The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 774 "Rising Star"!!!
domestic.

Time flew by and the new century arrived. Compared to forty years ago, Liujiazhuang had undergone earth-shattering changes.

Yanjing is ultimately the Yanjing of the Xia people, and the Yanjing of the world.

As the new millennium began, with the continuous development of the city and the continuous optimization and upgrading of industries, Yanjing's urban attractiveness also increased. The original urban scale could no longer support too many people, and the population in the city center gradually migrated to the suburbs. Liujiazhuang area, with its good economic location advantage, became another major residential area in Yanjing.

As the CBD and high-tech internet sectors continue to mature, Liujiazhuang, which is influenced by multiple core business districts, was also planned last year as the second business center after CY.

In the past, this poor mountain village had a population of less than two thousand and its land area was only Liujiazhuang on the west bank of the Yongding River. Who would have thought that it would become one of the most economically developed districts in Yanjing City?

Today, Liujiazhuang is a bustling metropolis of skyscrapers and traffic, with neon-lit office buildings housing elites from all over the world. Wide asphalt roads have replaced the muddy paths of the past, and a network of subway lines connects the area closely to the city center. Every night, the vibrant commercial districts teem with people, and upscale restaurants, trendy bars, and flagship stores of international brands stand side by side, showcasing the vitality and charm of a modern metropolis.

The villagers of Liujiazhuang, who had farmed and hunted for generations, moved into a modern, upscale residential community more than 20 years ago.

The elderly people in the village often sit in the community garden, gazing at the afterglow of the setting sun reflected in the glass curtain wall, and are filled with emotion.

They still remember that forty years ago, these iron forests were barren farmland, and the village children had to walk more than ten miles to go to school in town.

Now, universities, vocational colleges, international schools, top-tier hospitals, stadiums, and large CBD shopping centers are right at our doorstep, and our lives have undergone earth-shattering changes.

In the bustling East Bank Central Business District of Liujiazhuang, a uniquely designed skyscraper stands out.

This is the "Tower of the Future," designed by internationally renowned architect I.M. Pei, and has now become a new landmark in Yanjing City.

I.M. Pei was a Chinese-American architect, the 83 Pritzker Prize winner, and was hailed as "the last master of modern architecture".

His works mainly consist of public and educational buildings, and are classified as modernist architecture. He makes good use of steel, concrete, glass and stone. Representative works include the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art and the Louvre Museum expansion project.

The "Tower of the Future" is located in the most economically developed eastern district of Liujiazhuang. Designed by I.M. Pei & Associates, it has 118 floors above ground and 5 floors below ground. The core tube structure is 585.6 meters high, and the total height is 599 meters. After its completion in August 1998, it became the tallest building in Beijing and even China, and the third largest skyscraper in the world.

主体结构采用“巨柱-核心筒-外伸臂”抗侧力体系，配置8根承载力超7万吨的巨型钢骨混凝土柱，应用高精度定位技术实现600米高度建造误差仅2毫米，并在100层设置两个500吨调谐质量阻尼器。

The total construction area is 42 square meters, including Grade A office buildings, commercial podiums and a 118-story observation deck.

This "tallest building in China" is adjacent to the Liujiazhuang East Bank District Shopping Center and opposite the "Liujiazhuang High-tech Development Zone" Convention and Exhibition Center, with a total land area of ​​1.8 square meters.

The "Tower of the Future" enjoys the convenient transportation system of Liujiazhuang: there are subway lines 11 and 13 underground, as well as a high-speed rail line.
The ground level has a comprehensive public transportation network; a three-dimensional transportation system is built on the two floors above ground to connect with the surrounding building complex.

The "Tower of the Future" has a total investment of 15 billion yuan and has become the headquarters of the "Liu's Financial Holdings Group" since its completion.

Every weekend, many tourists from other places make a special trip to visit and overlook this revitalized new urban area from the observation deck.

Liu Zhiyuan, the current chairman of Liu's Financial Holdings Group, is the eldest grandson of Liu Yuanhai, the former village chief.

Liu Zhiyuan was one of the earliest outstanding members of his generation to study abroad. He graduated from MIT, a top-ranked university, and completed his bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in one year.

Because of his excellent academic performance during his school years, he was well-liked by his supervisor and later went to JPMorgan Chase for an internship on his supervisor's recommendation.

For five long years, Liu Zhiyuan became a Wall Street elite.

During those five years, Liu Zhiyuan rose from an intern to a senior financial analyst at Morgan Stanley Investment Bank.

A few years ago, on the eve of the South American financial crisis, Liu Zhiyuan, with his keen market sense, decisively led his team to withdraw from high-risk assets, saving JPMorgan Chase billions of dollars in losses.

This feat made him famous on Wall Street and also attracted the attention of the domestic financial community.

At this time, his elderly grandfather, Liu Yuanhai, called him several times, hoping that he could return to China to help develop the family's financial group.

After careful consideration, Liu Zhiyuan resolutely gave up his life abroad five years ago and returned to his hometown to take over the family's financial investment group.

