Are you two together

The rookies stood guard at the mountain peak.

The veterans bought the dip halfway up the slope.

This was the final norm of the 'big bull'!

Over the next half month, the market plummeted from a high of 6100 to a low of 5300!

The comment section buzzed with reversals—some were getting scared.

But only a little... scared.

Most people started buying the dip, averaging around 5500.

...

Experiencing this historic event firsthand,

Young Master Cao learned a great deal. Even without relying on his dream memories, he could calmly analyze key insights.

He also saw the logic behind the decline.

This drop was actually a slaughter.

Or rather, the village proactively pricking the bubble ahead of time!

Policies began aligning to assist...

Perhaps anticipating something.

Over the next month,

The market kept falling, all the way back to 4800.

At this point, half the crowd was still buying the dip, convinced they’d hit rock bottom... (╯︵╰).

...

...

Day 329 of Young Master Cao’s cushy life as a rich second-generation heir.

Bliss!

Eyes open.

Three daily reflections.

Blame the system...

Reflections complete!

Today was January 1st, 2008!

New Year’s Day.

A fresh start!

Since the dream began, 578 days had passed.

Why remember so clearly?

Because of those three daily reflections—no drifting through life aimlessly, every day filled with purpose.

The dream had started in June of the year before last...

He could still vaguely recall Old Cao’s flashy antics, hooking up with a Shanghai auntie, the father-son heart-to-heart that ended in a money-driven split.

A year and a half had flown by in the blink of an eye,

As if nothing had changed.

But in reality,

Young Master Cao had become a 'billionaire.'

Well.

That figure was a bit inflated.

Including the funds under his management, it totaled over ten billion.

His personal account? Just shy of five billion!

The bigger the capital, the smaller the moves—otherwise, the impact would be too great.

So,

Young Master Cao diversified his personal funds for hedging.

For instance, while the broader market trended downward, blue chips like Maotai kept climbing, steadily rising.

A must-buy.

Hold for at least a decade.

Learning from Old Ba in the U.S.—this was value investing!

Another portion went into shorting.

The public funds followed suit, racking up daily wins on both sides.

...

"Happy New Year!"

After washing up, Young Master Cao greeted the handsome devil in the mirror with a faint smile.

Downstairs, the family had gathered.

The atmosphere at home remained unchanged—no stiffness just because Young Master Cao had struck it rich.

After all, Eldest Sister’s poker face was impenetrable; even if her heart raced, her expression rarely betrayed it.

Second Sister couldn’t care less about money.

As for The Third and The Fourth?

Carefree souls!

"Mom, Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year, son."

Ren's Mother doted as always, gifting him another car key—this time, a Maserati!

Old Cao seethed with envy, practically green with jealousy.

"Eldest Sister, Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year." She gifted him a belt.

"Second Sister, Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year." Second Sister’s tone was icy as she handed him a boxing glove.

What’s this?

Looking for a fight?

Where’s the maturity?

He’d made it clear—training was for fitness and mental discipline, not brawling.

Cao Cheng saw right through the gift’s meaning.

But he played dumb.

No point engaging. Keeping her on edge was more fun.

"Third Sister, Happy New Year. You’ve worked hard these months." Managing the new company was no joke—sometimes even busier than Eldest Sister.

Pioneering ventures were tough.

Even with professional managers, oversight was crucial.

"Happy New Year, little brother!!" Third Sister’s voice was the sweetest, her affection for Young Master Cao undeniable. She even pulled him into a warm hug.

Her gift? A computer.

She remembered his love for tech.

"Fo—Happy New Year." Cao Cheng sped through the word, skipping "sister" entirely.

Under everyone’s gaze, he couldn’t very well call her "little sis."

Then came the hug.

Cao Cheng whispered in her ear, "Happy New Year, Fragrant Little Sister."

The Fourth let out a soft, defiant hum.

But no gift.

The Fourth was truly wild.

A total outlier.

But...

Young Master Cao had gifts for everyone.

"I’ve got presents too..." He turned to fetch them.

"Hold it."

Old Cao stopped him with a glare. "Did you forget something?"

"What?" Cao Cheng blinked, feigning innocence.

Old Cao narrowed his eyes, pointing at himself. "Me?"

"You what?"

"Damn brat, don’t stop me—I’m starting the year with a beating..." Old Cao reached for his belt.

Ren's Mother intervened. "It’s the New Year. Let it go."

"Seriously?" Old Cao was exasperated. "You’re still spoiling him? No New Year’s greeting? Where’s the respect? The filial piety? If we don’t discipline this kid now, when?"

Cao Cheng was technically in the wrong.

But Ren's Mother stood her ground. "It’s the holidays. He’s still young. Drop it. Don’t make a scene—is it really worth hitting him?"

"..." Cao Cheng was stunned.

Ren's Mother, you’re something else.

Is the "four-word leniency" meme traced back to you?

The original enabler of "spare the rod, spoil the child"?

Love it!

Cao Cheng grinned. Teasing Old Cao was a daily ritual—eating, sleeping, and riling him up.

Once the joke ran its course, he properly wished him well.

Then came the gifts.

'Mystery' tea.

No labels, no details—but everyone knew it was premium.

And wooden carvings.

A full family portrait set, one for each, even Old Cao.

Proof of Young Master Cao’s filial devotion.

Truth was,

Cao Cheng had plenty more treasures.

Lately, he hadn’t hit any jackpots, but small wins piled up. After the system upgrade, loot box quality improved.

The items inside had leveled up too.

At least two tiers better than before.

But,

Some things weren’t meant for sharing—not even with "family."

So,

Either handed over in secret or kept under wraps entirely.

The timing wasn’t right.

Even after nearly a year under the same roof, secrecy was paramount—no room for slip-ups.

...

New Year’s Day called for tangyuan!

Symbolizing unity.

The family grew more harmonious, more like... a family.

Even Second Sister wore a faint, rare smile, toasting freely.

A natural drinker, she outdid herself today.

Yet never tipsy.

Cao Cheng had once challenged her—without his storage cheat, he’d have lost.

Even then, three pounds of baijiu barely fazed her, just a slight daze—nowhere near her limit.

A beast!

People’s constitutions varied wildly.

Young Master Cao’s stats were nearing 100—superhuman by any measure, likely surviving a direct bomb hit.

But even that couldn’t guarantee outdrinking her.

Post-dinner, New Year’s Eve specials!

Second Sister sat unusually close, her leg brushing against his as she murmured, "You’re heading to Hong Kong tomorrow?"

"Tang Xin told you?" Cao Cheng side-eyed her.

Second Sister snorted lightly, "Are you two together now?"

"Don't talk nonsense! We're going to survey the market, open accounts in Hong Kong, and make some investments—preparing to expand into the international market!"

Short selling.

It’s still better to do it abroad.

It’s 2008, and the tipping point of the crisis—when it fully erupts and spirals out of control—isn’t far off.

This time, if I don’t make at least a few billion dollars, I’d be too embarrassed to call myself a stock trader.