ages 23 to 25 were the worst years of my life.

after graduation, i put all my savings into bitcoin — bought all the way down from over $1,000 to $120. i lost 90% of everything. it was everything i had saved in 3 years. i lived frugally, but no matter how hard i tried, i couldn’t outrun the bitcoin crash.

at one point, my bank balance dropped to just over 300 rmb. one night after working late, around 10pm, i wanted to treat a friend to a bowl of lanzhou noodles. at checkout, i realized i didn’t have enough. we ended up splitting the bill.

to survive, i had to get a “real” job, so i joined bytedance. even then, i had to sell 2–3 btc each month just to pay rent for a shared apartment. that spring festival, i went home to see my grandma. i couldn’t afford even an economy flight — had to take the cheapest green train and sit upright for 14 hours.

but more than being broke, the hardest part was watching my belief in btc start to shake.

thankfully, i held on.

i genuinely admire the younger generation today. many grew up with better financial conditions, more educated parents, and a global mindset. they’ve got the vision and courage to take on the world.

the future belongs to the young — whether you like it or not.