Chapter 23: Ambrosia

  My elder uncle was rubbing his temples, smoking a cigarette, taking one puff after another, staring at the curve chart of the stock software on the computer screen, as if he had encountered a difficult problem.

  Stock trading is Big Uncle's hobby, and he has a reputation in his circle for it. He enjoys researching stocks, collecting stamps, and other similar things. He likes to speculate on the stock market, probably because his work dealing with personnel matters has made him tired of it. In my impression, after Big Uncle finishes teaching and giving them a study plan for their grades, he would light a cigarette, put his hands behind his back, walk into his study, turn on the computer, and start researching the trend of the stock market.

  As he grew older and worked hard, Su Can hadn't returned home for Chinese New Year in years. Whenever he thought back to this scene, he felt endless gratitude towards his eldest uncle-in-law. He truly wished for them to have a better future, although his words were a bit stiff, but deep down, he hoped they would all become stronger than they were now.

  Even when Soo-chan and his brother-in-law were arguing, he could see the spark in his eyes because he often quarreled with his own boss and had a fearless attitude. He probably thought that Soo-chan's personality was similar to his, so sometimes he got angry but didn't really mind, nor did he dislike him; on the contrary, he admired Soo-chan's character.

  Su Can looked at his uncle's back, still wearing that old-fashioned leather jacket, holding a cigarette, with wisps of smoke.

  After rebirth, thinking of the various things in the future, my gratitude to this man is like a slow-cooked sour plum old duck soup, the flavor can make people's eyes well up with tears.

  Zeng Quanming fell into deep thought, since May, the stock market has been very good, with a bull market that lasted for nearly a month, entering June, on the 4th, it reached this year's high of 1422.98, although there was a slight decline recently, and now the phenomenon clearly shows that the Chinese stock market has not been affected by the Asian financial crisis, the biggest question is whether it is worth continuing to follow?

  Previously, my wife and sister said that there was only 500,000 yuan at home without hiding anything. Now on the stock market, Zeng Quanming has invested more than 1 million yuan, and with the follow-up of this bull market, the estimated value of the shares has reached 3 million yuan.

  Watching the slight fluctuations, is it to continue following several potential stocks or to see good and collect? This is a difficult problem, even for experienced old rivers and lakes. It's also a problem that makes people feel precarious under the double-edged sword of interest and risk.

  Zeng Quanming thought to himself that the time spent on stock trading was not short, but the current situation made him somewhat excited. After all, the value of his account's stocks had doubled in an instant, and this sense of achievement from personally operating and winning was enough to make his confidence soar. However, he also had a calm mind, as the overall market trend had a slight decline. Nevertheless, if he were to seize another opportunity and achieve great success, it was not impossible. Yet, his years of experience as an old stock investor also made him vaguely aware that one should not be greedy, which is an old rule in the stock market. But how many people can clearly understand and adhere to this principle?

  His inner self was in a fierce collision, with sparks flying everywhere.

  Su Can saw his uncle frowning at the curve chart and stock graph, Su Can's heart moved, thinking fortunately, almost missed this big thing.

  The devastating aftermath of the 1998 flood was a series of problems in the stock market, as the arrival of a rare disaster caused huge losses in life and property, shattering the fragile psychological defenses of the people, leading to a continuous decline and turmoil in the stock market. The investors were miserable during that period. As for the situation on the other side, Su Can was not very familiar with it, because even if his brother-in-law was unhappy, he always had a poker face, and no one could see what he was thinking. Only later, as he grew older and was stripped of power, did he gradually reveal a hint of bitterness.

  Although it is not known what the situation was like for my uncle in the stock market during the flood of 1998, but in the subsequent turmoil in the stock market, my uncle always took profits when he saw a good opportunity and was cautious in the face of a downturn, no longer having the air of invincibility, as if he had been bitten once and was still feeling the fear.

  Combining analysis, Su Can feels that Hou Shu's timidness is due to a flaw in his heart, losing the confidence to wield his sword, directly leading to being gradually eaten away by opponents at work and retreating step by step in various struggles. The root cause may be attributed to the stock market crash caused by the 1998 flood disaster.

