Chapter 98: A Grand Move
The frenzy ignited by the subscription warrants in the Shenzhen market was absolutely unprecedented, without equal anywhere in the world.
The Zhonghai subscription warrants had allowed Chai Jin to get his first taste of profit.
But he intended to feast heartily on this current wave in Shenzhen, to become fat with opportunity.
A man’s boldness determines the scale of his harvest—this was the creed Chai Jin lived by since his rebirth.
He knew that, amid this surge, new titans would surely rise.
For instance, Boss Tang, who had once brought a trainload of thousands straight from Xinjiang, would also ascend in this tide of wealth. He would lay the groundwork to become a legendary figure in the future Chinese stock market, the mastermind behind the formidable Delong Group—a name that could not be omitted from the annals of history.
But that was another story.
Unlike them, Chai Jin had no desire to be a market kingpin. He would be the grand interceptor of fortunes in the stock market, not one who sat atop a throne.
Too much limelight on one person is never a good thing. The brighter the spotlight, the more your flaws are exposed, and when that happens, your fall from grace is only a matter of time.
Such tales were all too common.
So, Chai Jin resolved to be the one hiding behind the glare.
Having meticulously arranged his affairs, Chai Jin lay on his bed, and suddenly, Old Huang came to mind.
That sly old fox had all the makings of a front man.
He had the imposing air of a high-ranking figure, could command a room, and loved to play the part of a big boss. Why not push Old Huang into the spotlight?
Of course, Chai Jin would still have to consider Old Huang’s own wishes.
That could be dealt with after the subscription warrant matter was settled.
…
The nights in Shenzhen were damp and sultry, but in the depths of night, cool mountain breezes would occasionally drift in through the windows.
He slept neither well nor poorly that night.
Upon rising, Chai Jin sought out Fang Yi and told him to buy several mobile phones.
One for Liu Qingwen, one for Fang Yi, and another for Old Huang and his team.
Easier to stay in touch.
By afternoon, Fang Yi had returned from the industrial park.
He reported that Old Huang’s temp agency was now so swamped that the doorsteps were nearly worn through.
A hundred yuan for helping people queue for two days, with meals included—why not take a couple days off work to do it? It didn’t even interfere with their jobs.
In just a single day, they had registered five or six hundred people.
Chai Jin now had over thirty thousand ID cards and needed three thousand people.
More would be needed as the operation expanded. In other words, finding people was easy, but the collection of IDs needed to pick up pace.
After discussing at length with Fang Yi, they drove straight to the secondhand market in the afternoon and bought a minivan.
The three of them made another trip to the bank, withdrawing a million in cash.
That night, Fang Yi and Liu Qingwen set off to the rural outskirts around Shenzhen to collect ID cards.
They didn’t collect IDs within the city itself, as such a large-scale operation would surely attract attention.
The old rule applied: make money quietly; the nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
…
June in Shenzhen passed in a cycle of torrential rains and blistering sun.
July brought even higher temperatures.
Chai Jin’s plans were unfolding with meticulous precision.
Fang Yi and Liu Qingwen left early and returned late, their van always loaded with large sacks of ID cards.
By July 14th, the side room of their courtyard held over ninety thousand IDs.
No one had a clue what these out-of-towners were up to.
Chai Jin hadn’t ventured far from home, and, emulating the locals of Guangdong, bought himself a kung fu tea set.
He spent his days brewing tea in the courtyard, appearing as a sage at peace amid the brewing storms of the world, unshaken by the winds of fortune.
But each day, he would visit the newsstand to buy piles of Shenzhen’s local newspapers.
Special Zone News, Evening News, Shenzhen Business News—he never missed a single issue.
The codes to wealth in these times were hidden within the columns of those papers.
Whoever could decipher them could unlock fortune itself.
That afternoon, Fang Yi and Liu Qingwen returned with another vanload of ID cards.
Six full sacks—some collected that day, the rest picked up from the post office.
After unloading, Liu Qingwen wiped the sweat from his brow. “Brother Jin, we really can’t collect any more. Even Yuanli County called to say they couldn’t keep up.”
The two of them, after so many days of dawn-to-dusk work, hadn’t shaved, looking haggard and much older.
Standing among the sacks, Chai Jin glanced at them both. “You’ve worked hard enough. Take a couple days off.”
“From here on, the only issue is transportation. No need to rush.”
They both breathed a sigh of relief.
Liu Qingwen stroked his scruffy beard. “Then, Brother Jin, we’ll go wash up. We’re about to stink ourselves out.”
“Go ahead,” Chai Jin chuckled.
After so long living rough, they couldn’t stand the grime anymore.
Each grabbed a bucket from the kitchen, filled it at the well, and doused themselves in cold water.
It was unspeakably refreshing.
Chai Jin smiled, then headed out to the best restaurant in town, ordered a selection of dishes, and brought them back.
As he was setting out bowls and chopsticks in the courtyard, his mobile phone rang.
He answered it, and a peculiar voice came through.
“Director Chai, I heard from Director Cai that you’ve come to Shenzhen?”
It was Liu Yiqian, which surprised Chai Jin, though hearing from him wasn’t all that strange.
Liu Yiqian had made a fortune on the Zhonghai subscription warrants, and now, with new wealth about to flood Shenzhen, could someone with his sharp nose for profit possibly let this chance slip by?
Chai Jin chuckled into the phone. “I’ve been here a while. Are you in Shenzhen too, Director Liu?”
Liu Yiqian confirmed, “Yes, arrived two days ago. When do you have time to meet?”
“Let’s discuss the ins and outs of the Shenzhen stock market.”
Chai Jin was reluctant to meet him. Right now, Liu Yiqian was a man under constant scrutiny, followed by countless investors big and small, and frequent contact would only invite trouble.
He was about to refuse when Liu Yiqian spoke again. “I heard you’re still dabbling in aviation deals with Mou Qizhong?”
“Let’s meet—I’ll introduce you to someone from the National Machinery Import and Export Corporation. Maybe something can come of it.”
Chai Jin’s expression darkened at this. “Director Liu, have you been investigating me?”
Liu Yiqian laughed heartily. “Don’t misunderstand, Director Chai. I’m not that bored. I just called Old Cai before I came here.”
“He knows I have that connection, so he mentioned it in passing.”
“Don’t worry. I understand the kind of man you want to be, and I have no reason to gossip.”
“I genuinely just want to make your acquaintance.”
His words carried true sincerity.
Liu Yiqian was a maverick in the stock market, and so was Chai Jin.
Heroes may admire each other, but when outlaws meet, sparks fly. Though they had met a few times before, their relationship was neither good nor bad—certainly not friends.
But Liu Yiqian truly wanted to get closer. He sensed that Chai Jin’s depth, youth, and potential would one day cause great waves in the world of capital.