Chapter 39 "According to what you just said..."
"According to the points you just mentioned, the key is whether the other party has noted the details of their transfer. Otherwise, the other party can sue them on the grounds of a loan."
After hearing the lawyer's words on the other end of the phone, Lu Xiao paused in wiping her hair, clearly pondering the meaning behind his words.
However, she didn't dwell on it for long. Her hand, which had been drying her hair, started moving again. "It's just that during my friend's relationship with her boyfriend, he always transferred money to her via Alipay. But my friend often returned the money he transferred to her in other ways, like buying gifts of equal value." She paused for a few seconds, then quickly organized her thoughts again. "Anyway, it's a reciprocal relationship, and the gifts are mutual. I'm just worried about something going wrong, so I wanted to consult with Attorney Xu to see if there would be any issues under the current legal framework."
Lu Xiao was referring to Huang Shiyu and Song Chaoye, not the typical "I have a friend" series. She was afraid that Song Chaoye would target Huang Shiyu again. After all, it's best not to cause any trouble before the project goes public, and public opinion is a crucial factor, otherwise it will indirectly affect the brand's image.
"Ms. Lu, based on the points you have listed, it would be quite easy for the man to sue you on the grounds of a property dispute, unless he clearly states that the money transferred was not for the purpose of marriage, in which case there would be no problem."
Lu Xiao was silent for a while before saying, "So even if the woman reciprocates with a gift, she can still be sued for property disputes?"
"Yes, Ms. Lu, because over 500,000 yuan can constitute the suspicion of profiting from a relationship. Besides, as you mentioned earlier, the return gift was not given all at once. Under the current laws of our country, anything given with the intention of marriage can be returned, unless you can get evidence to show that the money transferred by the man was not a gift with the intention of marriage."
As soon as the lawyer finished speaking, she continued, "What if this money was used to invest in a company the two of you run together? Would that also be taken back?"
"It's like the two of you paying off a mortgage together before and after marriage. Before marriage, he can take not only the increased value of the mortgage but also the portion he originally gave you. However, after marriage, this money becomes joint property, and there's no question of it being taken back."
Seeing that her hair was almost dry on one side, Lu Xiao switched to drying the other side. The sound of her phone on speakerphone and the rustling of the towel against her hair kept coming from the bathroom, like someone constantly crumpling and manipulating a piece of paper.
The lawyer's answer was already very clear, and she didn't know what else to ask. However, she didn't want to hang up immediately; she had purchased an hour of consultation time from the lawyer, and there were less than ten minutes left. But she couldn't waste it—it cost five hundred yuan an hour! So she decided to ask a different question: "What if we get divorced? Will I get my money back?"
As soon as Shen Nanfeng entered the house, carrying a basket of strawberries still glistening with dew, he intended to rush to Lu Xiao's side and present the basket of freshly picked strawberries to her like a precious treasure. But then he heard Lu Xiao's last words.
What did Lu Xiao mean by that? Did she want a divorce?! That won't do!
They're already married and have children, so divorce is impossible. He doesn't want to divorce Lu Xiao either. Could it be that Lu Xiao is still angry with him for making her quit her job to stay home and take care of the kids?
But it doesn't matter whether it's this matter or not. He has plenty of ways to get Lu Xiao to forgive him. He knows that Lu Xiao's heart is as soft as her face. She can be moved by small things and forget about the past.
It's not that men don't understand women; it's just a matter of which aspect they want to understand. They understand mathematics, and they're not insensitive when they're working. It's just a matter of whether they're willing to or not.
"If it's marital property, it involves a wider range of aspects, and a more detailed assessment would require a face-to-face meeting with you. Would you like to visit our physical office? Our office address is..."
Lu Xiao had just finished washing her hair and was standing in the bathroom with a foggy mirror in front of her. She was drying her still-dripping hair with a towel while listening to the lawyer's articulate speech on the other end of the phone.
Just as she was about to decline the lawyer's invitation, she caught a glimpse of a figure in the mirror, besides herself, that was not clearly visible. She didn't need to guess much to know who that figure was. Seeing the figure in the mirror moving, she suddenly reached out and hung up the phone.
The moment she saw Shen Nanfeng, she instinctively hung up the phone, as if she had done something wrong and was afraid of being caught.
The bathroom was filled with steam, like a thin mist, which drifted into Chen Nanfeng's eyes. He looked at Lu Xiao standing in the bathroom. The door was wide open, but Lu Xiao's figure was not clearly visible. He could only vaguely see her drying her hair and hear that irritating voice.
He stood at the bathroom door, looking at Lu Xiao, who had already turned around.
