Chapter 5: Zhou Ming from Nanjing

"Wow! Is this banquet really that important? I didn't expect so many big names to be here!"

Beside Zhou Ming, Lin Muqing whispered in surprise. Zhou Ming glanced at her. Although he had been reborn, his memories were somewhat distant, and he hadn't brought any supernatural rebirth manual or divine foresight with him. Furthermore, not every business tycoon in Hong Kong was world-renowned or well-known in history. Some people might hold high status in Hong Kong but haven't left a mark in history. Unless someone specialized in such research, they wouldn't even know about these individuals.

Right now, Zhou Ming was in that situation. Besides a few familiar faces he had previously encountered, he only recognized a few well-known figures.

This was normal. Even now, while many people know Zheng Haolong as the world's leading ship king, few know that there is a second ship king in Hong Kong. This second ship king remains low-key and never clashes with Zheng Haolong face-to-face. However, his assets have consistently remained just behind Zheng Haolong's, and in terms of fleet completeness and technological advancement, this second ship king even surpasses Zheng Haolong.

What's more important is that this second ship king, after Hong Kong's return to China, had his son become the first Chief Executive, turning him into a special red-top businessman.

"Zhou Ming, you've met Li Cheng, so I don't need to introduce him. The person wearing the traditional gown standing next to Mr. Zheng Haolong is Tong Gang, who is as famous in the world as Mr. Zheng Haolong; and next to them are the real estate and financial tycoons of Hong Kong. They control a lot of land and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, and have deep connections with the Hong Kong government. You should interact with them."

Lin Muqing pointed out each person and introduced them to Zhou Ming. Zhou Ming nodded silently. Regardless of its usefulness, it was best to remember these people.

At this moment, Zheng Jiancheng asked Zhou Ming, "How about it? Can we go over now? My father and the others should have seen us by now. It's not good to keep them waiting too long."

"Of course, I'm looking forward to chatting with your father and the others!"

Zhou Ming smiled and then took the lead towards the group. Zheng Jiancheng followed behind, sneering with disdain, thinking to himself, "Act all you want. Let's see how long you can keep it up."

While Zheng Jiancheng thought this, he quickly walked forward and preempted Zhou Ming, saying, "Dad, and all the uncles, I've brought Ms. Lin Muqing, the Chairman of the Joint Investment Company, to greet you."

Zheng Jiancheng's announcement caught the attention of the elderly men, who immediately turned their gazes towards him, smiling and greeting Zheng Jiancheng.

"Oh, it's Jiancheng. The Zheng family's children are so polite. Zheng Lao has a promising successor... Ms. Lin is also a sensible young woman. No wonder she can be the Chairman of the Joint Investment Company at such a young age. But with Ms. Lin being so young, beautiful, and capable, I wonder which young master will be lucky enough to marry her... Zheng's children seem quite good…"

Hearing these greetings from the elders, Zheng Jiancheng responded to each one. Even though he knew these greetings were out of respect for his father, he was still very pleased with the praise he and Lin Muqing received.

As the saying goes, "Three people make a tiger." Repeated praises can sometimes turn into reality, especially for women.

If it weren't for needing to maintain the prestigious image of the Zheng family's young master in front of these elders, Zheng Jiancheng would have liked to show off a bit more in front of Zhou Ming, perhaps even dancing to show him who the real master was.

Zheng Haolong smiled as he looked at his younger son, signaling him, "Is it Jiancheng and Ms. Lin? You've arrived at just the right time. I have a distinguished guest from the United States here. He has just been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He is Mr. Nordman, the economic guru who revitalized the U.S. economy in the 1980s. I know you're running an investment company, so it would be very beneficial for you to meet him."

Zheng Haolong then introduced the foreign guest who had been sitting beside him. Upon hearing this, Zheng Jiancheng became excited. As Zheng Haolong's son, he had known in advance about the arrival of a heavyweight guest. However, this didn't diminish his excitement. Mr. Nordman's name was just too illustrious.

The 20th century's greatest economist, a title not earned through mere boasting, his economic theories not only helped the U.S. recover in the 1980s but also influenced the Federal Reserve, becoming a pillar of the financial system of this superpower.

