Young, rich and Chinese: it’s life in the fast lane for the emerging class of fuerdai
The scions of the country’s new wealthy class are famous throughout the world for flashy spending and fast cars
Rudy Rong took a seat at a table in the Commerce Casino’s poker hall, his legs jigging with nervous energy.
The son of Chinese video game billionaires hadn’t come here to gamble. Rong was launching a virtual reality start-up, and he had arrived hours earlier to videotape a musical performance in the casino’s ballroom for an investor demo.
But as Ping An, a pop star and former contestant in the singing show Voice of China, took the mic, Rong grew anxious, left the camera running onstage and retreated downstairs to the poker tables.
As he tossed a US$100 bill on the green felt, his phone’s glow illuminated bags under his eyes. His start-up’s app would be launching in a month, and he had been pushing himself hard, packing his schedule with coding sessions, media appearances and investor meetings.
It just defines you as someone’s son. We want to be known for ourselves
As one of China’s fuerdai – the scions of the country’s new wealthy class famous throughout the world for flashy spending and fast cars – Rong wanted to prove he can do more than inherit money.
A stack of chips appeared in front of him. The game was No Limit Texas Hold ’Em, and when it came time for Rong to make his last bet before the dealer showed the final card, he took another look at his hand.
