Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

Early autumn of 1973, Hong Kong.

Just as dawn was breaking, the villa on Victoria Peak was like a lively little sparrow's nest, filled with the sounds of children laughing, washing up, Chen Xueru's gentle urging, and the aroma of fried eggs and milk wafting from the kitchen, all blending together in a warm and cozy atmosphere. But now, with the six little ones carrying their schoolbags and safely taken to school by the driver, the entire building suddenly became empty, so quiet that you could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall.

He Damin sat at the heavy rosewood desk in his study, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the smooth, cool surface. A thick stack of documents lay on the desk, their kraft paper covers worn and frayed at the edges—this was an asset list that John and several others had spent a month compiling.

The sunlight streamed in at an angle through the window, casting shimmering patches of light on the dark brown tabletop, like scattered gold dust. A breeze rustled the leaves, and the patches of light swayed gently in its wake.

He picked up the celadon teacup beside him; the cup was slightly cool. He took a sip and realized that the Longjing tea inside had long since cooled, losing its delicate fragrance and leaving only a faint astringent taste. He didn't mind, casually setting the cup down and turning to the first page of the list.

[Cultivation Chapter]

Current realm: Mid-stage Perfection of the Divine Transformation Realm.

Upon seeing these words, He Damin understood perfectly. He was just one thin layer of paper away from reaching the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm. He could clearly "see" his own primordial spirit sitting steadily on the lotus platform in his Purple Mansion, surrounded by a faint layer of purple mist. Compared to five years ago, the mist was much thicker and more solid, like a real cloud.

A cultivator's lifespan is five hundred years for the Golden Core stage, one thousand years for the Nascent Soul stage, and two thousand years for the Deity Transformation stage. He did some quick calculations and realized he was only in his early forties. Among cultivators, he was incredibly young, practically a "young man." What was the rush? There was plenty of time.

Chen Xueru: The initial stage of Golden Core is stable.

Thinking of his wife, He Damin's lips curved into a smile. Five years ago, when she was pregnant with those sextuplets, she had just touched the edge of her Golden Core stage and needed to stabilize it. But instead, carrying six little ones, most of her true energy had to be used to nourish the children, and her own cultivation was like a brake being applied, barely moving. After the children were born, she tirelessly breastfed, changed diapers, and took care of the whole family until the children were older. It took her two whole years to make up for the depletion and finally get back on the right path of cultivation. It wasn't easy.

He Yushui: Mid-stage of Foundation Building.

This girl has been training with Xue Ru for a few years, and her talent is actually quite good, but her mind isn't on it. When she talks about business or negotiating contracts, her eyes light up—she's much more enthusiastic than when she's meditating or practicing breathing exercises. He Damin is too lazy to pressure her; everyone has their own ambitions, and as long as she's happy, that's all that matters.

He Yuzhu: Peak of Qi Refining Stage.

His beloved older brother was even more of an "oddball." He had absolutely no interest in cultivation, preferring to spend all his time around the stove, tossing and cooking, and researching new recipes. He Damin would occasionally give him a couple of basic body-refining techniques to keep his body strong and prevent him from getting sick, and that was enough.

Six children: all are between the third and fifth levels of the Qi Refining stage.

He Damin looked at the group and felt incredibly satisfied, his smile impossible to hide. He had been teaching them breathing exercises and meditation since they were just three years old and could sit up straight. The little ones all inherited Xue Ru's talent, and each one was quite good. Among them, Yuanping was the easiest to manage; he could sit still, had good comprehension, and had already reached the fifth level of Qi Refining, making him the top student among the children.

In stark contrast to Yuan Ping was Yuan An, that kid was as mischievous as a monkey. When asked to meditate, he'd wriggle and twist as if nails were stuck to his bottom. His cultivation was also at the bottom, only at the third level of Qi Refining. The two girls, Yuan Ning and Yuan Jing, were well-behaved, neither outstanding nor lagging behind. The twins, Yuan Qing and Yuan Kang, followed their older siblings like little tails, neither too fast nor too slow, and weren't bad at all.

