Lin Feng stood before Yu Shen, slightly out of breath from rushing after him.
Yu Shen examined him with curiosity. "Did you need something?"
"Yes, actually." Lin Feng glanced around at the students filing past them. "Are you busy at the moment? Can we talk somewhere a little more quiet?"
Yu Shen studied him for a few seconds, his expression unreadable.
Finally, he shrugged.
"Sure. I've got nothing to do anyway."
...
They found a small coffee shop not far from campus.
The two of them sat across from each other, drinks placed on the table between them. Lin Feng had ordered a simple black coffee. Yu Shen had gone for green tea.
"Thanks for taking the time to talk with me," Lin Feng said.
Yu Shen waved it off. "It's fine. So - what did you want to talk about?"
Lin Feng met his gaze directly.
"I'm interested in you."
"..."
"Not in that way!" He shook his hands frantically. "I meant - specifically, I'm interested in your ideas."
Yu Shen's posture relaxed, though a hint of wariness remained.
"My ideas?"
"Yes." Lin Feng nodded. "The way you answered that question earlier - about the use of computers in business. You talked about quantitative investment. Most people wouldn't even think to bring that up."
Something shifted in Yu Shen's eyes.
It was as if a switch had been flipped.
"You're interested in quantitative investing?" he asked, leaning forward.
"I am," Lin Feng said. "I've been reading about it lately. The idea of using algorithms to analyze markets, identify patterns, make trades faster and more efficiently than any human could…"
"Exactly!" Yu Shen's voice rose with enthusiasm. "That's exactly it! Most people don't understand. They think investing is all about intuition and gut feelings, but the data is right there. Patterns exist. They can be found, analyzed, exploited."
He gestured animatedly as he spoke.
"And the best part? It's not magic. It's not luck. It's mathematics. Logic. Anyone with the right knowledge and tools can do it." His expression darkened slightly. "But right now, only the mega-corporations have access. Goldmont Securities. Hartwell & Associates. Irongate Holdings. They hoard these methods and use them to get richer while everyone else is left behind."
Lin Feng smiled inwardly.
That's just like him.
Even now, Yu Shen's philosophy was already taking shape. Power to the people. Technology for everyone. He never changed - not even in the future.
"So how does it actually work?" Lin Feng asked, leaning in with curiosity. "The algorithms, I mean. How do you even begin to build something like that?"
Yu Shen's eyes lit up.
"It starts with data," he said. "Historical price movements, trading volumes, market sentiment indicators. You feed all of it into a model and train it to recognize patterns. The model learns what conditions typically precede a price increase or decrease, and then…"
He went on for several minutes, explaining concepts like backtesting, feature engineering, and risk management. His explanations were detailed but surprisingly accessible, as if he had spent a long time thinking about how to communicate these ideas to others.
Lin Feng listened attentively, asking questions at the right moments, nodding along as Yu Shen grew more animated.
Finally, when there was a natural pause, Lin Feng spoke up.
"If I wanted to invest using these methods," he said slowly, "who would you recommend?"
Yu Shen considered the question.
"There are a few reputable quantitative funds that accept smaller investors," he said. "Stonebridge has some options. Sigma Prime as well, though their minimums are quite high. There's also…"
Lin Feng shook his head.
"I don't trust them."
Yu Shen blinked. "You don't trust... Stonebridge?"
"They're corporations," Lin Feng said simply. He then raised his hand and pointed directly at Yu Shen. "But I trust you."
Yu Shen stared at him.
"You seem quite knowledgeable about all this," Lin Feng continued. "You're not just studying it theoretically, are you? You're doing the same thing yourself."
Yu Shen's eyes widened. "How did you…"
Lin Feng smiled but said nothing.
It's practically written all over your face.
"I'm just playing around," Yu Shen said quickly, looking flustered. "It's nothing serious. Just a hobby project. If you want real results, you should use an established company. They have resources I couldn't dream of."
Lin Feng shook his head firmly.
"No. Those are just mega-corporations." He leaned forward, his voice growing more earnest. "But you…you're different. You're a person. Just like me."
Yu Shen's expression flickered with something Lin Feng couldn't quite read.
I need to build trust, Lin Feng thought. Even if I take a loss now, I can always get it back later.
He chose his next words carefully.
"To be honest," he said, "I don't really believe in the whole idea of those big investment firms. They just keep getting richer while normal people get left behind. I want to prove something - that even ordinary people can do this. That we don't need to rely on corporations to manage our money."
He met Yu Shen's gaze steadily.
"That's why I'm not afraid to invest with you. Because you're a fellow person. Just like me. I want to see a world where people do things for themselves - not a world where corporations control everything."
Lin Feng knew his words didn't entirely make logical sense. But that wasn't the point.
He was triggering keywords. Hitting emotional buttons. Appealing to the ideals he knew Yu Shen held dear.
And now - the final nail in the coffin.
"In fact," Lin Feng said, "we can even sign a contract stating that I won't hold you responsible if I lose my money."
Yu Shen's jaw dropped.
"What? How could you…"
Lin Feng waved his hand dismissively.
"It's all for the cause," he said. "What's a little money worth compared to that?"
Silence hung between them.
Yu Shen stared at Lin Feng as if seeing him for the first time. His eyes were wide, his lips slightly parted.
Then…
He stood up abruptly, slamming his hands on the table.
"I never thought..." His voice trembled slightly. "I never thought I would meet someone who thinks like this."
Lin Feng maintained his calm expression, but inside, he was smiling.
Got him.
Yu Shen took a deep breath and sat back down, composing himself.
"There's no need for such extreme conditions," he said earnestly. "If you truly want to invest with me, we can draw up a normal contract. Standard terms. I'll do my best to…"
Lin Feng raised his hand, cutting him off.
"No need," he said. "Since we're people with the same ideals, I trust you completely."
Yu Shen looked at him for a long moment.
Then, slowly, a smile spread across his face.
"Lin Feng, right?" he said. "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership."
Lin Feng smiled back and extended his hand.
"I think so too."