Zhang Wei

Biodata

Background

Zhang Wei is one of Wang Haifeng’s classmates and comes from a family with county-government connections. At Wang Haifeng’s mother’s birthday banquet, he works for a securities firm and initially regards Feng Jun as socially inferior: Feng is an outsider and a former Hongjie Club employee. Zhang openly ignores him while socializing with other guests. 43

Mrs. Wang’s public thanks for Feng Jun’s 18,000-Xia-currency handbag changes Zhang’s assessment immediately. Seeing Feng’s spending power, Zhang begins probing his business and recruits him as a securities client to meet his own monthly quota. 43

Appearance

Zhang Wei is described as notably handsome, with both an attractive face and a good figure. 43

• Considered one of three strikingly handsome men seated together with Feng Jun and Li Qiang. 43
• Socially confident and adept at attracting attention in conversation. 43

Personality

Zhang is status-conscious and initially arrogant toward people he considers beneath him. His treatment of Feng changes as soon as Feng’s wealth becomes apparent, revealing a pragmatic and self-interested approach to relationships. 43

He is motivated strongly by profit and professional performance. He accepts Feng’s unusual orders without pressing for explanations when commissions are involved, and he repeatedly seeks additional deposits to fulfill his securities quota. 43 50 122

Despite overestimating his ability to acquire explosives, Zhang follows through on investigating the matter and admits when the restrictions prove more difficult than expected. 44 50

Professional Skills & Connections

Securities Business

Zhang works for a securities firm and uses Feng Jun’s deposits to improve his business performance.

• Recruits Feng as a client after learning Feng is involved in mining. 43
• Receives an initial 500,000 Xia-currency deposit from Feng. 43
• Later requests an additional two million Xia currency because Feng’s account remains short of his quota. 50

Procurement and Manufacturing

Zhang serves as a practical intermediary for Feng’s sensitive or unusual requests.

• Promises to investigate obtaining TNT and detonators, believing Feng’s wealth makes the request less suspicious. 44
• Later reports that explosives are heavily controlled and asks Feng for more time; Feng tells him to prioritize detonators if TNT cannot be obtained. 50
• Produces a refined sample batch of silver dollars and accepts Feng’s order for two tons, preserving the molds for future production. 122
• Delivers the completed order of roughly forty thousand silver dollars, valued at more than eight million Xia currency. 124

Relationships

• Feng Jun — Initially dismisses Feng as an outsider, then becomes solicitous after recognizing his wealth. Their relationship is transactional: Zhang seeks deposits and commissions, while Feng uses Zhang’s ambition and connections for explosives and silver-dollar production. 43 44 50 122
• Wang Haifeng — Classmate and friend; Wang introduces Zhang to Feng at his mother’s birthday banquet. 43
• Li Qiang — Fellow classmate of Wang Haifeng and companion in the Mingjuehui incident. Both later suspect Feng’s phone-related abilities may have been involved. 45 49 51

Story Role / Major Arcs

Wang Birthday Banquet

Zhang begins as the most openly dismissive guest toward Feng Jun, but becomes friendly after Feng’s luxury gift exposes his financial means. He then persuades Feng to open a securities account and agrees to look into procuring mining detonators. 43

Explosives Arrangement

Confident that Feng’s wealth makes him a safe client, Zhang promises to obtain TNT or detonators. He later discovers the matter is far more sensitive than expected and delays while continuing to pursue Feng’s securities deposits. 44 50

Mingjuehui Aftermath

Zhang joins Feng and Li Qiang at Mingjuehui and treats their online bet as entertainment rather than a serious conflict. After Li Qiang is rapidly located and threatened, Zhang suspects that Feng’s phone may contain specialized software or hacking tools. 45 49 51

Silver-Dollar Order

Zhang successfully fulfills Feng’s unexplained silver-dollar commission, producing coins more refined than the originals Feng obtained from the Phone Plane. He does not question the purpose of the order because the transaction is profitable. 122 124