Blackstone Code-Chapter 374: Different People, Different Paths, Different Futures
Different people require different approaches.
You can use a woman to tempt a lecher, but you can’t satisfy a drunkard’s desires with a woman.
Richard was lazy and fond of ease. From the first day Lynch saw him, he noticed this.
Richard had a decent education and a likeable charm that lowered others’ guard, but his résumé showed he never held any job long.
His résumé didn’t explain why he quit or was let go. Some jobs were physical, some ordinary, but none lasted.
He was articulate, not socially disabled or withdrawn, so likely he was just unhappy with his work.
Most who can’t keep a job long fall into two categories: those unhappy with their monthly earnings compared to their workload, or those unhappy with their workload compared to their income.
Though similar, the root cause often boils down to laziness.
With someone like this, don’t talk ideals. Their ideal is to find decent, flashy jobs requiring little brain or effort, and make as much money as possible.
From the start, Lynch never talked ideals with Richard; he talked money.
As long as Richard could bring in clients—by coaxing or tempting—and as long as those clients were willing to spend, Richard would earn a lot.
This fit perfectly with Richard’s view of work and self-worth.
He spent his days revolving around male and female clients—having afternoon tea with one, deep talks with another—with a group of admirers following him.
Amidst the glitter and excess, with drinks flowing and prospects bright, he was immersed.
Lime, however, was different. Though a stockbroker sounded glamorous, those in the business knew how hard it was—not just physically.
Convincing a client to willingly agree to buy unknown stocks, even knowing conversations might be recorded, wasn’t done by casually sitting in an office, legs crossed, making a few calls.
Outsiders imagined stockbrokers as well-dressed people in offices, legs on desks, polished shoes reflecting their image, casually dialing phones, and money flooding in mid-month.
Not true. Running trade shows and client visits was basic work for brokers like Lime. They had to know clients’ preferences, sometimes working for them voluntarily—pulling weeds or doing small chores.
They mastered sales talk, reading expressions, handling sudden questions like, If this is so profitable, why don’t you or your family do it?
Lime endured hardship and kept pushing forward. That showed he had ideals and pursuits—whether he fully realized it or not, his struggles now were the forging of a future.
He was someone with dreams.
Talking money with someone like Lime was fine. Everyone faces financial struggles before success. But once they gain money and chances to realize their dreams, Lynch’s money alone won’t hold them back.
They will chase their dreams.
So with people like Lime, to earn their wholehearted effort, you talk ideals, pursuits, and the future.
Standing by the huge glass window overlooking Eminence Financial Center’s dazzling sunlight, Lime’s eyes grew distant. After a moment, he looked at Lynch, puzzled.
“Mr. Lynch, I understand all this, but… can I really do it?”
Lynch nodded firmly. “Opportunity only comes to those prepared, Lime.”
“No one should be arrogant—arrogance blinds you—but don’t be too humble either. When others hesitate to recommend stocks to me for all sorts of reasons, you don’t.” ℝΑꞐꝋ𝐁ÈŠ
“You’re challenging fate. You’re ready to accept the best or worst outcomes. This is just fate’s feedback.”
“I see potential for success in you, so I’m giving you a chance. I bet your future will be brilliant!”
Lime’s eyes cleared and welled up. “Sorry, Mr. Lynch…” He turned and wiped his tears with a handkerchief.
He wanted to cry. A young man in his twenties, who’d been seeking opportunity in Eminence since high school.
He respected his parents’ wishes and became a plumbing apprentice after graduation at eighteen.
He sold cheap goods under bridges for his ideals.
He’d seen midnight’s darkness and dawn’s early light.
No one knew how hard he’d worked. Behind his respectable exterior was a fragile but strong spirit. Countless late nights, exhausted in bed, feeling the dark, aching back, and weariness—always filled with confusion.
Why work so hard? Wouldn’t it be easier to be a plumber, drift through life, marry a woman of similar background, have a few kids, and live a modest life?
Why struggle like a lost bird in the dark, fighting to survive on the ground?
Maybe because the last spark of hope for the future hadn’t died out yet, he kept trying—until this moment.
Lynch squeezed his shoulder. “You should smile. Life gives you bitterness so you’ll understand the sweetness and feel gratitude.”
Perhaps moved by feeling or memory, Lynch sighed softly. He once had dreams too.
But the feeling passed quickly. He composed himself. “Get to work. If you want your dreams, use your own hands to make them real.”
Lime’s tears hadn’t dried, and he was shy. “Mr. Lynch… may I hug you?” He quickly added, “I know it’s awkward, but no one’s ever said so much to me or given me a chance like this.”
Lynch opened his arms and hugged him tightly, like holding a child. Then he watched Lime leave with lighter steps.
“Almost moved myself,” Lynch muttered, exhaling sharply. He returned to his desk and just as he was thinking, the phone rang. He picked up casually.
“It’s me.”
The office had no secretaries or many staff yet, so the phone was basic. Once the team grew, calls would be routed through secretaries to avoid random interruptions and keep bosses focused.
Bosses always matched callers’ topics because they were prepared.
“I’m Fox…”
Lynch tapped his toe, spinning in his chair with his back to the office, facing the glass wall. “What is it?”
“The film is ready. The preview went well. The premiere is scheduled for Friday at 7:45 PM. You have to come.”
The film was completed within just two months—a seemingly short time that might suggest a rushed production, but that wasn’t the case.
In today’s entertainment industry, flooded with massive capital, producing one movie a month is standard practice, partly because this era involves little to no special effects.
Without heavy CGI, there might be some practical effects, but those are rare. Most films shoot for about two weeks to a month, then spend a week editing before release.
Some studios have as many as ten to twenty films scheduled for just the second half of the year. This high-density, intense work schedule cuts into actors’ rest time, but few complain because everyone is making a fortune.
Producers are profiting, actors are profiting, theaters are profiting—everyone is making money.
Lynch’s legendary adventure novel was adapted into a script and immediately put into production. Lynch personally invested in part of the filming budget, eliminating many problems that might arise in other companies or projects, which sped everything up considerably.
To boost impact, the film hired the youngest leading male star of the current top-tier actors—handsome and charismatic—to better reflect Lynch’s image.
Or rather, to try to faithfully recreate Lynch’s image, though they still fell short.
Now, with the film ready to premiere, Lynch—whether as investor, rights holder, or the real-life inspiration for the protagonist—had to attend.
“Alright, I’ll be there on Wednesday—tomorrow.”
The publicity for Nagaryll would continue even after the film’s release. There would be follow-up promotions, like a semi-documentary gold rush series, officially called a documentary.
It would detail the transformations of two impoverished people who struck gold in Nagaryll, becoming wealthy with palatial homes and countless wives.
In short, it was truly a great place.