Lu Xiao's face was fair and shiny, but upon closer inspection, it wasn't just fair; there were also two touches of pink. Shen Nanfeng immediately thought that she might have applied powder, or perhaps two touches of rouge on her cheeks, otherwise, how could she appear so radiant to him?
Like a soft, non-aggressive peach, but he knew that Lu Xiao was not made of a peach. She was just covered with a thin layer of light, as fine as the fuzz on a peach.
Unable to bear the silent staring between the two, Lu Xiao took the initiative to speak, saying, "Why didn't you say anything when you came back?"
"I saw you making a phone call." His answer was impeccable.
Lu Xiao really couldn't find anything to choose from, so she nodded and said, "I'm done playing, so I'll go back to my room now."
Without waiting for Lu Xiao to make a move, he said directly, "Lu Xiao, if you don't want to see me, you can at least see the strawberries I bought for you."
Only then did Lu Xiao turn her attention to the basket of strawberries he was carrying. She hadn't seen it before, as her eyes had been completely focused on Shen Nanfeng.
Seeing her gaze fall on the strawberries he had brought, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. He knew Lu Xiao would fall for this; she responded better to gentle persuasion than force.
"It's very sweet, are you sure you don't want to try one?" Shen Nanfeng took a strawberry out of the basket and handed it to Lu Xiao.
"Did you buy it or bring it from home?" Lu Xiao asked.
Shen Nanfeng smiled and said, "I bought a ticket to the strawberry picking farm and picked the strawberries myself."
At this moment, Lu Xiao's eyes were fixed on the strawberry in Shen Nanfeng's outstretched palm. She knew what Shen Nanfeng was trying to do, so she was very troubled and upset.
Seeing that she was staring at him without reacting, Shen Nanfeng felt unusually uncertain, unlike his previous confident demeanor. A hint of panic appeared on his face. "Strawberries in this season taste best the moment they are picked from the orchard."
"I don't want to eat right now." She looked up at him.
He emphasized the key point again, "I heard that strawberries taste best when eaten within two hours of being picked, so I rushed back." He actually wanted to emphasize that he risked his life to rush back so that she could eat the sweetest strawberries and ensure their freshness. He wanted to make it clear to her and soften her heart. He knew best that Lu Xiao was most susceptible to kindness from others, and that her heart was as soft as satin. Saying something nice or doing something touching in front of her would melt her heart instantly.
She said, "The time spent picking strawberries plus the travel time to and from the market is enough for you to handle so many cases. Don't you think you're wasting your time?"
There's also the saying "doing a lot of work for no reward," but she didn't say the second half of that sentence.
Shen Nanfeng: "Isn't time meant to be wasted? Besides, today is my day off, so I don't think it's a waste to spend my time on you."
A brief silence fell.
Lu Xiao sighed: "Okay."
"You haven't had dinner yet, have you? Otherwise, I'll make some." Having already changed his tune, he should seize the opportunity to show off.
"You can eat by yourself." Lu Xiao's gaze lingered on Shen Nanfeng's drooping hair for a moment before she spoke again, her tone less harsh. "The project I'm working on with Shi Yu is just starting to take shape, so I'll be quite busy from now on. You don't need to spend your time on me."
Shen Nanfeng was quite happy at the moment and answered quickly, "Okay, then I'll go back to my room and work overtime on the case."
She watched Shen Nanfeng's figure disappear around the corner on the second floor, then turned her gaze back to the strawberries in the basket, wet and glistening with tears. She wondered if the sweetness Shen Nanfeng spoke of was merely a facade, or just an empty shell.
Okay, then I'll just eat one, just one.
She put one in her mouth.
Hmm, it's really sweet, and the texture is different from what you buy in the supermarket. It's really delicious.
However, I can only secretly eat two, otherwise Shen Nanfeng will find out, and then he will know that I am not angry with him, which will not do, so eating two is enough.
She was so engrossed in this sweetness that she didn't notice how intense and inescapable the hunter's gaze was fixed on his prey.
Huang Shiyu stood under the large poster for the concert, craning his neck and looking around, clearly searching for someone. His big eyes were like detectors, staring at everyone who passed by.
Then, they found someone at the edge of the crowd. Li Xingzhou, dressed in a black coat, stood out too much in the brightly colored crowd and was easily spotted, distinguishing him from others. Li Xingzhou seemed to sense that someone was looking at him, and then looked up to meet Huang Shiyu's gaze.
Fearing that the crowd would separate him, Huang Shiyu only made eye contact with him for a second before rushing towards him.
