I am not Ximen Qing.

Chapter 154 Want to Make Money and Seize the Opportunity

Can you imagine? What determines a man's fate is always his close friends, like relatives. With a woman, he forgets his mother, not just his mother, but even his father and friends. They all develop a habit of taking pictures of Zhang Sheng wherever they go and then sending them to his little demon, his girlfriend Zhang Heng. I don't know why, but what's the difference between this mountain and that mountain? They are all mountains, but mountains are indeed different. Wutai Mountain is a Buddhist kingdom, while the forests of Changbai Mountain and Heilongjiang River may be full of demons like Asuras. It is easier to become a Buddha in Wutai Mountain than in humans, but in animals! Although humans have innate wisdom, their deep-seated desires immediately hinder the path to Buddhahood. On the contrary, those pigeons, swallows, magpies, sparrows, and the like that flying around the Great White Pagoda are more likely to become Buddhas. They breathe in the fragrance of burning sandalwood all day long, and with the blessing of Manjushri, emptiness arises, and they become Buddhas. Human thoughts are always wandering, thinking about the wonderful and happy life of the past.

Song Yu and Zhang Sheng hadn't talked about those vanished girls in a long time. They came with love and romance, and then disappeared without a trace. Love and romance vanished into the vast sea of ​​people; they were the embodiment of pure beauty, leaving only longing and reminiscence. Sudden love and impulsive youth never involve family or marriage. Zhang Sheng could see that the booming internet finance business was somewhat calm, just like the development of everything. Economic prosperity and recession both affect the economy, and Zhongguancun was no exception. Zhongguancun has become a symbol of high technology in China. It has made tremendous contributions to the innovative development of China's IT and semiconductor industries. Zhongguancun has achieved a complete innovation revolution in the high-tech industrial chain. When the opportunity comes, the dividend will be gone in a year at most. Those who make money are those who catch the boom of the economic cycle. In recent years, the development of China's Internet, IT, and semiconductor industries has been rapid. Alibaba and Taobao, typical e-commerce companies, seized the opportunity. Alibaba is ubiquitous. Like Amazon, Taobao has profoundly influenced and changed people's daily lives. Just like Apple, it has brought changes to people's lives. This is innovation. The real innovation is Internet finance, which reflects a powerful financial speculation ability. As long as the Internet boom cycle arrives, everyone can fly and make a fortune. Song Yu said meaningfully that he was going to Silicon Valley in the United States. He also wanted to visit the California home of Da Liu, the high-achieving student who had drunk with Zhang Sheng at a barbecue restaurant near Anzhen Bridge. Song Yu said that Da Liu had returned to Beijing many times. His company was preparing to establish a digital currency branch in Silicon Valley, and Da Liu was the most suitable company partner.

Song Yu then said he needed to open a financial account at a Singapore bank, and asked if he had a Hong Kong visa. Zhang Sheng asked Song Yu if he had to go back to his hometown to apply for a visa. He hadn't been back to his hometown for many years; the hometown Lu Xun lamented, the difficulty of returning to one's homeland—Zhang Sheng's bitterness, the hometown he could never return to—he now understood Ulysses. Song Yu's eyes gleamed with greed as he said Zhang Sheng had a house in Beijing and could apply for a Hong Kong visa directly, emphasizing the importance of a house, especially a house in Beijing. Zhang Sheng really didn't want to talk about this topic with Song Yu anymore and quickly changed the subject. Since they were in Hong Kong, Song Yu's old friend Roy from Hong Kong would definitely be the host. Mentioning Song Yu's old friend from Hong Kong, his usually fiery temper, which could even form an "8" shape, vanished, replaced by a dejected expression. Mr. Zombie, I'm back to my old self!

What wonderful memories. Zhang Sheng, Song Yu, and Roy went to Liangzi Foot Massage together, soaking in the hot spring and receiving a ladylike massage. Zhang Sheng, who was all smiles and chatting, felt a little uncomfortable with their overly formal demeanor. The dreamlike massage of the past, where everything was like a complete package of tea, washing, eating, and sleeping, was indeed like a dream every day. Traditional Chinese medicine was amazing; don't get the wrong idea, it was all legitimate TCM massage. Only Yang Wanli remained, still obsessed with love and romance. Zhang Sheng asked Song Yu if Yang Wanli's wife, after having her ovaries removed, no longer enjoyed intimacy, and if Song Yu could cure it. Song Yu angrily hit Zhang Sheng back.

