Chapter 450: Vision Like a Mountain: Ten Years of Holding Shares Await the Thunder

The sunrise over the Western Australian desert always carries an irrational blaze, evaporating the last trace of coolness from the world.

Zhang Jianguo squinted, watching the distant railway embankment stretch like a dark scar across the endless red earth, slow and steady.

The roar of heavy trucks and the thud of pile drivers form the new main theme of this silent land.

A few more rows of prefabricated huts have sprung up at the temporary camp, even a canvas‑sheltered makeshift mess hall, its cooking smoke rising straight up in the windless dawn.

Everything proceeds step by step.

Monotonous, arduous, but the goal is clear.

He knows that deep beneath the scorching ground beneath his feet lies a black wealth capable of changing many things.

Their mission is to guard it until it can be safely awakened and extracted.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Shenzhen's night exudes a different kind of heat.

The lights at the Nanshan R&D Center often stay on until late night.

The successful validation of the Cangjie system was like a strong‑heart injection, immersing the whole team in a mix of fatigue and exhilaration.

Zhang Wei's hair seemed even messier, but the spark in his eyes shone brighter than the lab's fluorescent lights.

Xu Jiaming shuttled among major universities, meeting with professors and checking the lab's preparation status.

The first proof copy of the 'Cangjie' Chinese Programming Introductory Tutorial lay on his desk, exuding the fresh scent of ink.

He read it carefully, occasionally picking up a red pen to tweak statements he felt were too technical, striving to make it understandable and learnable for a high‑school student.

It is an unprecedented attempt.

Planting cutting‑edge autonomous technology in the most accessible way into the youngest, most fertile soil.

He feels the burden on his shoulders is heavy, yet full of meaning.

Hong Kong, Central, the top‑floor office of the Wanshang Bank Building.

The atmosphere here differs from the desert's roughness and the lab's focus.

The air carries the rich aroma of coffee, the scent of premium paper, and a cool, detached aura belonging to the world of capital.

Zhou Wenbin had just flown back from London, his face still bearing the weariness of long travel, yet his spirit was invigorated.

The post‑acquisition integration of Matthew Bank is cumbersome, but the big picture is set; Wanshang finally has a solid foothold in Europe.

At this moment, he sits opposite Li Ping'an, holding a special report freshly compiled by the Investment Department.

The report is thick, its cover a plain gray with only one line of text: "North America Securities Investment Portfolio Special Assessment (1983-1987)".

His fingers brushed the cover and felt a faint warmth.

Not the paper's temperature, but the psychological impact of the numbers inside.

"Mr. Li," Zhou Wenbin's voice carried a deliberately restrained calm, though the tail end betrayed a tremor, "this is a retrospective assessment, per your request, of some… 'small projects' the group made in its early dispersed investments in the North American market."

He gently pushed the report toward Li Ping'an.

Li Ping'an nodded, without opening it immediately.

He walked to the window, overlooking the busy shipping lanes of Victoria Harbour below and the dense skyscrapers on Hong Kong Island.

Neon lights have begun to flicker, turning the harbor into a sea of flowing light.

"Tell me," he said, his voice flat, revealing no emotion.

Zhou Wenbin took a deep breath, opened the report, and found the summary page.

"Between 1983 and 1985, the group, via multiple offshore funds and proxy accounts, purchased stocks of more than twenty U. S. companies—including Apple, Microsoft, Intel, Oracle, Cisco Systems, Qualcomm, as well as Walmart and Wang An Computer Company—in a dispersed, low‑profile manner. The total capital invested at the time was roughly… eight million dollars."

He paused, then glanced at Li Ping'an's silhouette.

Li Ping'an still stared out the window, as if merely listening to an inconsequential number.

"Based on the latest market prices,"

Zhou Wenbin cleared his throat and read the figure that quickened his pulse, "the current total market value of this portion of the portfolio has reached… about $190 million. Cumulative book‑value appreciation… exceeds twenty‑three times."

The office is dead silent.

Only the central air‑conditioning emits an extremely faint airflow sound.

Twenty‑three times.

In just four to six years.

Eight million turned into $190 million.

Even Zhou Wenbin, accustomed to the Tokyo market's nightly multi‑billion swings, feels his throat dry at this moment.

