’ll continue as before. What do you say?” Wei Hao’s sharp words enraged her. “I’ve lost all respect for you. This is kidnapping. You’ll pay for this!” Enraged, Xia Lulu slapped him hard and spat in his face. “Reflect on your betrayal, you ungrateful, heartless man!” She left, slamming the door behind her.
In the freezing Nanchang night, Wei Hao shivered, bound and gagged. He struggled but couldn’t free himself. At 2 AM, a drunken Xia Lulu returned. “Have you thought it over? If not, you can keep freezing…” Wei Hao’s harsh words further incensed her.
Fueled by alcohol, she grabbed a stick and beat him until he was covered in blood, stopping only when he whimpered in pain. Exhausted, she realized the severity of the situation: Wei Hao was turning blue from the cold and beating. Panicked, she called her father, who urged her to call for an ambulance. Despite the doctors’ efforts, Wei Hao succumbed to his injuries.
Encouraged by her father, Xia Lulu surrendered to the police. She tearfully confessed, “I hated him. He used my father’s connections for his business, which was fine. But when he became successful, he ruthlessly abandoned me, claiming love was more precious than money. What about my feelings? Could they be trampled so easily?”
Currently, entrepreneurship is challenging with high barriers. Many entrepreneurs experience this harsh reality in the competitive market. Achieving success is indeed difficult, but using unscrupulous means is not the answer. Any unethical methods will ultimately backfire, as Wei Hao’s story tragically illustrates.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
