Financial Expert

Time flowed like water, and more than a month had passed. Murong Feng was thoroughly enjoying his current lifestyle.

The weekly editorial tasks posed no difficulty for him. He would choose a popular film or cultural phenomenon and write a few articles, completing his work effortlessly.

Liu Xin called him several times. The preparations for the new company were progressing smoothly. Liu Xin had decided on the project's direction: mobile games based on 3G technology. Murong Feng naturally agreed, always respecting the opinions of professionals.

When in a good mood, he would go to the office and invite Ouyang Lanruo or Xu Wei for a meal, joking with the beautiful editors. When feeling lazy, he would stay home, play games, read books, and watch movies.

In the evenings, he frequented various bars. He no longer visited Shichahai, which held painful memories for him, but instead explored bar streets like Xueyuan Road, Xingba Road, Yuan Dadu, and Blue Harbor. He would find a bar he liked, sit down, and enjoy the vibrant lights and smoky ambiance, feeling like he was in an urban utopia.

The alluring night scenes and Murong Feng, driving a black Mercedes G55, handsome and elegant, became even more enticing to the busy women who sought excitement in these vibrant places after a long day.

Before long, many regular bar-goers knew about this mysterious, wealthy young man. He drove luxury cars and wore high-end brands. Wherever he went, he would either sit by the window, sipping his drink calmly, chat with the bar owner at the counter, or play darts and shuffleboard. Rumor had it that the best bars on Xingba Road and Yuan Dadu stored his private wine collection, said to include fine wines from 1988, 1990, and 1995 from France's top AOC wineries. He always came alone, never brought friends, and never left with women, yet his handsome demeanor made him one of the most unattainable diamond bachelors among the bar-going women.

Murong Feng didn't know what he was searching for. Perhaps it was just a sense of belonging, surrounded by people, partying, drinking, and laughing, hoping the noise would drown out his loneliness and pain. Yet, he politely and calmly rejected any advances from women. A one-night stand? Not interested.

Beijing's summer was always hot and restless. At sunset, Murong Feng preferred to visit Wutong Bar on Xingba Road, sitting quietly by the tranquil and beautiful Mirror Lake. The gentle breeze, the shimmering water reflecting the sunset, created a refreshing atmosphere.

However, today, Murong Feng couldn't enjoy this serene setting. The sun had already set, and candles flickered. He had just sat down at a lakeside table when a smiling middle-aged man took the seat opposite him.

"Excuse me, sir, but I don't think I know you," Murong Feng said calmly.

"Mr. Murong, hello, my name is Zhou Haitao. You can call me Joe. I heard about you from A-Jun. Sorry for the intrusion." The man sat there, smiling apologetically. A-Jun was the owner of Wutong Bar. Murong Feng had chatted with him before and had a good relationship. Following Zhou Haitao's gesture, Murong Feng saw A-Jun standing at the bar, smiling and waving at him.

Murong Feng smiled and nodded, "Mr. Zhou, what can I do for you?"

"Well, I am a financial advisor in the private banking department of UBS in China. You know, private banking offers high-end, concierge-like services primarily for wealthy clients, providing professional investment and wealth management services. I was recently transferred from Hong Kong to Beijing. A-Jun mentioned you, Mr. Murong, and I thought you might be interested in our services, so I came to talk to you." Zhou Haitao smiled.

Murong Feng was a bit surprised—a financial advisor from a private bank?

He remembered that after completing a transfer at the Bank of China, the staff had politely asked if he needed personal financial services, which he declined, not understanding at the time.

He later learned that international banks offered private banking services to high-net-worth clients, managing over ten million yuan1 in assets. Many wealthy people abroad entrusted part of their liquid assets to financial advisors for management.

Murong Feng carefully examined this financial expert from UBS. Zhou Haitao was about 40 years old, dressed in a high-quality suit, slightly stout, with a shrewd and sharp look typical of bankers. His courteous smile gave a sincere and pleasant impression.

Murong Feng became interested, "Well, Mr. Zhou, please tell me about the services you offer." He waved over a waiter and ordered a drink for Zhou Haitao.

Zhou Haitao smiled, sensing the young man's interest, and nodded, "Private banking has a long history abroad, providing wealth management and investment services to the affluent. Our clients must have at least one million dollars in financial assets."

He glanced at Murong Feng's indifferent expression, realizing this threshold didn't impress him, confirming Murong Feng as a target client.

"Private banking originated during the Crusades when European nobles, leaving for battle, entrusted their wealth to stay-behind nobles, creating the first private banks. The most important feature is tailored financial services based on client needs, covering asset management, investment, trusts, taxes, estate planning, art collection, auctions, and more. Dedicated wealth management advisors provide one-on-one services, with personalized product combinations."

Murong Feng listened intently, curious about this service now that he was in this wealth bracket. He interrupted, "Oh? Even art collection and auctions?"

Zhou Haitao nodded with a smile, "Yes! We offer diverse products: from individual stocks and bonds to structured products and alternative investments, including children's education funds, estate planning, tax planning, insurance, trusts, foundations, and art investments. We assign a team of at least six people to each client for wealth and investment management, creating plans, providing regular updates, and fulfilling additional needs."

He paused, then smiled, "There's a story in our industry: A successful financial advisor once said his most successful case was finding a lost set of medieval armor for a client's family!"

Murong Feng nodded silently, understanding the unique aspects of private banking.

Seeing his interest, Zhou Haitao continued, "We also guide consumption, such as clothing, wine, golf, and antiques. We often invite experts to mingle with our clients, helping to cultivate their taste and lifestyle."

Murong Feng looked at this elegant, eloquent Hong Konger and felt a bit emotional. A person like him wouldn't have spoken to someone like me before. Now, he's here, humbly persuading me. At this moment, Murong Feng deeply felt the transformative power of wealth— it's not just about being able to buy anything you wanted but significantly changing your social status.

Noticing Murong Feng deep in thought, Zhou Haitao remained silent, gracefully swirling his wine glass, admiring the beautiful color before taking a sip, savoring the delicate, smooth taste of the 1988 vintage.

Murong Feng snapped out of his thoughts and smiled, "Thank you for the introduction. I'm indeed interested in this service." Zhou Haitao was delighted, raising his glass, "Thank you, Mr. Murong, for your trust!"

They agreed to meet the next day at the UBS private banking office in the top floor of the Yinglan Building on Finance Street to complete the formalities. They then continued chatting, and Murong Feng learned about Zhou Haitao's impressive background. He was from Hong Kong, studied finance at the University of Cambridge, earned a master's in investment management from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, worked in investment banking at JPMorgan on Wall Street, and then joined UBS's private banking division in Hong Kong. With relaxed regulations for foreign banks in China, he moved to Beijing to set up the private banking office.

Looking at Zhou Haitao's business card, stating he was the Managing Director of UBS Private Banking in Hong Kong, Murong Feng felt incredibly lucky to meet such a person casually in a bar.

They talked extensively that night. Murong Feng appreciated Zhou Haitao's professional financial knowledge and insights. Zhou explained various investment products and their pros and cons, sharing numerous cases, making even Murong Feng, previously unfamiliar with finance, feel knowledgeable.

Zhou Haitao found Murong Feng to be a very special, even mysterious young man, with his own views on many things and a subtle elegance that impressed even the well-traveled Zhou. How could such a person not belong to those wealthy families?

Later, when Murong Feng mentioned he could entrust them with 50 million yuan2, Zhou Haitao laughed, calling it lucky to find a millionaire on the street.

They had a great conversation that night, and Murong Feng felt Zhou Haitao was someone worth befriending.