Young Master Cao's Boasting

A daily profit of six million.

Ren's Mother understood all too well what this meant.

Even their family's own business probably couldn't achieve that.

Take real estate, for example. Current industry leaders like Old Wan and Old Bi had annual revenues in the tens of billions—and that was during good years. Breaking it down, their daily profits were roughly on par with this figure.

Meanwhile, smaller real estate firms often scraped by with daily earnings in the tens of thousands.

The cosmetics industry was no different. Global giants like L'Oréal and P&G raked in tens of millions daily, far surpassing this amount.

But for smaller cosmetics companies, annual revenues might barely touch a few million.

Hotels followed the same pattern.

Forget the industry leaders or the small players—just take Ren's family's own hotels, with over a thousand rooms and an average occupancy rate of 60%. Their daily profits hovered around a couple hundred thousand.

Of course,

this was based on annual revenue conversions.

The stock market couldn’t sustain such numbers every single day.

But it still proved one thing: Cao Cheng had serious skills.

Ren's Mother was no stranger to the secondary market.

She knew it demanded exceptional mental fortitude.

Buying at the right time wasn’t the real challenge.

Selling at the right time—that separated the amateurs from the masters.

And holding steady while consistently turning a profit? That was the mark of a true legend.

Turning ten thousand into a hundred million in just six months—what else could you call that but legendary?

Most people would start with a hundred grand, double it, and cash out immediately, too scared to hold on for fear of losing their gains.

So,

when she saw Cao Cheng’s stock-picking prowess and how he’d multiplied his modest capital into a fortune within half a year, she was genuinely stunned.

Putting herself in his shoes, she knew she could never pull that off.

Globally, the number of people with that kind of talent could probably be counted on one hand.

And those individuals? Each one was a top-tier, world-renowned investor.

It was easy to imagine that once he cashed out, his name would explode in those circles.

……

Before, she’d always treated Cao Cheng like a child, her tone dripping with affection and softness.

But now,

Ren's Mother’s mindset shifted instantly. She began speaking to him as an equal—a partner for business discussions, a pillar capable of supporting the family.

Ren's Mother closed the door behind her.

Mother and son sat across from each other at the desk.

"You’re borrowing money to invest more?" she asked. "You’ve already made so much. Aren’t you planning to exit?"

"Not yet," Cao Cheng shook his head.

"You’re that confident?"

"Yes. I believe a bull market is about to start."

Cao Cheng had no formal background in finance across two lifetimes.

But that didn’t stop him from learning.

If the system wouldn’t give him financial skills, he’d teach himself.

His time on the computer wasn’t just spent arguing with people online—he’d also studied financial theories, especially global monetary systems.

Thanks to his near-photographic memory, grasping these concepts was tough but still faster than for most. At the very least, he could memorize everything and gradually digest it.

Plus, with decades of foresight backing him, Cao Cheng’s understanding of finance—even if not perfectly professional—was enough to pass as an expert in theory.

At the very least, he could construct a logically airtight argument.

……

So,

during their conversation,

Cao Cheng confidently predicted a global economic crisis, likely hitting the following year.

He even pulled out data to support it.

International data.

Like it or not, Western economies influenced the entire world, and their impact on China was especially strong at the time.

Moreover, the early warning signs of a major crisis had already appeared in July 2006—they’d just been suppressed for the moment.

Most people couldn’t spot the brewing disaster in the daily flood of global data. There was simply too much noise.

But Cao Cheng, armed with future knowledge, could easily pluck the relevant figures from the chaos to back his thesis.

Hindsight was always 20/20.

Before a crisis actually hit, only a handful could see it coming.

For example:

U.S. housing prices had enjoyed an abnormal boom, skyrocketing for six straight years—far outpacing income growth. But starting in July of the previous year, certain regional markets began showing signs of strain.

Then there was the subprime mortgage quality issue.

Banks were handing out home loans to people with poor credit.

This data wasn’t hard to find either. A quick dive into foreign forums and a small consulting fee could uncover plenty.

Add to that the massive holdings of subprime debt and derivatives by U.S. financial institutions…

And over the past two years, they’d hiked interest rates 17 times—from 1% all the way to 5.25%.

