Catching up before the agreed-upon time, he arrived with gifts in hand.

The motorcycle was still at the shop, already paid for, so Yin Zhe could pick it up later. Chen Linzhi had given the shop extra money, asking the staff to be especially attentive and to not stop Yin Zhe if he wanted a refund.

Yin Zhe's family now lived in Yau Tsim Mong, just a few minutes from Victoria Harbour.

The apartment building wasn't exactly new, but it wasn't old either, a building from just over a decade ago, right in the heart of the bustling downtown area.

Hong Kong had developed so much over the years, with new and old buildings side-by-side. Perhaps it was due to the lack of overall planning, leaving the developers to do as they pleased. It was lively, sure, but ultimately a bit chaotic, especially now that Chen Linzhi preferred quiet, and found it hard to adjust to crowded places.

Speaking of Yin Zhe, their previous encounters hadn't gone smoothly. They didn't have much in common, and their conversations always felt awkward. A few years had passed in a flash, and he was still working at the United Trading Company. Considering he had no degree or resources, it was indeed difficult for him to strike out on his own.

Chen Linzhi wasn't married yet, but Yin Zhe was married with a child born last year. Chen Linzhi hadn't come at the time after receiving the good news, but had sent 50,000 Hong Kong dollars. This time, he picked out a longevity lock, as a belated gift.

The view from the Peak was nice, but it lacked warmth.

When he arrived at Yin Zhe's house, he saw his in-laws and the rest of his family, all happily cooking and chatting. He could tell Yin Zhe was doing pretty well.

His in-laws pulled Chen Linzhi aside and chatted about stocks and real estate. It gave him the strange feeling of watching a Hong Kong drama. They were very familiar and enthusiastic.

Ordinary people only had access to so much information. Chen Linzhi didn't mind giving them a few pointers. He was quite familiar with several companies in Hong Kong, so he didn't have to worry about leading them into a trap. It was just a small favor.

His mind was more focused on the chubby toddler who was already walking.

Since he didn't have children of his own, he found these little beings quite fascinating. But more than wanting a child of his own, he mostly felt apprehensive and melancholy.

Chen Linzhi lived a carefree life now. With a child, you had to worry about whether they were good-looking, smart, or had a good temperament. It wouldn't matter so much if they were ordinary, but if they turned out to be ungrateful or spendthrifts, it would be better not to have them at all, and save himself the worry.

At home, the nannies and housekeepers basically stayed out of Chen Linzhi's sight, never spoke loudly, and he couldn't hear any noise from outside the window.

It was different now. The sound of people talking, including Yin Zhe, the crying of children, and the soothing voices of adults, all mixed together in the hundred-square-meter apartment. And the bizarre neighbors upstairs were constantly jumping around.

While slightly annoyed, Chen Linzhi thought that if he hadn't had that accident and ended up where he was today, his daily life would probably be similar, and he might even envy Hong Kong residents like Yin Zhe, who owned a "thousand-foot mansion" and earned a high salary with great benefits.

From that perspective, a life without warmth didn't seem so bad. At least Chen Linzhi preferred his current life to the daily life Yin Zhe had.

…

Fish maw stewed chicken soup, steamed crab, and high-quality veal showed that Yin Zhe's family had put a lot of effort into preparing this meal.

After the meal, Chen Linzhi and Yin Zhe went out to the balcony to smoke. Looking out from the fifteenth floor, they could see many low, old buildings. The streets were too narrow, and cars were stuck in traffic. They hadn't moved in minutes, and were constantly honking, as if that would clear the road.

After talking about some Hong Kong celebrities, Chen Linzhi suddenly said, "It's a bit noisy here, and your apartment is too small for your family. I'll advance you some salary from the company to help you get a bigger place. The appreciation potential is huge, it's hard to lose money."

"My mortgage isn't paid off yet, and I can't afford a bigger place. I know you're doing well now, but I can't accept something for nothing. You've already helped me a lot. I was planning to buy a shop to rent out," Yin Zhe said with a smile.

With rising housing prices, shop prices would likely rise as well in this era before online shopping. Chen Linzhi smiled, didn't interfere, and nodded. "That's fine too. I'll go to the company tomorrow and see if I can find a suitable position for you, and try to get you a promotion. The Hong Kong branch may have some big moves coming up, and some positions will likely open up. This company will become more and more important in the future, maybe even surpassing my United Capital Group. Study hard, work hard, and you'll have a good future."

Yin Zhe listened and asked curiously, "What kind of big moves? Is someone going to jump ship or get laid off?"

"Neither. I have some new projects that I'll likely put in Hong Kong and the neighboring Casino, 1997. I need to gather people to form a new management team. Your side will continue to be responsible for investments in the mainland, so there won't be much change. I also want to build a semiconductor R&D center, a low-threshold stock exchange similar to Nasdaq. If necessary, I can try an energy futures exchange. I heard that the British have been trying to fleece Hong Kong in every way possible, taking away capital, technology, talent, and factories. When they leave, I'll step in. These are all meaningful new businesses. I may also start one or two private universities, similar to Caltech or MIT."

Smoking a strange-tasting Montblanc, Chen Linzhi only inhaled, not into his lungs, and quickly couldn't stand it, putting out the cigarette in his hand.