This isn't profit gained through leverage or speculation.

It is an almost forgotten, early, dispersed 'seed investment' that, irrigated by time, silently grew into a staggering towering tree.

Apple launched the Macintosh computer; although sales now seem modest, the concept dazzles, and the stock has generally risen amid fluctuations.

Microsoft's MS‑DOS, together with the spread of IBM personal computers, became virtually an industry standard.

Intel has led the micro‑processor field all the way.

Those then‑obscure or just emerging tech firms have many now risen to prominence, even becoming giants in niche sectors.

"Mr. Li," Zhou Wenbin set the report down, his voice full of admiration and disbelief, "your foresight back then… was incredibly accurate. Almost every investment was placed on the most growth‑rich tracks and companies of the next decade. Now this asset pool has become a substantial hidden wealth for the group. The Investment Department has some suggestions…"

"Suggest cashing out?" Li Ping'an turned, his face still unruffled, as if he'd only heard someone say 'the weather's nice today.'

"Yes… yes."

Zhou Wenbin admitted, "The book profit is already very generous. Moreover, after years of a bull market, the U. S. stock market's recent volatility has led some analysts to see adjustment risk. Taking partial profits, locking in gains, and recycling huge capital can fund our urgently needed Australian projects, domestic industrial park constructions, and the promotion of the Cangjie system. After all, those are real money‑burning endeavors."

His analysis is logical and fits the mindset of any excellent financial manager.

Take profits when the tide is good, secure them in the bag.

Use the money already earned to support the main business that currently needs funds most.

Li Ping'an walked back to his desk and sat down.

He didn't look at the billion‑dollar report; instead, he took a pack of cigarettes from the drawer, pulled one out, and gave it a gentle tap on the desk.

Then ignite.

Pale blue smoke curled upward, blurring his calm face.

"Zhou Wenbin," he began slowly, "do you still remember why we originally invested in these companies?"

Zhou Wenbin recalled, "I remember. You said then it wasn't short‑term flipping, but that you were optimistic about the transformative power of information technology and modern retail management, using a little money to buy a ticket to observe and learn how they would grow. It was also… diversifying asset allocation."

"Ticket," Li Ping'an repeated the word, his mouth corners twitching slightly, "so, the play has just begun, the protagonist hasn't truly appeared, and we should exit early because the ticket price has risen?"

He looked at Zhou Wenbin, his gaze deep.

"You're right, Australia needs money, the industrial park needs money, education promotion needs even more money. But are we lacking that amount of money?"

Zhou Wenbin was startled.

Upon careful thought, it seemed… indeed we are not lacking.

The huge profits from Japan's financial war are still generating benefits continuously.

Wanxiang Bank's self‑funding ability is strong.

Although domestic sectors have large investments, their output and cash flow are gradually improving.

After acquiring Matthew Bank, international financing channels have become smoother.

One hundred ninety million dollars is indeed a huge sum, but for the current scale of Wanxiang Group, it is not an irreplaceable lifeline.

"These companies," Li Ping'an's finger tapped lightly on the report cover, "Apple, Microsoft, Intel, Cisco… what they represent is not the past few years' gains, but the direction of global technological advancement and commercial transformation for the coming decades."

His tone was calm, yet carried a conviction as if overlooking a river of time.

"Personal computers are far from widespread, the battle over operating systems has just begun, the internet age is still in its cradle, and mobile communications are a distant imagination. What we see now may only be the first tip of the iceberg above water."

"Cash‑out now is like seeing a sapling grow a bit in spring and hastily cutting it down to sell the wood."

Li Ping'an shook his head, "What we want is not this piece of wood, but the whole forest it will become, the shade, the fruit, and the power to reshape the terrain it brings as it grows."

Zhou Wenbin listened, a bit dazed.

President Li's vision is always farther and more fundamental than his, and than that of the vast majority in the market.

"Do you mean… continue holding? Even… disregard short‑term fluctuations?"

"Correct," Li Ping'an nodded affirmatively, "continue holding. Hold the shares until… at least 2000 years."

"Two… two thousand years?" Zhou Wenbin was shocked by the time span. That's only a few dozen years later!