These were just a few drops in an ocean of data. Who would think to connect them?

And that was just abroad.

Domestically,

the macroenvironment was undeniably strong. Everyone knew growth had been in the double digits since the turn of the millennium.

Then there was the 2005 share reform, which by 2007 was mostly complete—meaning the market was primed for a rally.

On top of that, bank loans were loose, liquidity was abundant, and retail investors were brimming with confidence.

Coupled with policy support and monetary easing across the board…

Most crucially, stock prices were historically low after a prolonged bear market.

……

Cao Cheng strategized like an ancient general.

A great commander didn’t charge blindly into battle or rely on passion alone—he controlled the field.

From the chaos of troop movements and endless battlefield intel, he extracted the key details, separating truth from deception before devising the optimal plan.

Then came deployment—leveraging terrain and conditions to maximize every advantage.

The entire market was Cao Cheng’s battlefield, and he moved through it with precision.

An hour into their discussion,

Father Cao sat dazed on the sidelines, sipping tea in silence to avoid exposing his ignorance.

He didn’t understand a thing and couldn’t contribute.

But he felt like he’d learned enough to sound impressive later.

Damn, this stuff sounds cool.

Ren's Mother, on the other hand, grew more animated as they talked. Her gaze shifted from scrutiny to something closer to admiration.

She never expected such a standout from their family.

A prodigy emerging from the Cao bloodline.

Then she thought about her other children…

and sighed.

The eldest could inherit the business, no problem—steady and reliable, perfectly capable of maintaining the status quo.

But if major reforms or crises hit? He’d be slightly out of his depth.

The second? Hopeless.

The third had potential… a slow burner who could be nurtured.

As for the fourth? Total wildcard.

Like a damn deer in headlights.

……

Finally,

Ren's Mother asked, "How much do you want to borrow?"

"As much as possible."

She smiled. "The most I can spare right now is a hundred million."

Cao Cheng grinned.

All that talking paid off.

"That’ll do."

"But on one condition."

"Which is?"

"If you lose—if the bull market doesn’t come—cut your losses and come work at my company." A rare glint of cunning flashed in Ren's Mother’s eyes.

Usually, she treated Cao Cheng with gentle, doting affection, like a child.

That look meant she no longer saw him as clueless.

"..."

After a pause, Cao Cheng countered, "And if I win? I take 30% of the profits."

Ren's Mother shook her head: "I'm lending this to you, not asking you to invest it for me. So any profit is yours—I just want the principal back. But if there's a loss, cut it off in time and I'll cover the deficit. In return, you'll have to work for me in the future. Deal?"

This...

Calling her "mom" wouldn't count as groveling, right?

Even a birth mother couldn’t be more generous.

"I agree."

Cao Cheng had no reason to refuse.

He even thought to himself that if he made a profit, he’d definitely share it—at least with a hefty red envelope.

And next year, if he had the means, he’d help her through her difficulties too.

That’s just reciprocity.

...

Father Cao finally grasped the last few sentences.

"No way!"

Father Cao stared at Ren's Mother in disbelief. "You’re just handing him 100 million like that? What if he loses it? Even if it’s not the full amount, losing a few million or tens of millions is still a huge deal. Aren’t you worried at all?"

Cao Cheng shot him a sidelong glance—seriously, his own father? Not only was he no help, but he was also dragging him down?

Ren's Mother rolled her eyes too. "If it’s lost, it’s on me. What’s it to you?"

"..."

Father Cao was speechless. "So I’m the outsider here? Fine, I want to borrow 100 million too."

Ren's Mother scoffed. "You don’t know the first thing about this. Just stick to being a househusband—your soups are decent, at least."

"I protest," Father Cao grumbled.

"Protest denied."

"You..."

Bickering and banter were just their way of showing affection.

But Cao Cheng was exasperated.

Damn it.

He’d been the star all evening, only to end up choking on their lovey-dovey display.

Enough already.

Combined, they’re pushing eighty years old—isn’t this sweetness a bit much?

Honestly, it’s exhausting.