"You've been tinkering for so long." Li Xingzhou's gaze swept casually over Huang Shiyu, and after looking at her a few times, a faint smile appeared on his lips. "I thought you were going to dress up extravagantly and stand out from the crowd."
Huang Shiyu didn't dodge Li Xingzhou's gaze. Instead, she walked towards him confidently, ignoring his teasing. "Shut up, you know. This bag I'm wearing is a big brand, the same one worn by celebrities. It cost me over five thousand."
The bag she was carrying was a beautiful but impractical little elephant-shaped bag made of burgundy leather. It was actually quite spacious, though it looked small. It could hold all the makeup products a girl usually uses, proving that good things come in small packages. The most important thing was that it was very cute, which was why Huang Shiyu bought the bag. It was a rare moment when she showed her girlish side.
Besides, there's no need to bring a big bag to a concert; it's not only a burden, but she also finds it heavy and takes up too much space.
This time, she didn't hold back either, giving him a taste of his own medicine and firing back, adding, "But of course, it can't compare to what President Li is doing."
Li Xingzhou was dressed casually but with a strong sense of style today. He didn't look like he was there to attend a concert, but rather to walk the runway. With his broad shoulders, long legs, and tall stature, he was a natural clothes hanger. He made an ordinary black trench coat look incredibly elegant. He also had a gray denim bag slung across his shoulder. The logo on the bag looked like snowflakes, densely packed and seemingly endless.
The yellow color in this series is known to Shi Yu. It is a limited edition color for the brand in China, sold only in domestic stores. It is very rare and at one point you had to buy it at a price higher than the official retail price.
Although she doesn't know much about cars, like most girls, she loves bags and enjoys researching various bag brands, styles, and years—after all, a bag can cure all ills.
She watched as the ribbon tied to Li Xingzhou's bag fluttered in the wind, and heard him say, "So what do you think?"
Huang Shiyu smiled, her lips pressed tightly together. Under Li Xingzhou's expectant gaze, she didn't open her mouth, but moved her lips slightly, saying, "She's dressed like a decent person, but her words are annoying."
Li Xingzhou: "Don't think that just because you're speaking unclearly I can't tell you're insulting me. Let's go, the concert is about to start."
Li Xingzhou invited her to the concert yesterday, saying it was a very niche band that not many people knew. If she didn't agree to come, the concert tickets would be hard to resell, resulting in a loss of money. Huang Shiyu never expected that the young master of the prestigious Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group and the CEO of Sunac, who drives a car worth tens of millions, would care about such a small amount of money. She was indeed shocked.
Huang Shiyu glanced ahead and saw Li Xingzhou walking in front of her, about half a step away, neither too close nor too far. She turned on her phone, took out Bluetooth earphones from her bag, put them in her ears, and started reading financial news.
She has a habit of watching the morning news every day, mainly the financial channel, to understand stock market trends and investment hotspots.
"According to our report, the stock market hit a new record high today. Among them, all sectors of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect group saw upward trends. The Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect group's share price surged from five yuan per share to twenty yuan per share, demonstrating a strong upward trend. Let's see what happened. It turns out that the day before yesterday, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect group's new drug, after three years of development, was finally successfully launched. This is truly commendable, and the price is even lower than expected, which is quite unexpected..."
It turns out that the stock price surged so much because of the release of the new drug. It seems that this upward trend can continue for a while, but it's unclear when it will fall back.
Huang Shiyu was considering whether to buy shares of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group while the closing price was 34 yuan. To be honest, she was quite hesitant. Although news reports and stock charts showed that the market had high expectations for the new drug announced by Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group, the uncertainty surrounding the new drug was too great. Clinical trial results showed no problems, but patients are all different. What works for one person might not work for another. In fact, the fact that a new drug can be widely launched in the market without adverse reactions often involves a great deal of luck.
Her main concern was that if any accidents occurred and losses were incurred, the stock price would also fall.
After thinking for a long time, Huang Shiyu still couldn't come up with a solution, so she decided to check with Li Xingzhou, since he would definitely know the most about his family's stock situation.
"Have you checked the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect Group's stock price today?"
"Hmm, what's wrong?"
Do you think this trend is temporary or just a temporary phenomenon?
The reason she asked Li Xingzhou this question was mainly because she was afraid that the Shenzhen and Hong Kong stock prices were deliberately inflated to attract retail investors, then profit from the influx before moving on to the next batch. Her concern stemmed from a past experience where she bought a stock at a high price and was already trapped when she realized something was wrong. Having learned her lesson, she was now much more cautious.
Li Xingzhou paused for several seconds before casually saying, "The stock market is full of uncertainty and randomness, just like real life is unpredictable. Just like I never thought I would see you in a German restaurant on my first day back in China."