He was methodically building a dam to block the outside wolves while trying to help the mainland keep some good things, like the rare earths that were being bought in bulk at bargain prices, and the talented people who were rushing abroad with their heads in the clouds. His goal was ten years in the future, which seemed crazy now.

It wasn't that he was being a do-gooder. Chen Linzhi believed that he already had the ability to accomplish many things, and they all aligned with his interests. He was just temporarily moving industries that should have been placed in the United States, Japan, and Europe to Hong Kong and Casino, 1997, which were more closely connected to the international market, so he could attack or defend.

Once he had reaped the benefits of this economic cycle, he could completely shift the focus of his assets to Asia. You could say he was betting on the country's fortune. The only things that mattered to him in the United States were technology and finance, and the number of eggs in those baskets would change.

Yin Zhe could only see the little bit of land in front of him and wasn't in contact with Chen Linzhi's level, so he immediately breathed a sigh of relief and simply replied, "That's good. The company's executives have been taking care of me. I thought someone was having problems with their work. You're doing more and more business. You even want to invest in a Nasdaq-like securities exchange. Isn't that directly competing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange?"

Chen Linzhi laughed and said, "So I'll probably put the exchange in Casino, 1997. The positioning is different. It'll mainly be responsible for attracting small Asian technology companies to list with me. It can also attract mainland companies, making it easier for them to raise funds, and strive to build a financial hub..." Catching up before the agreed-upon time, he arrived with gifts in hand.

The motorcycle was still at the shop, already paid for, so Yin Zhe could pick it up later. Chen Linzhi had given the shop extra money, asking the staff to be especially attentive and to not stop Yin Zhe if he wanted a refund.

Yin Zhe's family now lived in Yau Tsim Mong, just a few minutes from Victoria Harbour.

The apartment building wasn't exactly new, but it wasn't old either, a building from just over a decade ago, right in the heart of the bustling downtown area.

Hong Kong had developed so much over the years, with new and old buildings side-by-side. Perhaps it was due to the lack of overall planning, leaving the developers to do as they pleased. It was lively, sure, but ultimately a bit chaotic, especially now that Chen Linzhi preferred quiet, and found it hard to adjust to crowded places.

Speaking of Yin Zhe, their previous encounters hadn't gone smoothly. They didn't have much in common, and their conversations always felt awkward. A few years had passed in a flash, and he was still working at the United Trading Company. Considering he had no degree or resources, it was indeed difficult for him to strike out on his own.

Chen Linzhi wasn't married yet, but Yin Zhe was married with a child born last year. Chen Linzhi hadn't come at the time after receiving the good news, but had sent 50,000 Hong Kong dollars. This time, he picked out a longevity lock, as a belated gift.

The view from the Peak was nice, but it lacked warmth.

When he arrived at Yin Zhe's house, he saw his in-laws and the rest of his family, all happily cooking and chatting. He could tell Yin Zhe was doing pretty well.

His in-laws pulled Chen Linzhi aside and chatted about stocks and real estate. It gave him the strange feeling of watching a Hong Kong drama. They were very familiar and enthusiastic.

Ordinary people only had access to so much information. Chen Linzhi didn't mind giving them a few pointers. He was quite familiar with several companies in Hong Kong, so he didn't have to worry about leading them into a trap. It was just a small favor.

His mind was more focused on the chubby toddler who was already walking.

Since he didn't have children of his own, he found these little beings quite fascinating. But more than wanting a child of his own, he mostly felt apprehensive and melancholy.

Chen Linzhi lived a carefree life now. With a child, you had to worry about whether they were good-looking, smart, or had a good temperament. It wouldn't matter so much if they were ordinary, but if they turned out to be ungrateful or spendthrifts, it would be better not to have them at all, and save himself the worry.

At home, the nannies and housekeepers basically stayed out of Chen Linzhi's sight, never spoke loudly, and he couldn't hear any noise from outside the window.

It was different now. The sound of people talking, including Yin Zhe, the crying of children, and the soothing voices of adults, all mixed together in the hundred-square-meter apartment. And the bizarre neighbors upstairs were constantly jumping around.

While slightly annoyed, Chen Linzhi thought that if he hadn't had that accident and ended up where he was today,

His mind was more focused on the chubby toddler who was already walking.

Since he didn't have children of his own, he found these little beings quite fascinating. But more than wanting a child of his own, he mostly felt apprehensive and melancholy.

Chen Linzhi lived a carefree life now. With a child, you had to worry about whether they were good-looking, smart, or had a good temperament. It wouldn't matter so much if they were ordinary, but if they turned out to be ungrateful or spendthrifts, it would be better not to have them at all, and save himself the worry.

At home, the nannies and housekeepers basically stayed out of Chen Linzhi's sight, never spoke loudly, and he couldn't hear any noise from outside the window.

It was different now. The sound of people talking, including Yin Zhe, the crying of children, and the soothing voices of adults, all mixed together in the hundred-square-meter apartment. And the bizarre neighbors upstairs were constantly jumping around.

While slightly annoyed, Chen Linzhi thought that if he hadn't had that accident and ended up where he was today,