Chapter 108: So Unrefined

When the subscription certificates for Zhonghai were first released, Liu Yiqian had already done market research on them. He found that no one else was interested in buying, so every day he kept track of the actual sales. The more he watched, the more certain he became that these things could make a fortune. Zheng Lianshan was one of his distant relatives, and his identity was rather special, so he brought Zheng Lianshan into the venture as well.

In the end, Zheng Lianshan also made a huge sum through those subscription certificates. He had paid close attention to them, and as the rumors spread farther and farther, the man who had hauled away a whole truckload of cash was almost turned into a legend. Yet no one knew who he was. At this moment, Ji Jin personally confirmed that the legendary figure of rumor was none other than himself.

How could Zheng Lianshan not be shaken?

This boy was only eighteen or nineteen years old!

He had originally thought Ji Jin’s idea of bringing down a plane was absurd, but now, all at once, it seemed only natural.

After sitting down, he picked up his tea and took a sip. “Chairman Ji, you’ve hidden yourself very well. If this were to get out, I’m afraid it would cause an earthquake at home.”

Ji Jin smiled mildly. “I’m not the sort of person who likes to be kept under a spotlight.”

Then he added, “So, Chairman Zheng, may I ask whether my little request can be discussed with you?”

Zheng Lianshan laughed heartily to cover his embarrassment. “Well now, you young people these days, how is it that every one of you has such nerve?”

“This is a good thing for our country. The world belongs to you.”

The two of them then chatted in the private tea room with unusual ease and fluency.

This was what one called a proper exchange of status and regard. When you sat at the same table to talk, you had to be on equal footing; you had to have your own foundation. Otherwise, who would pay you any mind?

After Liu Yiqian had finished greeting the others outside, he remained in the tea room.

At this point, however, he still did not know that Ji Jin was the very man rumored about in Zhonghai.

They continued discussing the stock market in the Special Economic Zone.

Since Liu Yiqian had brought such a crucial figure over, Ji Jin intended to return the favor. So he spoke with complete frankness, telling them to prepare in advance for everything.

For example, the crowds waiting in line.
For example, the housing, food, and transport needs of so many people.

Many people knew the Special Economic Zone was about to boom, but no one paid attention to these details. Yet it was often the smallest details that determined success or failure in the end.

Liu Yiqian was enlightened at once.

He began planning to recruit people immediately, arrange identity documents, contact transport teams to move them, and so on.

Thus several hours passed in a blur.

When they came out, Ji Jin glanced at the people in the club. They came and went, raising their glasses and laughing freely; who knew what sort of heart was hidden beneath each smiling face? In places where interests and connections intertwined, Ji Jin, as a reborn prophet, never needed any of that.

Still, when he saw a somewhat rustic-looking man with a full beard sitting in the corner, Ji Jin looked at him carefully a few times.

He murmured to himself, “So the rumor in my previous life was true—his first pot of gold really did come from the original share issue of the Shenzhen subscription certificates.”

“Interesting. Very interesting.”

Liu Yiqian, following Ji Jin’s gaze, looked over as well and asked in surprise, “Chairman Ji, do you know Tang Wanxin?”

That’s right. The bearded man in the corner was Tang Wanxin.

His appearance made him seem utterly out of place there.

It was like a scene from an old costume drama: within the pass, singing and dancing flourished, luxury and refinement reigned supreme, and then suddenly a band of nomads from beyond the pass rode into the street, rough and unpolished.

Tang Wanxin’s presence here had exactly that kind of striking incongruity.

Ji Jin smiled. “No, I don’t. I was just curious who he might be.”

Liu Yiqian smiled as well. “He’s from Xinjiang. Shall I introduce you?”

Ji Jin shook his head. “No need. I still have to go back and rest. Chairman Liu, may good luck be with you.”

Liu Yiqian smiled.

Zheng Lianshan, beside him, also saw them off to the door with a smile.

But when Zheng Lianshan watched Ji Jin climb into an old, worn-out minivan, he was completely stunned.

He could not help blurting out, “He came to the appointment driving that minivan?”

“What on earth? The bulb in the taillight is hanging loose, and the door is even taped shut with transparent tape. Does that minivan suit his status at all?”

Liu Yiqian said calmly, “Some people never care about such things. I suppose he thinks there’s no need to spend money on a car.”

Zheng Lianshan turned and added, “Cousin, if you had a hundred million, what kind of car would you buy? Would you still sit in a secondhand minivan?”

Liu Yiqian burst out laughing. “If I had a hundred million in cash, no matter how unconcerned I was, I still wouldn’t buy that kind of minivan.”

As he said this, Liu Yiqian suddenly fixed Zheng Lianshan with a steady gaze. “Cousin, what do you mean by that?”

“While I was away just now, what did you and Chairman Ji talk about in there?”

Zheng Lianshan slapped his thigh dramatically. “You people really have no idea how capable that young man is.”

“The mysterious figure everyone has been talking about in Zhonghai—that’s him!”

“Twelve thousand subscription certificates, and in just a few months he put together a full hundred million in cash. The rumor was true!”

“It was this boy who did it!”

“Ah?” Liu Yiqian had weathered every storm in his life, yet hearing those words, he stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded.

He was shaken so deeply that for a long while he could not say a word.

...

The airplane deal had three parts in all.

On the Russian side, they were waiting for Nenanov to come for the meeting.

The import-export company had been taken care of.

Only the connection with the Shenzhen airline company had yet to be fully established.

There was no rush; they would have to wait for Cai Weiqiang to come over and make the connection.

Ji Jin called Cai Weiqiang again and told him he would arrive within two days at the latest.

That was because he too had gathered several thousand identity cards in his hometown area and was preparing to make a grand move.

Meanwhile, Ji Jin stayed busy over the next few days.

By then, they had already secured more than a hundred Dongfeng trucks, dozens of buses, as well as idle city buses and the like. The transport convoy was now assured.

They also immediately rented several hostels near the major subscription certificate distribution points from his previous life, so that the more than ten thousand people would have somewhere to stay.

The subscription certificates would go on sale on August 9, and everyone needed to be in place by August 6 to prepare for seating and queue allocation.

Sure enough, over the next few days many people suddenly noticed some strange things.

First, there were a great many more out-of-town people on the streets of the Special Economic Zone.

Second, restaurants everywhere were packed to the brim, and even fast food prices had risen quite a bit.

Third, the ticket prices for travel between the Special Economic Zone and other places had started to go up.

Fourth, the hostels were full.

Fifth, the hair salons had no business at all.

...

All of this indicated that a great many outsiders were already converging on this small city.

Then, on August 2, after Ji Jin had once again checked on the transport fleet, the line of people, and the rented hostels, and confirmed that everything was in order, he drove the minivan to the Shenzhen airport to pick someone up.

But halfway there, Liu Yiqian called him and told him a piece of extremely explosive news.