[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981":3,"chapter-that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-199":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","That Year, the Flowers Bloomed in 1981",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2294617,4489,"Chapter 199: Little Ye, You Look Just Like a Con Artist","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-199",199,"\u003Cp>The next morning, long before the time he’d agreed to meet Pei Wencong, Li Ye was woken by knocks at the door from Hao Jian and Jin Peng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye opened the door and let them in, then asked, “Still sleep poorly in unfamiliar beds? Why are you up so early?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng glanced at Hao Jian but said nothing; Hao Jian paused for several seconds, then said seriously to Li Ye, “Little Ye, I need to tell you something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just say it—there’s no one else here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hao Jian’s serious expression, Li Ye grew serious too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hao Jian gave a nervous laugh and said, “Little Ye, last year you told us two of the five vices—drinking, gambling, prostitution, drugs, and smoking—are absolute no-gos. We’ve kept that in mind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, I actually ran into the exact situation you warned about. I was too embarrassed to mention it before, but today I’m telling you as a heads-up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Last October, I met a few fellow townsfolk I got along with really well. Being around them felt comfortable.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We grew closer and closer, even calling each other brothers. They introduced me to new friends and recommended some cool new things.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hao Jian’s face turned pale, his voice tinged with fear: “If you hadn’t warned me back then, I might’ve been fooled. I kept a little caution, and that’s why I didn’t get taken in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Later, I saw a few ‘rich’ friends get sucked in—within months, they were barely human. Just thinking about it now gives me chills.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Hao Jian spoke, Jin Peng stared at Li Ye, visibly surprised when he saw Li Ye’s expression hadn’t changed at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d dreamed of the Jianghu since childhood and had heard old Song’s tales of ancient con artists, but he never imagined something like this would happen right beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet why did Li Ye seem so unfazed by such a shocking story?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Could someone who’s good at reading really know everything?】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye certainly didn’t know everything, but he knew pig-butchering scams inside out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Decades later, pig-butchering scams had evolved to versions 4.0 and 5.0—what Hao Jian encountered was barely version 1.0.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not every falling pie is a trap, and not every sudden friend has ill intent—but when something’s out of the ordinary, there’s always a trick. Never let your guard down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why do some suddenly wealthy demolition households or lottery winners end up “back to square one” years later?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One reason is lack of hard-earned wealth accumulation and weak willpower—but another is that society always has people who specialize in hunting the newly rich after years of poverty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget the crude versions 1.0 and 2.0—let’s talk about the slightly more sophisticated ones from the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For ten years of poverty, no one cared; once you’re rich, the whole world knows. Suddenly, someone you barely remember by name shows up with a “successful industry insider” to reunite with you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That guy, the whole scene—brand-name clothes, luxury car, female secretary, appointment book full of meetings with bigwigs, implying, “I’m busy—today I’m only here because of XX’s favor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the timing’s right, a carefully prepared “high-return investment plan” is accidentally revealed to you—small-scale financial products, real estate development, 30% annual return with guaranteed principal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tempted?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not, no problem—they’ve got another appointment. They’re busy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This scam works because the hunter has seized the prey’s greed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if the prey could just pause and think, even the best acting, perfect documents, and polished rhetoric couldn’t hide the flaws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>30% guaranteed return? What are you thinking?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget 30%—even 10%? Ninety-nine point nine percent of those are scams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How stressed are bank loan officers every day? They’re desperate just to get loans approved safely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If there really was a 10% opportunity, do you think it’d be left for you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Don’t say it’s a “relationship product”—no matter the connection, to a bank the size of a dragon, it’s nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget “industry success stories”—even names on Forbes are trash next to the big five banks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What’s their background? What connections do they have? If they had a product like that, they’d eat it all themselves—no leftovers, no circulation into ordinary circles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having witnessed countless cases of different tiers in his past life, Li Ye had strictly warned Jin Peng and Hao Jian during the first Pengcheng meeting: absolutely avoid two of the five vices, and explained the most common traps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back then, Hao Jian had scoffed—he was a genius, how could he be fooled? But now, seeing his still-shaken expression, it was clear he’d been lucky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Hao Jian changed tone, cautiously asking Li Ye, “Little Ye, last night Jin Peng and I asked around. You mentioned ‘trading Hang Seng Points’—is that a d-bo?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little Ye, I know you’re smart, but the smarter you are, the easier you are to fool. Hong Kong isn’t our turf—we can’t be careless!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, Little Ye, San Shui used to play small stakes with that Boss Zhang. I scolded him a few times—he stopped, but maybe behind the scenes… You can’t touch that stuff.