Perhaps these achievements seem abstract, but receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year is a tangible honor. That's the highest civilian honor in the U.S., and Nordman's receipt of this medal speaks volumes about his capabilities and contributions.

"Mr. Nordman, it's truly an honor to meet you. I've read your works, which have been incredibly inspiring. I've always wanted to meet you, and I'm thrilled that my wish has finally come true today!"

Zheng Jiancheng approached Mr. Nordman for a handshake, and of course, he introduced Lin Muqing, "This beautiful lady is Lin Muqing, the Chairman of the Joint Investment Company."

After introducing Lin Muqing, Zheng Jiancheng gave Zhou Ming a very provocative look, clearly implying that no one here recognized him and that he should leave before making a fool of himself. Zhou Ming simply smiled in response, ignoring him, which left the confident Zheng Jiancheng feeling somewhat hurt.

"Mr. Nordman, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard a lot about you. Mr. Nordman, I'd also like to introduce a gentleman to you…"

Lin Muqing stepped forward to greet Mr. Nordman. She saw Zheng Jiancheng's provocative look but felt it would be better to meet someone like Nordman, and she believed Zhou Ming would impress him with his capabilities.

However, to her surprise, as she was about to introduce Zhou Ming to Nordman, she found that Nordman's gaze had already shifted past her to Zhou Ming.

"Zhou Ming, you're the Zhou Ming from Nanjing, right? It's such a fortune to meet you here."

Mr. Nordman laughed heartily as he greeted Zhou Ming, who smiled and responded, "Mr. Nordman, I didn't expect to meet you here either."

Zhou Ming spoke English, but due to lack of use in both his previous and current lives, he had mostly forgotten it. So he had to ask Lin Muqing to translate for him.

After Lin Muqing translated, Nordman said, "Of course, I'm here. Although I'm based in the U.S., I'm very interested in the development models of the East, especially after learning that your leader recently went south to support reform and opening up during the Chinese New Year. I wanted to come and see, and I guessed I might run into you here. It seems my guess was right; where there's something important, you're bound to be there."

Zhou Ming shrugged and said, "It's quite a coincidence. I'm not as impressive as you say, Mr. Nordman."

"I know that Easterners are modest and don't like to boast or show off. However, I believe that meeting you here today speaks volumes about your abilities," Nordman said.

Hearing the conversation between Nordman and Zhou Ming, Zheng Haolong asked curiously, "Mr. Nordman, do you know him?"

"Of course," Nordman replied. "Zheng, remember I told you about the brilliant businessman I met when I went to Nanjing? That's Zhou Ming from Nanjing. He's the most insightful person I've met on political and economic theory during my travels around the world."

Nordman's words were like a bombshell, causing a stir among the crowd. As soon as he spoke, everyone, including Zheng Haolong, focused their attention on Zhou Ming, looking at him with disbelief, as if he were a legendary Super Saiyan.

This reaction was understandable. After all, Nordman was a towering figure in global economics. Receiving his praise was no small feat, and such high praise was bound to surprise people.

While Nordman's words astonished everyone, for the business tycoons among the Chinese in Hong Kong, it was merely surprising. After all, with so many Chinese worldwide and Nanjing being a land of historical talent, it wasn't unusual to produce a genius. Even if Nordman praised Zhou Ming highly, they could accept it and feel proud of their heritage.

Of course, this only applied to the broad-minded tycoons. For some, it was something they could never accept, such as a certain young ship king.

Hearing Nordman's praise for Zhou Ming, Zheng Jiancheng suddenly felt that the world was no longer the same. It was no longer the world he knew.

He couldn't understand how such a great economist like Nordman could know an ordinary mainlander. Did Nordman just happen to meet Zhou Ming during a visit to Nanjing, and after a few conversations, Zhou Ming impressed him with his knowledge?

This scenario seemed more like a plot from a novel, and to see it happening in reality was even harder to accept.

At this moment, Zheng Jiancheng's mind was in turmoil. The fantastical scene felt like a hammer, wildly churning in his head, leaving him unsure of how to think.

And Zheng Jiancheng had no idea that even more unbelievable events were about to unfold.