He Damin gently closed the page on cultivation, thinking to himself: As for cultivation, let nature take its course. I won't force them to become top experts. As long as they live a healthy and peaceful life and can live to be a hundred or eighty years old, that's better than anything else.

[Bank Section]

Global Bank.

Upon seeing these words, He Damin was reminded of the days when he started from scratch, opening his business in a small rented office in Hong Kong. More than a decade has passed in the blink of an eye, and the bank has grown into a large, flourishing tree with branches in 47 countries around the world.

Total assets exceed US$80 billion.

Total deposits amount to US$56 billion.

The total loan amount is US$32 billion.

The non-performing loan ratio is 0.2 percent.

The number of bank card users has exceeded 50 million, and the monthly transaction volume has exceeded 20 billion US dollars.

The online banking system is operating stably and has become the world's largest electronic payment network.

Looking at the densely packed numbers, He Damin felt little emotional. Eight hundred billion US dollars—in 1973, this was an astronomical figure that could make anyone faint, but to him, it seemed like just a few more zeros on a balance sheet, cold and impersonal. He even felt that the aroma of Xue Ru's freshly cooked soup was more tangible.

He ran his fingers across the pages and continued turning the pages.

[Internet and Communication]

Communications satellites: Thirty-six satellites are in orbit, like thirty-six bright eyes, overlooking the entire Earth, with signal coverage worldwide. This "Spark Communications Constellation" earns approximately $1.2 billion annually from data relay services alone.

Positioning satellites: Twenty-four are in orbit, providing precise global positioning services. Not many people use this yet, but He Damin knows it will become popular. Annual revenue is approximately $800 million.

Fiber optic networks: Hong Kong's local fiber optic network already stretches across the entire territory like a spider web, connecting all major business districts and government institutions at incredibly high speeds. The network in Southeast Asia is still being laid, with cables being laid one by one, and is expected to be completed next year. The networks in Europe and America are connected via submarine cables, and the key nodes are firmly in the hands of the Ho family.

Looking at this section, He Damin couldn't help but smile again. This network is at least fifty years ahead of the world. Just imagine how convenient it will be for people to know what's happening in the world while sitting at home, and to chat across thousands of miles.

[Chip and Patent Section]

Spark Technology.

That's where his true confidence comes from.

It owns 60% of the world's chip patents, 70% of fiber optic communication patents, and 50% of mobile communication patents.

Following this is a long list of licensed companies: Intel, AMD, IBM, Motorola, Siemens, Ericsson, NEC, Fujitsu, Samsung, TSMC... all big names.

These patent licenses alone bring in a steady income of approximately $4.5 billion annually.

The chip production line: hidden away in a small world, it's perfectly safe. There are three production lines, each capable of producing 300,000 high-performance processors per month. Some of these chips are used in their own Spark Technologies equipment, while the rest are sold to major electronics manufacturers worldwide, generating $1.8 billion annually.

Upon seeing this, He Damin couldn't help but laugh out loud. These patents were the real "money trees," the kind that grow money on their own without needing watering or fertilizing. They didn't need to bother building factories or traveling the world to promote their products; they could just sit at home and collect licensing fees, enough to support their family for generations.

[Manufacturing Industry Shares]

Automotive industry:

Rolls-Royce: 25% stake, market value approximately $600 million. That's a prestigious brand.

Bentley: 20% stake, market value approximately $300 million. Similar to Rolls-Royce, both are toys for the wealthy.

Ferrari: 15% stake, market value approximately $400 million. It runs like the wind; that kid Yuan An will definitely love it.

Porsche: 12% stake, market value approximately $500 million. Also a sports car brand.

Lotus Cars: Wholly owned subsidiary, with a market capitalization of approximately US$100 million. The acquisition was purely for fun.

There are also some scattered shares in other car brands, which together have a total market value of about $300 million.

Private jets:

Gulfstream Aerospace: 30% stake, market capitalization approximately $800 million. From now on, our family will rely on it for travel.

Dassault Falcon: 20% stake, market capitalization approximately $500 million. Having an extra one is always a good idea.