"Ye Tian, I need your help," Wang Qiang began cautiously. "Can I write you an IOU? You hold onto the deeds for the house and car for now. I’ll list them with an agent and sell them. Once they’re sold, I’ll pay you back everything I owe."
"Of course, Uncle Wang," Ye Tian replied with a smile. "We’re neighbors, after all. But I consulted a lawyer. Since we have a contract, we need to follow it. Once you pay me the 80,000 yuan principal plus 5,000 in interest, I’ll return your deeds."
Wang Qiang’s demeanor shifted as he pleaded. "Ye Tian, both houses are occupied—one by me and one by my parents. I can’t sell them right now. How about I write an IOU and pay you back slowly when I have the money?"
Ye Tian shook his head with an apologetic smile. "Uncle Wang, that wouldn’t be fair. The contract clearly states that if you don’t repay the 80,000 yuan within three months, I have the right to sell or dispose of the properties and car to recover my money."
Anger flared in Wang Qiang’s eyes. "Two houses and a car for 80,000 yuan? Are you out of your mind? You might as well rob a bank!"
Ye Tian remained calm. "Uncle Wang, there’s still time left in the three months. If you’re confident, why not leverage other assets and reinvest? A few winning trades could bring it all back."
Wang Qiang was stunned silent, failing to recognize the new Ye Tian—the one who was now in complete control of the situation. Years ago, Wang Qiang had ruthlessly pressed Ye Tian’s parents for repayment, dragging lawyers to their door. Ye Tian had no intention of showing mercy now. The mistakes of the past would not be repeated.
"Old Ye, Liu Ping, come on. Say something! How should we handle this debt?" Wang Qiang turned to Ye Tian’s parents, still oblivious that their son now called the shots.
"Ye Tian," Ye Da Yong, his father, said hesitantly. "Maybe give Uncle Wang some leeway. Return the deeds, and he can pay when he has the money."
Ye Tian nodded thoughtfully. "Uncle Wang, I’d love to help. But I recently pawned the deeds and car title for 80,000 yuan to fund some stock investments. Unfortunately, the market tanked, and I lost it all. I haven’t even told my parents yet. If you can repay the 80,000 yuan, I’ll use it to redeem the deeds and car title."
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Wang Qiang stomped his foot in frustration. "Ye Tian, you’re lying! Fine, I’ll find a way to get the money in three months. You won’t take my houses or car!"
As Wang Qiang stormed out, Ye Tian smiled knowingly. In this bear market, there was no chance Wang Qiang could claw his way back.
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The next day, Ye Tian approached his father. "Dad, I want to rent a counter at the computer market. It’s time I started doing something serious."
Thrilled that his son was showing ambition, Ye Da Yong agreed without hesitation.
Within a week, Ye Tian’s computer kiosk was up and running. The once-thriving computer market had lost much of its luster to the smartphone revolution. Desktop computers were now seen as relics, with most households having little need for them. But Ye Tian wasn’t there to sell computers. He spent his days hunched over his laptop, researching Bitcoin and Ethereum—the future of digital assets.
He convinced his father to loan him 100,000 yuan, which he quietly used to buy more Bitcoin. Ye Tian knew these cryptocurrencies would skyrocket in value, turning his modest holdings into a fortune.
In his classmates' group chat, the bitterness of reality was evident. Many complained about the grueling hours and low pay in the film industry. They worked tirelessly as assistants on set, earning a pittance while being exploited by production companies.
When word spread that Ye Tian had switched careers to selling computers, ridicule followed.
"Three years in a vocational school, and you end up as a kiosk clerk in the computer market? What a joke!"
Ye Tian chuckled at their mockery. Their disdain only fueled his determination.
He scoured old contacts, reaching out to anyone who had dabbled in cryptocurrency. A few classmates had experimented with mining rigs back in the day and were now eager to unload their hardware and coins.
One classmate, Yu Bing, called with an offer. "I’ve got 110 Bitcoins I want to dump, along with four mining rigs. You can have the lot for 4,000 yuan. These rigs are nothing but power-guzzling junk now."
Yu Bing’s disillusionment was palpable. "Mining is a scam. It’s a waste of time, money, and electricity. I’m done with it."
Ye Tian feigned indifference. "I can’t afford those rigs, and even if I could, they’d be too expensive to run."
He directed Yu Bing to a second-hand electronics dealer to offload the rigs. As for the Bitcoins, Ye Tian quietly added them to his growing stash. His 400 Bitcoins would someday be worth more than the wealthiest entrepreneurs in the city.
"Mark my words," Ye Tian thought. "I’ll rise above them all, not just for myself, but to stand tall beside Xia Meng."
The path ahead was clear, and Ye Tian was ready to seize it, one calculated step at a time.