Chapter 27: I’m from the Mainland

The speed of the maglev train was incredibly fast, and after about two hours, Zhou Ming and Lin Muqing arrived at Central in Hong Kong.

Central, also known as the Central District, has always been the heart of Hong Kong and its economic center. Most financial and non-financial institutions are located here. This is precisely why Zhou Ming wasted no time bringing Lin Muqing directly here.

As they stepped out of the Central MTR station, the first things that caught their eyes were the bustling streets, towering skyscrapers, and the endless stream of people and vehicles.

Facing this completely unfamiliar, modern city, Lin Muqing instinctively leaned closer to Zhou Ming, as if he was her only support here. After the incident in Nanjiang when Lin Muqing got drunk, Zhou Ming understood that despite her strong appearance, she was a mature woman who still longed for a man to protect her. So Zhou Ming boldly took her hand, turned to her, and said, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Lin Muqing looked at Zhou Ming with her beautiful eyes, finally smiled shyly, and didn't pull her hand away, allowing Zhou Ming to lead her forward.

Before coming to Hong Kong, Tang Ran had given Zhou Ming and Lin Muqing a map of the city. Following the map's directions, Zhou Ming led Lin Muqing to Central Hotel, a mid-range hotel in Central.

Apologetically, Zhou Ming said to Lin Muqing, "I'm sorry, Muqing, but since we need to stay in Hong Kong for at least a month, and I want to save as much money as possible for my future business, I'll have to ask you to endure staying in a mid-range hotel. But don't worry, Muqing, as soon as I make some money, I'll immediately move you to the best hotel in Hong Kong!"

Lin Muqing smiled and shook her head, saying, "It's fine, I'm not a pampered woman. Even this mid-range hotel costs more than a hundred Hong Kong dollars a day, which is almost my monthly salary in Linyang. I couldn't even dream of staying in such a hotel before."

Zhou Ming led Lin Muqing into the hotel and booked two rooms. Since it was a long-term stay, the hotel generously gave them a 30% discount, bringing the total for the month to 5,000 Hong Kong dollars.

After they each returned to their rooms to put away their luggage, shower, and change clothes, they met again.

When Zhou Ming saw Lin Muqing in her new outfit, he was stunned for a moment. Lin Muqing had always worn professional attire in front of Zhou Ming, but today she was wearing a pink dress. The dress maintained her mature charm while adding a touch of girlish cuteness, making her look dazzling.

Lin Muqing spun around in front of Zhou Ming and asked, "How do I look?"

Zhou Ming naturally nodded and said she looked great. Lin Muqing rolled her eyes and playfully scolded him, "You silly."

They then went to the hotel's restaurant on the third floor for dinner. Lin Muqing asked him, "Now that we've arrived in Hong Kong and settled down in Central, what's your plan?"

"I'm going to check out the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. No matter what, I'll open an account first," Zhou Ming said.

Lin Muqing hesitated and asked, "Zhou Ming, are you really planning to trade stocks?"

Zhou Ming could tell that Lin Muqing was unfamiliar with the word "stocks," probably only knowing the term because of his influence. He nodded and said, "If you want to make big money quickly, entering the financial market is the only way. But we still have a lot of time, Muqing, so you can take this opportunity to learn about the market. Who knows, you might even make a small profit."

Lin Muqing shook her head, saying, "Forget it, I'll leave it to you. I've never heard of these terms before meeting you. If I trade, I'll probably just lose money."

"Not necessarily. Stocks also require a bit of luck, and you might have it," Zhou Ming said.

After dinner, Zhou Ming and Lin Muqing went to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, the city's only stock market institution. As soon as they entered the trading hall, Lin Muqing was overwhelmed by the bustling crowd, the flashing numbers, and the red and green lines on the LED displays. It felt like she had entered another world, so she carefully stayed close to Zhou Ming, even holding onto his arm, afraid of getting lost.

Although Hong Kong is a world-renowned financial center, the management of the trading center wasn't as sophisticated as it would be in the future. Many brokerage company managers were here, trying to open accounts for clients.

Lin Muqing's elegant demeanor and outstanding appearance were impossible to hide, so as soon as she and Zhou Ming entered the hall, several people approached them.

"Hello, young man and lady! You both look like people of status. Would you like to grow your money? If you're interested, you can open an account with our Wan'an Securities Company. We have a vast information network and can provide you with the most comprehensive market data, making you unbeatable in the stock market!"

"Wan'an Securities Company? I've never heard of it," Zhou Ming said.

Another person quickly stepped forward, saying, "Exactly! Small companies shouldn't brag. Young man, I can tell you know your stuff. I'm a client manager at Gaoli Securities Company. You might not be familiar with our name, but we're backed by Fenghui Bank. If you open an account with us, we can provide you with the most comprehensive consulting services!"

"If I'm not mistaken, Fenghui Bank has its own securities company. You must be just a small brokerage company controlled by Fenghui Bank, right?" Zhou Ming asked.

