Chapter 348 The Scent of Money (Bug Fix): Offering Beauty

Even after leaving the restaurant, Zhou Liang couldn't help but complain to Zhang Junfei, "How could the boss go long? Wanguo is shorting!"

What is Wanguo Securities? It is the largest securities company in China.

No, its significance goes far beyond that. Its leader, Guan Jinsheng, is known as the father of Huaxia Securities, with countless followers and is an idol to many finance students.

While most people across the country still considered treasury bonds as worthless scraps of paper, he had already amassed a substantial fortune for Wanguo Securities by reselling treasury bonds.

People like Yang Baiwan, despite the numerous newspaper reports about them, are nothing compared to General Manager Guan.

Zhang Junfei didn't understand finance, nor was he interested in pretending to know what he didn't. He just glanced back at Zhou Liang and said, "Although I don't know why the boss chose to go long, if you're investing yourself, I suggest you follow her lead."

Zhou Liang was stunned for a moment, then instinctively asked, "Why?"

“I never saw her make a wrong choice.” Zhang Junfei thought for a moment and offered a reluctant explanation: “The boss’s perspective on problems is different from that of ordinary people.”

Zhou Liang asked curiously, "From what perspective? If we analyze it from a market perspective, then we should definitely short it."

"Short selling my ass!"

The curtain at the restaurant behind them opened again, and a fat man wearing a mink coat walked out.

He was clearly a bit tipsy, waving the imported cigar between his fingers, and started a conversation without being invited, "The Ministry of Finance's interest subsidy is a done deal! The 327 coupon rate is only 9.5%, and how much is inflation now? 13%! Would ordinary people pay without the subsidy? Going long is the right way!"

Zhou Liang was startled, feeling that this person was inexplicable.

He didn't need to respond, because the companion of the fat man with the imported cigars couldn't wait to retort: ​​"Naive! Boss Zhu just set the tone for controlling inflation at the Central Economic Work Conference. Wouldn't providing interest subsidies at this time be a slap in the face? That's the source of Wanguo's confidence in shorting!"

"Confidence my ass!" the cigar-smoking, portly man scoffed. "Listen to me, I have inside information, from the Ministry of Finance. Trust me, you can't go wrong, you absolutely have to go long. What's the status of China Economic Development Trust & Investment Corporation? The crown prince! The boss is the Vice Minister of Finance!"

His companion continued to retort, "Just because he has connections doesn't mean Wanguo is finished. Wanguo is backed by the Shanghai Municipal Government. Don't you even know where Mr. Jiang and Mr. Zhu came from?"

Zhang Junfei quickly pulled Zhou Liang away to avoid the two of them getting into a fight and causing innocent bystanders to be caught in the crossfire.

At least they could argue all they wanted, but once they got into the car, even if they were arguing like crazy, the car would drive away and no one else could hear them.

As the year draws to a close, it's freezing cold in Shanghai, even late at night.

But Zhou Liang's bruises weren't from the cold, they were from anger.

He got into the car with a livid face, the door slamming shut against the cold wind.

Only after the car engine started up did he slam his fist on the leather seat: "What bullshit inside information! If the interest subsidy news were true, the people from the Ministry of Finance would be in Qincheng Prison by now!"

Zhang Junfei himself was not highly educated, so he was particularly lenient with the high-achieving student, simply laughing it off and comforting him: "This is the big boss's business, it has nothing to do with us."

Wuzhou Group is not in the securities business.

In the dead of winter, when the weather was freezing cold, the people inside the car would exhale warm breath, and the windows would immediately fog up.

Behind the white mist, Zhou Liang exclaimed indignantly, "These parasites are treating our country's securities market like a back door to a casino!"

He took several deep breaths, then suddenly remembered to ask his boss, "Mr. Zhang, the boss wouldn't believe some insider information, would he? That's utterly ridiculous!"

Zhang Junfei admitted directly: "If you can talk about it on the street, what kind of inside information is that? The boss doesn't care about this kind of thing."

Zhou Liang got excited: "So what did she fancy?"

He felt a sense of displeasure that his profession was being looked down upon.

