Cao Cheng: You Don't Understand, My Vast Nation of Millennia

Another month passed.

It was late April!

The preliminary rounds of various music shows were almost done.

In previous years, everyone would just be starting to prepare for the auditions around this time.

But now, a new powerhouse had entered the scene, creating a "catfish effect," and everyone was stirred up.

Day after day, negative emotions skyrocketed.

Mainly because it disrupted many people's plans, throwing them into chaos from the very beginning.

Those who had worked hard for two months looked back and realized...

Holy shit!

What the hell is wrong with you, Miracle Media?

Two months in, and you haven’t even started the project? The auditions haven’t begun?

What kind of talent show are you even running?

Upon further inquiry…

Not only were there no auditions, but they hadn’t even finalized the risk-sharing deal with the TV network.

What the hell have you been doing these two months?

Just creating a new folder and pulling an American-style PowerPoint scam, huh?

If we’d known you were this incompetent, would we have even bothered working so hard?

Some people finally caught on.

It suddenly dawned on them.

Sure, the rich kid was arrogant—but only because he had money.

But when it came to the entertainment industry, he was completely clueless.

And precisely because he didn’t know anything, he had that "ignorance is bliss" attitude, daring to butt heads with everyone.

Now, everyone saw the truth.

He was just a small-time loser.

Even with all his money… he wasn’t much of a threat.

Heh.

For all they knew, Ali was still busy eating the "last scraps" from the rich.

Scamming the big spender.

Conning the sucker.

No wonder Ali, who could’ve easily gone solo, suddenly decided to work for someone else—now it was clear she had her eyes on the rich kid’s money.

Slacking off every day, yet collecting her full salary.

Even skimming funds from various projects.

Being part of the same circle, they all knew exactly how to fool investors and manipulate project accounts.

Outsiders, even big-money players, would be completely lost.

People suddenly realized Ali was pretty sharp—she had foresight.

And with that realization, her reputation grew, while also opening everyone’s eyes to new possibilities.

Later, when the coal tycoons entered the scene and got swindled badly… everyone said they were just following Ali’s playbook.

But that’s a story for another time.

……

At the moment, Young Master Cao had no time to bother with the entertainment industry.

The market was crashing.

Today, it had just dipped below 3000, hitting a low of 2990!

Once the support level broke, all the small investors panicked.

From 6000 down to 3000… was there even a chance of recovery?

Time to bail.

No stopping it now!

Please, bring back the Stock God!!!

Pain, anxiety, worry, despair, pressure—these were all major negative emotions.

Even though this market drop had no direct connection to Cao Cheng.

But his "green post" and "movie post" were still pinned at the top.

Months later.

Even though they were no longer stickied, any reply would bump them back to the first page.

Again and again, cycling endlessly, keeping those two posts bouncing around the front page.

As long as the market kept falling, those posts would never sink.

This stock forum was the biggest in the country, with massive daily traffic and new users registering constantly.

Many were just discovering the existence of "Stock God Aotian" for the first time.

After digging into his history, their negativity skyrocketed, cursing themselves for not finding him sooner.

If only they’d known about this stock god, they could’ve followed his lead—instead of being trapped in heavy losses now.

Not only would they have avoided losses, they might’ve even made a fortune.

"Just joined the forum yesterday, first time hearing about Stock God Aotian… I regret it so much~~~~ I spent all night researching, and this guy is legit. If I’d followed him, I’d be rich by now. But… I’m stuck at 5800, my stocks are down over 40%... Will I ever break even in this lifetime? Waaaaah…" a newbie posted.

"Give me my money back. I quit."

"I was wrong, I don’t want to play anymore, just give me my money back… wuuuuu!!"

"……"

Instantly, it resonated with many.

Replies poured in, sharing their own stories of regret over the past few months, wishing they’d known about the Stock God sooner.

Some had it even worse.

They’d heard of the "Stock God" elsewhere but never believed it. Now, they woke up from nightmares, slapping themselves in frustration.

Reading through the comments, it was clear most of these people only discovered the Stock God after he quit. So their emotions were dominated by regret and frustration.

Until someone posted:

"Not to disrespect you regretful folks, but even if you’d known about Stock God Aotian from the start, even if you’d seen all his posts, 99% of you still wouldn’t have believed him. You’d still be trapped. You’d still be losing."

"This isn’t about timing—it’s about mindset."

"Think about it. Back then, how many people argued with the Stock God daily?"

"And now? What are those same people doing?"

"So stop regretting. Focus on getting out. Otherwise, things might keep dropping."

Reading this post,

Young Master Cao, with Tang Xin nestled beside him, nodded in agreement.

The guy wasn’t wrong.

Most of these regretful types were just Monday-morning quarterbacks.

Given the same choices, they’d still refuse to believe.

