Chapter 241 Prophecy from God
Spring is a season full of vitality. The resurrection of all things not only awakens the sleeping earth, but also stimulates the enthusiasm for work and desire for exploration among scientific researchers.
The laboratories of various departments of Tsinghua University are also in full swing. After a short break during the Spring Festival, each of the scientific researchers seems to be full of electricity, sitting in front of the test bench with energy and fully immersed in their work. , like a blazing fire.
However, at this time, Zhang Wei was far away from the laboratory, like a useless dog, squatting in the Department of Economics. Even if Meng Heming called frantically and asked him to go to the Department of Biology, he would find reasons to shirk it. .
Being in the laboratory is boring and brain-consuming. It is not as comfortable as lying down in the Department of Economics.
Moreover, with Zhang Wei's level, he really cannot cope with the current stage of scientific research. In addition to being able to copy papers, he is a scumbag in theoretical knowledge. When he comes to the laboratory, he doesn't know anything about it. How embarrassing!
The biology department of Tsinghua University did not assign Zhang Wei a Sam, so Zhang Wei could ask "Sam, what do you think?"
In order not to expose his secrets, Zhang Wei simply stopped going to the Department of Biology. He would occasionally show his face, reveal a few research directions, and then quickly escape.
At this time, Zhang Wei was reading an English book of "Macroeconomics", written by economist Mankiw.
"Principles of Economics" written by Mankiw has always been regarded as a relatively important textbook in economics. Especially the editions after 2000 have corrected the previous omissions and deficiencies, and also replaced many Statistics are very suitable for learning.
However, "Macroeconomics" he wrote was not published in China in 2006, so there was only an English version in the United States. The English version in Zhang Wei's hand was given to him by Professor Bai Qian.
Zhang Weizheng was fascinated when his cell phone rang suddenly, and the caller ID was Meng Heming.
Zhang Wei hesitated for five seconds, but still answered the phone with a helpless expression: "Professor Meng, I really don't have time to spend time in the laboratory recently. Didn't I tell you last time? I missed a lot of classes this semester, and I’m busy catching up now!”
“Come on, I haven’t spoken yet, and you have eight hundred reasons waiting for me!” Meng Heming complained, and then Said: "This time I am not asking you to come to the laboratory, but to give a report at Peking University!"
"What report are you going to Peking University for?" Zhang Wei asked.
"We have always cooperated with Peking University, as you know. The Biology Department of Peking University has always been interested in the IPS cells you made, and their professors have also come to study. Haven't you seen it too? This time, Peking University has sent an invitation, hoping that you can go to a lecture to introduce IPS cells."
"Can you not go?" Zhang Wei asked immediately.
"We are all brother schools, so we have to give this face! After all, we and Peking University can't see each other without looking up, and we can meet each other when we go out."
Zhang Wei thought for a while, anyway, this kind of The report will not talk about very in-depth content. At most, it will enjoy the future application prospects of IPS cells. To put it bluntly, it is just bragging.
Bragging was not a problem for Zhang Wei, so he asked: "You have said so, then I will go. When exactly?"
"Next Sunday, from 3:30 to 5:00 in the afternoon, one and a half hours, the first hour is a speech, and the next half hour is questions. You have more than a week to prepare the speech, should it be enough?"
"That's enough, will you go too then?" Zhang Wei asked again.
“I definitely have to go and show my face, but I don’t have time to accompany you the whole time. There are still a lot of things waiting for me to deal with in the department. I will find an assistant to accompany you then!”< br>
After finishing the call with Meng Heming, Zhang Weigang was about to continue reading the "Macroeconomics" in his hand, when a text message appeared on his phone, which was sent by Editor Chen of 21st Century Publishing House.
"Teacher Zhang Wei, are you free next weekend?"
After seeing this text message, Zhang Wei directly called Editor Chen back.
"Editor Chen, do you have a problem with me?" Zhang Wei asked.
"Teacher Zhang Wei, you will be in the capital this month. You won't go anywhere else, right?" Editor Chen asked.
"There are no plans to travel far at the moment, what's wrong?"
"April 23rd is World Book Day, do you know this? Every year on World Book Day, like the Propaganda Department , the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Radio, Film and Television, as well as the General Administration of Publishing and other departments will hold activities related to World Book Day
Our publishing house will also respond to the call and organize and participate in activities related to World Book Day, mainly to promote some popular books and find some authors to sign books and sell books at the event. We would like to invite you to participate in this year’s event. "
"Then you have to run to your place, it's quite far away. "Zhang Wei said a little worried.
"You don't have to come to our place, it's in the capital! The series of World Book Day activities organized by our publishing house are also in Beijing! Editor Chen said immediately.
“Coming to the capital? Even if you don't want to hold activities locally, whether it's Shanghai or Guangzhou, it's closer than coming to Beijing, right? Why did you come all the way to the capital? "
"Isn't this the foot of the emperor! Very close to all parts. Editor Chen chuckled and continued: "In this case, the leaders can also see us doing activities." ”
"I understand." Zhang Wei sighed suddenly. For activities like this, the key is to let leaders see them.
