My Rebirth Legend

“Good evening, listeners. This is FM 101.5, Economic Voice. Welcome to the Financial Live program. Today, the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets plunged by more than 200 points, and the total volume has dropped below the lowest point since 1994. As international financial turmoil continues, professional analysts point out that this bearish trend may persist for quite some time, which certainly makes domestic investors break out in a cold sweat. Next, our station has invited professional stock analyst Mr. Wang Lei to give us a detailed breakdown of the recent market trends…”

The young man's voice from the radio filled the cramped space of the car, accompanied only by the low rumble of the engine and the look of utter misery on my face. My churning stomach and the reek of alcohol kept numbing my heart, which felt as if it was about to be torn apart. I couldn’t bear such a blow; I slammed the horn several times, trying to vent my frustration and rage. Yet the car horn, shrill as it was, was instantly swallowed up by the thunder and lightning raging across the sky.

My name is Xiao Qiang—a man with a failed life. No one could have imagined that a stock once soaring high would, with the turbulence of the financial tsunami, crash almost overnight. It didn’t just sweep away countless fortunes; it also took with it my only hope. Today is July 1st, 2010. My small company finally collapsed, unable to hold on any longer. After falling into debt with loan sharks, I was pushed out the door by my father during a beating from the collectors—I have no idea where to go f