Zhao Chen

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Zhao Chen (赵辰) 1
Alias(es)	Xiao Chen; “Great Bear”; Chairman Zhao; President Zhao 9 45 126
Gender	Male 1
Affiliation	Zhengfa University; Henglong Group 1 39
Occupation/Role	University student; Acting Chairman and General Manager of Henglong Group; later Henglong’s controlling shareholder 39 233
Status	Alive 340
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Zhao Chen was sentenced to twenty years in prison in his previous life. After awakening on November 1, 2016, at a Zhengfa University lecture, he realizes he has returned to the beginning of the events that led to his downfall. He retains memories of being ruined by his father, Zhao Jianguo, and Lin Wanqing, as well as of Chen Hao’s humiliation of him and relationship with Shen Zhiyi. 1 256

Unlike his former self—whom he describes as a privileged “rich second-generation kid” living on his father’s name—Zhao Chen returns determined to change his fate. He regards both his family and Henglong as systems to be dissected and rebuilt rather than safe sources of belonging. 3

He immediately uses his knowledge of future market movements to challenge Chen Hao’s bullish real-estate prediction, warning that the property market will collapse and leave many families bankrupt. He then sells his car, borrows 3 million yuan, and invests all available funds in Sanjiang Shopping shares. 1 2

His early market call is vindicated when Sanjiang Shopping rises to its daily limit, humiliating Chen Hao publicly and attracting the trust of classmates who follow his investment framework. 30

Appearance

Zhao Chen maintains a composed, polished business image despite his youth. At Henglong’s board meeting, his fitted dark suit and youthful face stand out against the company’s severe atmosphere; during public appearances, he favors simple shirts and dark trousers rather than overly formal attire. 39 126

• Tall, with a notably youthful appearance. 39 126
• Often wears well-fitted dark suits for corporate meetings. 39
• Appears in a white shirt and dark trousers for his first major media appearance. 126
• Wore a dark gray suit and untied white shirt while speaking at Zhengfa University. 150

Personality

Zhao Chen is calculating, disciplined, and exceptionally willing to take risks when he believes the odds favor him. His rebirth leaves him distrustful of appearances, dismissive of pride, and focused on cash, leverage, survival, and control. 3 4

He is also highly self-assured, often making decisions before explaining them to others. This confidence can turn cold: he manipulates opponents’ expectations, weaponizes public opinion, and treats corporate conflicts as strategic contests rather than personal arguments. 56 64 245

Despite this ruthlessness, Zhao Chen values loyalty deeply. He trusts Zhang Qingxue, Chen Xi, Su Wantang, and Shen Zhiyi with responsibilities or vulnerabilities he shares with few others. He rewards capable subordinates, acknowledges their contributions, and is protective toward people he considers his own. 66 67 285 326

His outlook matures after recognizing that rebirth and future knowledge do not make him invincible. Following a setback involving Lu Shen, he admits that he had become complacent and underestimated opponents who were smarter or more ruthless than expected. 188 295

Zhao Chen does not seek petty revenge once an enemy has already fallen. When Chen Hao disappears amid his family’s collapse, Zhao Chen refuses to pursue or humiliate him, arguing that doing so would neither improve Henglong nor make him more successful. 256 262

Abilities & Skills

Future Knowledge and Market Timing

Zhao Chen’s greatest advantage is his memory of future events from his previous life. He uses this knowledge to identify major market shifts before they become publicly accepted. 1 4

• Bought Sanjiang Shopping shares before its limit-up move, establishing his early reputation among classmates. 2 30
• Anticipated Bitcoin’s long-term rise and planned major positions before it crossed $1,000. 4 92
• Sold his Bitcoin holdings at $17,000 per coin; an initial $600,000 investment reportedly became about $22.8 million through double leverage. 328
• Plans long-term positions in Tesla, Nvidia, and Apple through his offshore capital pool. 56 324
• Advises investors to use only idle funds, accept the possibility of total loss, and hold long term. 153
• Acknowledges that foreknowledge does not make him omniscient, particularly after underestimating Lu Shen’s willingness to destroy Henglong. 188 295

Corporate Governance and Restructuring

Zhao Chen rapidly converts shareholder influence into operational control over Henglong, then uses that authority to expose liabilities, reduce leverage, and rebuild the company’s balance sheet. 39 40

• Secured appointment as Henglong’s Acting Chairman and General Manager, backed by 70% of the voting rights. 39
• Exposed 237 million yuan illegally occupied through the Finance Department and demanded immediate rectification. 40
• Removed Legal Director Zhou Zhengping for failing to issue risk warnings. 40
• Pursues a “shrink the balance sheet” strategy centered on debt reduction, asset disposals, and liquidity preservation. 92 124
• Uses a planned share issuance to pressure Zhao Jianguo into either increasing his stake or facing dilution and margin-call risks. 56
• Took control of Zhao Jianguo’s 170 million Henglong shares, later holding 66.07% of the company. 230 233

Negotiation and Valuation

Zhao Chen combines detailed due diligence with a willingness to walk away from unfavorable terms.

• Negotiated Eagle Group’s valuation from a proposed 20x P/E ratio down to 18x, conditioned on an earnings guarantee. 243
• Structured a deal with Henglong’s lead brokerage firm to take over Zhao Jianguo’s pledged shares and avert forced liquidation. 175
• Assessed Haoyu Construction’s debt, assets, off-balance-sheet liabilities, and expected profitability before deciding to acquire the company outright. 264
• Proposed refinancing Haoyu’s high-interest, short-term debt into lower-interest, long-term loans after Henglong’s acquisition. 269
• Acquired Haoyu partly because of Chen Wei’s ability to stabilize projects, negotiate with creditors, and manage distressed assets. 264 285

Public Opinion and Deception

Zhao Chen understands that market perception can be as consequential as financial fundamentals.

