GBP Chapter 1049: Overwhelming Gap
Chapter 1049: Overwhelming Gap
The moment the bank's iron gates were opened, the crowd rushed forward like a flood.
The security guard raised his loudspeaker and shouted like thunder: "Everyone line up! Anyone who cuts in line will be kicked out!"
The crowd that was originally pushing and shoving suddenly formed a snake shape obediently, and the cold air from the air conditioner mixed with the smell of banknotes and ink hit them in the face.
In the business hall of more than 300 square meters, Zhou Qi hugged a backpack made of coarse cloth tightly to his chest - it was sewn by his mother Zhou Hua, and the two straps had already left red marks on his shoulders.
"Comrades, please line up!"
The lobby attendant stopped him with a stern face. Zhou Qi dumped the heavy package on the counter and said, "We have tens of thousands of workers in more than a dozen factories waiting for life-saving money!"
The attendant lifted the corner of the bag suspiciously, and his voice suddenly rose an octave: "Two million or so treasury bonds?"
The whole hall suddenly exploded.
The crowd of heads turned in unison, and the round-faced man who had spoken to them earlier suddenly had eyes that lit up, like a hungry wolf seeing meat.
Amid the constant exclamations, Zhou Qi touched the frayed straps of his backpack and felt the sweat-soaked shirt on his back pressing against the air-conditioning vent, causing him to feel cold.
"I need to cash in this pile of treasury bonds, but it's the hope of more than 10,000 workers in the factory. Can you arrange a VIP channel?"
Zhou Qi patted his bulging canvas bag and raised his chin towards the lobby manager.
"VIP channel?" The other party adjusted his glasses.
"Look at the amount."
Zhou Qi tore open the bag and said, "If something goes wrong while waiting in line in the hall for a long time, your bank will suffer a big loss, right? Why not open a special window for big customers to save time?"
The manager leaned over to take a look, and sweat instantly broke out on the back of his neck: "You can handle at least 50 people outside. Please go upstairs!"
As he spoke, he took out his intercom and asked people to clear the area. Zhou Qi's mouth curled up slightly. It's true that more money makes things easier these days.
The elevator went straight to the president's office on the third floor. As soon as the mahogany door was pushed open a crack, the manager shouted, "Zhang, this person wants to exchange a little over two million in treasury bonds!"
The middle-aged man who was drinking tea behind the desk had a trembling hand, and the blue and white porcelain bowl hit the rim of the cup with a clang.
"Please take a seat! Xiao Liu, brew the jar of Mingqian Longjing in my cabinet."
President Zhang walked around the desk and personally led Zhou Qi to the leather sofa.
The canvas bag fell to the ground, and the solid wood floor shook.
"What are you going to do after you cash in? How about just opening a current account?"
The president took the teapot and poured tea. The scent of jasmine mixed with the fragrance of Longjing tea filled the room. "It's very chaotic outside right now. It's not safe to carry cash with you."
"You can deposit it, but I want the kind that can be redeemed nationwide."
Zhou Qi picked up the teacup and blew on it. At that time, there was no UnionPay card, and inter-provincial withdrawals required special passbooks.
"No problem! Your accent doesn't sound like a local, does it?"
"I'm from Guangshi, northern Jiangsu. It's a poor place."
Zhou Qi took a sip of tea and said, "More than a dozen factories use treasury bonds to pay wages, but ten yuan of bonds on the market are only worth five or six yuan. I heard that banks in Shanghai can exchange them in full and at a premium?"
President Zhang paused after putting down the teapot, and a gleam of light flashed behind his glasses: "As long as you keep your deposit in our bank, the exchange will be based on the highest premium, and the interest will also be calculated at the maximum rate."
Two million in 1990 would be worth nearly 200 million thirty years later. He knew this very well.
"What's the exact number?" Zhou Qi leaned back.
The treasury bonds in the canvas bag rustled like the sound of spring silkworms chewing mulberry leaves.
He then plans to circulate these funds.
