# The Bitcoin Dream

In 2010, I was a computer-obsessed student when I stumbled upon "Bitcoin"—a decentralized digital currency that could be mined with a computer and traded on exchanges. At just $0.5 per coin, it seemed as cheap as a trinket from a street vendor. On a whim, I swiped my credit card for 10,000 yuan, got 2,000 USD, bought 4,000 bitcoins, transferred them to my wallet, and promptly forgot about it.

Years later, I got married, had kids, and was busy scraping together money for mortgages and baby formula—bitcoin was the last thing on my mind. Then one day, the news exploded: "Bitcoin breaks through $30,000 per coin!" My whole body jolted. I dug out my old computer, hands trembling as I entered the password—4,000 bitcoins in my wallet, valued at $120 million at current prices! I stood there in shock, quickly transferred the coins to a hardware wallet, contacted a financial advisor, sold half to cash out, and kept the other half to "see how high it can fly."

In my dream, I transformed from an ordinary person into a hundred-millionaire overnight, walking with swagger. But the next second, the ground vanished beneath me—my girlfriend kicked me awake, roaring: "What are you smiling about? Did you dream about some other girl?"

Is this dream absurd? Absolutely. But think about it—how many crypto enthusiasts have had similar "get rich quick" dreams? In 2010, bitcoin truly was dirt cheap, but who would bet their entire life savings on invisible, intangible "code"? Let alone hold it for over a decade, surviving countless crashes and anxiety about going to zero.

In reality, 99% of people would panic-sell when the price drops to $1, regret not buying more at $100, curse themselves for being "blind" at $10,000, and FOMO-chase at $30,000. That "me" in the dream was just a fantasy fueled by insane luck—the crypto market has never been a "passive income" casino, but rather the ultimate battleground of knowledge, discipline, and fortune.