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

The morning air in Shanghai carried the unique dampness of the Jiangnan region, with sunlight piercing through the thin mist and spilling onto the streets. Su Mingzhe drove an off-road vehicle from the Kyoto Military Region straight towards the designated issuance point for subscription certificates at the Shanghai Stock Exchange—the car didn't honk its horn much, but its conspicuous military license plate attracted the attention of pedestrians along the way.

"When we go in, you two need to keep a respectable attitude." Zhou Jin suddenly spoke when they were still a hundred meters away from the sales point, his tone calm and steady. "We are young masters from a prominent family in Kyoto. We are magnanimous but not ostentatious. We must not reveal our true background." He turned to look at Su Mingzhe and Chen Hongjun, his eyes sharp. "Being high-profile now is to let them know that we have connections, so that even if the subscription certificates increase in price in the future, they won't dare to provoke us easily; but we must not reveal our true background, lest it cause unnecessary trouble."

Su Mingzhe raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Don't worry, I know my limits." Chen Hongjun also nodded emphatically, straightened his back, and added a touch of deliberate arrogance to his tough military demeanor.

The SUV was parked prominently at the entrance of the sales point, its military insignia and special license plate instantly attracting the attention of everyone inside. The sales point was deserted; several staff members sat huddled together, looking worried. A mountain of subscription certificates lay on the table, and the progress chart on the wall showed that only 30% of the sales target assigned by superiors had been achieved, with the deadline fast approaching.

"Comrade, how can I help you?" Upon seeing the three walk in, a middle-aged staff member wearing glasses hurriedly came forward, his eyes showing a bit of professional enthusiasm, but more so an undisguised anxiety.

Zhou Jin walked in the middle, wearing a neatly ironed shirt, with an upright posture and a faint aloofness on her face. She spoke in a standard Kyoto accent: "We're here to buy stock subscription certificates."

"Subscription certificates?" The staff member paused for a moment, then a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes, but quickly turned to hesitation. "How many do you wish to purchase?"

"A limit of 500,000." Zhou Jin said calmly, as if she were talking about something perfectly ordinary.

"Five, five hundred thousand?!" The staff member's voice trembled with shock, and he nearly dropped his pen. Each subscription certificate cost 10 yuan, so 500,000 would be a full 50,000 certificates—an astronomical figure given the current sluggish sales of subscription certificates. He sized up the three men, especially noticing the faint military bearing on Su Mingzhe and Chen Hongjun, and the conspicuous military vehicle at the entrance. His suspicions grew. "Comrade, are you kidding? Such a large sum... we need to verify the source of the funds, and we need to confirm you're not... a speculator."

"Speculation?" Su Mingzhe stepped forward, pulled out his military identification from his pocket, and lightly patted it on the counter. The official seal on the identification was bright red and eye-catching. "We are responding to the national call to support the development of the capital market. The government issues subscription certificates to raise money for enterprises and revitalize the economy. Now, no one is buying them, enterprises cannot obtain funds, and the government is burdened. We are buying them to reduce the burden on the government. How can that be called speculation?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried the unique authority of a soldier. Coupled with the military vehicle at the door, it instantly made the staff lose their confidence. In 1993, the military had a dignified and sacred image, and local departments had always placed great trust in military personnel, especially one with a background from the Kyoto Military Region.

Zhou Jin added at the opportune moment, "The source of funds is absolutely legal and compliant. They are all family savings and legal income, and we are willing to cooperate with all registration procedures." As he spoke, he took out his bankbook and identity documents, "We are just doing what we should do to support national development. As for what will happen to these subscription certificates in the future, we have never considered it."

The staff member's doubts were completely dispelled, and the anxiety on their face was instantly replaced by ecstasy. They hurriedly called to their colleagues, "Quick! Make room for the best seats so that these colleagues can complete their procedures!" Other staff members in the business hall also gathered around, serving tea and water, and were incredibly enthusiastic—they had been waiting for this "big customer" for ages, who could not only complete part of their tasks but also report back to their superiors.

"Oh, right, we have a request." Zhou Jin suddenly spoke up as she watched the staff prepare to count the subscription certificates, "All subscription certificates must be consecutively numbered, and the original steel seals must remain intact; they cannot be opened."

"No problem! Absolutely!" the staff member replied quickly, and then turned around to ask the warehouse manager to retrieve the latest batch of unopened subscription certificates - consecutively numbered and unopened subscription certificates are easy to store and pose no difficulty for them.

The rest of the process went exceptionally smoothly. Zhou Jin filled out her personal information and explanation of the source of funds in detail as required, with every item being open and transparent, without any concealment. Su Mingzhe and Chen Hongjun stood to the side, sometimes nodding in agreement, sometimes glancing around the business hall. The confidence that emanated from their very bones made the occasional passersby hesitant to approach and inquire.

When the warehouse manager pushed out a dozen heavy metal crates, everyone held their breath—each crate contained neatly stacked subscription certificates sealed with steel strips, bundles with consecutive numbers, printed with the words "Shanghai Stock Subscription Certificates," exuding the fresh scent of ink. The staff counted them on the spot: 5 subscription certificates, not one missing, all consecutively numbered, and the steel seals intact.

Zhou Jin had Su Mingzhe and Chen Hongjun carefully check the seals and quantity. Only after confirming that everything was correct did she sign her name on the confirmation form. The moment the 500,000 yuan was deducted from the passbook, the staff in the business hall all breathed a sigh of relief, their faces full of relieved smiles.

"You comrades are truly doing practical things for the country!" The middle-aged staff member who had previously received Zhou Jin shook her hand, extremely excited. "Many people don't understand the significance of the subscription certificate and dare not buy it. With you leading the way, we have more confidence."

Zhou Jin smiled and said sincerely, "Actually, these subscription certificates are of great significance to the national economy. Buying them is supporting the reform of state-owned enterprises. With the funds, companies can expand production and create more jobs. You can also promote this point more so that more people understand and participate, which is the real way to support national development."

"Definitely! Definitely!" The staff nodded repeatedly, keeping Zhou Jin's words firmly in mind—this "young master" from Kyoto not only had a background, but also understood policies and had a broad perspective, so his words naturally carried a lot of weight.

As they left the sales point, Su Mingzhe and Chen Hongjun pushed the metal box ahead, with Zhou Jin following behind. A crowd of onlookers had already gathered at the entrance, whispering among themselves as they watched the military SUV and the heavy box, but no one dared to approach. The three of them carefully placed the box into the trunk, their movements swift and efficient, without exchanging a single word.

The SUV slowly drove away from the sales point. In the rearview mirror, staff members were still standing at the entrance waving. Chen Hongjun couldn't help but glance back at the trunk, grinning, "Jin'er, can these 5 subscription certificates really solve the country's problems like you say?"

"Of course." Zhou Jin gazed at the street scene rushing past the window, her eyes resolute. "We not only helped the country sell off the unsold purchase certificates, but we also raised funds for the companies. That in itself is a real contribution. As for the rest, let time do its work."

As Su Mingzhe gripped the steering wheel, his conviction grew stronger: "You made a brilliant move, accomplishing something practical while also leaving yourself an out. No wonder my dad is so supportive of you."

The SUV drove towards the military guesthouse, the 5 subscription certificates in the trunk like a sleeping treasure, quietly awaiting their future awakening. Zhou Jin knew that this was not only the starting point for his personal wealth accumulation, but also a solid step in fulfilling his original aspiration of "supporting national development"—in the wave of reform and opening up, he was steadily seizing opportunities and moving forward in his own way.