Editor Chen continued: "Teacher Zhang, don't you want to win the Galaxy Award? When World Book Day comes, we will find a few reporters to give you a few exclusive interviews. This can be considered a kind of Build momentum. If news reports can appear in influential media, then you should be a sure shot at winning the Galaxy Award this year!"
"For the Galaxy Award, I also have to participate in this World Book Day event! Ah! Okay, what day will the event be held on?" Zhang Wei asked.
“This year’s World Book Day happens to be Sunday next week, so we plan to hold activities on Saturday and Sunday next week, mainly to go to several key universities in Beijing to collect signatures. Book selling event. It’s a great university!
As for the specific time, we will go to Renmin University next Saturday morning; to Beijing Institute of Technology on Saturday afternoon; to Qingdao University on Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon. Peking University.”
"Next Sunday? Going to Peking University? Wouldn't that be a collision with my report?" Zhang Wei frowned, and then asked: "I have no problem with the other three places, but my time may conflict with Peking University. "
"Do you have no time all afternoon?" Chief Editor Chen asked.
“No time after three-thirty.” Zhang Wei replied.
"That shouldn't be a big problem. Our book signing event starts at two o'clock in the afternoon. If you have something to do at three-thirty, you can leave early. We have several other writers who will also participate. The event cannot be left out.”
Zhang Wei thought about it and realized that the campus of Peking University is not too big. Since the activities are held within Peking University, there should be enough time to go back and forth.
"Editor Chen, let's meet next week!" Zhang Wei agreed.
......
After watching macroeconomics all afternoon, Zhang Wei returned to his dormitory, turned on his computer, logged into QQ, and saw if anyone had left a message for him.
Sky Li Xiaofeng’s sentence “Are you there?” indeed appeared in QQ.
"Brother Gai, do you have anything to do with me?" Zhang Wei replied immediately.
After a while, Li Xiaofeng replied: "Is it convenient to answer the phone now?"
Seeing this, Zhang Wei simply took the initiative to make the call.
"Brother Gai, what's the matter?" Zhang Wei asked directly.
"You have been in the capital recently, right?" Li Xiaofeng asked.
“Yes! Are you coming to the capital to play a game?”
"I'm not going to play a game, I'm participating in an event. The organizer hopes that you can participate, but they don't have your contact information, so they found me. Don't worry, the appearance fee will be paid."
"What event? "Zhang Wei asked curiously.
"Product promotion is scheduled for next weekend."
"It's next weekend again!" Zhang Weixin said that everything had happened in one day, and then said helplessly: "Next Saturday I don’t have time on Sunday. Next Sunday happens to be World Book Day, and I have already decided to participate in the Book Day activities.”
“That’s a pity...” Li Xiaofeng sighed. tone, but still refused to give up, and then said: "How about you think about it again, our event is going to Peking University!"
"Beijing University? Why is it Peking University again!" Zhang Wei muttered in his heart, and then asked: "When did e-sports have such a big name, can I go to Peking University?"
"It's not that e-sports has a license. The reason is that the organizer has a good reputation. This time the organizer is Lenovo. They just launched a laptop this year and have launched a series of campus promotion activities.
The main thing is to invite e-sports players. In order to show the gaming performance of the laptop. After all, gaming requirements are higher than office requirements. Being able to play games smoothly also highlights the high performance of the laptop." Li Xiaofeng said.
"Then let's just ask your WE team to advertise, and we still have to waste so much time."
"We thought, people don't like us, so we can sign a sponsorship contract with them. Thank God." Li Xiaofeng paused and then said: "That's why I asked you to help. If you can help Lenovo organize this event, maybe we can sign this sponsorship contract!"
The e-sports environment at that time was indeed not very good. There was no boss behind the club to support it, and it was all powered by love, which lasted day by day. A club that could pay e-sports players was considered a high-level club.
Many e-sports clubs can only manage food, food and housing, and then provide players with a stable training environment, without necessarily reimbursing competition travel expenses. In this way, only a strong player can enter.
As for e-sports players, there is no business of making money through live broadcasts. They mainly rely on club wages and competition bonuses. Salaries can only be obtained by well-known players. As for competition bonuses, arrears are common, and some simply do not pay them.
For e-sports clubs, it is not easy to win a sponsor, and it is even more difficult to win a sponsor of Lenovo's level. This is true even for Real Madrid, a Chinese e-sports club like Team WE.
Thinking of this, Zhang Wei couldn't bear it, so he asked: "When does this promotional activity you mentioned start and end? I'll try to plan the time."
" From 12 noon to 2 p.m., Li Xiaofeng replied.
“How do you choose this time? It’s twelve o’clock, no lunch?”
“There’s no way. Selling computers is a commercial activity. If you can get into Peking University, it’s already pretty good. So, we can only choose a time slot that others don’t want and make a loophole.”
Li Xiaofeng continued: “I heard from the manager in charge of activities that after three o’clock in the afternoon, a biologist will give a report. , we have to free up the venue, so we can only go there at noon.”
"After three o'clock? Biologist? Reporting meeting? Is it possible that the biologist is me!"