  Life is unpredictable, and even the great hero Zeng Quanming, who was jumping and dodging in the stock market with his gun and arrows, could not have anticipated that at the moment he was leaping through the forest, a sudden flood would render him powerless.

  This flood invasion seems to have left an indelible shadow on many people, and also brought a nightmare like a ghostly parasite to the future.

  Su Can understood that his power was still weak at the moment, he couldn't change the world, and he couldn't turn the tide. However, he could start from around him, protect the people around him, and not let them be invaded by the unpredictable fate, and fight for them!

  Su Can came to the table, at this time Xiao Di Zeng Yuan was scratching his itch on the spot, resenting in his heart why his eldest uncle had not left yet. Seeing his elder brother coming forward, he thought that he couldn't possibly understand Dad's curve chart?

  There was a crystal ashtray on the edge of my uncle's desk, which was said to be a gift from a real estate boss who had made a fortune, very expensive. My uncle used it with care and washed it once a week. But now, because he had been trapped in such thoughts for several days, the cigarette ash in the ashtray had accumulated into a small mountain.

  Su Can came over and said, "Big Uncle, the ashtray is full."

  The elder brother-in-law looked at Su Can strangely, thinking he was going to help pour it away, and flicked the cigarette ash into the cup. Probably because people who are thinking about some obsessive topics often take an interest in certain words, such as Su Can's "full" character, which made him sink into contemplation of his current situation again. "Hmph," he said, "it's full."

  Zeng Yuan snorted in disdain on the sofa behind, casting a contemptuous glance, thinking to himself: "When did you become a bootlicker too, Brother? Are you going to fawn all over Dad and even offer to pour his ashtray? How pretentious! I really look down on you!"

  Su Can quietly picked up the ashtray, took a deep breath, and suddenly slammed it onto the marble floor as his younger brother Zeng Yuan's eyes changed from confusion to terror!

  A huge noise burst from my elder sister's home.

  Bang! Ping-pong-pang!

  ······

  "He's gone mad... your son has gone mad!" The aunt glared at the parents, who were pale-faced and looked flustered, not knowing what to do.

  In the midst of everyone's attention, Su Can had already become the largest and darkest gorilla in the zoo.

  The ground was littered with shattered ashtray glass fragments, and the air still floated with scattered black powder, cigarette butts were all over the floor, a mess.

  Elder sister Zeng Na knew the value of this ashtray to Father, accompanied him for a long time, even later some people gave Jingdezhen ceramic ashtrays he did not use as a substitute, every week personally washed by himself, with that red sand tea cup almost equally cherished, all personally rinsed. It can be known that Su Can has gone mad this time, destroying his father's most beloved object.

  In the end, Su Can and his family were almost driven out of their uncle's house.

  The whole family saw the pale face of the eldest uncle, including Xiao Shu Zeng Zhaoding, no one dared to stay for long, and they all left in a hurry, but when Zeng Zhaoding left, he still gave Su Can a fierce stare, it was because of Su Can that they left so hastily.

  Mom and Dad were also extremely puzzled by Su Can's behavior today. On the way home, Dad Su Licheng severely criticized Su Can, "Su Can, what's wrong with you today? What are you doing? Do you know that your eldest uncle likes that ashtray very much? It's not cheap! What are you doing?! Why is this kid always disobedient..."

  Zeng Ke was also angry, but seeing Su Can being surrounded by everyone today, he couldn't bear it either. "Su Can, are you trembling? It's nothing if you accidentally broke it..."

  "Clumsy? You're throwing it to the ground and still calling it clumsy? Your brother loves that thing so much... This kid's temper is just like your brother's, too weird!"

  Su Chan suddenly lifted his head and looked at his father and mother, saying lightly, "Mom, Dad, I have my own reasons, don't worry."

  It was unclear whether it was Su Can's calmness or the confidence he showed in his words that left Su Licheng and Zeng Ke speechless for a moment, knowing that blaming him would be useless. Instead, they began to discuss the consequences of what had happened next: "You'll have to find Sister Yin these few days, see how this matter..."

  "Mother shook her head, "Yin sister is not such a petty person, I'll go apologize to her tomorrow. Hey, look at this kid, Mom's career is at a critical moment and you're causing trouble again. What did your uncle do to you today?"