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye looked at the two and couldn’t help laughing: “You woke me up this early just to warn me not to go down the wrong path?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng rubbed his scalp and grinned sheepishly: “The Private Secretary told me to watch over you. Little Ye, don’t make me look bad.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye hadn’t expected that just two casual words with Pei Wencong yesterday had triggered these two’s bizarre train of thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Ye was going to trade “Hang Seng Points,” Hao Jian had even turned around and lectured him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye smiled and gestured for them to sit. After thinking a moment, he said: “Trading Hang Seng Points… does have some d-bo elements.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before either could interrupt, Li Ye added: “But it’s fundamentally different from d-bo. Think of it as a risky financial investment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Unlike d-bo, which relies purely on luck, it requires some economics knowledge and current-events analysis to make sense of.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye gave his two top men a quick lesson—but as he spoke, he noticed their expressions turning strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng grinned: “Little Ye, you look just like a con artist right now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I remember you once warned us—if someone talks like you just did, don’t believe them, because they’re definitely a scammer.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye recalled—he really had said that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Hao Jian quickly added: “But we trust you, Little Ye. If you’re trading Hang Seng Points, can we join you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng stayed silent but nodded vigorously beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These two had followed Li Ye all the way from Qingshui County—when had any of his “decisions” ever lost money?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So when they heard Li Ye explain Hang Seng Points so convincingly, they hesitated only a few seconds before tossing aside Li Zhong’s stern warnings and their caution toward capitalism.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Woni ma】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【If I were a con artist, I’d strip you both bare—down to your last thread.】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye said: “You can buy in with me, but I must warn you—if I’m wrong and you lose money, pretend nothing happened.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Little Ye, that’s the spirit—gamble responsibly. Oh no, adults take responsibility for their actions. Who ever heard of keeping profits but blaming others for losses?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, just remember—this kind of risk investment is only a side hobby. Our main business is manufacturing. Also… don’t trade stocks with anyone else.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye had seen brothers turn into enemies over stock trading—when they made money, no thanks were needed; when they lost, the one managing the trades became the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d only mentioned it accidentally in front of them—he wouldn’t have included them otherwise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Losing a little money would be fine, but he feared they’d get addicted and end up soaked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Wencong arrived right on time to pick up Li Ye, then drove across the harbor to Central, Hong Kong Island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Central looked small on the map, but it was the heart of Hong Kong Island, where nearly all financial institutions clustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the mid-1970s, Hong Kong had entered a golden age of rapid economic growth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As local manufacturing gradually moved north, finance and services surged, turning Hong Kong into an international financial center, with stock and property markets as its twin pillars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the 1974 crash, the Hang Seng Index had plunged to 150 points, then climbed steadily to 1,810.2 points by 1981—an elevenfold increase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This explosive momentum fueled rapid growth in finance, driving Central’s prosperity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Pei Wencong’s secondhand Benz pulled up in Central, Hao Jian and Jin Peng finally understood why Li Ye hadn’t been impressed by his “luxury car.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Kong Island had the world’s highest concentration of Rolls-Royces, and luxury cars were everywhere. Hao Jian, who’d once been thrilled to own a Lada Wannian, was now stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, just a few years ago, they’d thought Hong Kong people lived in misery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Wencong told A Min to park, then asked Li Ye: “Mr. Li, I have two HKU classmates in finance—one’s a manager at Far East Finance, close to the Far East Exchange; the other runs his own solo business. Which one should we consult?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye replied: “Far East Exchange? I heard it was the first Chinese-run exchange. Let’s start with your manager friend.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pei Wencong nodded in surprise: “Mr. Li knows Hong Kong well—yes, that’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Actually, Li Ye’s knowledge of Far East Exchange came from the TV drama “The Greed of Man,” where Chinese securities figures had broken the foreign monopoly of the “Hong Kong Exchange” to establish Far East Exchange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Li Ye had some interest in this exchange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside Far East Finance, Li Ye felt as if he’d returned to the era of his past life—bull markets, bear markets, each one tearing at countless hearts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is Liang Jia Sheng, my HKU classmate…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is Mr. Li, a friend from the mainland…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye soon met Pei Wencong’s HKU classmate—Liang Jia Sheng clearly lived far better than Pei Wencong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had his own private office, his own assistant, and a female secretary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially that female secretary—she redefined “female secretary” for Hao Jian and Jin Peng, who’d followed them in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to this Jessica, A Min’s temporary secretary looked no more fashionable than a simple girl from Qingshui County.