He combined advanced international financial concepts with local realities and carried out sweeping reforms on the various companies under his family's control.

Under his leadership, Liu's Financial Holdings Group has gradually expanded from an Asian regional financial institution to a world-class mega-financial institution, going beyond its borders and Asia.

A comprehensive financial giant whose business covers banking, securities, insurance, investment, funds, venture capital, and industry.

From Liu Zhiyuan's chairman's office, one can overlook the bustling scene of the entire Liujiazhuang area through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows.

He often stood by the window, deep in thought, pondering how to steer this financial behemoth towards a broader future.

Recently, Liu Zhiyuan has been planning an ambitious project called "Digital Financial Port," which aims to transform the Liujiazhuang area into a leading global financial technology innovation center.

His project received strong support from the Liu family and the "Liujiazhuang High-tech Development Zone".

Thanks to Liu Zhiyuan's efforts, the Liujiazhuang area has now attracted dozens of internationally renowned financial institutions and technology companies.

He personally led a team to New York, Silicon Valley, the City of London and other places to study and learn, and to introduce the most cutting-edge financial technology concepts and technologies.

At the same time, he also established the "Liu's Young Financial Talents Program" to fund outstanding young people in China to study abroad.

The changes in Liujiazhuang continue.

Not far from the "Tower of the Future," a modern museum that blends traditional architectural elements is under construction.

This place will showcase the transformation of Liujiazhuang from an impoverished mountain village into a "Pearl of Yanjing" and record the story of the struggles of several generations of the Liu family.

Liu Zhiyuan specifically instructed the designer to set aside a special exhibition area in the museum to display old photos and farming tools of his grandfather Liu Yuanhai and other older generations who led the villagers to reclaim wasteland and cultivate the land.

"One must never forget one's roots." This is a phrase that Liu Zhiyuan often says to his employees.

Even on the busiest workdays, he would take time to return to the Liu family compound to visit the elders of his family and listen to their stories of the past.

The stories of these older generations' struggles will become the driving force for him to lead the family business forward.

Liu Zhiyuan stood in front of the panoramic floor-to-ceiling window on the 88th floor of the Future Tower, looking down at the land that was once a barren mountain.

His grandfather, Liu Yuanhai, was the first village head of Liujiazhuang after the founding of the People's Republic of China. The scene of Liu Yuanhai leading the villagers to reclaim wasteland is still vivid in his mind.

Today, what rises on this land is not just skyscrapers, but also a microcosm of an era.

The afterglow of the setting sun gilded the glass curtain wall with a layer of gold, while the shimmering waves of the Yongding River in the distance reflected the neon lights of the CBD.

Liu Zhiyuan recalled that twenty years ago, when he first went to study in the United States, the eastern bank of Liujiazhuang was not as prosperous as it is now.

Today, the "Liu's Financial Holdings Group" alone controls 500 listed companies and invests in thousands of unlisted companies, managing assets exceeding trillions of yuan.

Today, the "Liu's Financial Holdings Group" is a world-class mega-financial group, ranking fourth globally, only behind JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and BlackRock. Liu Zhiyuan took a sip of his coffee, his gaze falling on the "Digital Financial Port Planning Scheme" on his desk.

This blueprint, which embodies more than a year of hard work by him and his team, will be formally submitted at next week's board meeting.

Just then, his Huawei phone on his desk vibrated. It was a message from his chief secretary: "Chairman, JPMorgan Chase Asia Pacific President Badersbell and his delegation have arrived at our group's reception room. They arrived half an hour early, saying they want to tour our group building..."

Liu Zhiyuan picked up the Huawei Mate 2 full-color 256-color phone and sent a text message: "Got it!"

The Mate 2 color screen phone in his hand is the second-generation color screen phone developed by Huawi Communication Group, a key investment of the company.

The Mate series is the world's first 256-color screen mobile phone launched by Huawei in August last year. It adopts STN color screen technology and has a resolution of 101×80 pixels.

This model supports tri-band networks (GSM900/1800/1900), GPRS data transmission, and Bluetooth technology, pioneering the wireless transmission function of mobile phones.

其流线型机身设计（尺寸101×48×19mm，重85克）兼具科技感与便携性，内置WAP 2.0浏览器、EMS短信和510条通讯录容量6。

As one of the first mobile phones independently developed by the Huawei brand, the Mate series' color screen display technology has driven the industry's transition from monochrome screens to color screens.

When the Mate 1 was launched, its stunning design immediately caused a sensation in the communications field.

Consumers were pleasantly surprised to find that mobile phones could be so exquisite and elegant, completely shedding the stereotypical image of traditional "brick-like" phones.

This groundbreaking product redefined people's understanding of mobile communication devices.

Then, the Mate 2, which was just launched in April this year, achieved a comprehensive breakthrough on this basis:

The phone is now thinner and lighter, with a significantly larger screen display area. It also features an innovative ringback tone function and an external camera, making mobile photography a completely new experience.

