Chapter 167: The Legend of Zhou Ming

"Let me tell you, the development in Nanjing in the past month has been enormous, so much so that you can't even imagine it. Especially the securities company that started in mid-December. If you have the ability to open an account and trade stocks there, within a few days, you could become a millionaire!" 

A middle-aged man sitting in the aisle was boasting loudly. The people around him immediately agreed, with one person adding, "Yes, I know about that stock. Just like the newspapers said, it's gone crazy. I remember once I passed by the securities company; the square that I used to remember as large was now packed with people, at least a couple of thousand." 

"A couple of thousand?" The middle-aged man scoffed, "You underestimate the stock market. What you saw was just the outer layer of people. I tell you, there are at least ten thousand people every day at the securities company, waiting to open accounts and buy stocks. During the peak, even the streets were filled with people, maybe even a hundred thousand." 

"Really? That many people?" The person next to him looked very surprised. 

"Why not? Think about it, what can make you a millionaire in a few days? Stocks can. People are going crazy to grab them. I tell you, it's because the securities company put many restrictions in place, so many people couldn't even get a number to buy stocks. Otherwise, people coming from all over the country to open accounts could easily number in the millions," the middle-aged man explained. 

Everyone around gasped at this. Someone said, "But speaking of it, this stock craze also helped that Vice President Luo turn things around. I remember he used to be the vice president of Nanjing Development Bank, promoting the bank's stocks everywhere. Now he's created this securities company, and thanks to the stock craze, he's suddenly become famous. I know every day, hundreds of people block his way after work, just to get in touch with him and trade stocks!" 

The middle-aged man sneered, "Vice President Luo? What's so special about him? Let me tell you, Vice President Luo is just a figurehead put up by the Nanjing government. In reality, he's of no real importance. The one truly in charge of the securities company is a person named Zhou Ming." 

"Zhou Ming?" Someone next to him was taken aback, "I think I saw that name in the newspaper. Wasn't he just an advisor?" 

Not only did the people on the other side not expect this, but even Zhou Ming himself was surprised. Zhou Ming knew that many people on trains liked to chat and gossip about national affairs or interesting stories about leaders, and some even indulged in fantastical tales. However, he never thought that people on the train would be discussing him. 

This intrigued Zhou Ming, so he sat down in the nearby seat to listen to how they would talk about him. 

"Advisor? I told you that's just the surface. Actually, Zhou Ming is no ordinary person. He is the grandson of a key founding leader, who went to study in the U.S. and was even attacked by American spies upon his return…" 

Zhou Ming was drinking tea at the time, and he nearly spat it out when he heard this. The middle-aged man noticed the commotion and asked, "Don't you believe me?" 

Zhou Ming forced a smile and said, "I think Zhou Ming should be an ordinary person, without any special status, right?" 

"You really are out of touch!" the middle-aged man said, "How could Zhou Ming be an ordinary person? If he were, how could he create such a miraculous securities company? And I heard that the Nanjing Nightclub is also his property. You might not know this, but he was once surrounded by hundreds of people in Port City because of his identity. He was trying to steal stock data from Western countries, which led to the army being mobilized in Baiyun City, including planes, submarines, and many underground parties, to rescue him." 

Zhou Ming was dumbfounded by this account. He wanted to ask, "When did I have such an experience like in an American blockbuster?" 

But that was just a fleeting thought. After all, train conversations are often exaggerated. If you take them seriously, you've lost. Zhou Ming knew that once a person became famous, people tended to concoct bizarre legendary stories about them, as if fame couldn't exist without these stories. 

For example, the stories of "Zhuge Liang's Three Kingdoms" and "Liu Bowen's Unified Empire" or the strange anecdotes about national leaders and celebrities' gossip are often just people's imagination, right? 

Perhaps now, there's just one more legend to add: "Stock Market Legend Zhou Ming." 

Zhou Ming shook his head helplessly, and his attitude was noticed by the middle-aged man, who became displeased. 

