1 — Ever since I navigated my own share of rises and falls to build a family and a career, I’ve rarely kept close ties with friends who are too far apart from me in financial standing.
They may be wonderful people — but the gap in mindset that comes from operating at different levels only keeps widening. By the time I’m already laying the groundwork for the next phase of my ventures, some of them are still mired in persistent pessimism, world-weariness, and resignation.
The most telling moment came just a few days ago: a luxury residential development in Shanghai sold out the moment it launched — and a few friends actually asked me, “Are these rich people stupid? Who buys property at a time like this?”
My reply was one sentence: You can question their character, but try not to question their intelligence or instincts. Every single one of them is razor-sharp.
2 — Allow me a moment of modesty first: I don’t consider myself among the truly wealthy — not in China, not in overseas Chinese communities.
That said, I live comfortably, and my daily life carries a certain refined quality. That much I’ll admit.
So beyond my own effort, positioning, and initiative — the more important reason I’ve arrived where I am is this: I have access to channels that let me clearly hear the thinking of people who are truly, seriously wealthy.
When I say truly wealthy, I mean those with a net worth of eleven figures or more — and not inflated numbers, but figures built from real, tangible assets. (We’re talking the hundred-billion-yuan tier. Honestly? Those circles are beyond my reach — that’s the truth.)
3 — Here’s what’s interesting: in the circles of the Yangtze River Delta — particularly Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai — this year has felt simultaneously tighter and more expansive, more cautious and more bold.
Frankly, I don’t know how many people will understand what I’m about to say: for the previous four years, the wealthy didn’t dare spend a single extra yuan. Every belt notch was squeezed. They were conserving and scraping at every turn.
But this year, while spending is still tight, they’ve become willing — without touching their core assets — to pull out the profits and use them as chips to test the waters.
This is a highly significant shift in behavior.
Because above them, there are inevitably players of far greater scale who are feeding them ideas and direction.
4 — Here’s a question worth sitting with: after the next round of monetary easing, do you think it’s the cash in your hand that rises in value — or quality assets?
I’ll leave that without direct comment. But my own stance is clear: I encourage everyone, on the premise that it doesn’t compromise your quality of life or saddle you with excessive debt, to consider swapping into real estate in the second half of this year. As for which cities — that almost goes without saying: the 4+7 tier framework still applies.
5 — A word for the ordinary reader: if someone has been spinning their wheels for a long time with nothing to show for it, the reason is almost always one of two things — either they’ve never encountered a noble benefactor (Gui Ren) to illuminate the path ahead, or they simply can’t absorb advice and remain locked in their own fixed ways.
The result is sustained blindness, which leads to sustained hardship.
Go back and re-read the first three sections of this article, and you’ll see it clearly: cycles are loops. Good follows bad, and bad is always followed by good.
The vast majority of people who remain poor and struggling don’t believe in the upswings and aren’t afraid of the downswings — because they have no reliable elders around them who’ve lived through multiple cycles and can offer real guidance.
6 — The most practical advice I can give to ordinary people right now: save money — but save with purpose and direction. Don’t let consumer goods and entertainment drain you. Keep life simple. Use your spare time to exercise, read, reflect, and build yourself up.
Accumulating strength gives you more choices over the next four or five years. Accumulating capital gives you more opportunities.
And don’t let the pessimists frighten you. Learn to be quietly resilient.
Unlike before, long-term optimists today are mostly unwilling to stand up and speak openly — for fear of ridicule and cold scorn.
But as you can see, I remain optimistic. Persistently, long-term optimistic. And I’m willing to back that optimism with real action.
Because life must be lived regardless. The bad and the bleak will pass. The good and the smooth will come.
Rather than sighing and lamenting, use this moment to make yourself stronger — and to build the confidence that comes from having genuine options.
7 — If your instincts are sharp, look back in three years and you’ll find that every word written here was pointing you toward a clear path forward.
It’s just that each passage requires you to read it again and again before it fully lands.
This doesn’t require a high level of education. But it does require enough patience, courage, and clear-headedness.