Reborn in 1950: Shorting the Federal Reserve at the Start

That sheet of white paper with black writing lay quietly on the octagonal table, like a death warrant.

The dim streetlights shone on the paper, making the three bold characters—**《Severance Letter》**—so glaring that one dared not look directly at them.

The entire hospital was deathly silent.

Even the cicadas that had been buzzing just moments before seemed to have been silenced by the chilling atmosphere.

Yi Zhonghai craned his neck, and after seeing the words on it, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. In this era where "parents are never wrong," this statement was tantamount to tearing a hole in the sky above Beijing.

"What...what are you going to do?"

Shen Dayong sat on the ground, still in the position he had been pushed over, his voice trembling, "Are you trying to rebel?"

Shen Jinghong ignored him.

He extended his slender fingers, pressed them against the paper, and spoke in a clear, resonant voice, each word striking like a hammer blow to the heart of everyone present.

"I, Shen Jinghong, hereby sign this agreement in front of the entire neighborhood today."

"From this day forward, I sever my father-son and mother-son relationships with Shen Dayong and Liu Cuihua; and my brotherly relationship with Shen Yaozu. From this day forward, we shall each accept our fate in life, old age, sickness, and death, and have no further connection with each other!"

"You're insane! You're absolutely insane!"

An elderly man named Yi Zhonghai suddenly stood up, his finger trembling as he pointed at Shen Jinghong. "This is outrageous! This deserves to be struck by lightning! Where would you be without your parents? You've forgotten your roots!"

"Forgot your roots?"

Shen Jinghong sneered, his gaze sweeping across Liu Cuihua's pale face like a blade:

"If it's a blood-sucking leech or a man-eating wolf, then forget about it."

He continued reading, his pace unhurried yet chillingly cold:

"Over the years, the three thousand US dollars I've sent home is more than ten times the amount you owe me for raising me. Whether you gamble it away or squander it, I'll forgive and forget. But we need to settle this score."

"From now on, I, Shen Jinghong, will walk my own path, and you can go yours. I will not give this family another penny, nor will I give up my job or my house!"

"No! I won't allow it!"

Liu Cuihua scrambled to her feet, her hair disheveled, and tried to snatch the paper. "I'm your mother! My blood flows in your veins! You think you can just cut ties like that? No way! I'll follow you wherever you go, I'll make a scene at your workplace! Let's see which leader dares to take in an unfilial son like you!"

This is her last trump card.

Throwing a tantrum will ruin your reputation and make it impossible for you to get by in society.

The neighbors around them started whispering among themselves.

"That stunning performance was absolutely brilliant."

"Yes, they are still our parents no matter what. It's too awful to sever ties with them."

Seeing the wavering looks in the eyes of those around her, Shen Jinghong's lips curled into a mocking smile.

He understands this public opinion environment all too well. If the money isn't paid in full, it's a handle to be used against him; but once the money is paid in full, it's considered "doing everything he could."

"Want to cause trouble? Sure."

Shen Jinghong reached into his pocket and pulled out another thick envelope.

He slowly and deliberately opened the seal and pulled out a stack of brand-new RMB banknotes, which smelled of fresh ink.

Fifty sheets in total. Five hundred yuan.

In an era when pork cost only a few cents per pound, this was a fortune enough to drive anyone crazy.

"That's money! Lots of money!"

Shen Yaozu's eyes widened instantly, forgetting even the pain in his wrist. His Adam's apple bobbed violently, and a greedy glint almost overflowed from his eyes.

Zhao Yanzi's breathing quickened as she stared intently at the stack of banknotes, wishing she could pounce on it.

"Shen Dayong, Liu Cuihua."

Shen Jinghong took the stack of money and patted it in her hand, making a crisp "slap slap" sound.

"Don't you want your retirement money? Aren't you afraid I won't take care of you?"

He took a step forward, looking down at the greedy parents with a cold, emotionless gaze.

"Here's five hundred dollars. Adding what I sent back before, it's enough to buy out our fate for this lifetime."

"Take this money, sign the papers, and we're even. Whether you live a life of luxury or starve to death on the streets, don't come looking for me."