Huang Shiyu frowned. If question marks could be visualized, then at this moment, there was no doubt that several question marks were popping up above her head.
He then forced a very standard fake smile: "Thank you so much for your kind advice."
She really couldn't stand Li Xingzhou's tendency to suddenly throw out some sentimental remarks all the time; it was just so...so cheesy...it almost made her feel awful.
She even suspected that Li Xingzhou was deliberately saying those chilling things to avoid telling her. But it didn't matter; she could ask her trader or an anonymous user.
As if on cue, Huang Shiyu's phone rang. She glanced at the screen and saw a message had come in.
He was the trader who had been in charge of her stocks.
The stock price of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect has risen too far from the market price. In my opinion, it will not continue to rise, but will instead fall. Now is the best time to sell all the shares.
After reading it, she immediately typed a message.
Don't sell yet, wait a bit longer.
Before she could turn off her phone screen, another message came in.
[Waiting any longer might add another layer of risk. Although a small number of people will make a fortune in this stock market, they are a minority. Our team does not advocate taking risks and making money at the expense of others; knowing when to stop is our team's principle.]
Huang Shiyu understood the traders' concerns and underlying reasons for urging her to sell all her Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect shares and cut her losses. Firstly, stock market price fluctuations are merely reflections of expected prices; whether the price rises above 80 yuan or falls below 5 yuan today, these are all expected prices, and no one can predict future price movements. Secondly, there's the profit factor. If she sold all her shares during this bullish market, not only would she profit, but they would also receive substantial commissions.
Huang Shiyu is a seasoned stock market veteran, so he naturally knows that selling at a high price is the best strategy at this time.
She glanced at Li Xingzhou.
The recent fluctuations in Shenzhen and Hong Kong stock prices were far too dramatic, completely exceeding her expectations. She found it difficult to subtly probe Li Xingzhou for information, as she couldn't get any clear answers. She could sense that Li Xingzhou was playing games with her, but she still wanted to try again.
After thinking for a while, she replied to the person in charge on the other end.
I said I'd wait a bit longer.
After sending the message to the trader, she opened the Douyin app and saw that the anonymous user was online. She casually asked him if he knew the current stock price of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect and what his opinion was on it.
The other party replied almost instantly.
[Anonymous User: In my opinion, whether you listen to someone's advice, read the overwhelming amount of news online, or stare at candlestick charts every day, nothing is as direct as understanding a listed company's financial statements and analyzing its operating conditions.]
She certainly knew that the best way to understand whether a listed company was making money was to look at its financial statements, since every economic activity of a company would leave a trace on its balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement.
However, some capable companies can embellish and fabricate the figures on their financial statements, and investors cannot see the true value behind these valuation figures. Thinking this way, she asked the question.
[Anonymous User: That's not wrong, but financial statements that can embellish the past are often permitted by accounting standards. It's true that financial statements can be falsified, but I'm not suggesting you look at just one or two years. Take a long-term view. Financial statements are like people; if you look at them over the long term, lies are hard to hide.]
Huang Shiyu thought he made a lot of sense. It would be very difficult for the company to continue to commit financial statement fraud. She had to look at it over a longer time frame. Sure enough, she gained a lot from chatting with the anonymous user. She thought the anonymous user was a very capable person, just like Li Xingzhou. He had both in-depth analysis and profound understanding of the industry. If she had the opportunity to meet him in the future, she would definitely thank him properly.
Li Xingzhou held his phone, looked up at Huang Shiyu typing with her head down, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Are you tight-lipped?"
Huang Shiyu, who was typing on her phone, paused upon hearing this. Did Li Xingzhou's question mean he was going to tell her the truth?
She nodded: "Of course, there's a door and a lock up there. As soon as you tell me, I can close the door immediately, like it's glued shut. No one can do anything about it."
The way the girl was trying to act cute left Li Xingzhou both amused and exasperated.
Li Xingzhou suppressed a smile and said, "Then I can do it too."
"Hey." Huang Shiyu looked at him and tried to persuade him, "Don't make such a big promise, don't rush to reject me."
"Shall I think about it?"
Huang Shiyu nodded frantically; she desperately wanted to know the reason for the abnormal stock price fluctuations of Shenzhen-Hong Kong Group.
To everyone's surprise, Li Xingzhou's next words were, "I'm not telling you."
"One minute." Huang Shiyu pursed her lips, made a one gesture towards Li Xingzhou, and her voice had a rare hint of coquetry, "Just one minute."
"From this moment forward, we will share one minute of each other's secrets."
"Not even for a second," Li Xingzhou declared cruelly.
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