"All operations are carried out according to the upper limit standards." President Zhang pushed up his glasses with a smile.
Zhou Qi followed up by asking, "If I come to you with national debt next time, can you reserve the exclusive VIP channel for me?"
"That is required!"
President Zhang patted the armrest of the sofa and said, "Xiao Zhou has opened my eyes to a new world today."
Seeing the other party's puzzled expression, the president took the initiative to explain:
"The VIP service concept you just mentioned, I remember this term was first used by the British Royal Air Force during World War II, right? But it is really refreshing to see it put into practice like this!"
The more the two chatted, the more they became interested.
After all, as a reborn person, Zhou Qi's business thinking that was twenty years ahead of its time often amazed this banker from the 1980s.
President Zhang glanced at his watch and said, "We are chatting here. The people below are processing your procedures. Based on the maximum exchange rate of 10 yuan of treasury bonds for 12 yuan of cash, this is the limit allowed by the policy."
"no problem."
Zhou Qi had already made a plan: "After cashing out, I will withdraw 30,000 yuan in cash, and deposit the rest into a current deposit and withdrawal account."
He was calculating the start-up capital needed to expand the market in Jinling.
The money counting machine hummed for two hours before it finished counting the two sacks of government bonds.
In comparison, applying for a national passbook can be done in minutes.
The bank president, named Zhang Bin, was one of the first batch of finance graduates after the resumption of the college entrance examination, and he has always had a high opinion of himself.
But after talking with Zhou Qishen, he felt for the first time the overwhelming gap in their potential.
……
After checking the three stacks of hundred-dollar bills and the amount in the passbook, Zhou Qi threw the canvas bag over his shoulder.
Zhang Bin personally accompanied me to the bank gate and shook my hand vigorously before leaving.
"Little comrade, please stay!"
The middle-aged man who had finished his business long ago but had been waiting in the hall stepped forward quickly: "My name is Yang, Yang Dingzhou."
Zhou Qi blurted out: "No wonder you look familiar! Aren't you the famous Yang..."
"Don't dare to talk nonsense!"
The other party waved his hands quickly: "My current assets can't even add up to four figures, how can I deserve that title." Old Yang rubbed his hands in a simple manner, but there was a gleam in the corners of his eyes.
Zhou Qi suddenly remembered that this future stock market legend had not yet become famous, so he changed his words: "I am Zhou Qi!"
As he said this, he threw the deflated canvas bag behind him and held the other person's hand tightly.
"Let's go! I'll treat you so we can eat and talk."
Old Yang had long noticed this young man who was treated with courtesy by the bank president.
He saw the entire process, from the lobby manager's attentive guidance to the bank president's personal farewell. He was now full of curiosity and wanted to find someone to answer his questions.
Anyone with a discerning eye can see that this young man is no ordinary person.
"Don't bother, I have to go back to pay the wages. There are tens of thousands of people in more than a dozen factories in the city waiting for food."
Zhou Qi looked at his watch as he spoke.
Yang Dingzhou rubbed his hands and smiled, "What's the big deal? Brother, please give me some face and let's go to a restaurant and chat for a while."
"Okay! I think your forehead is full and your chin is round. You will be a big shot sooner or later."
Zhou Qi suddenly lowered his voice and said, "I didn't mean to call you Yang Baiwan just now. You will definitely be able to earn this much in two years."
This made Yang Dingzhou smile, and he touched the back of his head:
"Thank you for your good wishes! But I am just a warehouse janitor now, earning about 30 yuan a month. I would be very lucky if I could become a millionaire, but I dare not even think about a million!"
No one knew at that time that the future "Yang Baiwan" who would dominate Haicheng Beach, now had in his pocket treasury bonds that he had just exchanged for his 400 yuan salary.
The sun was very hot at noon, so the two of them went into a fly-infested restaurant on the street.
Yang Dingzhou was a little embarrassed: "Please bear with me, brother. I can only treat you to a bowl of plain noodles today."