The He Family's small guesthouse wasn't large, with only ten people responsible for everything. His parents usually oversaw things there, and sometimes he and his sister would go to help. Currently, business wasn't busy, and with family matters at hand, everyone had returned home.
With everything going wrong, the atmosphere at dinner was naturally not good, somewhat oppressive. In fact, with He Zhengcheng, the reborn one, present, their family's current crisis was truly nothing.
However, since the money hadn't yet reached his pocket, He Zhengcheng couldn't boast, and he certainly wouldn't be so foolish as to admit he was shorting the Hang Seng Index.
One should know that the Hong Kong Government had now increased the cost for speculators to short the Hang Seng Index, clearly not wishing for too many people to participate in shorting Hong Kong.
Unfortunately, in a capitalist society, most are egoists, and He Zhengcheng was no exception. My small family is almost beyond saving; do you still expect me to sacrifice myself for others?
As for shorting the Hang Seng Index being profiting from national misfortune, this is wrong, but he would also need the standing to apologize. A certain large state-owned enterprise in the future even actively shorted A-shares for profit; why couldn't a small fry like him short?
Soros's strategy in Southeast Asia could almost be described as perfect: first, concentrate funds to attack a seemingly powerful opponent, which was Thailand.
This battle was not just about making money; it also attracted global attention, drawing in a large number of financial vultures.
Among them were even some farsighted but unscrupulous local Thai tycoons who, in conjunction with international capital, plundered those who were slow to react.
During this process, Soros made less money, but he generated a powerful "momentum." This "momentum" was similar to a giant boulder rolling down a high mountain. Soros used this "momentum" to plunder Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan… Logically, with Soros's momentum established, the Hong Kong Government had almost no power to fight back against this group of international vultures. Having already lost a round in 1997, according to the existing rules of the game, they would again be helpless this time. But let's not forget there was also a prepared Daxia Country.
According to He Zhengcheng's later analysis, capital is opportunistic and greedy. After Hong Kong's return, continuing to attack Hong Kong's financial order would undoubtedly greatly offend the Daxia Country, especially after repeated stern warnings from the Daxia Imperial Court. Surely, some would consider long-term interests and abandon the Hong Kong battlefield.
This wasn't capital suddenly turning good; it was driven by self-interest. After collapsing the financial order of these Southeast Asian countries, it was equivalent to these countries opening their doors, allowing robbers to plunder at will.
Some of the robbers stayed in those countries, legitimately and reasonably plundering. For example, South Korea's banks and large conglomerates were controlled by European and American capital, and Indonesia's natural resources were also controlled at this time. They didn't need to choose the more difficult, seemingly lucrative, but actually very risky Hong Kong battlefield.
To put it plainly, Hong Kong was now facing a pack of wolves that had already eaten their fill; their motive to besiege Hong Kong was no longer strong. Later, when problems arose in Russia, the scale of victory ultimately tipped in Hong Kong's favor.
Knowing the how and the why, He Zhengcheng, or rather Duan Chao, believed his memory was intact and thus would not be confused by the current financial market situation. Therefore, he was full of confidence about making money through the Hang Seng Index.
"Big brother, when are you going to work?" He Daixuan asked from the sofa after dinner.
"Wait a bit longer, it's coming soon!" He Zhengcheng said irritably.
"The company you applied to is willing to wait for you for so long?" He Daixuan asked curiously; she knew He Zhengcheng had previously been accepted by a large company in Hong Kong.
"If they can't wait, I'll find another one!" He Zhengcheng said. His major was very impressive; he wasn't afraid of not finding a job. If he could be 100% sure of Duan Chao's memory's correctness, then he wouldn't need to find a job ever again.
"Is finding a job that easy?" He Daixuan studied media, and media in Hong Kong was very developed. Media professionals worked hard, and paparazzi also worked hard.
"If worst comes to worst, I'll just inherit the family business early and retire at home…" He Zhengcheng blurted out without thinking. For Duan Chao, staying at home was the most comfortable… Why did I transmigrate into this highly motivated Hong Kong guy? I don't want to work hard.
"Heh heh, say that to Dad, see if he doesn't beat you to death!" He Daixuan retorted.
"Tsk~~" He Zhengcheng glanced at Father He, saying nothing.
"Oh, by the way, Shi Hongwen called looking for you. He knows you got injured unexpectedly and wants to meet tomorrow!" He Daixuan said.
