Sharpening the Blade Against the Red Wall: From Hong Kong to Handong

In Kyoto in 1993, the spring breeze had quietly dispelled the chill of late winter, and the tide of reform and opening up was surging ever stronger. Individual stalls on the streets and alleys were becoming more and more densely packed, and "going into business" had become a buzzword among young people. Meanwhile, personnel adjustments at the national level were steadily advancing in accordance with the directive of "rejuvenating cadres."

The two patriarchs of the Zhou and Su families are a microcosm of this adjustment.

My grandfather, Zhou Jianguo, a former core decision-making member of the State Council, responded to the leader's call to "let young comrades take on important responsibilities" and voluntarily submitted his retirement application, resigning from his current leadership position and joining the Central Advisory Commission. My maternal grandfather, Su Tian, ​​the former commander of the Kyoto Military Region, also relinquished his military post with the same awareness and became a member of the Central Advisory Commission.

When the news arrived, Zhou Jin was organizing research data in the laboratory at Huaguo University. When he rushed back to the old house, he saw his grandfather sitting under the old locust tree in the yard, holding a cup of strong tea, his expression as calm as if he had simply changed his study location.

"Grandpa, are you really going to retire?" Zhou Jin sat down next to him.

Zhou Jianguo took a sip of tea and smiled faintly: "It's good to step down. It allows younger comrades to gain more experience, which is essential for the country's vitality." He paused, his tone carrying a seasoned clarity, "Entering the Central Advisory Commission meant being an advisor. An advisor is someone who only looks out for things and doesn't interfere. Now that you've stepped down, don't meddle in your current work, don't cause trouble for the organization, and leave enough room for the younger generation."

Zhou Jin recalled that when she visited her grandfather at the military compound these past few days, Su Tian had shown the same attitude. This veteran general, who had spent his life in the military, now spent his days practicing Tai Chi, reading military newspapers, and occasionally playing chess with old comrades. He never mentioned the current affairs of the military region. "A soldier's duty is to obey orders. The current order is to rest well and support the work of younger officers," Su Tian said, echoing his grandfather's "only concerned with the immediate task and not asking questions."

The wisdom and enlightenment of the two gentlemen deeply moved Zhou Jin. They dedicated their lives to fulfilling their original aspiration of "thinking of the country," and even after retiring, they always adhered to their principles. This vision also profoundly influenced Zhou Jin.

In early March, a message reached Zhou Jin's ears—an inside message from her father, Zhou Chengbang.

At this time, Zhou Chengbang was still working at the State Planning Commission, responsible for planning related to the capital market. That evening, he returned home and spoke with Zhou Jin with a somewhat grave expression: "Shanghai is preparing to launch stock subscription certificates with the aim of revitalizing the capital market and raising funds for the real economy. However, the public's financial awareness is too weak. They think that 'stocks' are just speculation. We've been promoting them for almost a month, but the results are very poor. Many sales points are not selling them, and there have even been cases where they are being forcibly distributed to employees of work units, but still no one is willing to buy them."

"Stock subscription warrants?" Zhou Jin's heart skipped a beat.

He instantly recalled his memories from his previous life—the stock subscription certificates issued in Shanghai in 1993. With the subsequent rise of the Chinese stock market, their value skyrocketed. A subscription certificate worth a few yuan could increase a hundredfold or even a thousandfold in a few years, becoming the "original shares" for countless people to accumulate wealth.

Now, this "opportunity" with immense value is facing sluggish sales due to the public's lack of understanding, and has even become a "problem" for the country to revitalize the capital market.

A thought flashed through Zhou Jin's mind: this was not only an excellent opportunity to accumulate personal wealth, but also a win-win opportunity to help the country solve problems and support the development of the capital market. He knew that the development of the capital market required the participation of the public, and these subscription certificates were the key to allowing ordinary people to participate in the capital market. By buying these subscription certificates, he was both following the national development trend and injecting vitality into the early cultivation of the capital market.