Since being acquired by "Liu's Financial", the Liu family has paid close attention to Huawi Group, resulting in its exceptionally rapid development.

Founded in 1987, Warwick is now one of the world’s leading providers of ICT (information and communication) infrastructure and smart devices.

The group currently has 100,000 employees, operates in more than 100 countries and regions, and serves more than two billion people worldwide.

Under Mr. Ren's leadership, over the past decade, Huawei has continuously collaborated with industry organizations and ecosystem partners in various fields, including government, industry, academia, research, and application, contributing standard proposals, industry insights, and technical solutions to the industry, thereby promoting industrial development and technological progress.

Over the past decade or so, Huawi has invested more than RMB 10 billion in research and development, and 30% of its annual revenue is used for R&D.

Currently, Warwick holds more than 6.5 valid authorized patents worldwide, and this number is growing every moment.

Huawi Group has moved beyond the initial stage of focusing on survival and technological accumulation, and establishing itself in the market through independent research and development of program-controlled switches;

They are in the second phase of rapid internationalization and diversification, striving to expand overseas markets and introduce management changes;

The goal of the third phase is to achieve global leadership and become a global leader in telecommunications equipment.

Having gathered his thoughts for the negotiation, Liu Zhiyuan rose from his large executive chair, straightened his suit and tie, and strode towards the elevator.

Through the glass curtain wall of the elevator, he saw several high-end black Mercedes-Benz cars parked in the plaza below, and JPMorgan Chase executives were touring the group's lobby.

This reminded him of his days on Wall Street, and now his former employer was making a special trip to visit the family business he was in charge of. This role reversal made him smile.

When I entered the reception room, Bardsbell was intently admiring the before-and-after comparison picture of Liujiazhuang on the wall.

Upon seeing Liu Zhiyuan enter, the blond, blue-eyed financier warmly opened his arms: "Hi, Liu, long time no see! Your 'Digital Financial Harbor' concept is truly amazing! We at JPMorgan Chase hope to get involved as well."

Liu Zhiyuan smiled and shook hands with Badsbell, his eyes sparkling with confidence: "Hi! Badsbell, welcome to Liu's Financial, my old friend."

Digital Financial Port is indeed part of our group…

……

On the plaza below the "Future Star" building, a group of middle school students in school uniforms are visiting the science and technology exhibition hall of the Future Tower.

Among them may be descendants of the original inhabitants of Liujiazhuang, but they no longer show any trace of rural children.

These young people are confident and outgoing. They can communicate fluently in foreign languages ​​with foreign tourists, and their eyes sparkle with anticipation for the future.

As night falls, the building's lighting system activates instantly, making the Tower of the Future resemble a dazzling diamond set against the city skyline.

At the Cloud Restaurant on the 108th floor, three-Michelin-starred chefs are busy preparing a welcome dinner for their guests.

At the international conference center on the 75th floor of the "Future Star" building, a cooperation negotiation between two large financial groups has just begun.

Liu Zhiyuan and Badersbell took their seats in the reception room, where a waiter served them specially made Longjing tea.

Amidst the fragrant aroma of tea, Badsbell's gaze was frequently drawn to the projection in the center of the reception room—where a 3D model of the "Digital Financial Harbor" was being dynamically displayed.

“Liu, the concept of this fintech ecosystem is amazing.” Bardsbell pointed to the constantly flowing data stream on the projection. “In particular, this cross-border settlement system in the district has an amazing complementarity with the JPM project that Morgan is currently promoting.”

Liu Zhiyuan gently swirled his teacup and smiled, "This is precisely the area of ​​cooperation I want to focus on discussing."

We have already built an online payment platform covering 15 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, but we need global partners like Morgan Stanley to penetrate the European and American markets.

“Liu, I’d like to learn more about your domestic online shopping platform, ‘Taobao.’ How is it different from our Amazon…” Badesbell was clearly well-prepared.

“No problem. Jack Ma from the ‘Ali’ Group will be coming to our company headquarters tomorrow. I think it would be most appropriate for him to introduce you personally…” Liu Zhiyuan replied with a smile.

“Good, I’m looking forward to meeting your legendary Mr. Ma. I heard he’s really a foreign language teacher…” Badsbel shrugged and smiled.

"Hehe, Old Ma will answer that for you."

"It's getting late, Bud. We've prepared a welcome banquet for you on the top floor. Some of our district's leaders and entrepreneurs will be attending..." Liu Zhiyuan stood up and invited the group of representatives sent by Morgan.

"Thank you, thank you for your hospitality..." Badsbel was very satisfied upon hearing this. The Liu family was very sincere, and he was full of confidence for this trip to Liu Family Village.

On the other side of the banquet hall, several local entrepreneurs were having a lively discussion with Morgan's representatives.

Liu Zhiyuan noticed that among them was Mr. Ren from Huawei, whose eyes, behind his signature black-rimmed glasses, remained as sharp as ever.

This tech-savvy leader is explaining the future application prospects of 3G technology in the field of communications in fluent English.

(End of this chapter)