Ye Tian thought of Wang Qiang's smug face when he had come to extort 400,000 yuan from his family. Masking his emotions, Ye Tian calmly suggested, “Uncle Wang, there's no need for us to buy your house. We can’t afford it. But if you’re in urgent need of cash, you could mortgage your property and car to us. We’ll calculate what we can offer you.”
Wang Qiang readily agreed and promptly delivered the property deeds and the registration for his BMW.
“Ye Tian, we shouldn’t waste this money on houses or cars,” said Ye Dayong, his father, with excitement in his voice. “The stock market is where the real money is!”
Ye Tian eventually persuaded his parents, Ye Dayong and Liu Ping, to leave the decision to him. He accepted the collateral from Wang Qiang, but he strategically set the meeting for 2:30 PM—just thirty minutes before the stock market's close—and arranged for the transaction to take place outside the stock exchange hall. It was a psychological power play.
Feigning difficulty, Ye Tian said, “Uncle Wang, we’ve been neighbors for years. But this car of yours—it’s been driven for five years and isn’t worth much now. As for the houses, I asked around at the property agency yesterday. Both are over twenty years old, making them difficult to mortgage. The best anyone could offer is 40% of their value. Considering the car and the houses together, I can only give you 800,000 yuan.”
Wang Qiang was incensed, stomping his foot. “Only 800,000 yuan for two houses and a BMW? You’re worse than those small-time loan sharks!”
Ye Tian showed him the bank card in his hand, speaking earnestly, “Uncle Wang, you’re mortgaging them, not selling. Think about it—if you invest 800,000 yuan into the market now, the index is about to hit 10,000 points. One good spike, and you’ll earn 80,000 in a single day. In a week, you could make 400,000. In two weeks, you’d recoup your money, and the house and car are still yours. All you’d owe me is a little interest. I’m only offering this because we’re neighbors. Otherwise, you can take the deeds elsewhere. I’m off to find some undervalued stocks to pick up before tomorrow.”
Gritting his teeth, Wang Qiang relented. “Fine, 800,000 it is! Just give me the money!”
In exchange for the 800,000 yuan, Ye Tian took the deeds to two houses and the car registration. The agreement was for three months—if Wang Qiang couldn’t repay the loan in that time, Ye Tian would have full rights to the properties and car.
As Wang Qiang walked off with the money, he exuded confidence. “Five consecutive price limits this week, just watch me rake in the profits!”
Watching his retreating figure, Ye Tian’s mind wandered to the past. His parents had once sold their house to invest in the stock market, only to lose everything in a mistimed gamble. He wasn’t about to let Wang Qiang spiral into total ruin. By keeping the house and car as collateral, he was giving Wang Qiang a lifeline. If Wang Qiang had gone to a professional loan company, he might have ended up with nothing.
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Just as Ye Tian anticipated, Wang Qiang’s investments took a nosedive. On the first day, he lost 100,000 yuan. By the end of the week, fluctuating losses had reached 300,000 yuan.
Liu Ping, reflecting on the situation, sighed with relief. “Thank goodness Ye Tian insisted on pulling out of the market. If we’d kept our money in, we might’ve been ruined too.”
Ye Tian had witnessed too many stories of desperate investors driven to despair. His return to this pivotal moment in time felt like destiny’s way of giving him a chance to save his family from a similar fate.
With his family’s finances secured, Ye Tian’s thoughts turned to a visit to Jinling University to see Xia Meng.
For Ye Tian, Xia Meng was more than a person—she was a dream, as radiant and fleeting as a summer’s day. She was his goddess, unparalleled in beauty and grace.
However, Xia Meng was never alone. She was always shadowed by Guo Jun, a wealthy heir who clung to her like a shadow. Every time Guo Jun encountered Ye Tian, he would mock him mercilessly, comparing him to everything from a toad to a brainless fool. And each time, Guo Jun would present Xia Meng with extravagant gifts, flaunting his wealth as if to assert his dominance.
When Ye Tian saw Xia Meng outside the Jinling University library, his heart stirred. She was breathtakingly beautiful, a vision that eclipsed everything around her. Even in a campus renowned for its many beautiful students, none could hold a candle to Xia Meng.
Her long, glossy black hair cascaded to her waist, shimmering like a waterfall. When she turned her head, her hair danced gracefully in the sunlight, drawing every male gaze in the vicinity. She held a hardcover copy of One Hundred Years of Solitude in her hands, her demeanor poised and serene, exuding the quiet confidence of a well-read scholar.
“Ye Tian,” Xia Meng said, her dark eyes sparkling like stars. “I heard you’ve been struggling to find work since graduating from vocational school. How are things now?”
Her voice was gentle, her expression sincere, yet her beauty made Ye Tian feel unworthy.
“I’m still trying,” he admitted with a forced smile. “It’s hard for someone with my background. I studied media, but big companies won’t hire me, and smaller ones often don’t pay on time. It’s tough.”
Guo Jun, sitting nearby in a tailored suit, smirked and interjected. “Ye Tian, your school sounds impressive, but it seems like they specialize in producing unemployed graduates. Tell you what—I’ll ask my dad to find you a job. He’s always hiring laborers for his construction company.”
Xia Meng frowned. “Guo Jun, stop it. Media graduates don’t belong on construction sites.”
Guo Jun laughed dismissively. “Exactly why I’d make him a foreman! Plenty of perks and cash bonuses. People beg me for such opportunities, but I’m offering it to Ye Tian out of generosity.”
Ye Tian met Guo Jun’s taunts with a calm smile. “Thanks, but I’m not desperate enough yet to rely on charity. I can still manage on my own.”
“Ye Tian,” Guo Jun sneered, “you should stop coming here. Jinling University is for real students, not vocational school dropouts. You’d only embarrass yourself. Besides, Xia Meng needs peace to prepare for her graduate exams.”
Although Guo Jun’s presence stifled the conversation, Ye Tian could tell from Xia Meng’s demeanor that she had little interest in her persistent suitor. Still, he knew her world—of academic ambition and intellectual pursuits—felt worlds apart from his current reality.
But no matter how distant their lives seemed, Ye Tian silently vowed to bridge the gap. This summer’s dream might be out of reach for now, he thought, but one day, it won’t be.