"You can have all the money in the world, but you still need talent. We're not short on cash; we're short on key people," Yi Anguo said confidently.

"Exactly! Talent is the key. In fact, there's no shortage of talent on the mainland. It's just that a large number of them have gone to the U.S. and aren't willing to come back. The conditions and income here can't compare to those in the U.S.," Liang Song sighed.

"When I was in the U.S., I met and saw a lot of talented people from the mainland. They were in Silicon Valley doing research for American companies. If we could offer them better compensation and a better living environment, I believe many would be willing to return to the country to develop their careers."

"Yes! Next year should be a great opportunity, so there's no rush for now," Yi Anguo said with a nod.

"Next year? Why do you think next year will be a good opportunity? Is something going to happen?" Liang Song asked curiously.

"You'll find out next year. The secrets of heaven cannot be revealed," Yi Anguo said mysteriously.

Although Liang Song was curious, he didn't press the matter further when he saw that Yi Anguo didn't want to elaborate.

After the New Year in 2007, housing prices rose further. Whenever a new property development was launched, it was almost instantly snapped up, further fueling the surge in prices.

Prices in the second-hand housing market also climbed steadily, especially for large homes in upscale communities with good environments.

By March, the transaction price for second-hand homes in Blue Coast Phase III had already broken 16,000 yuan per square meter. Following suit, the price for second-hand homes in Blue Coast Phase II also rose, reaching 15,000 yuan per square meter.

The average transaction price for second-hand homes in Blue Coast Phase IV reached over 13,500 yuan per square meter.

Even at Forefront Harbor's Fashion Garden, the average transaction price for second-hand homes broke through the 10,000 yuan per square meter threshold.

In other words, the real estate Yi Anguo owned had once again appreciated significantly.

However, he no longer cared whether its value increased or not, since he had no plans to sell anyway.

As housing prices rose, the stock market also began to boil over. Throngs of people joined the ranks of stock traders, all with smiles on their faces.

The stock market was doing so well that even a fool could buy a few random stocks and would almost certainly make more than they lost.

As long as one didn't trade frequently and simply held on, a look at their portfolio after a couple of months would almost certainly show a profit.

Of course, there were always some unlucky souls who managed to buy at the absolute peak and sell at the absolute bottom, ending up as nothing more than "chumps" to be fleeced.

No matter how well the stock market performed, there was never a shortage of such chumps. Even if the majority made money, a minority was always bound to lose.

But for someone who still couldn't make money in such a bull market, they might as well give up on stock trading for life.

Some investors, driven by greed, got a taste of success and escalated from dabbling to throwing their entire life savings into the market.

Others, still not satisfied, went as far as to borrow money and take out loans just to buy more stocks. With an opportunity like this, they felt it would be a crime against themselves not to go all in and make a killing.

Those who made money from stocks would go on to spend it. For a time, restaurants, hotels, and karaoke bars were bustling. With their wallets bulging, people were naturally willing to spend lavishly.

With money came the desire to buy a home, and the real estate market became even more heated, with prices continuing to climb!

When friends gathered, the most discussed topics were the stock market and real estate. Those who had made a bit of money in the market transformed into stock gurus, boasting to their friends about their trading successes. Consequently, other friends began to feel tempted, asking for advice on how to start trading and which stocks to buy.

People who had bought houses would proudly tell their friends how farsighted they had been. They had bought a property in some new development two months ago, and in just that short time, the value had already increased by one or two hundred thousand yuan, with the price per square meter rising by a thousand or two! Flipping it for a profit was far better than slaving away at a job.

Even friends who originally paid no attention to housing prices couldn't help but be swayed. The number of prospective buyers grew, pushing prices up even further.

In short, the start of 2007 heralded a fantastic economic situation. The stock market, real estate, and gold were all booming. The prices of various consumer goods soared. The economic data was just as rosy, with people everywhere buzzing about the latest figures: How many percentage points did we grow over last month? How much over the same period last year? By how much did the GDP increase?

As time went on, people's enthusiasm remained unabated. The stock market continued to surge, and housing prices kept climbing. Everything was thriving and heading in a positive direction, as if there were no end in sight.

Li Sisi had already opened six chain stores and was busy preparing to open a seventh branch. While having dinner with Yi Anguo, she couldn't help but complain a little.

"It's so hard to find a decent storefront now. More and more people are opening shops, and the rent has skyrocketed."

Yi Anguo couldn't help but frown. "Your sixth branch just opened not long ago, and you already want to open a seventh."

"I have to! The restaurant business is booming. I don't know why, but it seems like everyone suddenly got rich. Not only are more people eating out, but they're ordering expensive dishes, fine wine, and premium cigarettes. Sometimes, they even leave a tip for the servers when they go."

"It used to be that only people from Harbor Island had the habit of tipping. When did people on the mainland suddenly become so generous?" Li Sisi marveled.

Yi Anguo shook his head and explained, "The stock market is hot right now, and a lot of people have made money. It's so fast and easy to earn money from stocks, so naturally, they've become very generous with their spending."

"When you make money, of course you want to eat and drink well! They probably see a pretty waitress and, in a good mood, want to show off a little, so they toss out a small tip on a whim."

"Finding a good location for a new branch is difficult now, and the rent is so expensive. I think you should put a pause on your expansion for now."

"Why? Shouldn't I take advantage of the fact that everyone has money and business is good? Open more branches and make more money," Li Sisi asked, a little confused.

"What you're saying isn't wrong, but have you considered this? What if the stock market suddenly crashes, property prices plummet, and a financial crisis erupts? Will people still have so much money and be in the mood to come here every day to eat, drink, and spend so freely?" Yi Anguo asked.

"How do you know the stock market will suddenly crash, property prices will plummet, or a financial crisis will break out?" Li Sisi said, not quite willing to believe it.

"It's just a feeling. I just think the stock market can't rise forever, nor can property prices or the economy. Besides, there was the financial crisis in '97, the Yangtze River floods in '98, and now it's 2007... so you get what I mean, right?" Yi Anguo said calmly.

"And you've already opened six branches. Focus on stabilizing them first. Wait for half a year to a year. If everything is still fine then, it won't be too late to expand."

Li Sisi thought for a moment. "Alright, if you put it that way, what else can I say! Anyway, I know you don't think much of the little bit of money I make from my restaurants."

Yi Anguo just smiled without saying a word. Although that was indeed the case, he couldn't very well tell her that was exactly what he thought, could he?

"Anguo, what's really going on with you and Shan Shan? You've been together for so long, but there's no sign of you taking the next step," Li Sisi said, changing the subject.

"That kind of thing is up to fate. It's not something you can just make happen whenever you want," Yi Anguo replied with a helpless, wry smile.

"Besides, Shan Shan still has more than a year until she graduates, right? It's best to let her finish university in peace. It won't be too late for... anything else after she graduates."

"Oh, come off it!" Li Sisi said, rolling her eyes at him. "Once she's with you, what difference does it make whether she graduates from university or not? Does she really need a diploma to find a good job?"

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