"The big picture," Zhang Junfei said cryptically. "The boss has a very broad perspective. She always analyzes things from the overall picture."

But as for what this overall situation is, he doesn't understand either.

At the same time, in the same city, under the same starry sky, in different cars, Tang Yicheng was also curious about this question.

"Hey boss, it's the New Year, can you just put my mind at ease? Why are you doing so much?"

He even tried to play the victim, saying, "Look at me, I just got dumped, I'm so pitiful."

Xiao Gao and Xiao Zhao were exchanging glances on the side.

Oh, didn't you say he dumped her at dinner? Now it's become him being dumped?

Wang Xiao didn't seize the opportunity to attack Tang Yicheng's sore spot, but simply said casually, "There's no reason. It's just playing cards. Isn't playing cards just based on feeling? What's there to calculate? What's the point of calculating?"

Her words made Tang Yicheng even more suspicious, and he hesitated before saying, "How about I also go long?"

Wang Xiao waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no, I'm a complete novice when it comes to financial investment."

As it turned out, her words only made things worse. Tang Yicheng immediately decided to change course: "No, I'll go long."

As he got off the bus, he took the opportunity to flatter his boss, saying, "Follow the boss, and you'll get to eat meat."

Wang Xiao was both amused and exasperated: "If we all lose money together later, we can ask President Xiang to treat us to dinner."

Xiang Dong raised his hand, looking completely innocent: "Hey, I was just about to go long and earn some pocket money to supplement my bonus."

Good heavens!

In his hometown, people believed in having many children and good fortune. Even during the strictest period of family planning, every family had quite a few children. Every year during the Lunar New Year, he would spend a lot of money to give out lucky money to the younger generation.

Unfortunately, he's also single and doesn't have any kids to collect his New Year's money.

See, men are quite cautious when they really decide to get married. At least Xiang Dong wouldn't get married and have children just to avoid losing his New Year's money.

The car stopped in front of the hotel, and everyone walked to their rooms.

As they parted at the stairwell, Tang Yicheng greeted them and then suddenly blurted out, "Boss, had a good time tonight!"

Wang Xiao didn't even realize what was happening, and instinctively replied politely, "Oh, then have a nice evening too."

It's so late at night, a good night's sleep should be quite pleasant.

As soon as the door opened, Xiao Gao, who was leading the way and checking the room's security, used a grappling move to take down the man inside: "Who? Who sent you?"

Wang Xiao then realized that there was actually a man in the room.

Xiao Zhao, who was covering the rear, also saw the man's face and let out a soft cry: "Brother Gao, let go, let go, Mr. Wu... Mr. Wu."

Wang Xiao glanced at it again, and to be honest, it really did look a bit like Wu Haoyu.

The room was dimly lit, so it's normal for Xiao Zhao to admit his mistake.

The man who was knocked down was completely terrified and struggled desperately: "I'm not, I'm not... Mr. Tang, Mr. Tang, it's a misunderstanding, help!"

The commotion was so loud it was practically turning the world upside down. Tang Yicheng wasn't deaf, so how could he not hear it?

He rushed over in a panic, only to be met with a big eye roll from his boss: "You hired him?"

Wang Xiao circled around him, clicking her tongue in disbelief, "I never would have guessed. Our CEO Tang, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, actually does this kind of thing."

Tang Yicheng smiled ingratiatingly, lowered his voice, and tried his best to promote the product: "Boss, I've checked it, it's clean."

It's perfectly normal for a younger brother to show respect to his older brother.

Now that the older brother has been replaced by an older sister, why not just change the gender of the person being offered to the bed?

Brother Tang's success today is no accident; he's not a feudalist, he keeps up with the times. What lord, when awake, wields power over the world, and when drunk, rests on the lap of a beautiful woman?

Wang Xiao, growing impatient, rolled her eyes again and waved her hand, "Take him away! Take him away!"

She added threateningly, "I see you have way too much free time. You've certainly broadened your horizons quite a bit in Hong Kong."

Look at this room, with its dim lighting and rose-patterned bed, they really know how to create something special.