"Dad, I want to give it a try." Zhou Jin looked up at her father, her eyes resolute. "I want to buy these subscription certificates. This isn't speculation; it's supporting the development of the national capital market. When the stock market matures in the future, I will use the money I earn to do something more meaningful—such as investing in the real economy or supporting public welfare."

Zhou Chengbang was taken aback, clearly not expecting his son to have such a thought. He knew Zhou Jin well; he knew he never did anything without certainty, much less would he take risks simply for money. "Have you thought this through? Nobody's optimistic about this right now. What if it becomes a liability..."

"No, that won't happen." Zhou Jin said firmly. "Dad, you work at the State Planning Commission, so you should know better than anyone that the country needs a market economy, and the capital market is an essential step. The public just doesn't understand it yet, but they will definitely accept it in the future. By buying these subscription certificates, I'm also helping to alleviate the pressure on the country."

Zhou Chengbang pondered for a moment, looking at the determination in his son's eyes, and finally nodded: "Okay, Dad supports you. But you must remember, making money is not the goal; supporting the country's development is the fundamental purpose."

With his father's support, Zhou Jin went to see his grandfather immediately. After he explained his purpose, Zhou Jianguo did not immediately respond, but instead got up and went into his study. A moment later, he came out with a heavy bunch of brass keys: "Come with me."

Zhou Jin followed her grandfather out of the old house and got into an inconspicuous black car. The driver was Old Qin, her grandfather's bodyguard who had been with her for many years. Old Qin had followed Zhou Jianguo through thick and thin since he was young and was extremely loyal. Even after retiring, he stayed with the Zhou family to take care of the old house.

The car drove out of the city and arrived at a secluded old house in the suburbs. The house had blue bricks and gray tiles, high walls, and was well-maintained but rarely visited. Old Qin opened the gate, and Zhou Jianguo led Zhou Jin into a dusty storage room, where he used a key to open a heavy wooden cabinet.

The wooden cabinet was lined with thick velvet, on which dozens of gold bars and some well-sealed gold ingots were neatly arranged, shimmering with a warm luster in the dim light.

"Some of these are the goods I seized from a bandit's den during the war; the other part is the family fortune left by my ancestors." Zhou Jianguo's voice was filled with the vicissitudes of time. "After liberation, I hid these things here, thinking of leaving them for my descendants in case of emergency. I never thought they would come in handy today."

Zhou Jin stared at the gold before him, utterly shocked. He had never imagined that his grandfather had such a "treasure," nor that his grandfather would trust him so much, revealing the entire family's wealth.

"Grandpa, this..."

"Jin'er," Zhou Jianguo interrupted him, his eyes firm, "Money is inanimate, but people are alive. For a country to develop, it needs people who dare to take risks and try new things. What you've done is supporting national development, and Grandpa is proud of you. Consider this gold as Grandpa's support for you."

After saying that, Zhou Jianguo instructed Lao Qin: "Contact a reliable channel as soon as possible to exchange this gold for cash. Make sure it is safe and compliant with regulations."

"Yes, sir!" Old Qin replied solemnly.

Over the next few days, Lao Qin successfully converted the gold into cash through special channels, earning a total of 38 yuan. At the same time, Zhou Chengbang and Su Qinghe also contributed 12 yuan of their savings—their wages, bonuses, and allowances accumulated over many years, originally intended for Zhou Jin to use for starting a business or getting married after graduating with her doctorate.

38 plus 12 equals 50 yuan. When Lao Qin deposited the last sum of cash into Zhou Jin's bank current account, Zhou Jin looked at the numbers on the passbook, her heart filled with mixed emotions. This 50 yuan was not only a heavy sum of money, but also her grandfather's trust, her parents' support, and the responsibility and expectations for the family's legacy.

In late March 1993, Zhou Jin stood at the gate of Huaguo University, holding a bankbook containing 500,000 yuan, gazing in the direction leading to Shanghai. He knew that a game of wealth and opportunity was about to begin in that vibrant city, and he was ready.