After the school bell rang at noon on Monday, Li Baolong went straight to the supermarket near the school gate. Inside the supermarket, he carefully selected two cartons of Zhonghua cigarettes, then meticulously wrapped them in newspaper to disguise them as an ordinary package.
Carrying this special "gift," he first went to the office of the head of the Computer Science Department. Li Baolong smiled and politely and humbly handed the package to the department head, saying earnestly, "Director, this is tea I brought from my hometown of Jianzhou. Knowing you're usually very busy, perhaps you could enjoy some hometown flavors to relax." The department head nodded slightly, expressing his gratitude for his thoughtfulness. Li Baolong then mentioned the computer proficiency exam for his sophomore year, subtly requesting the department head's assistance in this matter, as he often needed to take leave for various reasons, which might affect his academic performance.
After leaving the department head's office, Li Baolong went straight to his class advisor's office. Again, he respectfully presented his class advisor with another package of "tea" wrapped in newspaper, conveying similar words. He knew that his leave request required not only the department head's understanding but also his class advisor's signature. These social skills and interpersonal dynamics were all carefully taught to him by Sister Honghong. Through his interactions with Sister Honghong, Li Baolong gradually learned and mastered many such social techniques. This accumulation of experience and wisdom undoubtedly reduced many potential obstacles and troubles he might encounter in his campus life and future path, enabling him to handle complex interpersonal relationships and various affairs with greater ease.
After three days of classes, Li Baolong asked the school for two more days off, intending to go to the stock exchange to explore whether there were any new opportunities or challenges hidden there. When he stepped into the familiar VIP room, he was surprised to find that there were only a few people inside. The former liveliness and noise were gone, and a cold and lonely atmosphere permeated the room.
Filled with doubt and unable to suppress his curiosity, Li Baolong quietly asked a seemingly more experienced man beside him, "Brother, why is it so deserted today? Where has everyone else gone?" The man first gave Li Baolong a slightly surprised look, then slowly explained, "Haven't you heard? They suffered heavy losses in futures trading. Their large purchases of wheat futures resulted in most of them losing everything, their funds almost completely depleted. Perhaps it's this painful experience that has disheartened them, which is why these VIP rooms are empty now."
Upon hearing this, Li Baolong pondered inwardly, recalling the various signs he had witnessed and the snippets of information he had heard. He keenly sensed that this series of events was likely not accidental, but rather the result of a clandestine conspiracy, a sophisticated and hidden trap set by certain individuals to manipulate so-called "insider trading" for personal gain, sacrificing the interests of numerous ordinary investors to line their own pockets. Beneath the seemingly calm surface of the futures and securities trading market, undercurrents surged, concealing numerous unknown conspiracies and schemes. Li Baolong knew he must remain vigilant at all times, relying on his wisdom and courage to survive and thrive in this complex and ever-changing environment, avoiding becoming a victim of others' schemes.
Just as Li Baolong was deep in thought, he saw account manager Wu Yue, all smiles and respectful demeanor, following behind the two men, explaining incessantly the details of the high-roller transactions on the second floor. Li Baolong looked up and saw that one of them was the exchange manager he knew, the brother-in-law of that young master Hong, while the other was General Manager Peng from headquarters.
At this moment, Exchange Manager Dai was methodically explaining the operational status of the Taisheng Road Securities Branch. Client Manager Wu Yue then added, "Mr. Peng, as Manager Dai just mentioned, this futures trading has resulted in losses of millions of yuan for our branch's clients. Many clients have become disillusioned with trading and are no longer coming back." Li Baolong thought to himself, "So this Mr. Hong's brother-in-law's surname is Dai. Judging from his behavior, he's probably not a good person. He probably has a habit of manipulating insider trading to line his own pockets. And this Mr. Peng, judging from his aura and status, is very likely one of the key figures behind this."
Li Baolong remained calm and deliberately kept a distance of about twenty meters from them, quietly following them. This way, he could avoid attracting attention while ensuring he could clearly eavesdrop on their conversation. After the account manager, Wu Yue, left, the conversation became even clearer. General Peng said in a low voice, "In this operation, we made a total profit of over four million. We originally expected to make five million, but because someone withdrew early, the profit was reduced by seven or eight hundred thousand. Manager Dai, the head of headquarters has allocated fifty million in funds to build a position in a stock in batches." At this point, General Peng's voice became even lower, almost a whisper: "This stock is Er'an Technology, and its current price is only a little over two yuan. Our plan is to push its price up to over fifteen yuan within two months, then sell off and dump it, driving the price down to around five yuan. Then, we will buy it back at a low price after half a month, release positive news, and finally push it up to a high of fifty yuan with consecutive limit-up days. In this way, we can reap a huge profit of over one hundred million yuan. According to your authority, you can invest two hundred thousand yuan to participate, and you will also be able to share in the millions of yuan in profits." After speaking, the two looked at each other and smiled, their laughter full of anticipation and self-satisfaction for the huge wealth in the future, but they were completely unaware that Li Baolong had quietly seen through their conspiracy.
After overhearing the astonishing insider trading plan, Li Baolong's heart was filled with turmoil. He knew that if he could skillfully participate, this opportunity would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance. If everything went smoothly, his funds could potentially increase tenfold, and with exceptional execution, a twentyfold increase was not impossible. In that case, his dream of becoming a multi-millionaire would be within reach. Thinking of this, a smile involuntarily crept onto his face, and he secretly rejoiced.
A moment later, Manager Dai and General Manager Peng finished their conversation and walked out of the manager's office, heading straight downstairs to the main entrance of the exchange, where they waited for their driver. Seeing this, Li Baolong quietly followed. When he was still a dozen meters away from General Manager Peng, he stopped, feigning a relaxed and leisurely demeanor, as if he had only stopped there by chance. In reality, he had secretly focused his mind and activated his mysterious telepathic ability. In an instant, his thoughts, like an invisible thread, precisely wrapped around General Manager Peng's brain, attempting to establish a brief mental connection. In just a few seconds of mental interaction, Li Baolong confirmed the truth of the matter without a doubt, and unexpectedly learned that the final expected stock price increase was not the previously mentioned fifty yuan, but as high as eighty yuan. This crucial information filled Li Baolong with immense joy, but he also knew he couldn't linger, so he quickly withdrew his spiritual power, ending his probing. Just then, Mr. Peng's car slowly pulled up. He seemed to recover from a brief moment of distraction, and after a slight pause, he and Manager Dai got into the car and drove off in a cloud of dust. Li Baolong stood alone, watching the departing vehicle, already plotting how to cleverly secure a share of this impending capital feast while simultaneously avoiding any potential risks and crises.
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