Tang Yicheng quickly begged for mercy: "No, no, I'm really not busy."

Just taking over talent from CIS countries and selling equipment was enough to keep him incredibly busy. He also didn't want to lose his foothold in Hong Kong.

"If you're not free, don't mess around."

Wang Xiao waved his hand, and Xiao Gao brought the person out and handed him over.

Tang Yicheng was left looking disheveled. He waved his hand and ordered his men to take the man away.

As he walked out, he quietly asked Xiao Gao, "Hey, what did this kid do to piss off the boss?"

He tried to present a beauty to his lord, but messed it up, and now he's a little embarrassed.

Xiao Gao gave him a meaningful look and shook his head: "How would I know? He didn't do anything."

Tang Yicheng tried to get closer to him: "If our Brother Gao doesn't know, who else does? You are a true close advisor to the emperor."

"Pah!" Ever since Xiao Gao gave up on following Tang Yicheng's path of growth, he spoke without any restraint. "You're the eunuch!"

Tang Yicheng said seriously, "How can you be a eunuch? You're at least the Grand Secretary. Compared to us border guards, you're in the center."

He bumped Xiao Gao's shoulder and asked, "Tell me, what's the boss's taste these days?"

If the pretty boy is past his prime, then next time he'll find a bodybuilder, like Schwarzenegger with his muscular physique.

"My god, Brother Tang, you're just trying to scare me." Xiao Ya lowered his voice, looked around, and then whispered, "Don't bother with this. The boss won't be interested in anyone right now."

Tang Yicheng found it strange: "Why? The boss is in his prime, why is he in such a hurry to cultivate himself now?"

Those who claim to cultivate their character and temperament are no longer capable of doing so.

Xiao Gao's voice was even lower: "Brother Tang, you mustn't tell anyone. Um, let me tell you, our male boss and the boss are really close these days."

Tang Yicheng's eyes widened instantly, and he almost couldn't control his voice: "Even a strong woman can be swayed by a persistent suitor!"

Ivanov's desire to marry into his boss's family was quite obvious.

No matter how unpleasant the term "soft rice" sounds, it's undeniably appealing.

Tang Yicheng eagerly pressed, "So, how far have we gotten? Are you getting married?"

"I don't know," Xiao Gao shook his head. "They didn't say either."

Xiao Zhao came over to him: "Brother Gao, hurry up. The boss wants us to check the room from top to bottom again."

Tang Yicheng couldn't care less about gossip anymore and immediately stepped over to try to redeem himself: "I checked, I checked. I checked the room from beginning to end before."

Wang Xiaoren stood by the window, glanced at him coolly, and pointed out the window: "Safe house? There are more people hoping for my death than people queuing up outside."

She was pointing towards the long-distance bus station. With the year-end approaching, long queues formed at all the stations, and people didn't leave even in the dead of night, hoping to buy tickets home as soon as possible.

Because of the cold, everyone's breath turned into white mist, puffs of air that blurred their faces in the darkness. They became identical symbols, each one etched with anxiety.

In this era without 12306 and online ticketing, people had no choice but to queue up to buy tickets if they wanted to complete a trip.

No, no, no. If you're rich and powerful, you can have someone else suffer for you, or you can avoid suffering altogether and just use a special channel. Or you can simply abandon trains and buses and take planes, taxis, or drive yourself.

However, over 99% of people across the country lack the ability to make these choices. They can only endure the cold wind, waiting for a train ticket that may or may not even be available.

Tang Yicheng's carefree smile vanished instantly, replaced by a tense expression: "Has Moscow really gotten to this point?"

Wang Xiao retorted irritably, "Aren't there always long lines of people who want me to die soon?"

Tang Yicheng was truly at a loss; he couldn't even offer some words of comfort.

After all, the business world is like a battlefield; the pie is only so big, and if you take a bigger slice, someone else takes a smaller one. How can you not resent it?

Wang Xiao didn't need his comfort. Looking at the people outside the window stamping their feet to ward off the cold, he muttered to himself, "The people who wish me dead really do stretch from one end of the line to the other, but the people who wish me to live to be a hundred years old could hold hands and circle the earth."