He said to Zhou Ming, "Why don't you believe me? Let me tell you something else. You should know about the stock market crash at the end of last month, right? That crash almost drove all the investors to despair. Thousands of investors gathered in the square, storming the securities company. The city deployed hundreds of armed police and security forces, but they couldn't stop them. The glass at the securities company's entrance was all smashed, and they even fired shots, but it still didn't help." 

Hearing this, someone asked, "I know about the stock market crash, but was it really that serious? Wasn't it almost a rebellion?" 

"Not exactly a rebellion, but it was serious. Imagine losing tens of thousands of yuan in a day; anyone would collapse!" the middle-aged man said. 

"How did it get resolved in the end? I saw in the newspaper that it was resolved in a day," someone else asked. 

"It was all thanks to Zhou Ming," the middle-aged man said. "At that time, nobody in Nanjing, from the municipal committee to the armed police, could handle it. They even considered calling the military from the province to suppress the situation. But just then, Zhou Ming stepped up. He stood in front of all the investors, calmed everyone down, and persuaded them to go home." 

This answer left everyone incredulous. Someone immediately questioned, "Is that possible? There were tens of thousands of people, and even the police and armed forces couldn't stop them. How could one person manage that?" 

"That's his greatness!" the middle-aged man said. "You don't know, but his words have a kind of magical power. Everyone is unconsciously persuaded by him." 

"Does he really have such ability?" someone asked. 

The middle-aged man puffed up his chest, "Of course! You haven't seen it, but I was there. Tens of thousands of people surrounded the securities company, but when Zhou Ming walked out, the previously angry crowd immediately quieted down. He didn't even need to speak, just smiled, and everyone felt guilty and realized how wrong their actions were. In the end, Zhou Ming severely criticized those rioting investors, and they left on their own." 

Hearing the middle-aged man's story, not only were the people around excited, but even Zhou Ming himself was fascinated. He had never realized that his actions could be described in such an epic manner, making him question if those stories were really about him. 

The middle-aged man turned his gaze to Zhou Ming, "Young man, do you believe it now?" 

Zhou Ming hurriedly nodded, "I believe it. Whether others believe it or not is up to them; I believe it anyway." 

Then Zhou Ming stood up and asked them to make way, walking past the aisle to the middle of the car to get hot water. As he filled his cup, he couldn't help but smile at the absurdity of the stories he'd just heard. 

The tale of being attacked by hundreds of people in Port City was just about helping Qiao Weijiang clean up his mess, not involving any army rescuing him. Persuading investors was also a small part of it, with only a few thousand people involved and the police maintaining order. Zhou Ming managed to calm them down with a bit of luck and the police's help, not the exaggerated story being told. And that magical power of persuasion? He might as well be a god in their eyes. 

Zhou Ming sighed, thinking how much easier it would be if the stories were true. If he were really a grandchild of a founding leader and had the military to back him up, he wouldn't have to work so hard. 

But then he remembered that being reborn itself was an extraordinary event. Adding more extraordinary elements to it didn't really matter. 

With this thought, Zhou Ming turned off the faucet and prepared to return to his seat, but as he turned around, he was startled to see a group of people standing behind him. These were the same people who had been discussing him earlier, now staring at him with astonished and excited expressions. 

"Do you... need something?" Zhou Ming asked. 

At first, no one answered. After a while, someone finally spoke up, "Are you... Zhou Ming?" 

This question took Zhou Ming by surprise. They hadn't recognized him earlier when he was sitting there, so how did they recognize him now? 

The question was soon answered when someone pulled out a newspaper with Zhou Ming's photo. Zhou Ming realized they must have seen his picture earlier. 

"Is this the Zhou Ming you were talking about? He looks just like me!" Zhou Ming said with feigned surprise, not daring to admit it. Seeing their excited expressions, he feared that if he admitted it, he wouldn't be able

 to sit quietly on the train. 

"You're... not Zhou Ming?" someone asked again. 

"Of course not. If I were Zhou Ming, I should have a private jet. I'm the grandchild of a core national leader, don't you think?" Zhou Ming countered. 

Despite still being somewhat doubtful, the group had no choice but to believe him. 

Zhou Ming laughed to himself. Now he understood why celebrities need to disguise themselves when going out. Being recognized can really be a hassle.