"I've seen several cancer patients; the number that can be cured is about the same as diabetes—it's a combination of treatment and rehabilitation, just let it be and let nature take its course."

The friendship between men and women pales in comparison to the oath of brotherhood between Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. There seems to be no comparison. The Liangshan heroes were numerous, but even with Song Jiang, their brotherhood was unbreakable. Friendships can turn so easily; it's said that male friendships have no value in front of women. Even if a man is incredibly beautiful, he's still fragile! Male friendships are so fragile, less than a straw! Previously, when Song Yu mentioned Roy to Zhang Sheng, he was always full of boasting and pride. So, he and his old friends from Hong Kong went to the Hong Kong racecourse, and not satisfied with just betting on horse racing, they went to the Macau casino to satisfy their gambling addiction.

Gambling is a dangerous thing; small bets can damage your relationship, but big bets can lead to ruin and even death. After indulging, Song Yu returned to Hong Kong. Roy, showing great hospitality, arranged for Song Yu and her mother to eat Hong Kong's most famous seafood—king crab, abalone, bird's nest, and sea cucumber as side dishes—for seven days, including free hotel accommodations. Roy thought Song Yu was a big fish, but a financial dispute arose between them. Since their friendship was over, the rest was left to a Hong Kong law firm. Song Yu told Zhang Sheng to get a Hong Kong visa, which could be obtained locally with the property certificate, allowing Zhang Sheng to legitimately join the company and open a financial account in Hong Kong as a partner. The company's previous financial projects were affected by changes in domestic policies, which tightened regulations. From Song Yu renting offices around Beijing to copying innovative models proposed by investors across the country, rural areas became the ideal workspaces. With electricity, computers, and internet access, everything was fine. There were too many unemployed people in rural areas, so they made phone calls and earned substantial incomes. They expanded their operations nationwide, from towns to villages, making calls everywhere. The year-long boom abruptly ended. This made Song Yu feel addicted, extremely uncomfortable. Making money is addictive, and indeed, the backlash from money is huge. Hundreds of thousands, millions of yuan—once you experience that feeling of money supremacy, you can never forget it, even in several lifetimes, Zhang Sheng said.

Is everything over?

Song Yu said it was about the same.

"I told you to join the team as soon as possible and that the company would cover the office expenses, but you said you couldn't get away. What a pity, the boom is over."

Zhang Sheng listened intently as Song Yu described the speed and incredible opportunities to make money. Knowing these opportunities were fleeting, Zhang Sheng, wanting to appease Song Yu's enthusiasm, could only promise that if given another chance, he would give it his all. Song Yu shook his head, explaining that in China and worldwide, once the trend has passed, the "lost chance" means there's no more opportunity; the trend lasts at most a year or two.

"Do you understand? All the opportunities that can make money have a maximum cycle of two years. Usually, if you miss it after a year, you'll have to wait for the next one!"

Zhang Sheng didn't want Song Yu to feel his indifference towards Song Yu's struggles, so he could only show sadness and regret. Song Yu said that he had to get out of the time he was trapped in, and Zhang Sheng said that he felt trapped and unable to escape.

Song Yu said to Zhang Sheng

"They're using scientific theories to make excuses, but it really just means they're afraid to take risks and challenge themselves. They need to take the initiative, not be afraid of failure, and stop making excuses, otherwise they'll be forever trapped in their own self-created space and time."

Seeing his mother already asleep in her bedroom, Song Yu became restless and started talking about his father's love for Balzac's *The Human Comedy*. Zhang Sheng knew that he had been reading Balzac ever since Song Yu introduced him to him, but still hadn't finished it all, while he had read Shakespeare's plays at least twice and the complete works of Balzac. The most difficult literary works to understand, the most difficult to read... Zhang Sheng sometimes wondered if Balzac was a symbol or a fabricated name? Recalling the fleeting years was also a smooth and enjoyable experience, unless Song Yu's father was exceptionally successful!