Yes, that's how confident she is.

Her business is so large that it affects the livelihoods of tens of millions of people.

That's why she's lost interest in the model guy.

Like ancient emperors, for whom power was a beauty that would never grow old or fade, money was Wang Xiao's eternal stimulant.

Faced with the immense wealth symbolized by the 327 Treasury bonds, she couldn't even be bothered to waste a single moment on other unimportant matters.

Yes, including the men who were brought to her bed.

The room was thoroughly inspected, and the sheets and blankets were changed. Wang Xiao lay down on the bed and slept soundly until dawn.

After a quick buffet breakfast at the hotel, she went directly to the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Although Wang Xiao has visited Shanghai several times and stayed there for several months in total, it doesn't seem like much.

But this time, it really was her first time visiting the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Despite it being the coldest time of winter, this renowned stock exchange was as hot as the hottest days of summer.

Heads, a dense mass of black heads, just like the ticket halls of train and bus stations before the Spring Festival, one after another, crammed together, like a pot of boiling asphalt, thick and scalding, surging with the final frenzy of the year-end.

The air was filled with the pungent smell of sweat, tobacco, and ink, making one want to cover their nose as soon as they entered.

But those who live there become so accustomed to the stench that they no longer notice it. The stench of money—isn't that just the smell of money itself?

Everyone's attention was focused on the display screen, and every fluctuation in the numbers caused an uproar.

Some people look up to the sky and howl, while others beat their chests and stamp their feet. The joys and sorrows of people overlap within this small space, yet they are not connected.

That's the magic of money—it completely and nakedly surrounds you, making it impossible for you to resist becoming addicted to it.

The traders, dressed in red vests, were so busy that they wished they had eight hands, as they had to answer the phone with their left hand and type on the keyboard with their right.

In contrast, the managers wearing yellow vests had it much easier.

Although Zhou Liang couldn't understand why his boss was going against economic principles and insisting on going long, as a professional, he still dutifully came to be a local guide, accompanying his boss and superiors to the Shanghai Stock Exchange to watch the spectacle.

Seeing the boss's gaze fall on the administrator's yellow vest, he couldn't hide his pride: "This yellow vest is said to be an international practice, but it's not actually one."

Tang Yicheng had visited the stock exchange when he was doing business in Hong Kong, so he had some understanding of it.

Since he had already gone against Zhou Liang's advice and decided to change his mind and go for the bulls, he felt it was still necessary to show his friendliness to improve the relationship, so he took the initiative to start the conversation: "Oh, why is that?"

"To avoid waste," Zhou Liang explained, "When we opened in 1986, General Manager Wei Wenyuan, following the practice of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, decided that the vests should be red. However, the logistics staff thought that yellow cloth was of better quality, so they bought some and made several vests. To avoid waste, we gave these vests to the administrators."

Wang Xiao nodded, expressing his appreciation: "Shanghai people are pragmatic in their work."

Zhou Liang's hometown is not actually in Shanghai, but he studied in Shanghai for seven years and considers himself a new Shanghainese. Upon hearing this, he immediately puffed out his chest with pride: "Yes, only by being pragmatic can we get things done."

"This way, this way." Someone squeezed out from the front and beckoned Zhou Liang to go upstairs, "The VIP rooms are upstairs."

Yes, in 1995, the Shanghai Stock Exchange was like the transportation system in Shanghai, with distinct levels. There was a large hall like a vegetable market, as well as bright and clean VIP rooms.

The person leading them upstairs was still emphasizing, "Manager Zhou, there's no place for people downstairs. At the Shanghai Stock Exchange, you can't even speak without going into the VIP room."

Wang Xiao thought this was the truth, because the trading hall was so noisy that two people had to shout to talk to each other.

In contrast, the large rooms on the second floor, though basic in terms of facilities, were much quieter.

Of course, this quiet was limited; the wealthy families still argued fiercely, but because there were fewer of them, everyone could hear every word they said.

