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In the spring of 1928, two baby boys, Li Ka-shing and Li Ka-zhao, arrived in a wealthy family in Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province. They are respectfully called the "big young masters" here, and they enjoy the life of brocade clothes and food carefree, as if life is only beautiful. However, fate played a joke on them, who could have predicted that in 1938 the iron hooves of the Japanese invaders would ravage the Central Plains, and the flames of war would be raging and the smoke of gunpowder would be filled?
Faced with the sudden devastation of war, the family had to flee their homes in a hurry and seek refuge in Hong Kong. Leaving the familiar homeland, Li Ka-shing and Li Jiazhao fell from the pampered young master to the bottom of society in an instant, and the glory of the family was gone.
Witnessing the decline of the family business, Li Ka-shing, who is only 14 years old, has mixed feelings. He knew that he could not go back to his old life, and that he had no choice but to rely on his relatives. His father begged his uncle to arrange a job for him at a watch company, but he was ruthlessly refused. The uncle said frankly that the current situation is turbulent, everyone protects themselves, and it is really inappropriate for relatives to mix interests.
This refusal made Li Ka-shing's father feel very disappointed, and he was depressed all day long, and died of lung disease soon after. Looking at this stormy family, Li Ka-shing strengthened his belief in self-reliance and resolutely decided to embark on the road of making a living alone.
In the beginning, Li Ka-shing could only start as a waiter in a restaurant on the lowest floor. Although it was extremely difficult, he never gave up, but honed the qualities of humility and tenacity in his ordinary work. Four years later, he again asked his uncle to arrange an apprenticeship for him at a watch company. This time, his uncle did not refuse, but personally taught him the art of clock repair.
Under the careful guidance of his uncle, Li Ka-shing's watch repair and marketing skills continued to improve. His uncle originally planned to further promote him, but he did not expect that Li Ka-shing had already targeted the emerging field at that time - the plastic products industry. He left his uncle and worked part-time selling plastic products during the day and studied university courses on his own at night.
After years of hard work, Li Ka-shing established Cheung Kong Plastics Factory in Hong Kong with his outstanding talent and extraordinary courage, laying a solid foundation for his business. However, his younger brother Li Jiazhao failed to grasp the true meaning of self-reliance and self-reliance, and still indulged in relying on his brother's wealth to profligate his wealth, and eventually fell into poverty.
The fates of the two brothers have taken two very different paths so dramatically!
Li Jiazhao, since childhood, has lived a privileged life, pampered and pampered, and has no enterprising heart for any affairs. He saw that his brother Li Ka-shing had created a brilliant world in the plastic industry with his own efforts, and was deeply respected by everyone, but his heart was full of deep jealousy.
However, when his brother had become a leader in the plastics industry, Li Ka-chiu, far from being inspired by his brother's inspirational story, began to indulge in pleasure and squander his brother's fame.
He was sometimes diligent, sometimes lazy, addicted to alcohol and gambling, and lived a carefree life. Whenever there was a financial crisis, he did not hesitate to give credit to merchants in the name of Li Ka-shing.
Soon, Li Ka-shing's reputation in the business sector was severely damaged, and merchants who could not find Li Ka-shing flocked to their homes to collect their debts. Enraged by his brother's indulgence, Li Ka-shing resolutely rejected all of his brother's loan requests, hoping that he would be self-reliant rather than forever dependent on his brother's wealth.
However, Li Jiazhao has no awareness of this, let alone the determination to change. After being turned away, he became a poor bastard with nothing to do every day, living a life of food and mouth.
Until one day, he suddenly felt unwell and was diagnosed with terminal cancer by doctors.
Life gave Li Jiazhao a heavy blow in this way, making him completely sober. Caught in trouble and riddled with illness, Li Jiazhao realized that his life had fallen into endless poverty and loneliness.
In the last moments of his life, he was filled with remorse, blaming his brother Li Ka-shing for his ruthlessness and refusal to help him.
Deep down, Li Ka-chiu was convinced that it was precisely because Li Ka-shing never reached out to him that he could not gain a foothold in the mall, and finally embarked on this road of no return. He was full of resentment towards his brother, accusing him of being mercenary, ruthless, and treating money more than family affection.
As a young man, Li Ka-shing worked alone in Hong Kong, starting as a waiter in a lowest-level restaurant. The work at the restaurant is extremely difficult, and he has to work from early morning to late at night, waiting for customers to call and call.
However, instead of complaining about the injustice of fate, he learned how to be humble with great determination and perseverance. After four years of hard work, he deeply realized that a simple job alone is not enough to change his destiny, and only through self-effort can he create his own brilliant future.
After parting ways with the restaurant, Li Ka-shing visited his uncle again and begged him to get him an apprenticeship at a watch company. Although his uncle was initially skeptical of the idle young man, he was soon impressed by Li Ka-shing's diligence and studiousness.