"Oh, I know!" He Zhengcheng replied. Shi Hongwen was his classmate at PolyU, but he studied Electronic Computing Science. His family was well-off, and after graduation this time, he would go to Stanford for further studies.
There were three of them in their group, and another rich second-generation named Li Mingyuan, who studied art design. He didn't know how the three of them ended up together and became good friends. Half of the money He Zhengcheng borrowed this time came from Li Mingyuan's pocket money.
Shi Hongwen was going abroad for studies, and classmate Li Mingyuan found a professional design studio. Only He Zhengcheng was delayed due to family matters.
Thankfully, it wasn't a class reunion; that would truly be meaningless. He should think about how to make money. Once he made money, he wouldn't have to work hard and could sleep until he woke up naturally. He could also find ten or eight young women to socialize with.
Although the memories of Duan Chao and He Zhengcheng from forty to fifty years had merged relatively perfectly, memory does not equate to ability, nor does it equate to personality. Their fusion would inevitably affect both their personalities, making them more complex.
Different people reading the same history book gain different insights. The memory of a Daxia Country commoner from the next twenty-plus years is merely a gold mine waiting to be excavated.
Without the ability to refine and utilize it, it's worthless; with the ability to utilize it, the value of this memory is immeasurable.
The most important thing currently is to acquire the ability to develop this gold mine. If I earn money and just buy a house, wouldn't that be like owning a gold mine but merely building a house on top of it? What a luxurious enjoyment that would be!
But I've finally found an easy way to make money, so why should I still work hard, and why should the direction of that effort be to satisfy my base desires? Don't you know this lord is a flower that grew under the sunshine of our party?
The two individuals' two ways of thinking unconsciously collided, engaging in a fierce, silent struggle.
"Making money is fine, but you can't just make money for yourself; you also have to fight for Hong Kong's tomorrow!" He Zhengcheng and Duan Chao reached an agreement. Simply put, they needed to set up a facade to prove they were good people, to prove he was a kind homebody, a useful homebody… "How to make money?"
"Which industry makes money the fastest?" Questions followed one after another.
"Of course, it's the internet. In ten years, it can surpass the wealth accumulation of traditional enterprises over a hundred years."
The internet will change the entire world. Whether it's social life or industrial economy, both will be severely impacted. This was Duan Chao's most profound memory.
However, the internet was just beginning. Around 2000, there was also an internet bubble, and only those who survived to the end would be the victors.
Besides that, there was communication technology, 3G/4G, leading to Daxia Country's world-leading 5G. Mobile communication technology propelled the development of the mobile internet, truly applying the network to every corner of life.
During this period, many well-known enterprises emerged. These included Microsoft, Apple, Cisco, Intel, and Amazon, which were already listed and would be very successful twenty years later, as well as many awesome internet companies that hadn't been founded yet, such as Google, Facebook, Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent… "Should I invest in these companies, or enter a certain industry and compete with them?" The more He Zhengcheng thought, the more flustered he became. He used to think the four major wealthy families of Hong Kong were everything, but he never expected the world to be so vast. The mainland actually had such great potential, and Hong Kong's future turned out to be so bleak… "Perhaps I shouldn't be so ambitious. The simplest thing should be to replace Warren Buffett and become the greatest investor in this world! Just thinking about it makes me a little greedy. Those companies with market values exceeding one trillion US dollars, even if I only invest five percent, I can achieve success and fame in the future…" He Zhengcheng was scared, and Duan Chao came out to fantasize.
"I can replace Li Ban Cheng and become the richest man in Hong Kong, the richest man in the world, but…" He Zhengcheng recalled some events twenty years later that plunged Hong Kong into turmoil, and still felt very conflicted. The thoughts of the two merged even more at this point.
Fighting for Hong Kong's future—such an unreliable idea actually emerged.
I haven't even saved my own family yet, and I'm already thinking about saving the world. It's like worrying about things that don't concern me, no wonder I can only be a homebody, not having the destiny but carrying the concern.
It's no wonder He Zhengcheng couldn't understand Duan Chao's thoughts. Without the national sentiment cultivated by growing up with the Daxia Country, treating a 100-square-meter house as a mansion, his vision and perspective were limited.
He also lacked the self-confidence and magnanimity of thinking, "Who else but me?" in this day and age.
But don't worry, He Zhengcheng still has time to grow!