Chapter 366: The Boss from the Previous Life

"Zhou Ming, what are you doing? Why are you talking to someone like him for no reason? Don't tell me you really have the insight to see that he's an extraordinary person."

On the way to the café, Du Peng whispered to Zhou Ming, his face full of disbelief.

In his view, Zhou Ming's actions were completely incomprehensible. A person had come over, insulted him, and even tried to attack him, and instead of being angry, Zhou Ming decided to have a serious conversation with him. What was going on? Could it be that Zhou Ming had developed a Buddha-like compassion or truly understood the profound essence of repaying evil with virtue? Otherwise, it made no sense!

If there was any logic to this, it could only be that this Xia Lang was a remarkable talent. However, from Xia Lang's recent performance, though he showed some admirable qualities in dealing with them, he was just an ordinary person among millions in China. Zhou Ming might think he was exceptional, or maybe there was something Du Peng hadn't noticed.

Zhou Ming glanced at Du Peng and, understanding his thoughts, knew that Du Peng was puzzled about why he was treating Xia Lang differently.

In fact, Xia Lang didn't possess any particularly extraordinary traits; everything about him was quite ordinary. The only difference was that he had a strong sense of self-awareness and was open to others' opinions. However, this alone wouldn't justify the special treatment he was receiving. The real reason for Zhou Ming's actions was another unexplainable factor: Xia Lang was Zhou Ming's boss in his previous life.

Zhou Ming sighed inwardly, surprised by how small the world seemed. Even though he had decided to live a different life after being reborn, encountering familiar people or situations from his past life always made him reflect. This was true when he met Su Han before, and now with Xia Lang as well.

In his previous life, Zhou Ming had worked for Xia Lang's company. After getting drunk with a client one time, he found himself reborn back to 1987.

Seeing his former boss again, Zhou Ming felt a sense of nostalgia. In his previous life, Xia Lang had taken good care of him, often taking him out to meet clients and teaching him business strategies. Zhou Ming's achievements later on were significantly influenced by Xia Lang's guidance.

Of course, Xia Lang now was not a big company boss but a businessman just beginning to take advantage of national policies.

Regardless of what Zhou Ming had been like in his past life, after being reborn, he had come to believe in destiny to some extent. Meeting his former boss in this life might just be a coincidence, but he felt he should do something about it.

In his previous life, Xia Lang had put Zhou Ming on the right path, so perhaps in this life, Zhou Ming could help Xia Lang find his path again. It seemed like a good choice.

This was Zhou Ming's internal calculation, but it was something he couldn't share with anyone. Even in the era more than twenty years later, when rebirth stories were prevalent, few people would believe in such things. In the present, it was almost a joke to most people.

With this in mind, Zhou Ming told Du Peng, "The reason is quite simple. Did you notice his eyes earlier? They were resolute and unyielding, reminding me of my past self. So I decided to talk to him. After all, I don't have any special ability to judge a person's essence at first glance. To understand someone, you have to interact with them more."

"Fine, Zhou Ming, you're different from everyone else. Do whatever you want," Du Peng said helplessly, clearly not convinced by Zhou Ming but resigned to it.

Zhou Ming and Du Peng led Xia Lang and his brother to the café. They first sat down and then asked the brothers to sit across from them.

Perhaps because they had never been to a café before, Xia Lang and his brother appeared nervous. Xia Lang was better composed, but his brother had completely lost his previous aggression, sitting there as stiff as a student.

Zhou Ming observed them but didn't comment. He said, "Go ahead. I don't think the situation is just about your money being trapped. It shouldn't warrant this level of hostility."

"Yes, it's just my brother's impulsiveness. He didn't consider the situation at all!" Xia Lang explained.

"Is that really all there is to it?" Zhou Ming asked, raising his tone slightly, clearly not believing Xia Lang's answer.

Xia Lang looked awkward and then said, "Mr. Zhou, I'm sorry to say this, but the situation is actually like this. When Jinpeng Company suddenly suspended trading, many people's money was trapped in the stock market, and some people said you had run off with the money. That's why my brother holds such hatred towards you. It's really unfortunate."

