Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

"We have now acquired Wing On Bank and Union Bank," He Damin explained. "In the future, more banks, and even other financial institutions, will join us. If these banks operate independently, it will be too inefficient and resources cannot be effectively integrated. Therefore, I want to establish a parent company to manage them in a unified manner."

He pointed to several clauses in the document and explained in detail: "This 'Global Banking Management Limited' is the parent company. Its responsibility is to coordinate the strategic planning, capital operation, personnel arrangements, and risk control of all its banks. In the future, the securities companies and insurance companies we acquire can also be placed under this management company to form a complete financial group."

Chen Xueru carefully examined the document, reading each clause word by word. Her brows furrowed slightly, as if she were deep in thought. After a while, she finally looked up, her gaze complex as she looked at He Damin.

"You... want me to step in?" She keenly sensed this from the wording of the documents and the drafting of some key positions.

"Yes." He Damin nodded without hesitation, his gaze honest and firm. "Xue Ru, you are the most suitable candidate. You are already on the board of directors of Yong An Bank and have a basic understanding of banking operations. I am also preparing to arrange a board seat for you at Union Bank. I hope you will serve as the chairman of the board of directors of this management company."

Chen Xueru fell silent. Her heart raced. She knew what this meant. It meant she would step from behind the scenes to the forefront, officially becoming the He family's representative in Hong Kong's financial world. This was not just a title, but a heavy responsibility. Although she had managed the "Red Star" auto repair shop in Beijing, with hundreds of employees and handling accounts, personnel, and customer relations impeccably, that was just an auto repair shop, completely different from the complex and ever-changing financial industry. Banks, on the other hand, were about the savings and wealth of countless households, allowing no room for error.

"Can...can I do it?" she asked softly, her voice tinged with uncertainty and self-doubt. She was afraid that she wasn't capable enough and would let He Damin down.

He Damin reached out and gently took her trembling hand, which rested on her knee. Her hand was soft and slightly cool. "You can do it." He looked into her eyes, his gaze gentle yet powerful. "I've seen your performance at 'Red Star' over the past three years. Hundreds of people, such a large operation, clear accounts, stable personnel, harmonious customer relationships—you've done an outstanding job. Now it's just a change of field, from repairing cars to managing a bank; the principles are the same—managing people and things. Besides, with me behind you, supporting you, what are you afraid of?"

Chen Xueru looked into He Damin's deep and determined eyes, eyes filled with trust and encouragement. A warm feeling welled up inside her, gradually dispelling her unease and doubts. She took a deep breath, her gaze hardening.

"Okay." She nodded emphatically. "I'll give it a try."

He Damin smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair: "It's not a 'try,' it's a 'must succeed.' There's nothing my woman can't do."

Chen Xueru blushed slightly at his words, playfully pushing him away, but a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips. Sunlight shone on her face, making her smile bright and confident.

The sunlight outside the window grew increasingly intense, illuminating the entire living room like a golden palace.

In the afternoon, He Damin sat alone in his study.

The study is spacious and bright. One wall is a huge floor-to-ceiling window offering a stunning panoramic view of Victoria Harbour. Another wall is a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, overflowing with books on everything from finance and economics to history and technology. The desk, made of precious rosewood, is large and heavy. Several documents are laid out on it: a draft of the articles of association for Global Banking Management Company, a shareholding structure diagram of Wing On Bank and Union Bank, a detailed analysis report of Hong Kong's financial market, and several hand-drawn sketches of bank branch layouts.

But He Damin's gaze wasn't on the documents. His fingers tapped unconsciously on the table, making a rhythmic thud. He was thinking, thinking about things further ahead, thinking about the blueprint for the future.

A bank is just the first step. Having his own bank gives him access to capital and leverage to stimulate the economy. But what he wants is more than that. The real future isn't paved with traditional bank counters and passbooks.

Images of convenient financial services from his past life flashed through his mind. The banks of the future would be invisible, ubiquitous. Customers wouldn't need to queue, fill out forms, or even step into a branch. They could simply sit at home or walk down the street, and with a few taps on a small screen, complete all their banking transactions—transfers, payments, wealth management, loans…

That's called a digital bank.

The foundation of digital banking is the Internet. The backbone of the Internet is the fiber optic cables laid on the seabed and underground.

Thinking of this, his eyes deepened. In his little world, Kobayashi Masao and his team were leading a group of carefully selected craftsmen he had brought into his space from the Japanese devils, working day and night to build the first fiber drawing tower for producing optical fibers, based on the blueprints he had provided. At the current pace, in about a month, they should be able to draw qualified glass fibers, the prototype of optical fibers.

But fiber optic cables alone are not enough. We also need more powerful and smaller computers, secure and convenient bank cards, and a global electronic payment network.

The concept of a bank card didn't exist until 1958 when Franklin National Bank in the United States issued the first true credit card. And the widespread adoption of the internet came decades later.

But he can wait.

He had enough funds—one billion taels of silver and one million two hundred thousand taels of gold. This enormous wealth was enough to leverage any project and support any wildly imaginative idea.

He had ample time—the lifespan of a Nascent Soul cultivator was nearly two thousand years—giving him enough patience to wait, to plan, and to witness the changing times.

He possesses technology ahead of his time—world-class knowledge of physics, chemistry, and engineering accumulated in his previous life, coupled with the precise control of the microscopic world and powerful spiritual strength of a Nascent Soul cultivator, enough to enable him to create unimaginable miracles in this era.

What he lacks most right now is people. People who truly understand technology, are capable of pioneering, and dare to innovate. While Masao Kobayashi and his team are loyal and possess certain skills, they are ultimately just executors, tools responsible for turning his ideas into reality. What he truly needs are top-tier talents who can understand his philosophy, conduct independent research and development, and manage a large technical team. Such talent needs to be found slowly and carefully cultivated.

He picked up a fountain pen from the table and slowly wrote a few words on a clean sheet of paper—

Fiber optic cable.

computer.

Bank card.

Payment network.

Then, at the very top of those words, he wrote four characters in bold—

Digital banking.

He put down his pen, staring at those words. His gaze seemed to pierce through the letter before him, taking him to a time decades ago, an era of information explosion and the Internet of Things. It was a long and challenging road, but he was confident he could walk it step by step.

As dusk settled outside the window, the setting sun bathed the entire study in a warm golden-red glow, casting a soft halo over the cold documents and books. On the sea, returning ships lit up their lights, their glow mingling with the evening sky.

"Knock, knock, knock." There was a gentle knock on the study door.

He Damin snapped out of his daze and gathered his thoughts.

"Come in."

The study door opened, and He Yushui poked her head in. Her hair was styled in two pigtails, and her face was flushed; she had clearly been playing outside. "Uncle, dinner's ready! Auntie made lots of delicious food, including your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs!"

Looking at his niece's vibrant little face, He Damin couldn't help but smile warmly. No matter how grand the future plans may be, the family in front of him is the most real warmth.

"Okay, coming right now." He stood up, gathered the documents on the table, and locked them in the desk drawer. Then, he strode towards the door.

As he passed the window, he took one last look at Victoria Harbour in the distance. The afterglow of the setting sun spilled across the sea, shimmering like scattered gold. He smiled slightly, turned, and left the study, leaving behind his grand plans and profound thoughts in that golden light. The laughter and joy at the dinner table were the most precious warmth of human connection at that moment.