After saying that, he flicked his wrist.

"Splash—"

The stack of banknotes fell like red butterflies fluttering in the sky.

Some landed on the table, some on the floor, and a few were slapped directly onto Shen Dayong's wrinkled old face.

humiliation.

This is blatant humiliation.

Throwing money at someone's face—this was something Shen Yaozu had done to him countless times in his past life, and now he was returning the favor exactly as it was.

"you……"

Shen Dayong felt as if his face had been ripped off and trampled into the mud, and he trembled with rage.

However, when his gaze fell upon the crisp new banknotes on the ground, his ingrained greed instantly overcame his dignity.

His hands trembled as he tried to pick it up, but he was too proud to admit it, so he froze in mid-air.

But he didn't pick it up; someone else did.

"Money! My money!"

Shen Yaozu, like a mad dog that's seen a bone, pounced on the ground, frantically stuffing the banknotes into his arms. "I'm rich! I'm rich now! Yanzi, look, I'm rich!"

Liu Cuihua forgot about her tantrum and squatted down to help her son pick up the money. She counted it as she picked it up, her expression a mix of crying and laughing, which was extremely comical.

Seeing this family kneeling on the ground robbing money in such an ugly manner, all the neighbors in the courtyard fell silent.

What is filial piety, what is kinship? At this moment, they all become the biggest joke.

Shen Jinghong stood aside, coldly watching this scene, as if she were watching an absurd monkey show.

"Now that you've taken the money, shouldn't you sign the papers?"

He pointed to the letter severing ties with his family on the table.

Shen Yaozu, clutching the money in his arms, looked up with a twisted, sinister grin on his face.

He wants the money.

He also wanted a job.

He wanted the house more.

Why should he give up his lucrative job and the expert's building just because he got five hundred yuan? As long as he doesn't sign, Shen Jinghong is still his brother and will still have to take care of him!

"I won't sign!"

Shen Yaozu suddenly stood up, stuffed the money into his pocket, and glared fiercely at Shen Jinghong with his triangular eyes. "Brother, are you trying to fob me off like a beggar? You think you can buy off our relationship for five hundred yuan? Let me tell you, no way!"

"I'll take the money, but you have to give me this job! And the house has to be transferred to your name! Otherwise, I'll sue you for abandoning your parents!"

Shameless.

That's utterly shameless.

Even Yi Zhonghai, who had been taking sides the whole time, couldn't stand it anymore. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but shrank back when Shen Yaozu glared at him fiercely.

Shen Jinghong was not surprised.

Reasoning with such greedy people is useless; you can only be more ruthless than them.

"Not signing?"

Shen Jinghong nodded calmly, "Okay. Then I'll take the money back. And I'll also report you to the police station for robbery."

As he spoke, he made a move to reach out and take the money from Shen Yaozu's arms.

"You dare!"

Seeing his cooked duck about to fly away and him about to go to jail, Shen Yaozu completely snapped.

If it were the weak older brother from before, he would have been scared after a couple of shouts. But today, Shen Jinghong was unyielding, completely impervious to reason, as if he had become a completely different person.

Despair and madness instantly consumed his reason.

"You want to cut off my livelihood? I'll kill you first!"

Shen Yaozu let out a beast-like roar and suddenly pulled a switchblade from his lower back.

"Snapped!"

The blade snapped out, gleaming with a cold, eerie light under the streetlights.

"Ah! They're using a knife!"

The neighbors screamed in terror and scattered, scrambling back to hide.

Yi Zhonghai was so frightened that he sat down on the ground with a thud, even throwing away his teacup.

"Go to hell!"

With bloodshot eyes and gripping the knife, Shen Yaozu, like a madman, stabbed straight at Shen Jinghong's stomach!

If this strike lands squarely, it will either kill or seriously injure the target.

Shen Jinghong stood still, motionless.

As he watched the blade approaching, and at Shen Yaozu's distorted face, a cold smile curled at the corners of his lips.

This is the moment he has finally waited for.

A perfect justification for self-defense.

And... a one-way ticket to send this good-for-nothing to jail.