Under the careful tutelage of his uncle, Li Ka-shing gradually became proficient in watch repair and sales skills. His uncle had planned to train him to become the core of the company, but to his surprise, Li Ka-shing had already set his sights on the rising plastic products industry at the time.
After leaving his uncle, Li Ka-shing worked part-time as a salesman for plastic products during the day and devoted himself to self-study in university-related courses at night. He knows that only by mastering cutting-edge knowledge and skills can he make a name for himself in this emerging field.
After years of hard work, he finally relied on his talent and courage to establish the first plastic factory in Hong Kong, Cheung Kong Plastic Factory, thus laying the cornerstone of his career.
All of these achievements stem from the hardships of life that Li Ka-shing endured in his youth. If it weren't for that arduous experience, he might not have been able to deeply understand the importance of struggle, and it would be difficult for him to overcome the difficulties in the early days of entrepreneurship.
It is precisely because of the grassroots that Li Ka-shing was able to persevere and eventually become a leader in the plastics industry in one fell swoop.
When he learned that his younger brother Li Ka-chiu was suffering from terminal cancer and urgently needed high medical expenses, Li Ka-shing was in an unprecedented dilemma. All the rejections in the past stemmed from his deep disappointment in his younger brother.
He had hoped to inspire his brother through his own efforts, rather than relying on the help of others forever.
However, in the face of a life-and-death decision, Li Ka-shing could not turn a blind eye to his closest relatives after all. After careful consideration, he did not hesitate to pour out his pockets, pay all the costs for his brother's treatment, and asked the hospital to use the most cutting-edge technology and drugs to save his brother's life at all costs.
However, unfortunately, the merciless tricks of fate have made Mr. Li Jiazhao's illness enter an advanced stage. Despite the best efforts of the country's top medical team, he was unable to reverse his condition. Seeing his dear brother pass away like this, Li Ka-shing's heart was full of complicated emotions, and he felt deep self-blame and remorse.
Looking back, Li Ka-shing is full of emotion. He and his brother used to have a very deep relationship, and they were always inseparable and complained to each other during their childhood. However, from the moment they left their hometown, the trajectory of their lives began to drift apart.
If time could be turned back, Li Ka-shing would not hesitate to hand over all the wealth accumulated over the years to his younger brother, hoping that he could live an ordinary and happy life, away from poverty and hardship. However, the reality is cruel, everything is a foregone conclusion, and he can only do his best to repay this spiritual debt for the rest of his life. Staring at his brother's posthumous photo, Li Ka-shing was overwhelmed with grief, tears sliding down his cheeks like a spring. He vowed that no matter how much wealth he earned in this life, he would invest most of it in public welfare and charity to make up for the regret and guilt he felt for his younger brother back then.
As a business tycoon who has risen from the grassroots, Li Ka-shing deeply understands the potential risks brought about by "relying on the sky to eat". He hopes that his younger brother Li Jiazhao can succeed with his own efforts, just like himself, instead of relying on the help and charity of others forever.
However, it is a pity that Li Jiazhao has been pampered since he was a child. He lacks enthusiasm for everything, spends his days idle, and is full of envy and jealousy of his brother's career. In his eyes, Li Ka-shing's success is only due to luck, not hard work and sweat.
Li Jiazhao firmly believes that as long as you have money, you can enjoy wealth and live a life of luxury and indulgence. He fished for three days and dried his nets for two days, regarded his brother's wealth as child's play, spent money everywhere, and indulged in wine and wealth. Whenever there was an economic crisis, he even openly gave credit to merchants in the name of Li Ka-shing, making his brother ridiculed in the business field.
In the face of his brother's absurd behavior, Li Ka-shing was furious. He resolutely rejected all of his brother's requests for loans, hoping that he would be able to fend for himself instead of relying forever on his brother's wealth. It is precisely because of this kindness that Li Ka-shing will refuse his younger brother again and again, insisting that he be re-tempered in the melting pot of society and learn to be independent and self-reliant.
However, what makes people stunned is that Li Jiazhao did not have this consciousness and firm determination. After being snubbed, he suddenly fell into an embarrassing situation with four walls of his family, doing nothing all day long, and living a worry-free life.
It wasn't until he came to the end of his life that he suddenly realized that his life had been destitute, his family was broken, and remorse arose.
Deep down, Li Jiazhao blamed all the blame for his own lack of success and poverty on his brother's indifference and refusal to help. He was convinced that it was precisely because Li Ka-shing never reached out to him that he was displaced, had no way out, and finally embarked on this road of no return.
Think about it, if Li Ka-shing had been able to give appropriate funding and guidance, would he have been able to stop his younger brother's degeneration? Would he have been able to save the deep affection between his brothers? Until the last moment of his life, Li Ka-shing could not find the answer.
He can only deeply regret the choice he made back then, even if he has a lot of money now, he can't make up for the family affection that has been lost long ago.