"He's achieved legendary status in the stock market again,"

Judging an older man who could make a fortune in the Chinese stock market by the standards of the Investiture of the Gods would not be an exaggeration.

"how do you know?"

"You keep talking about your dad's persistence, dedication, and obsession with his success in the stock market? Doesn't that mean he made a fortune in the stock market? In the Chinese stock market, anyone who can make a fortune is considered a god, incredibly awesome."

“He earned five or six million, which is enough for his retirement, so I don’t have to worry about my dad’s retirement money anymore. I recently took her to his villa in the mountains. He’s now both a hermit and a practitioner, almost like a free and unrestrained immortal, living a very carefree life. There’s a statue of Vairocana Buddha on the mountain, and he drinks tea made with spring water every day. He also has the blessing of Vairocana Buddha.”

Song Yu's father was among the first professional stock traders. It's said that his parents divorced because he abandoned his established business to enter the stock market. Song Yu's mother believed this marked the beginning of her father's self-destruction. She felt that while stock trading was acceptable, he shouldn't abandon his hard-earned career. She read many books about entrepreneurs and company IPOs, concluding that he was simply a gambler. She added that if he had Berkshire Hathaway like Warren Buffett or Charlie Munger, it wouldn't matter; he was a gambler, not a stock market investor. This is the lowest possible assessment of a professional stock trader. His youthful arrogance and Confucian values ​​have been completely abandoned. While it's saddening to see his lack of ambition, both parents agree on their son's marriage—they can't let the family line die out.

After praising his father's stock market success, Song Yu mocked Yang Wanli, saying he was the real gambler. A true stock market gambler's greatest desires lead to the greatest losses; stock market wealth is fleeting, like clouds, dew, lightning, a dream, a bubble—truly revealing its ephemeral nature. It's a world of emotions and objects, of illusion and reality, of spirit and matter, of subjectivity and objectivity. The stock market is a world controlled by algorithms; it's absolutely contrary to human nature. An architect like Yang Wanli, who has always been involved in programming, will not fare any differently from Newton. Even Newton, the CEO of the British Mint, was utterly ruined by the ups and downs of the stock market. Having lost his savings and capital, Song Yu thought Yang Wanli would be better off chasing women than investing in the stock market. His losses could at least support ten women—at least 200,000 each, according to K. What grudge does Yang Wanli have against money? He's more restless than a little demon, always threatening suicide in the stock market. Once, he even contemplated suicide in a hotel room at the Marco Polo Hotel. Song Yu then advised him to enjoy his life and not to be so pessimistic, reminding him that it's all just a cocktail to enjoy. She then began complaining to Yang Wanli about regretting his actions and his pursuit of younger women. She said playing the love game was more painful than losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Finally, she belittled Yang Wanli, telling him not to invest in stocks, right? She told him to use his money for food, drink, and other pleasures, and not to be so impulsive. She added that with another stock market crash, staying in luxury hotels was too boring. Song Yu said Yang Wanli had finally woken up and decided to officially join the company to launch a large-scale digital currency project. She also mentioned the return of the "Ancient Style" (a term referring to a popular online culture or technology). She said that Daliu would be in charge of Silicon Valley, Yang Wanli would be in charge of the domestic market, and Song Yu would be the head of headquarters. She described the integration of the domestic and Silicon Valley R&D departments, and the so-called multinational project about to begin. She added that Silicon Valley was practically within reach. It seemed like the new company would be listed on the A-shares market, the Hong Kong stock market, and the STAR Market, with Nasdaq in full swing! A new batch of companies was about to be born. Zhang asked Song Yu if he was in the range of billionaires, millionaires, and multi-millionaires. Song Yu nodded and said yes. Zhang Sheng then said he wanted to live in the Big House in Napa Valley and also go to Las Vegas to have some fun!

Song Yu advised Zhang Sheng to give up on his nouveau riche mentality, saying it was dangerous. Zhang Sheng asked Song Yu why, "Can't you just dream a little?" Song Yu replied that the company was now a bit crazy, as if billions of dollars had fallen from the sky. Money, how to put it sometimes? It's like everyone's a little delusional, because there's just so much money. The wealth of the internet is inexhaustible, and the company is a real-world example of that.

"But you can't go to Hong Kong, so you can't participate in cross-border digital currency projects."