"It has nothing to do with you. It's just someone spreading rumors about me," Zhou Ming replied with a smile.

"So, you didn't run off with the money?" Xia Lang's brother asked, and Xia Lang immediately slapped him, scolding him, "What are you talking about? Do you still need to ask this? Can't you see what kind of person Mr. Zhou is? How could he possibly do such a thing? This is definitely someone spreading malicious rumors and slandering Mr. Zhou!"

Zhou Ming waved his hand dismissively, "Alright, don't be so harsh. Now, I'd like to ask you how much money you've lost in my Jinpeng stock."

"Thirty thousand yuan. That's the money my brother and I worked hard to earn over two years!"

Xia Lang's brother said proudly, but he was quickly kicked by Xia Lang, realizing that Zhou Ming, who sat across from them, was a truly legendary figure in China. Others earned hundreds of millions annually, while their thirty thousand yuan was insignificant and not worth flaunting.

Zhou Ming smiled, not to mock them but because he genuinely felt he had no right to ridicule them.

In an era where the average monthly income was only a few hundred yuan, thirty thousand was indeed not a small amount. Without being reborn, it would have taken Zhou Ming several years to earn such an amount.

"Thirty thousand is indeed not a small sum, and I understand it's not easy for you to come up with that money. Here's the deal: I can help you find a solution," Zhou Ming said.

Xia Lang's brother's eyes lit up, but after their previous experiences, he didn't dare speak out again and waited for Xia Lang to respond, "Mr. Zhou, does this mean you're going to refund us the money?"

Zhou Ming shook his head, "You know that I founded the stock market in Nanjiang and set the rules. Since the regulatory authorities have required a suspension and investigation of a particular stock, all funds and accounts must be frozen for potential investigation. If I were to give you the money, it would violate the rules I've set, which is not my style."

This answer left Xia Lang and his brother somewhat disappointed. Although Zhou Ming's reasoning was reasonable, their disappointment was only brief. Zhou Ming's next words renewed their hope.

"However, as the saying goes, it's better to teach a man to fish than to give him fish. I can't give you the money directly, but I can teach you how to make money. Isn't that better?" Zhou Ming offered.

"But Mr. Zhou, I've attended your lectures and haven't seen much improvement," Xia Lang's brother said.

Xia Lang immediately slapped him and scolded him before turning to Zhou Ming, "I'm sorry for his behavior. To receive direct guidance from Mr. Zhou is a fortune we could hardly hope for."

Zhou Ming smiled again, this time appreciating the bond between Xia Lang and his brother. If earlier Zhou Ming said Xia Lang reminded him of his past self, now he felt it was a serious connection.

Xia Lang indeed had similarities to Zhou Ming's past self—both were struggling at the bottom and carried a humble yet determined heart, able to bow their heads but never bend their will. Especially Xia Lang's brother, with his straightforward and blunt nature, reminded Zhou Ming of his own brother from his youth. Back then, Zhou Ming had also guided him, correcting his mistakes with a firm hand. Seeing Xia Lang and his brother was like a reminder of his past.

With his rebirth, the old Zhou Ming was gone, but meeting Xia Lang and his brother now felt like destiny.

Since they had met, he felt he should do something. 

With this thought, Zhou Ming told Xia Lang, "Alright, you don't need to flatter me. I have principles. I'll say what needs to be said and won't be swayed by flattery."

"Understood, Mr. Zhou. I was too hasty," Xia Lang said, straightening his posture, as if the conversation had elevated his perception of Zhou Ming.

"You don't need to be so formal," Zhou Ming said. "Before we start our formal discussion, I need to ask you a question: What exactly is the problem with your factory? If it's just money being trapped, you wouldn't be this agitated. There must be other issues. Tell me everything, okay?"

Xia Lang was initially stunned, then he sighed and said, "Mr. Zhou, you're truly an idol for businesspeople across South Jiang and even the entire country. You're smart. It's not just the money. Our factory is facing a huge problem, which is why my brother acted impulsively."