Prologue: Signals of a Rift
November 23, 2024, 5 AM.
On a cold, crisp morning, a hint of tension fills the air. The neon lights outside gradually dim, symbolizing the end of the night, while another silent storm is quietly brewing. CZ sits at his desk, his gaze fixed on the screen, where the familiar black interface shows Musk's account avatar prominently.
He took a deep breath, his finger hovering over the mouse, his gaze icy, and pressed the “Unfollow” button.
This is not a momentary impulse. For months, CZ has been observing Musk's words and actions, especially his frequent market manipulation via tweets. One sentence can make the market boil, while another can leave countless people bankrupt. And Musk stands at the center of the public opinion vortex, as if everything is within his control, yet CZ feels an indescribable sense of distance.
“These two people are not on the same dimension.”
This is CZ's explanation to himself.
Cracks Spread
Within hours, the news that CZ unfollowed Musk spread across social media. Some keen-eyed netizens interpreted this move as a sign of a rift in their relationship: “CZ finally got tired of Musk's market manipulation!” “Binance's order is incompatible with Musk's chaos!”
Meanwhile, Musk clearly noticed this development. That day, he tweeted a thought-provoking message:
“The voice of the people is a remedy.”
The comments section instantly erupted. Some defended Musk, claiming he was simply humorously promoting the crypto market; others supported CZ, believing Binance needed to distance itself from Musk's “drama.” But CZ chose silence. His world remains a calm and orderly chess game, with no response, just quietly continuing his work.
After 22 Days: The Signals Reclaimed
December 15, 2024, Dawn.
The chill outside remains, but a hint of orange light breaks through the skyline, adding a touch of warm softness to the winter morning. CZ opens his phone, and a familiar notification pops up: “Elon Musk followed you.”
He paused for a second, the corners of his mouth slightly rising. He is rarely swayed by emotional impulses, but at that moment, he seemed to feel a complex sense of relief. He opened the X platform and pressed the “Follow” button.
He then forwarded an old news article — the report that Binance invested $500 million in Musk's acquisition of Twitter, and wrote:
“Happy to contribute to this world-changing platform.”
The news spread quickly. Musk almost immediately responded in his usual succinct style:
“Thank you, CZ.”
CZ also made a brief emotional response, which seemed to corroborate the relationship between the two.
“Handshake”
Community Hot Debate
The news of the refollowing quickly ignited social media. Speculations from people were endless:
“Did the two reach a new cooperation privately?”
“Is Musk pushing for the crypto payment feature on the X platform?”
“Is CZ's unfollowing and refollowing a carefully considered strategy?”
The two big shots did not further explain, but public opinion did not stop. More analysts believe that the refollowing is a way for the two to signal to the outside world: regardless of their differing views, they still recognize each other's value in their respective fields.
Epilogue: The Order and Chaos of Coexistence
This refollowing seems to carry more significance than the previous rift.
Musk remains the disruptive gambler, where chaos and uncertainty are catalysts for innovation in his world. CZ, on the other hand, is still the calm chess player who needs to establish rules and order to bring lasting stability to the crypto industry.
Perhaps the two are not on the same dimension, but their trajectories inevitably intersect. One side needs chaos to stimulate vitality, while the other needs order to solidify foundations, and this may be the reason they can find a balance between rift and reclamation.
This morning, the black interface of the X platform still shines brightly. Behind the virtual “Follow” button is a silent game of trust, divergence, and cooperation.