Zhang Wei complained in his heart, and then counted the time.
The World Book Day activities are from 2 to 3:30 in the afternoon, which is just in time, but we have to eat lunch in advance.
"Brother Gai, if it is before two o'clock, I can arrange the time. But I have other activities at two o'clock in the afternoon, so I must leave before two o'clock." Zhang Wei agreed.
"As long as you can come! Thank you so much! I will treat you to dinner then."
"How can I ask you to treat me to dinner when you come to the capital? I must treat you!"
......
At the same time, Americans are celebrating Easter.
As an important holiday in the West, Easter is of course a holiday. Of course, the US stock market will also be closed due to the Easter holiday.
Before five o'clock in the afternoon, fund manager White walked out of the office. Since the U.S. stock market is closed tomorrow, White planned to go home early and enjoy a few days of vacation with his family.
Passing by the door of the bookstore, White suddenly remembered that his daughter wanted a novel, which seemed to be related to games.
So White immediately walked into the bookstore, planning to buy the book as a surprise for his daughter.
After walking into the bookstore, White asked the clerk directly: "I want to find a book that is very popular recently. Many teenagers like to read it. It seems to be related to games."
"Is it related to the game?" The clerk was stunned for a moment before realizing it, and then said: "You are talking about "The Thirst Game", right?"
White felt that this title impressed him, so he clicked on it. Nodding: "It seems to be called this name."
"This book is on the shelf in front, in the most conspicuous position. You can see it when you walk over."
White walked in the direction pointed by the clerk, and sure enough, he saw it in the most conspicuous position. "The Thirst Game".
After reading the introduction, White picked a new one. Then he looked around to see if there were any books that interested him.
The next second, a book with a dark gray cover came into his eyes. The cover was a fishhook with a stack of US dollars hooked on it, and the title of the book was "The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine".
“The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine?” White frowned slightly.
As a Wall Street fund manager, the phrase "The Big Short" immediately made him sensitive.
Looking at the slogan next to it: the latest masterpiece from the author of "The Thirst Game", White was even more stunned.
"The same author, this is also a youth novel, right? Why does a youth novel have a financial title?"
White thought about it for a moment, since his daughter likes this author's "Hungry and Thirsty" Game", then why not buy this copy of "The Big Short" as a double surprise for your daughter.
Thinking of this, White took another copy of "The Big Short" without hesitation and went to check out.
...
After dinner, White was watching TV in the living room, while his daughter returned to her room holding two new books.
Seeing that his daughter couldn't put down the new book, White felt a deep sense of satisfaction in his heart.
However, not long after, my daughter came over with a sad face, holding the book "The Big Short" in her hand.
"Baby, what's wrong? Who made you angry?" White asked quickly.
"I can't understand this book!" The daughter pointed to "The Big Short" in her hand.
“Why can’t you understand?” White took “The Big Short” and turned a page at random. The three letters MBS came into his eyes.
"MBS? Mortgage-backed bonds? Why is there such a thing in a juvenile book?"
Flicking through a few more pages, White saw several other financial terms.
White instantly realized that he might have bought the wrong book! This is not a teen book at all, but a financial book!
"Sorry, honey, daddy made a mistake. This book is what daddy wants to read." White quickly coaxed his daughter.
The little girl was very coaxable. After White promised to take her to the playground, she returned to her room with a smile on her face.
White continued to watch TV until the commercial break. He had no interest in advertising, so he subconsciously picked up the book "The Big Short" and decided to read a few pages to kill time.
After a few minutes, White was completely immersed in the plot of "The Big Short."
When he saw the chapter "About subprime mortgage bets", White's expression was extremely solemn.
The next chapter, "Wall Street Gold Mine," has White shouting words starting with the letter F, which is probably equivalent to the Chinese shouting "fuck".
As a Wall Street fund manager, the things described in this book are not only completely feasible, but also what Wall Street is doing!
"In recent times, there have indeed been many short-selling mortgage credit default swap products. Is this author also a Wall Street manager? How come he knows so much about Wall Street!"
White continues to read The more I read the content, the more chilling I feel.
According to what is written in this book, is the U.S. subprime loan market going to collapse?
With the size of subprime loans, once it collapses, the entire housing loan market will collapse!
The next step is the collapse of the US housing market, the collapse of the entire loan market, and ultimately the collapse of the entire financial system!
Finance is the largest pillar industry in the United States. If the entire financial system collapses, the United States will be finished!
If someone told White that the U.S. financial system was going to collapse, White would definitely think that person was a psychopath.
But after reading this book, White didn’t think so!
The content of the first half of "The Big Short" is exactly what is happening on Wall Street, and the various shady stories about mortgage-backed bonds in it do indeed exist.
Others don’t know the unspoken rules. As a Wall Street fund manager, how could White not know it?
“Is this a prophecy from God?” White looked at the book “The Big Short” in his hand in shock.
For a financial practitioner, "The Big Short" is no less important than the "Bible"!
The next second, White suddenly realized another problem. If we follow the operation in "The Big Short" and quickly short the subprime mortgage market, will we still get a sip of soup?
(End of this chapter)