我踏马而来

I first heard this phrase in my uncle's car. He said, 'You should make friends with people who go out after 11 PM, not those who rush to catch the early morning commute.' At the time, I was working in a factory in Guangdong, struggling to pay rent. My uncle was a distant relative who owned a rubber plantation in Southeast Asia and a villa in Hong Kong. The imported olive tree he casually bought could have supported me for years. Sitting in his Mercedes, I felt stiff – it was like standing at the foot of a mountain, gazing up at the clouds. The gap between people was greater than the distance between people and trees. As a young man, I couldn't resist asking, 'Uncle, how did you make your fortune?' He laughed and told me his rags-to-riches story. But the more he talked, the more confused I became. He said making money was like drinking water, while I was working like a corpse. Seeing my confusion, he stopped laughing and said seriously, 'Among our family's younger generation, I have the highest hopes for you. Remember this: make friends with people who go out after 11 PM, not those who rush to catch the early morning commute.' I leaned in, eager to hear more. 'If you want to make a living, socializing with colleagues is fine. But if you want to do business and make money easily, you need to hang out with people like us.' I asked, 'How do you tell them apart?' He replied, 'Don't look at what car they drive, look at what time they drive it. Those who rush out at 8 or 9 am are usually punching a clock, worried about being late and losing money. Those who stroll out at noon are mostly entrepreneurs, meeting friends and discussing collaborations, without needing to report to anyone. These people hold the most valuable resources in society. Even a glimpse of their fingernails can save you years of detours.' Honestly, I didn't fully understand at the time, but I remembered those words for life. Later, I struggled to make a living, taking many detours. Until one day, I slept in and met a client in the afternoon. The moment I got in the car, my uncle's words flashed back – it was indeed true. Those still rushing to catch the morning commute were only thinking about perfect attendance and punching the clock. People who treat money as a tool don't compete with time. My uncle's point was that ordinary people don't get it because they're stuck in the same circle, looking at the world from the same angle. Once you jump out and change your perspective, one year can be worth ten. It's not just talk. I only truly understood later – working honestly for a salary isn't making money, it's just exchanging time. The real state of making money is when you can lie in bed all day, and money still flows into your account. That's truly living.