Blossoms Shanghai Episode 1 Recap
> Blossoms Shanghai Recap
In 1992 Shanghai, a bustling metropolis, A Bao, a young man with grand ambitions, was navigating the city's vibrant yet tumultuous business world. The stock market was booming, fueled by China's accelerated reforms following Deng Xiaoping's Southern Tour. On December 31st, A Bao left the Peace Hotel with 300,000 yuan in cash to welcome the new year.
As he was about to get into his car, he was struck by a speeding taxi, which then fled the scene, leaving his money scattered on the ground. A Bao was rushed to the hospital, where he was attended by medical personnel including Ge Laoshi. News of his accident quickly spread, drawing a chaotic crowd of friends and associates, including stock big shot Cai Siling, Post Stamp Li, his godmother Fat Aunt, and Jin Bao.
The situation was brought under control only by the arrival of Ye Shu, a seasoned business veteran who calmly declared A Bao would survive. Despite being unconscious from severe blood loss, A Bao eventually stabilized. Ye Shu, A Bao's first major benefactor, had a history with him dating back to 1987. That year, Ye Shu, fresh out of Tilanqiao Prison, was approached by A Bao, who was seeking guidance on foreign trade.
Initially dismissive of A Bao's inexperience, referring to him as a "friend's grandson," Ye Shu eventually challenged him to rent a room at the Peace Hotel. The next day, A Bao, with Ye Shu, rented a British Suite—Ye Shu's old long-term room—for eighty US dollars and two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes. Ye Shu then demanded A Bao borrow 6,000 yuan by the end of the day, threatening to abandon him if he failed.
A Bao turned to his good friend Tao Tao, who, despite family objections, gave him her entire wedding savings. Following Ye Shu's instructions, A Bao used the money to purchase Electric Vacuum shares. At that time, the stock market was nascent, with no formal exchange, and transactions were conducted through "yellow cows" (brokers) at Xikang Road 101.
A Bao initially bought forty shares at 150 yuan each from a yellow cow, but the stock price soon plummeted by 3,000 yuan due to a new share issuance. A Bao confronted Ye Shu, who emphasized the importance of learning to lose first. Ye Shu then instructed him to raise another 10,000 yuan within a week to buy more Electric Vacuum shares, promising significant profits in two weeks.
Tao Tao again helped A Bao by selling her necklace and jewelry to raise 7,000 yuan. A Bao purchased more shares from yellow cow Post Stamp Li. Ten days later, Electric Vacuum was acquired, and its stock price quintupled. A Bao, now holding a bag full of profits, met Ye Shu, who, impressed by his reliability, agreed to continue their partnership.
Ye Shu orchestrated A Bao's complete transformation, commissioning bespoke three-piece suits from a "Red Gang" tailor and a fashionable new haircut from a Yangzhou barber. He also had A Bao register a company, thus rebranding him as "Boss Bao" (Bao Zong). Over the next few years, A Bao, capitalizing on the opportunities of reform and opening up, rapidly accumulated wealth through various ventures, from foreign trade to bonds and arbitrage.
Back in 1992, police began investigating A Bao's accident, suspecting it was retaliation related to the "414 stock." They questioned Ye Shu, Tao Tao, Cai Siling, Ling Zi, and Wang Mingzhu. A Bao and Ling Zi were business partners who jointly owned the "Ye Tokyo" restaurant, a purely professional relationship.
Wang Mingzhu, a saleswoman from a foreign trade company, was also closely associated with A Bao; Tao Tao had even mentioned her as A Bao's rumored girlfriend, though Wang Mingzhu clarified their relationship was strictly work-related and asserted the 300,000 yuan A Bao carried during the accident was for her. None of them had a clear motive to harm A Bao.
Cai Siling, who had introduced A Bao to major brokerage houses, noted the ongoing rivalry between Shanghai and Shenzhen stock market factions, with many following A Bao to profit. When Cai Siling, Fat Aunt, and Jin Bao visited the hospital, they discovered A Bao had already been discharged. Ye Shu, suspecting a deeper plot, instructed A Bao to stay in his room for a month, assuring him that this period was crucial for uncovering the truth behind the attack.
A Bao complied, using the time to rest and strengthen his body. Ye Shu's investigation led him to suspect the absconding proprietress of the Jin Feng Huang restaurant. He learned from Post Stamp Li that the restaurant had been transferred. Three months prior, a woman named Li Li arrived in Shanghai, discovering the highly profitable Jin Feng Huang had recently closed. She acquired the premises, transformed it, and reopened it as "Zhi Zhen Yuan," which quickly became a thriving success.
Li Li, having heard of A Bao's prominence on Huang He Road, sought to invite him to "hold the fort" for her establishment. She learned from the former lobby manager that six months earlier, Shanghai's largest brokerage firm, Qilin She, had approached A Bao for a partnership regarding the "414 stock." A Bao's refusal had offended Qilin She.
Li Li also analyzed A Bao's associates and decided to use Fan Xinhua, the original owner of Jin Feng Huang, as an intermediary. It became apparent that A Bao's accident and the Jin Feng Huang owner's disappearance were connected to the "414 stock," a stock A Bao had not invested in. The proprietress of Jin Feng Huang, described as A Bao's "nominal girlfriend," was believed to have betrayed him, suggesting A Bao had offended more than just Qilin She.
As the one-month period set by Ye Shu concluded, Ling Zi contacted A Bao, revealing he had found the perpetrator of the hit-and-run. A Bao, after a quick tidy-up, recognized the taxi and its driver, Fa Gen's son, A Si, who had lost all his money in the stock market. A Bao finally understood everything.