• Used flattering media coverage of Chen Hao’s academic and family background to inflate Chen Hao’s ego and encourage his father’s overconfidence. 64
• Maintained composure during hostile coverage of Henglong’s conservative strategy, allowing market performance to validate his approach. 52
• Used a staged display of drunken enthusiasm during the Eagle negotiations to make Lu Shen believe Zhao Chen was overcommitting to the project. 244 245
• Uses media statements and shareholder communication to reinforce confidence in Henglong during public-opinion crises. 126 250 297

Financial Positions and Holdings

Asset / Position	Documented Position	Notes
Henglong Group shares	Pledged a 10% stake for a 280 million HKD loan. 14	The loan carried a 15% annualized interest rate and a margin-call trigger tied to a 25% share-price decline.
Henglong control	Received Zhao Jianguo’s 170 million shares. 230	His ownership reached 66.07%, making him Henglong’s controlling shareholder. 233
Bitcoin	Sold all holdings at $17,000 per coin. 328	His stated early investment of $600,000 became roughly $22.8 million after double leverage.
US technology stocks	Planned positions in Tesla, Nvidia, and Apple. 56 324	Managed through his personal offshore capital pool. 66

Relationships

• Zhao Jianguo — Father and former Henglong chairman. Zhao Chen’s rebirth is driven largely by his father’s role in his previous-life imprisonment; he ultimately forces Zhao Jianguo out of control of Henglong. 1 181 230
• Lin Wanqing — Stepmother and principal adversary. Zhao Chen attributes his previous-life ruin to her and Zhao Jianguo, later targets her finances through Henglong and Haoyu-related projects. 1 181 255 265
• Su Wantang — Zhao Jianguo’s wife, Zhao Chen’s stepmother, and later his personal assistant. She serves as his emotional support and trusted confidante; Zhao Chen eventually acknowledges his affection for her. 59 109 244
• Shen Zhiyi — Classmate and girlfriend. She is among the first people Zhao Chen asks to trust him after his rebirth, supports him through public criticism, and becomes central to his personal life. 3 52 150 205
• Chen Xi — Former university counselor who becomes Zhao Chen’s executive assistant. Zhao Chen entrusts her with independent authority over his offshore investments and relies on her for execution, intelligence, and strategy. 42 66 149
• Zhang Qingxue — Zhao Chen’s late mother’s closest friend, legal adviser, and board secretary. She assists with share pledges, corporate governance, legal risks, and negotiations. 4 14 40
• Shen Jue — Capital-market ally and independent director. Zhao Chen reserves a board seat for her in exchange for cooperation on key independent-shareholder votes; she later co-invests with Henglong in Haoyu projects. 207 254
• Chen Wei — Former Haoyu Construction executive and Chen Hao’s older sister. Zhao Chen acquires Haoyu and retains her for her operational ability, eventually recognizing her as a rare and valuable executive. 267 285
• Chen Hao — Former class monitor, romantic rival, and early antagonist. Zhao Chen defeats him through market predictions and later manipulates his public image; after Chen Hao’s family collapses, Zhao Chen declines to pursue further revenge. 1 30 64 256
• Lu Shen — Blackstone China vice president and business rival. Their conflict escalates from an earlier campus encounter into competition over Henglong Property, Eagle Group, and Henglong’s market survival. 218 244 295

Story Role / Major Arcs

Rebirth and First Capital

After returning to 2016, Zhao Chen rejects his old identity and begins accumulating independent capital through Sanjiang Shopping, pledged Henglong shares, and Bitcoin. His successful stock prediction establishes his reputation among classmates and directly humiliates Chen Hao. 1 2 4 30

Taking Henglong

When Zhao Jianguo’s position collapses, Zhao Chen uses shareholder voting rights and legal agreements to become Henglong’s Acting Chairman and General Manager. He immediately investigates the company’s finances, exposes internal irregularities, and begins removing compromised executives. 39 40 42

Debt Reduction and the Rights Issue

Zhao Chen resists industry pressure to expand during the property boom, instead reducing Henglong’s leverage and preparing a rights issue to dilute Zhao Jianguo’s influence. Public opinion initially brands him arrogant and overly conservative, but the market responds positively to his strategy. 52 56 124

The Zhao Chen Era

Zhao Chen pressures Zhao Jianguo into surrendering control, confronts him in prison, and later receives the transfer of his 170 million shares. With 66.07% ownership, he becomes Henglong’s controlling shareholder and begins further asset disposals and restructuring. 175 181 230 233

Haoyu Construction and Lin Wanqing

Zhao Chen acquires distressed Haoyu Construction, recognizing Chen Wei as the company’s most valuable asset. He uses Haoyu’s projects—and Chen Wei’s knowledge of them—to control the pace of Lin Wanqing’s cash flow and undermine her remaining business interests. 264 265 267 285

Expansion Beyond Real Estate

After building a cash-rich, lower-leverage Henglong, Zhao Chen shifts attention toward technology stocks, agricultural investments, and Yunnan Agriculture Group. He presents himself as a financial investor rather than an operator, retaining risk-control rights while allowing capable management teams to run their businesses. 324 330 331

Notable Quotes

“Cash is winter food—the more, the better.” 3

“Be greedy when everyone else is fearful, and fearful when everyone else is greedy.” 149

“If I humiliate him, what would that change? Would it make me more successful? Would it make Henglong better?” 256