"Hmm," Li Ping'an exhaled a puff of smoke, "by then, you can reassess these companies' value. Perhaps today's one hundred ninety million is only a fraction of what it will be then."

He paused, his tone bearing an unquestionable resolve.

"Tell the Investment Department, without my handwritten signed order, not a single share of these North American securities portfolios may be moved. Daily dividends can be included in group earnings. But the principal must stay nailed in place like a nail."

"What we need to do is accompany these great companies that represent future directions as they grow, sharing the maximized era dividends they create. Not to be a small, clever swing trader."

Zhou Wenbin was shaken to the core, unable to calm for a long time.

He had originally thought that President Li's precise Sniping in the Tokyo financial market and his leverage use had already demonstrated top‑tier capital operation art.

Now he understands that perhaps that was only "technique".

But this near‑'stubborn' long‑term holding, crossing cycles and ignoring fluctuations with steadfastness, is the true "Dao".

It is a profound insight into the essence of the era's currents, and an astonishing patience to breathe together with it.

What level of foresight and confidence does this require?

"I understand, President Li," Zhou Wenbin said sincerely, "I will convey your instructions immediately. This portion of assets will be listed as the group's permanent strategic assets, accounted for separately, tracked long‑term, but never disturbed lightly."

"Good." Li Ping'an snuffed out his smoke, "Additionally, using the future value of this portion of assets as an implicit endorsement can suitably optimize our overall asset‑liability structure, providing more credit support for current expansion. Discuss the specifics with Gu Zhixing."

"Yes!" Zhou Wenbin's thinking opened up. Indeed, these high‑quality equity stakes are among the best credit collateral, able to mobilize credit resources without reducing holdings.

After Zhou Wenbin left, Li Ping'an walked to the window again.

Night had deepened, the lights on both sides of Victoria Harbour shone even more dazzlingly, reflecting on the black sea surface, breaking with the waves into countless golden scales.

He recalled the time many years ago when he made those diversified investment decisions.

Many companies were still small and unremarkable.

Apple was still tinkering in a garage.

Microsoft was still scrambling for IBM orders.

No one knew they would grow into later behemoths.

He only relied on memories from a past life and this life's judgment of tech trends, sowing limited capital like planting seeds.

He thought little at the time.

He only felt that, knowing there was a gold mine there, even if he couldn't dig himself, he should own even a tiny stake at the mine entrance.

He didn't expect that these tiny stakes, catalyzed by time, would swell to such a scale.

Yet he was not swayed at all by the current paper gains.

Because he knew the real thunder was still ahead.

The wave of personal computer proliferation.

The explosion of the Internet.

The revolution of mobile communications.

These companies will be the core engines of those transformations.

Cashing out now is no different than buying a box and returning the pearl.

His layout has always been multi‑layered and long‑term.

Australia's iron ore is the food of industry, the foundation of hard power.

"Cangjie" system and education promotion are the language of the future, the root seedlings of soft power.

And these cycle‑spanning equity holdings are the "antenna" and "ballast" that share the world's highest growth dividends while staying synchronized with the forefront of technological progress.

The three seem unrelated at first glance.

In fact, they complement each other.

Resources ensure development.

Education nurtures the future.

Capital discerns trends.

Missing any piece, this massive puzzle is incomplete.

Outside the window, a huge ocean‑going cargo ship sounded its whistle, slowly sailing toward the open sea, merging into the endless darkness.

Li Ping'an's gaze followed that navigation light until it vanished in the vast night.

His thoughts also drifted toward a farther future.

He knows that holding these stocks until the year 2000 means enduring countless market swings, economic cycles, even the trials of bubble bursts.

It requires immense patience and resolve.

But he has that patience.

Because what he waits for is not a single stock price rise.

But a coronation of an era.

When the thunder finally cracks and flashes across the sky, he hopes to still be firmly standing on that high ground that best sees the light and best receives the rain.

The night breeze surged in through the slightly ajar window, carrying the scent of the sea.

He took a deep breath, turned back to his desk, and picked up another report on the concrete issues of implementing the Cangjie system in university laboratories.

The canvas of the future is long.

He must, stroke by stroke, sketch it patiently.