After having the farewell feast, there was nothing much to do at home for the time being.

It would take about half a month for the college entrance exam results to come out, so Su Zelin planned to go to Shanghai to sort out that stock as soon as possible.

The next morning, Su Zelin took an express bus to Shanghai early, not even telling his parents.

Although Jianglan is within Zhejiang Province, it's only about 200 kilometers away from Shanghai. If he set off in the morning, he could return the same day after finishing his business, saving his parents from worrying. If his dad knew he was using tens of thousands to buy stocks, he would definitely stop him!

During the summer vacation, Su Zelin frequently went out early and returned late, spending the whole day at internet cafes which was quite normal. Plus, he had already graduated, so his parents didn't mind.

He departed in the morning and arrived in Shanghai by noon.

In those days, Shanghai was just beginning to take shape as an international metropolis.

Looking at Lujiazui from Puxi, Jinmao Tower was still the tallest.

Taking the subway to work was considered quite fashionable. Line 2 had just opened, and Line 3 was still called the Pearl Light Rail.

The house prices were mostly around three thousand per square meter. Buying a house could earn you tax rebates and even a blue residency permit.

...

Walking out of the bus station, the place was quite crowded and bustling.

Such places were a mix of all sorts, and although Shanghai in 2000 wasn't as chaotic as in the '90s, pickpockets were still around. The crowd occasionally included a few pairs of suspicious eyes. However, when they noticed Su Zelin and gave him a quick scan, they quickly turned away.

Having grown up on the streets, Su Zelin carried an air of toughness. He was built big and tall, and today he had styled his hair with mousse in a rather cool manner. With a cigarette dangling from his lips after getting off the bus, he looked like someone not to be messed with. Besides, little guys like him usually didn't carry much money, so no pickpocket would foolishly target him.

In front of the bus station, there were many taxis, almost all small Xialis. From a distance, it was a sea of red, occasionally mixed with a few old Sampos or Santanas.

The taxi drivers were shouting to attract travelers with large bags, but no one paid attention to Su Zelin.

Catching a taxi now was still quite a luxury. Take the Xiali, for example: eight yuan for the first three kilometers in the suburbs, ten yuan at least in the urban area, exceeding two yuan per kilometer afterward, and the Santana costs even more. Taking a long trip could cost dozens of yuan, so most people still preferred to squeeze on buses.

Su Zelin, being a young man, didn't look like someone with money who would afford taking a cab.

However, Su Zelin directly opened the door of a Santana and got into the back seat. He didn't intend to waste time saving a bit of money.

"To the Pujiang Restaurant, driver!"

The taxi driver was slightly taken aback.

Su Zelin didn't seem like a local from Shanghai, yet he spoke fluent local Qingpu dialect.

Of course, the driver didn't know that before being reborn, Su Zelin's business base was in Shanghai. Living there for so many years, he naturally spoke the local dialect fluently.

"No problem!"

The driver replied and started the Santana.

This old legendary car from German production was quite comfortable, with ample space and a cool air conditioner.

If it were a Xiali, in such a hot summer, turning on the air conditioner would make it barely move, crawling like a snail. However, the advantage of a Xiali is that it's cheap, and maintenance costs are far lower than a Santana.

In 2000, Shanghai's traffic jams were already quite serious, but fortunately, today, the traffic was smooth, and they reached the Pujiang Restaurant without a hitch.

Su Zelin handed over a red note, and after the driver gave him the change, he got out of the Santana.

In front of him stood a building with a strong new-neoclassical style of the Sun Never Sets Empire, located east of the iconic Waibaidu Bridge in Shanghai, in the North Bund commercial area.

Of course, Su Zelin wasn't there for accommodation. He planned to return home the same day, so there was no need to waste money.

In 1990, the first stock exchange in Xia Country—the Shanghai Stock Exchange—was officially established within the Pujiang Restaurant. In the Peacock Hall of this old restaurant, the first market-opening gong was struck, marking Xia Country's formal use of the stock market as a tool for economic development!

The establishment of the Shanghai Stock Exchange also represented a move from small off-market trading to centralized trading in the securities market, marking a milestone.

However, the stock market was still quite bleak back then. It wasn't until the fortunes of the '92 wealth certificates and the first batch of old stocks made many people rich overnight that more people at the forefront of Xia Country's times realized the allure of stocks, and more and more enthusiastic investors emerged.

By the new millennium, the securities market had gained considerable momentum.

Moreover, from mid-1999 to mid-2001, it was the sixth bull market in Xia Country's stock history. The overall market was very favorable, greatly stimulating the enthusiasm of investors.

Su Zelin walked into the securities hall, which was already crowded.

The business department had large screens and small trading terminals where people could view and analyze market trends and even enter account details on the terminals to trade. Major investors could use computers in the exchange, but many still didn't know how to operate on their own and could only fill out forms at the counter for transactions.

Su Zelin directly approached a staff member and explained his purpose.

"You want to open an account?"

The staff member was very surprised upon hearing that.

Although Su Zelin seemed mature beyond his years, he still looked only about seventeen or eighteen.

In those days, people who played the stock market were usually socially experienced individuals; a young person like him was quite rare.

...

The staff member thought for a moment and found a suitable term: "Young man, are you sure? Do your family members know about this?"

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