Karma Chapter 3: Not all efforts and sweat have results, unless you understand this truth

During his time at the Jinhua Ham business, Hu Xueyan relied precisely on this wisdom of "giving" to transition from an apprentice unaccustomed to the grease of the workshop to securing a position in a private bank (a traditional Chinese private financial institution, equivalent to early private banks). This was not just a career leap for him; it also proved that "the more you give, the more you gain" is never an empty phrase, but a practical guide to action that requires targeted effort.

I. Aspiring to Join a Private Bank: Recognizing the Appeal of "Creating Wealth Through Trust"

After working at the Jinhua Ham business for some time, Hu Xueyan gradually realized this job did not align with his long-term goals. Spending his days in a processing workshop filled with brine or managing a greasy shop felt like a barrier to his ambition to "rise above adversity." It was not until he witnessed the "magic" of traditional banknotes (paper certificates used by private banks to represent silver deposits) that he suddenly found his direction.

As depicted in Qiao’s Grand Courtyard (a classic Chinese TV drama about 19th-century merchant families and their financial ventures): In ancient China, when merchants conducted cross-regional business, carrying hundreds of thousands of taels of silver was both cumbersome and risky. Thus, the "remittance service" of private banks emerged. Merchants could deposit silver at a local private bank, receive a "banknote" as proof, and then withdraw the silver using the note at a branch in their destination. This method was safe and convenient, and private banks could also earn service fees. By the late Qing Dynasty, private bank operations became even more flexible: some conducted transactions directly using banknotes, and others lent money to earn interest based on their "creditworthiness."

This model of "exchanging paper for silver and creating wealth through trust" lit up Hu Xueyan’s mind: "I want to work in a private bank, and someday open my own. I want to be a true leader in the financial world!" But while ideas were easy to form, turning them into reality was difficult—he was an outsider to the private banking industry. Why would a private bank owner hire him? And what value could he bring to the shop?

II. First Step: "Give Respect"—Mining Opportunities from "Cold Treatment" to Acquire Basic Skills

Hu Xueyan did not rush to seek help. Instead, he first observed: the private bank clerks who came to the ham business to collect debts were always left waiting in the corner, with no one offering them a cup of tea or even a polite word. Others saw this as a "trivial matter," but Hu Xueyan saw it as an "opportunity"—since no one was giving them "respect," he would fill that gap.

From then on, whenever private bank clerks visited, Hu Xueyan took the initiative to greet them: offering hot tea when they were thirsty, bringing pastries when they were hungry, and serving chilled watermelons on sweltering days. He even volunteered to organize the small account books the clerks needed to maintain while collecting debts. All these expenses came out of his own meager apprentice salary, but in return, he gained the clerks’ warmth—they had never been treated so kindly by an apprentice from another business, and soon they grew as close as brothers with Hu Xueyan.

When the time was right, Hu Xueyan naturally asked: "What requirements do you have for hiring apprentices at your private bank?" The clerks chipped in, summarizing three key skills: fast mental arithmetic, proficiency in using an abacus, and neat handwriting. From that day on, he often asked the clerks for guidance, using "my arithmetic is slow and my handwriting is messy" as an excuse. The clerks, grateful for his past kindness, were happy to teach him. Hu Xueyan himself worked extremely hard—after finishing his daily tasks at the ham business, he practiced mental arithmetic using old account books at night, kept using the abacus until his fingers ached, and copied calligraphy models until late into the evening. Within a few months, his mental arithmetic and abacus skills surpassed those of many formal private bank apprentices, his handwriting became neat and elegant, and he even learned all the internal rules of private banking from the clerks.

This act of "giving" seemed like a "loss"—spending his own money and time—but in reality, he exchanged "respect" for the "basic skills needed to enter the private banking industry." Without this groundwork, even if an opportunity arose, he would not have been able to seize it.

III. Second Step: "Give Value"—Seizing the Moment to Demonstrate Abilities and Earn an "Entry Ticket"

With his basic skills solidified, Hu Xueyan waited for a chance to "shine." Before long, the opportunity arrived—the owner of the private bank came to the ham business in person to verify the accounts.

That day, when Hu Xueyan was serving tea to the owner, he accidentally glanced at the account sheet on the table. Thanks to his well-practiced mental arithmetic, he immediately spotted a miscalculation and quietly reminded the owner: "Sir, I think there might be an error in this figure." The owner was stunned, rechecked the calculation, and indeed found a mistake—if it had gone unnoticed, it would have caused major troubles during subsequent account reconciliations, possibly leading to financial losses.

"You’re a sharp young man! Can you use an abacus?" the owner asked, surprised and delighted. Hu Xueyan immediately fetched an abacus and tapped away—his movements were fast and accurate, and he made no mistakes even in complex consecutive additions and subtractions. The owner was even more impressed: "Can you write?" Hu Xueyan quickly took out paper and a brush, wrote a few lines, and his handwriting was neat and forceful—far better than that of an ordinary apprentice.

The owner was thoroughly won over and immediately asked the ham business’s shopkeeper about Hu Xueyan’s background. The shopkeeper told him the whole story of Hu Xueyan returning lost wealth and risking his life to save someone, and also praised him for being hardworking, eager to learn, and reliable. The owner was overjoyed and slammed his thigh in excitement: "Name your terms—I must have this young man!"

After some discussion, Hu Xueyan successfully "transferred" to the private bank. What he gave the bank owner was "the value of avoiding potential losses" (pointing out the account error) and "a pleasant surprise beyond expectations" (an outsider possessing such impressive professional skills). In return, he got exactly what he had long dreamed of—the "entry ticket to the private banking industry," bringing him one huge step closer to his goal of "opening his own private bank."

IV. Conclusion: Effort Must Align with the "Logic of Giving" to Bear Fruit

Hu Xueyan’s leap from the ham business to the private bank was never just a matter of "good luck." His hard work—practicing mental arithmetic, abacus skills, and handwriting—was the foundation, but what truly turned that effort into results was the core logic of "give first, gain later":

• While others ignored the private bank clerks, he chose to give them "respect" and exchanged it for learning opportunities and industry insights.
• While others only focused on completing their own tasks, he chose to give "practical value" and seized the critical moment when the bank owner came to verify accounts.

Without the groundwork of "giving respect," he could not have learned the basic skills of the private banking industry; without the breakthrough of "giving value," he would have had no way to showcase his abilities no matter how skilled he was.

This is precisely the key to "making effort pay off": it is not enough to work hard blindly. You also need to clearly identify "what you can give to others"—give respect to build genuine connections, give skills to earn trust, and give value to create opportunities. When the logic of "giving" is paired with the perseverance to "strive," the path from the bottom to success will naturally become wider and more solid.