The man with the gold-rimmed glasses looked exasperated and emphasized in a hurried tone, "Do you have any common sense? What was the annual interest rate three years ago? How many percentage points have you suddenly raised it? This is impossible anywhere in the world. Yes, yes, the Federal Reserve also provides interest subsidies, but at most 0.25%. Trust me, it's definitely still based on the 1994 standard, 8%."

He looked up and saw Zhou Liang. He immediately waved and greeted Zhang Junfei with a smile, saying, "Even our boss Zhang has joined in. It seems the market is really heating up."

He said this because the stock market was in a full-blown bear market in 1994, and it has been in a bear market ever since without any signs of improvement.

Zhang Junfei waved his hand: "What kind of boss am I? I'm just an employee. This is my real boss, coming over to see what's going on at the Shanghai Stock Exchange."

Wang Xiao nodded to the man with gold-rimmed glasses. The man smiled broadly and enthusiastically promoted the product: "Boss, if you're willing to try it out, I recommend the 327 Treasury Bond. Shorting it now will definitely make you money."

Wang Xiao smiled but didn't respond.

Zhou Liang quickly greeted the person, "Senior brother, you go ahead with your work, I'll show the boss around."

It seems the boss is truly determined to go long and has no intention of backing down.

A few minutes later, the man with the gold-rimmed glasses, relying on his strong connections at the Shanghai Stock Exchange, also learned of Wang Xiao's choice, which was indeed a long position.

The skinny man next to him, looking a bit shaken, asked, "Is the interest rate subsidy real? Why are they all going long?"

"They know nothing!" the bespectacled man said impatiently. "They don't even know what a market is."

The skinny man was dissatisfied: "But Wanguo shorted 250,000 contracts on the 20th, and the market didn't react. Now the Gao brothers from Liaoguo have entered the fray, shorting 400,000 contracts, but the price hasn't fallen much."

One mouthful is now equal to 20,000. So how much would 400,000 mouthfuls be? 8 billion!

If such a large amount of capital has been poured in and there's still no reaction, then how much more capital can be poured in?

Are we relying on retail investors to short the market? How much power can retail investors really have? Wanguo and Liaoguofa are already recognized as ruthless players in the market; if they can't succeed, who can?

The bespectacled man didn't seem to care: "The market takes time to react. Today is the last day, so there's no time to react. After the New Year, the price will definitely drop."

The skinny monkey was still uneasy: "But Zhong Jingkai is the legitimate Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, so his opinion can't be wrong."

"So what if he's the son of the Ministry of Finance's heir?" the bespectacled man scoffed. "Get this straight, this is Shanghai, not some small corner of Beijing. If the Ministry of Finance doesn't know how to run a financial institution, let Shanghai's financial market teach it what finance really is!"

These bumpkins are real country bumpkins!

Another wealthy man wearing a scarf nearby couldn't stand it anymore: "Don't be so arrogant, acting like you're the best in the world. Look at Mr. Zhang's boss, she's a formidable figure too. I heard her business is huge, she owns countless airplanes. She has businesses all over the world. Doesn't she know anything? She's a long position too."

Despite the fact that Wang Xiao has been constantly being persuaded by people to short sell since yesterday, she is still struggling to keep up with the situation.

In fact, this can also be considered an information cocoon.

Just as real estate agents are desperately pushing unsold properties on you, the true market trend of the 327 Treasury bond, at least so far, is still bullish on it, mainly among retail investors.

The bespectacled man scoffed, "I know, she's a big businesswoman in Moscow. But what do Russians know about finance? She can't possibly become a financial expert there, can she?"

He looked down on this kind of buying and selling business, and the things he sold weren't high-end goods; it was just the way individual business owners operate.

If it weren't for the fact that the fish market was built to rival Tokyo's Tsukiji Market, which was barely acceptable, he would have stopped Zhou Liang from becoming the finance manager no matter what.

It's shameful for a finance master's graduate to work for a scalper.

The scarf-wearing man shook his head again: "Don't be so quick to look down on her. She's rich and powerful. The real goal is to bring her along to short sell."

Forget about the market. He just can't stand these so-called financial professionals, always giving this analysis and that analysis, each thinking they're right.