Even now,

just look at the experts’ posts—people still blindly trust them, insisting the market will rebound, buying the dip halfway down.

And Stock God Aotian’s posts? Still had people cursing him out.

……

"So many people are begging for you to come back. Not planning to post anything?" Tang Xin leaned against him, scrolling through the forum with amusement.

She’d been busy lately too.

Shuttling between the mainland and Hong Kong, she and Young Master Cao rarely saw each other.

Every reunion felt like a honeymoon.

They’d cling to each other, inseparable.

She’d just returned yesterday, and the small three-bedroom apartment bore traces of their… activities.

She was like spilled water—impossible to take back.

Young Master Cao, meanwhile, was…

Rowing against the current!

A single day, and four diamond treasure chests appeared.

Tang Xin was truly a treasure trove.

"What’s the point? Now that we’re running a public fund, I can’t just say whatever online…" Cao Cheng shook his head, not planning to post anything for show.

His old posts still hadn’t sunk, constantly generating reactions.

Posting now wouldn’t add much impact.

Better to let these people stew in regret and anxiety—more negative emotions that way.

The sweet, understanding older girlfriend chuckled but didn’t press further. Curled up together, they browsed the forum’s debates and posts, finding it all quite entertaining.

Eventually, hunger got the better of them, and they got up to eat.

Young Master Cao whipped up a simple bowl of noodles for her—just eggs and greens, seemingly plain, but surprisingly delicious.

A little culinary skill could turn the ordinary into something magical.

The little older girlfriend ate happily.

But after finishing, she immediately started giving the chef a hard time.

Tsk.

Women!

The young lady seemed to have thought of something. She put down her chopsticks and asked in a faintly accusatory tone, "Why do you suddenly want to enter the entertainment industry? Did you take a liking to some actress? Do you need me to vet her for you?"

"..."

As soon as the chopsticks were set down, she started picking a fight.

Would Young Master Cao indulge her? He yanked her up, gave her a firm smack on the backside, and retorted irritably, "Do I seem like that kind of person?"

"Ah—!"

Tang Xin let out a soft cry, then pouted. "Then why the sudden shift to the entertainment industry? How much money can you even make there? It's nothing but trouble! The floating profits in your accounts right now could surpass the annual net earnings of an entertainment giant in just a month—probably even more!"

It wasn’t unreasonable for Tang Xin to overthink things.

If profit alone was the goal, no industry could compete with finance—the tertiary sector.

The entertainment industry nowadays couldn’t even hold a candle to it.

But for Cao Cheng, it wasn’t just about money. It was about emotions—and fame.

With fame, many things would become easier to maneuver.

To Cao Cheng, the collective emotions of the masses were an untapped blue ocean.

An uncharted territory.

Even Young Master Cao couldn’t fathom just how much his emotional value would skyrocket once he began harvesting the sentiments of the entire population.

Then he could farm divine-tier loot boxes every single day. He refused to believe he wouldn’t eventually pull something he truly desired.

Cao Cheng’s gaze darkened with intensity.

Though their posture was far from dignified,

his emotions were brimming with fervor.

Those profound eyes seemed to pierce through the ceiling, gazing straight into the vast cosmos beyond.

His voice dropped low, carrying a husky, magnetic resonance as he uttered:

"You don’t understand!"

"If you don’t explain, how could I?" Tang Xin loved watching this little man put on his act, so she played along, pressing him further.

Cao Cheng sighed. "The reason I’m diving into entertainment isn’t just for money. Money, to me, is nothing but a dull number. You know this—I don’t spend much. I’ve hardly ever touched my wealth."

"My real purpose is because our industry is lagging behind. Turn on the computer—er, go to the cinema, and all you see are those 'Oh my god,' 'Yamete'..."

"Our great nation has thousands of years of history, the most enduring legacy in the world, unparalleled by any other."

"I refuse to accept that we’re so easily brainwashed by foreign cultures, reveling in it without a second thought."

"On a small scale, this is a battle in the entertainment commerce."

"On a grand scale, this is about strategic heritage."

"So,"

"I’m stepping onto this battlefield—one without gunpowder. I will become the pioneer of Chinese entertainment, promoting traditional culture, building cultural confidence, and ensuring the heritage left by our ancestors stands tall at the pinnacle of the world once more."

"..."

If Tang Xin didn’t know Cao Cheng so well, she might’ve actually believed him.

But as his girlfriend, she still supported him wholeheartedly, flashing him a look of admiration and approval.

Hiss—

Cao Cheng loved that little glint in her eyes.

"Did you eat enough just now?" he asked casually.

The young lady caught his drift instantly. "Mhm, I’m full."

What were they waiting for, then?

Soon, they were tangled in battle.

The laptop nearby tumbled onto the carpet, snapping shut on its own.

Stock forums?

Online debates?

None of it mattered as much as a diamond-tier loot box.