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just last night they’d been praising A Min’s competence—she drove, handled finances, wore an OL suit—but now, before this seductress, competence meant nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pfft~—men!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah Cong, since our class reunion six years ago, I haven’t seen you. You’re a cultured man—looking down on me, a money-grubber?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t say that, Jia Sheng. I’d never look down on you. You were driving a Benz six years ago. I won’t embarrass myself—I only made enough last year to afford two apartments in Sai Wan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the secretary ushered Li Ye and the others in, Liang Jia Sheng sat behind his desk by the window, chatting warmly with Pei Wencong from across the room, completely ignoring Li Ye and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon the secretary brought over several brochures and handed them to Li Ye, Hao Jian, and Jin Peng to browse for any services they needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jin Peng and Hao Jian stared blankly—the brochures were in English.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye could barely understand them—Liang Jia Sheng’s services covered a wide range: Hong Kong stocks, futures, gold, and even Japanese and American stocks and futures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Ye flipped through them briefly and tossed them aside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m here to spend money, not to self-serve. Why give me brochures? Don’t you have a human to explain things?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That secretary looks fine—why not let her explain the services?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a few pleasantries, Pei Wencong said: “My friends here are interested in Hang Seng Index futures. Since we’re classmates, I’m bothering you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, your friend has good taste!” Liang Jia Sheng finally looked at Li Ye and smiled: “Mr. Li wants to trade Hang Seng Points? How much are you planning to play?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye replied calmly: “Three hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars. Going short.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hehe, everyone’s bearish now,\" Liang JiaSheng said without surprise. \"But Mr. Li, three hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars is a bit too little capital—there’s not much room to maneuver. How much leverage are you thinking of using?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t answer, but lifted his eyes to glance at Liang JiaSheng’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This isn’t 2023—three hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars is a trivial sum, but in 1983, that amount wasn’t small, even if not enormous!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Hong Kong Island’s core districts, you could buy a four-hundred-square-foot apartment; in Kowloon, you could get five hundred square feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if I were in the Super VIP client room, you still shouldn’t be this blunt about calling it too little, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang JiaSheng smiled naturally under Li Ye’s gaze, but the arrogance in his eyes didn’t escape Li Ye’s sharp perception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye had spent countless hours strolling with Wen Leyu by Weiminghu; over time, he’d learned her measurements down to the centimeter—how could he possibly miss the truth in someone’s eyes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang JiaSheng was proud, and deep in his eyes lay a powerful sense of superiority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This Li Ye wasn’t unusual at all—Hong Kong’s thriving financial environment had drawn in countless talented people, many of whom became rich overnight and unintentionally rose to the status of societal success stories, shaping a generation of Hong Kong’s brilliance and exuberance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rapid economic transformation and surge in the short term inevitably bred a cultural mindset of nouveau riche arrogance across society.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hong Kong Telephone Company once had a classic video: a sharply dressed successful man, in an authoritative posture, explained to viewers that Hong Kong was vibrant and flourishing, serving as an international financial center that gathered and dispersed information between East and West.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under this backdrop, Hong Kongers all came to harbor a blind, inflated sense of superiority, just like the successful men in those advertisements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially in front of relatively poor and backward mainlanders, this superiority multiplied—derisive terms like “cousin from overseas,” “Ah Can,” “Can-ge,” and “Can-mei” became the dominant impression Hong Kongers held of mainlanders during this era.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least on the surface, Liang JiaSheng still treated Li Ye and the others with courtesy, so if he could genuinely serve his clients with professionalism, Li Ye was willing to overlook it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, Liang JiaSheng had risen to this position at the stock exchange—his excellence was undeniable. Professional people doing professional work was one of the success principles Li Ye recognized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So after locking eyes with Liang JiaSheng for a moment, Li Ye calmly said: “I expect the Hang Seng Index to drop to 700 points. What leverage do you think is appropriate, Mr. Liang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahahaha~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang JiaSheng burst into laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waved at Li Ye, signaling him not to take offense, and laughed for a long while before saying: “Mr. Li, you don’t play the Hang Seng Index like that. No one can predict it, right? Do you even know what the Hang Seng Index is at today?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do I need to know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Ye didn’t care what the Hang Seng Index was today—but he knew that under the combined pressure of speculators and market panic, it would fall below 700 points this year, then surge past 3,000 points after the Iron Lady capitulated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a result deeply shaped by historical events—not guaranteed profit, but nearly certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2551,"2026-06-20T05:04:59.129Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","2fd7f759e825b37718dc7a22c92d8c58c7721ccdaf967058b6a5e75feccc66e8","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-200","that-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-chapter-198",884,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthat-year-the-flowers-bloomed-in-1981-cover.jpg"]