Maximize Interest, My Money Grows Infinitely
Chapter 347 - 219: Which is More Important, Inheritance or Luck

Chapter 347: Chapter 219: Which is More Important, Inheritance or Luck

Chen Cheng’s voice had just faded when Aunt Wang’s voice came from outside:

"Mr. Chen, Mr. Chen, the fruit has been washed."

Chen Jin called out, "Come on, let’s go out and sit."

Chen Cheng pushed Liu Zhiying into the living room.

The coffee table was laden with a full plate of neatly cut fruit, with apples, pears, oranges, and a bunch of newly marketed Qing Wang grapes, exuding an enticing fruity fragrance.

Chen Jin speared a piece of apple with a toothpick, and before he put it in his mouth, he said, "Aunt Wang, your cutting skills are getting better and better, it’s beautifully done."

The apple had been cut into even cubes, about the size of a thumb, easy to eat.

"Don’t make fun of me, Mr. Chen, it’s just some everyday chores."

Aunt Wang said with a smile, "Try these grapes too, they are really sweet, I picked them out specially."

Chen Jin passed the plate of grapes to Chen Cheng, "Mr. Chen, you try some too."

Chen Cheng nodded.

Aunt Wang asked, "Mr. Chen, would the two of you be dining here at noon?"

Chen Jin consulted Chen Cheng, "Mr. Chen, do you have time?"

"Then I’ll have to taste Aunt Wang’s cooking." Chen Cheng laughed and replied.

Chen Jin leaned back on the sofa, "Aunt Wang, you’ll have to show your best at noon today, our Mr. Chen is quite particular."

"Don’t worry, Mr. Chen, I’m going to start preparing now."

After Aunt Wang left, Chen Cheng casually handed the grapes to Liu Zhiying.

He asked curiously, "Lao Chen, how come you never mentioned your father working at this university before?"

Chen Jin candidly replied, "My father was at the School of Economics and Management, but he has been retired for many years now."

He paused for a moment, as though choosing his words, "Actually, I’ve always preferred not to let others know my family background."

Chen Cheng was momentarily taken aback but then understood Chen Jin’s point.

"I understand. Your father is an academic giant, you are a rising star in the business world, both of you have achieved remarkable success in your respective fields, and this in itself is a matter of pride."

"But you don’t want to live in his shadow, you want to forge your own path with your own efforts, and that is an admirable ambition."

Chen Jin nodded repeatedly, "Mr. Chen really understands me. Ever since I was young, I’ve always heard things like ’Like father, like son’ and ’You will surely surpass your father in the future’."

"Honestly, I feel a lot of pressure. I don’t want to be seen as a ’second generation’, I just want to be myself."

Chen Cheng picked up the thread of conversation, "From what I know of you, you have never mentioned your father or relied on his power; it’s all been your own strength and effort that I greatly admire."

Chen Jin shook his head, "Mr. Chen, you flatter me. My achievements today are 99% due to the blessings of my forebears."

Chen Jin’s words made Chen Cheng pause, then he said, "Lao Chen, that’s selling yourself short."

"Really."

Chen Jin nodded emphatically, "Everyone thinks I started from scratch, founded LinkedIn, and surged ahead, enjoying limitless glory. But in reality, LinkedIn’s establishment also came from my father."

He smiled, "Of course, these are details not covered by Wikipedia."

Chen Cheng recalled the first time meeting the man before him, a shepherd under the sunset and the Great Wall, as if at this moment they took a tangible form.

"I am his son, and I am also his student," Chen Jin spread his hands.

Liu Zhiying, who had been silent, blinked in amazement and exclaimed carefully, "Chairman, does that mean you’re my senior?"

Chen Jin admitted with a laugh, "You’re from the Law School, and I’m from the School of Economics and Management. But on our graduation certificates, the stamp is the same."

"So, it’s not so much that it can be counted, but rather it’s an existing fact," he added.

Chen Cheng matched this information to what he had seen online in a flash.

Chen Jin continued, "The precursor to LinkedIn was the alumni association."

"As a member of the alumni association, my father started planning this long ago. He wanted to build a platform to integrate the alumni resources of Beijing University, to help each other out and develop together."

"After graduating from my alma mater, I was sent abroad for four years of study," he went on:

"I’ve seen the hustle and bustle of Wall Street and the innovation of Silicon Valley, but in my heart, I always felt that I should return to China to do something."

He took out a cigarette and lit it leisurely, "Back then, the domestic financial system wasn’t fully established yet, and the game rules were also being sketched out according to the Western markets they were learning from."

"Chaos and rampant growth were synonyms for my era."

Chen Cheng remembered Chen Jin’s defining battle, which indeed matched what he was now saying.

"My father thought what I was doing was wrong," he continued, "One shouldn’t use Western methods to open up the domestic market."

"He told me that Beijing University’s alumni are spread across all various industries, with rich resources and connections. Integrating these resources could unleash tremendous energy."

"My father’s words woke me up, and I started to seriously consider the feasibility of this idea. After a period of research and preparation, I decided to found a company centered on the shared resources of the alumni. This was the precursor to LinkedIn."

Chen Jin exhaled a light puff of smoke, "’LinkedIn’ was also a name my father came up with."

He looked at Chen Cheng and Liu Zhiying, opening a window to the past before them.

"At the time, I proposed many names using trendy English words, but my father rejected all of them."

"Like choosing a westernized name like Chairman Wen’s CGG to sound more posh."

"He said to me earnestly, ’You graduated from Beijing University, always remember your roots, and aim to nurture talent for the nation and create value for society.’