The person was a bit embarrassed to have been caught, but another individual came up and tried to persuade Zhou Ming, "Sir, don't look down on small brokerage companies. They have their advantages too. Since we have fewer clients, we can provide better service and help clients make more money. Unlike those big companies with a large client base, their managers can't analyze the market for every client. Also, a brokerage company only offers an account. It doesn't affect your investments no matter where you open your account."

Zhou Ming hadn't intended to engage with these people, but this person's words caught his attention. Zhou Ming looked him up and down. This man was short and thin, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp.

"What's your name? Which brokerage company are you with?" Zhou Ming asked.

"My name is Wang Yunlong. I'm a client manager and technical analyst at Fengheng Securities Company," he replied.

The name struck a chord with Zhou Ming. He hadn't expected to run into this person here. Wang Yunlong's name would be known by everyone twenty years later. He was known as the Oriental Stock God, growing his fund by 4,000 times in ten years, creating a financial miracle in Asia. But right now, he was just an unknown client manager at a small brokerage company.

Zhou Ming looked at him a few more times. Clearly, this future stock god wasn't living well at the moment. He was small and thin, far from the plump man in the photos from the future.

If he really is Wang Yunlong, maybe I can do something.

With this thought, Zhou Ming looked around and then smiled slightly, saying, "But I'm from the Mainland. I just arrived today."

As Zhou Ming finished speaking, the previously enthusiastic brokerage company managers were suddenly shocked, then looked at him with disdain.

"Oh, you're from the Mainland. No wonder I felt so disgusted. I can't believe I wasted so many words on a Mainland person. What a waste of time!"

"Mainlanders can't even feed themselves, right? Isn't everything shared in a primitive society? How did you even get to Hong Kong? And you're here at the Stock Exchange. Do you even know what economics or securities are?"

"Go away, go away. This guy might be a spy sent by the Mainland to disrupt our Hong Kong order, just like they did twenty years ago. Mainlanders are all bandits, lunatics, and psychos!"

As these insults grew more vicious, Lin Muqing couldn't take it anymore. She frowned and angrily said, "How can you people be like this? We didn't provoke you, so why are you speaking so harshly? Do you have any moral decency?"

Her words only fueled their arrogance. "What about us? We're talking about you Mainlanders. Can't we criticize trash? We can say whatever we want; Hong Kong is a free place, not like your Mainland, where people are shot for saying bad things. It's a barbaric country!"

Some even tried to flirt with Lin Muqing, saying, "Hey beautiful, I see you've come to Hong Kong, yearning for a civilized society. Want to come home with me? I can help you become a Hong Kong citizen. But you'll have to serve me well. It's better than serving everyone in the Mainland, right?"

Lin Muqing was so angry she wanted to cry, but she didn't know what to say to these rogues. At this point, Zhou Ming coldly laughed and said, "Since you know we're from the Mainland, aren't you afraid I'll bring a bomb to your house tomorrow? Have you forgotten that we are that barbaric".

Lin Muqing nudged her mouth towards Zhou Ming, signaling that the customer manager named Wang Yunlong was still there. Zhou Ming then turned around to see Wang Yunlong watching them with a furrowed brow, seemingly deep in thought.

Zhou Ming smiled and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Wang Yunlong hesitated for a moment before replying, "I was just thinking that you, sir, seem different from the other mainlanders I've encountered. You don't appear to be just any ordinary person."

Zhou Ming chuckled and said, "I'm just an ordinary businessman, trying to make some money in the Hong Kong stock market."

Wang Yunlong nodded thoughtfully and said, "If you don't mind, I'd be happy to help you open an account with our securities company. Although we're not the biggest firm, we pride ourselves on providing personalized service. I can personally assist you with your investments."

Zhou Ming considered it for a moment before agreeing. "Alright, let's do it. I'll trust you this time."

Wang Yunlong looked relieved and led them to his company's counter in the exchange hall. As they walked, Lin Muqing whispered to Zhou Ming, "Are you sure about this? What if he's just another swindler?"

Zhou Ming smiled and whispered back, "Don't worry. I have a good feeling about this guy. Sometimes, you just need to trust your instincts."

After they completed the account opening process, Zhou Ming shook hands with Wang Yunlong. "I look forward to working with you, Mr. Wang."

Wang Yunlong responded earnestly, "Thank you for your trust. I'll do my best to assist you."

As they left the exchange, Lin Muqing asked Zhou Ming, "What's your next step?"

Zhou Ming looked up at the towering buildings of Central and said, "Now that we have the account, it's time to make some moves in the market. But first, we'll need to gather as much information as possible. The stock market can be ruthless, and we need to be fully prepared."

Lin Muqing nodded in agreement. "I believe in you, Zhou Ming. Let's make it happen."

Zhou Ming smiled at her confidence. "We will, Muqing. We're just getting started."