New Year's Day brought different feelings to everyone.
However, for Yu Zhou, it was the most comfortable New Year he had experienced in years.
In his previous life, he had been betrayed by everyone. His father, brothers, relatives, and friends had all ignored him during that period.
It wasn't until his father's passing that his relationship with his family improved slightly.
In the years that followed, his eldest brother had invited him to celebrate the New Year together, but after so many years of being accustomed to solitude, Yu Zhou had never gone.
He simply didn't know how to face his family or how to interact with them after they had grown distant.
Fortunately, he had been reborn and no longer had to worry about these issues.
For Yu Zhou, his family was the place he felt most regretful about and most desired to make amends for in both his lives.
It was also his harbor, the only place where he could completely relax his mind without fear of any schemes.
Therefore, he didn't hide anything.
After a period of affectionate play with the little dumpling, he pulled his wife and parents into the room that belonged to him and Jiang Jie.
"What are you doing so mysteriously? Did you get into trouble again? That's not like you!"
The old man's heart skipped a beat seeing Yu Zhou's expression. In his eyes, his younger son had always been a troublemaker.
Especially when he wore that look, it always meant he was up to something and needed his father to clean up his mess.
However, since his layoff, the old man felt his son had become more steady, less impulsive, and could even earn money.
The first time Yu Zhou brought home over ten thousand yuan, the old man almost had a heart attack.
That was over ten thousand yuan, an amount he, as an old worker, had never seen in his lifetime.
It was easy to imagine the shock Yu Zhou had brought him at the time.
But this time, the old man was destined to have his worldview shattered.
Not just him, but Yu Zhou's mother and Jiang Jie were all stunned when he pulled open the duffel bag.
"My goodness, how can there be so much money?"
There was just over thirty thousand yuan lying in the duffel bag.
It was all in bundles of hundred-yuan bills, their blue hue so dazzling it made their eyes ache.
"Son, you didn't go to Wanghai and get involved in fraud, did you?"
"I'm warning you, you can't do anything illegal. If I find out you've broken the law, I guarantee I'll turn you in to the police myself to uphold justice."
"You're a public servant, son. You can't be so foolish."
The old man immediately started scolding him. In his eyes, even if his son was capable, he couldn't possibly earn so much money in just a month.
This was faster than robbing a bank. In his understanding, the only way to make money that quickly was through fraud.
"Yes, Xiao Zhou, we can't break the law," Jiang Jie said.
"Besides, our family is doing well now. Even if not for me, think about the child."
"Little Yu is so young. What will she do if her father goes to jail?"
Jiang Jie also pleaded with him, her face filled with panic.
She couldn't imagine what kind of business could earn tens of thousands in less than a month.
"Oh, where are you all going with this? I earned all this money completely legally. I guarantee every single cent is clean."
Seeing their agitated expressions, Yu Zhou was speechless.
He could only slowly explain everything about his trip to Wanghai, starting from how he subscribed to the certificates.
Everyone in the room was astonished, unable to comprehend how a so-called stock subscription certificate could yield so much money.
It was indeed clean, like manna from heaven.
If one had bought the subscription certificate in the early stage, with tens of times the increase by now, they wouldn't have had to worry about anything. Could there really be such a profitable business in the world?
"Where there are gains, there are losses. This thing, at its core, is still gambling, so Xiao Zhou, you should touch this less in the future, preferably not at all."
"If one day you lose everything, it doesn't matter if you're alone, but what about Xiao Jie and Xiao Yu?"
Even after hearing Yu Zhou's explanation, the old man was still shaken.
After a moment of silence, he predictably launched into his lecture mode.
"Dad, don't worry. I know what I'm doing, and I'm not planning to live off this thirty thousand yuan."
"This money is just the beginning. Now that we have capital, we can surely start a stable business like those important people."
Yu Zhou vowed confidently.
What a joke! When it came to the stock market, he only understood the general trend. If he were to get caught up in the fluctuations, he might even lose his shirt.
However, the physical business was completely different. In his previous life, he had entrepreneurial experience and knew how to manage companies and factories.
In such a situation, would he seek the distant over the near and chase quick money? Wasn't he just asking for trouble?
He wasn't stupid. Why would he abandon what he was good at to gamble in the stock market?
"You want to open a factory? Or do some kind of business?"
"If you're opening a factory, are you planning to take over Factory Two?"
Upon hearing that Yu Zhou wanted to use the thirty thousand yuan to start a stable business, the first thing that came to mind for both the old man and Jiang Jie was Factory Two.
Factory Two was already undergoing reform. Thirty thousand yuan wouldn't be enough to acquire it completely, but it would definitely be enough to get a foot in the door.
If he truly had the intention, the old man might even be able to help.
After all, he was an old worker at Factory Two, and he didn't want to see it fail its reform and go bankrupt.
If that happened, all his old comrades and their children would be laid off.
"Factory Two? I don't have that capability."
Yu Zhou's forehead was covered in dark lines. If he were to handle such a hot potato through Qin Si Yue, acquiring it for thirty thousand yuan wouldn't be impossible.
After all, at this time, it wasn't uncommon for state-owned enterprises to be sold off at bargain prices.
But this was a textile factory, and for him, there was no room for him to utilize his strengths.
Especially in the coming years, the textile market wouldn't be a very good one. What could he do with Factory Two?
Continue to keep it barely alive?
If Yu Zhou were a millionaire now, with the passion his father and wife had for Factory Two, he might have actually acquired it.
Unfortunately, he wasn't. Forget about being a millionaire, he wasn't even a ten-thousand-yuan millionaire.
"Not buying Factory Two, then what business are you planning to do after the New Year?"
Jiang Jie was also a bit bewildered, not knowing what Yu Zhou's plan was.
"It's a secret for now. You'll all know when the time comes..."
Yu Zhou smiled mysteriously, not revealing his plan entirely.