Let him see, whether you're going long or short, it's essentially about throwing money at the problem. Whoever throws in more money and balances the scales wins.

The man with the gold-rimmed glasses was unwilling to back down: "Those with good judgment won't miss out on her. The fact that she doesn't short sell proves she's just not destined to make money this way."

The scarf-wearing man was really frustrated, but he had to patiently persuade his companion: "Don't underestimate the old woman. These people are notoriously rich. They handle hundreds of millions of dollars every time they come in or out. She alone is worth more than the wealth of the Liao Kingdom."

If Zhou Liang were his junior brother, he would have taken matters into his own hands long ago; why would he waste time here with someone so clueless?

Skinny Monkey chimed in from the side, "That's right, let's do a good deed like Lei Feng, showing her the right path, so she doesn't lose money on her first time in the stock market and never want to do it again."

The man with the gold-rimmed glasses was finally persuaded: "Fine, fine, consider it me helping my junior brother."

He shuffled over to greet him, then sat down uninvited in front of Wang Xiao: "Mr. Wang, you may not know much about the securities market, but I think I should tell you what exactly the 327 Treasury bond is all about."

Wang Xiao couldn't help but laugh as he talked on and on, using all sorts of technical terms.

Well, the demeanor of Zhou Liang's senior brother Zhang reminded her of a variety show she watched before she transmigrated. It was about an advertising company in Shanghai creating a promotional plan for an inland city.

As the service provider, this advertising company followed its own pace from beginning to end. When explaining the plan to the deputy mayor of the client, they mixed in various English words, completely disregarding the city's promotional focus and emphasizing how stylish their advertising company was and how artistic and awesome their designs were.

They completely forgot that the second party is supposed to earn money from the first party.

That's the kind of attitude Senior Brother Zhang has.

They clearly wanted to drag her into short selling and use her to turn the market around and make money, but they acted like a professional like themselves were condescending to instruct an ignorant country bumpkin like her.

So what will Wang Xiao do? She doesn't have the good manners of the deputy mayor in the workplace reality show.

She just smiled slightly: "Oh, I'm going long."

Senior Brother Zhang almost coughed up blood on the spot; it turned out that after all that talk, this person had completely ignored him.

Such disrespect for professionals is a sign of the current market chaos; otherwise, it would be a miracle if she became a boss!

He blurted out, "Boss Wang, you'll regret this!"

Wang Xiao remained unmoved, casually remarking, "It's just playing cards, a small stake. What's there to regret?"

Seeing that things were not going well, Zhou Liang quickly pulled his senior brother outside: "Hey, senior brother, let's go outside and talk. I have a question I'd like to ask you."

Once the people had left, Tang Yicheng finally couldn't take it anymore: "My god, what kind of people are these? Don't they understand who's the real king here?"

Wang Xiao chuckled: "Oh, does our CEO Tang feel this particularly deeply? He wants you to take money out of your pocket and then belittle you as a person."

It's really funny. I don't know who gave them the confidence to think they can decide how other people spend their money.

Tang Yicheng's face, now tanned to a bronze color, instantly resembled a monkey's bottom. Embarrassed, he waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "Alright, alright, it was just a failed relationship, it's all in my embarrassing past."

Wang Xiao smiled, stood up, and said, "Let's go, let's go."

Xiang Dong asked in surprise, "Aren't you going to take another look?"

This was also his first time at the Shanghai Stock Exchange; he was there purely to watch the excitement.

"No, thank you." Wang Xiao lifted his foot and walked out. "Today is the last day before the New Year. Whether it goes up or down, we'll have to wait until after the New Year."

When she returns after the New Year, she wants to sit among the crowd and personally experience the thrill and madness that money brings.

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[Let me see] Sorry, I thought I could finish writing this in the morning, but I was so tired after breakfast that I took a nap, and I still don't have much energy in the afternoon. Yeah, the consequence of being tired is that I feel my writing about Wang Xiao lacks impact. [Cracks] Regarding the 327 incident, I've looked up a lot of information, and each source has a different account. I'm trying to select the information that I think is more logical for reference.